V (part 1)

1. V, the twenty-second letter of the English alphabet, is a vocal consonant. V and U are only varieties of the same character, U being the cursive form, while V is better adapted for engraving, as in stone. The two letters were formerly used indiscriminately, and till a comparatively recent date words containing them were often classed together in dictionaries and other books of reference (see U). The letter V is from the Latin alphabet, where it was used both as a consonant (about like English w) and as a vowel. The Latin derives it from it from a form (V) of the Greek vowel UPSILON (see Y), this Greek letter being either from the same Semitic letter as the digamma F (see F), or else added by the Greeks to the alphabet which they took from the Semitic. Etymologically v is most nearly related to u, w, f, b, p; as in vine, wine; avoirdupois, habit, have; safe, save; trover, troubadour, trope. See U, F, etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, § 265; also §§ 155, 169, 178-179, etc.

2. As a numeral, V stands for five, in English and Latin.

VAAGMER Vaag"mer, n. Etym: [Icel. vagmeri a kind of flounder, literally, wave mare.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The dealfish. [Written also vaagmær, and vaagmar.]

VACANCY
Va"can*cy, n.; pl. Vacancies. Etym: [Cf. F. vacance.]

1. The quality or state of being vacant; emptiness; hence, freedom from employment; intermission; leisure; idleness; listlessness. All dispositions to idleness or vacancy, even before they are habits, are dangerous. Sir H. Wotton.

2. That which is vacant. Specifically: — (a) Empty space; vacuity; vacuum. How is't with you, That you do bend your eye on vacancy Shak.

(b) An open or unoccupied space between bodies or things; an interruption of continuity; chasm; gap; as, a vacancy between buildings; a vacancy between sentences or thoughts. (c) Unemployed time; interval of leisure; time of intermission; vacation. Time lost partly in too oft idle vacancies given both to schools and universities. Milton. No interim, not a minute's vacancy. Shak. Those little vacancies from toil are sweet. Dryden.

(d) A place or post unfilled; an unoccupied office; as, a vacancy in the senate, in a school, etc.

VACANT Va"cant, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. vacans, -antis, p. pr. of vacare to be empty, to be free or unoccupied, to have leisure, also vocare; akin to vacuus empty, and probably to E. void. Cf. Evacuate, Void, a.]

1. Deprived of contents; not filled; empty; as, a vacant room.
Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form. Shak.
Being of those virtues vacant. Shak.
There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended, But has one vacant chair.
Longfellow.

2. Unengaged with business or care; unemployed; unoccupied; disengaged; free; as, vacant hours. Religion is the interest of all; but philosophy of those . . . at leisure, and vacant from the affairs of the world. Dr. H. More. There was not a minute of the day which he left vacant. Bp. Fell.

3. Not filled or occupied by an incumbent, possessor, or officer; as, a vacant throne; a vacant parish. Special dignities which vacant lie For thy best use and wearing. Shak.

4. Empty of thought; thoughtless; not occupied with study or reflection; as, a vacant mind. The duke had a pleasant and vacant face. Sir H. Wotton. When on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood. Wordsworth.

5. (Law)

Defn: Abandoned; having no heir, possessor, claimant, or occupier; as, a vacant estate. Bouvier. Vacant succession (Law), one that is claimed by no person, or where all the heirs are unknown, or where all the known heirs to it have renounced it. Burrill.

Syn. — Empty; void; devoid; free; unemployed; disengaged; unincumbered; uncrowded; idle. — Vacant, Empty. A thing is empty when there is nothing in it; as, an empty room, or an empty noddle. Vacant adds the idea of having been previously filled, or intended to be filled or occupied; as, a vacant seat at table; a vacant office; vacant hours. When we speak of a vacant look or a vacant mind, we imply the absence of the intelligence naturally to be expected there.

VACANTLY
Va"cant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vacant manner; inanely.

VACATE
Va"cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vacated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vacating.]
Etym: [L. vacare, vacatum, to be empty. See Vacant.]

1. To make vacant; to leave empty; to cease from filling or occupying; as, it was resolved by Parliament that James had vacated the throne of England; the tenant vacated the house.

2. To annul; to make void; to deprive of force; to make of no authority or validity; as, to vacate a commission or a charter; to vacate proceedings in a cause. That after act vacating the authority of the precedent. Eikon Basilike. The necessity of observing the Jewish Sabbath was Vacated by the apostolical institution of the Lord's Day. R. Nelson.

3. To defeat; to put an end to. [R.] He vacates my revenge. Dryden.

VACATION Va*ca"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. vacatio a being free from a duty, service, etc., fr. vacare. See Vacate.]

