Vilify, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vilified; p. pr. & vb. n. Vilifying.]
Etymology: [L. vilis vile + -fly; cf. L. vilificare to esteem of little value.]
1. To make vile; to debase; to degrade; to disgrace. [R.] When themselves they vilified To serve ungoverned appetite. Milton.
2. To degrade or debase by report; to defame; to traduce; to calumniate. I. Taylor. Many passions dispose us to depress and vilify the merit of one rising in the esteem of mankind. Addison.
3. To treat as vile; to despise. [Obs.] I do vilify your censure. Beau. & Fl.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for vilify; he lists it under abuse, slander.
Where he writes about it:
Defame, malign, rail at, revile, slander, vilify, and vituperate are used always in a bad sense. — from abuse
To asperse is, as it were, to bespatter with injurious charges; to malign is to circulate studied and malicious attacks upon character; to traduce is to exhibit one's real or assumed traits in an odious light; to revile or vilify is to attack with vile abuse. — from slander
One may "abuse," "assail," or vilify another to his face; he asperses, calumniates, slanders, or traduces him behind his back. — from slander