HONISH VERB 1. to bring to disgrace, to dishonour, to insult; to destroy, to ruin, to cause to perish ...a1325 obs. 2. (also HUNNISH) to ill-treat; to starve a person for want of food ...1878 Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY (vb. 1) from Anglo-Norman huniss-, Anglo-Norman and Old French honiss-, extended stem of Anglo-Norman hunir, Anglo-Norman and Old french honir (vb. to shame, humiliate, to ruin, damage), from a Germanic cognate of hean (vb. to insult, to humiliate, to debase, to lower FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1325 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...As ffer as me him seye, Me sholde him hounschy & skorne boþe ffer & neye..." From: The Southern Passion From Pepysian M.S. 2344 in the Library of Magdalene College, Cambridge Edited by Beatrice Daw Brown, 1927
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