1. The act of vacating; a making void or of no force; as, the vacation of an office or a charter.

2. Intermission of a stated employment, procedure, or office; a period of intermission; rest; leisure. It was not in his nature, however, at least till years had chastened it, to take any vacation from controversy. Palfrey. Hence, specifically: -(a) (Law)

Defn: Intermission of judicial proceedings; the space of time between the end of one term and the beginning of the next; nonterm; recess. "With lawyers in the vacation." Shak. (b) The intermission of the regular studies and exercises of an educational institution between terms; holidays; as, the spring vacation. (c) The time when an office is vacant; esp. (Eccl.), the time when a see, or other spiritual dignity, is vacant.

VACATUR
Va*ca"tur, n. [NL., it is made void, fr. L. vacare to be empty. See
Vacant.] (Law)

Defn: An order of court by which a proceeding is set aside or annulled.

VACCARY
Vac"ca*ry, n. Etym: [LL. vaccarium, from L. vacca cow. Cf. Vachery.]

Defn: A cow house, dairy house, or cow pasture. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Wright.

VACCINA
Vac*ci"na, n. Etym: [NL.] (Med.)

Defn: Vaccinia.

VACCINAL
Vac"ci*nal, a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to vaccinia or vaccination.

VACCINATE
Vac"ci*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vaccinated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vaccinating.] Etym: [See Vaccine.]

Defn: To inoculate with the cowpox by means of a virus, called vaccine, taken either directly or indirectly from cows.

VACCINATION
Vac`ci*na"tion, n.

Defn: The act, art, or practice of vaccinating, or inoculating with the cowpox, in order to prevent or mitigate an attack of smallpox. Cf. Inoculation.

Note: In recent use, vaccination sometimes includes inoculation with any virus as a preventive measure; as, vaccination of cholera.

VACCINATOR
Vac"ci*na`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, vaccinates.

VACCINE Vac"cine, a. Etym: [L. vaccinus, fr. vacca a cow; cf. Skr. vac to bellow, to groan.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to cows; pertaining to, derived from, or caused by, vaccinia; as, vaccine virus; the vaccine disease. — n.

Defn: The virus of vaccinia used in vaccination.

VACCINE POINT
Vac"cine point`. (Med.)

Defn: See Point, n., 26.

VACCINIA
Vac*cin"i*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Vaccine.] (Med.)

Defn: Cowpox; vaccina. See Cowpox.

VACCINIST
Vac"ci*nist, n.

Defn: A vaccinator.

VACCINIUM
Vac*cin"i*um, n. Etym: [L., the blueberry, or whortleberry.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of ericaceous shrubs including the various kinds of blueberries and the true cranberries.

VACHER
Va`cher", n. Etym: [F., from vache a cow. Cf. Vaquero.]

Defn: A keeper of stock or cattle; a herdsman. [Southwestern U. S.]
Bartlett.

VACHERY
Vach"er*y, n. Etym: [F. vacherie, from vache a cow, L. vacca. Cf.
Vaccary.]

1. An inclosure for cows.

2. A dairy. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Prompt. Parv.

VACHETTE CLASP Va`chette" clasp. [Cf. F. vachette cowhide leather used for ligatures.] (Veter.)

Defn: A piece of strong steel wire with the ends curved and pointed, used on toe or quarter cracks to bind the edges together and prevent motion. It is clasped into two notches, one on each side of the crack, burned into the wall with a cautery iron.

VACILLANCY
Vac"il*lan*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vacillant, or wavering. [R.] Dr.
H. More.

VACILLANT Vac"il*lant, a. Etym: [L. vacillans, p. pr. of vacillare: cf. F. vacillant. See Vacillate.]

Defn: Vacillating; wavering; fluctuating; irresolute.

VACILLATE
Vac"il*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vacillated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vacillating.] Etym: [L. vacillare, vacillatum; cf. Skr. vañc.]

1. To move one way and the other; to reel or stagger; to waver. [A spheroid] is always liable to shift and vacillatefrom one axis to another. Paley.

2. To fluctuate in mind or opinion; to be unsteady or inconstant; to waver.

Syn.
— See Fluctuate.

VACILLATING
Vac"il*la`ting, a.

Defn: Inclined to fluctuate; wavering. Tennyson.
— Vac"il*la`ting*ly, adv.

VACILLATION
Vac`il*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. vacillatio: cf. F. vacillation.]

1. The act of vacillating; a moving one way and the other; a
wavering.
His vacillations, or an alternation of knowledge and doubt. Jer.
Taylor.

VACILLATORY
Vac"il*la*to*ry, a.

Defn: Inclined to vacillate; wavering; irresolute. Hawthorne.

VACUATE Vac"u*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. vacuatus, p. p. of vacuare to empty, from vacuus empty. See Vacant.]

Defn: To make void, or empty. [R.]

VACUATION
Vac`u*a"tion, n.

Defn: The act of emptying; evacuation. [R.]

VACUIST
Vac"u*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vacuiste.]

Defn: One who holds the doctrine that the space between the bodies of the universe, or the molecules and atoms of matter., is a vacuum; — opposed to plenist.

VACUITY
Va*cu"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. vacuitas. See Vacuous.]

1. The quality or state of being vacuous, or not filled; emptiness; vacancy; as, vacuity of mind; vacuity of countenance. Hunger is such a state of vacuity as to require a fresh supply of aliment. Arbuthnot.

2. Space unfilled or unoccupied, or occupied with an invisible fluid only; emptiness; void; vacuum. A vacuity is interspersed among the particles of matter. Bentley. God . . . alone can answer all our longings and fill every vacuity of our soul. Rogers.

3. Want of reality; inanity; nihility. [R.] Their expectations will meet with vacuity. Glanvill.

VACUNA
Va*cu"na, n. Etym: [L. vacuus unoccupied.] (Rom. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of rural leisure, to whom the husbandmen sacrificed at the close of the harvest. She was especially honored by the Sabines.

VACUOLATED
Vac"u*o*la`ted, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Full of vacuoles, or small air cavities; as, vacuolated cells.

VACUOLATION
Vac"u*o*la"tion, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Formation into, or multiplication of, vacuoles.

VACUOLE
Vac"u*ole, n. Etym: [L. vacuus empty: cf. F. vacuole.] (Biol.)

Defn: A small air cell, or globular space, in the interior of organic cells, either containing air, or a pellucid watery liquid, or some special chemical secretions of the cell protoplasm. Contractile vacuole. (Zoöl.) See under Contractile, and see Illusts. of Infusoria, and Lobosa. — Food vacuole. (Zoöl.) See under Food, and see Illust. of Infusoria.

VACUOMETER
Vac`u*om"e*ter, n. [Vacuum + -meter.] (Physics)
(a) An instrument for the comparison of barometers.
(b) An apparatus for the measurement of low pressures.

VACUOUS
Vac"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. vacuus. See Vacant.]

Defn: Empty; unfilled; void; vacant.
Boundless the deep, because I am who fill Infinitude; nor vacuous the
space. Milton.
That the few may lead selfish and vacuous days. J. Morley.

VACUOUSNESS
Vac"u*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vacuous; emptiness; vacuity. W.
Montagu.

VACUUM
Vac"u*um, n.; pl. E. Vacuums, L. Vacua. Etym: [L., fr. vacuus empty.
See Vacuous.]

1. (Physics)

Defn: A space entirely devoid of matter (called also, by way of distinction, absolute vacuum); hence, in a more general sense, a space, as the interior of a closed vessel, which has been exhausted to a high or the highest degree by an air pump or other artificial means; as, water boils at a reduced temperature in a vacuum.

2. The condition of rarefaction, or reduction of pressure below that of the atmosphere, in a vessel, as the condenser of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.; as, a vacuum of 26 inches of mercury, or 13 pounds per square inch. Vacuum brake, a kind of continuous brake operated by exhausting the air from some appliance under each car, and so causing the pressure of the atmosphere to apply the brakes. — Vacuum pan (Technol.), a kind of large closed metallic retort used in sugar making for boiling down sirup. It is so connected with an exhausting apparatus that a partial vacuum is formed within. This allows the evaporation and concentration to take place at a lower atmospheric pressure and hence also at a lower temperature, which largely obviates the danger of burning the sugar, and shortens the process. — Vacuum pump. Same as Pulsometer, 1. — Vacuum tube (Phys.), a glass tube provided with platinum electrodes and exhausted, for the passage of the electrical discharge; a Geissler tube. — Vacuum valve, a safety valve opening inward to admit air to a vessel in which the pressure is less than that of the atmosphere, in order to prevent collapse. — Torricellian vacuum. See under Torricellian.

VACUUM CLEANER
Vac"u*um clean"er.

Defn: A machine for cleaning carpets, tapestry, upholstered work, etc., by suction.

VADANTES Va*dan"tes, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from L. vadans, p. pr. of vadare to wade, to ford.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive artificial group of birds including the wading, swimming, and cursorial birds.

VADE
Vade, v. i. Etym: [For fade.]

Defn: To fade; hence, to vanish. [Obs.] " Summer leaves all vaded."
Shak.
They into dust shall vade. Spenser.

VADE MECUM
Va`de me"cum. Etym: [L., go with me.]

Defn: A book or other thing that a person carries with him as a constant companion; a manual; a handbook.

VADIMONY
Vad"i*mo*ny, n. Etym: [L. vadimonium.] (Law)

Defn: A bond or pledge for appearance before a judge on a certain day. [Obs.]

VADIUM
Va"di*um, n. Etym: [LL., from L. vas, vadis, bail.] (Law)

Defn: Pledge; security; bail. See Mortgage. Vadium vivum Etym: [LL.] (Law), a living pledge, which exists where an estate is granted until a debt is paid out of its proceeds.

VAE
Vae, n.

Defn: See Voe. [Scot.]

VAFROUS
Va"frous, a. Etym: [L. vafer.]

Defn: Crafty; cunning; sly; as, vafrous tricks. [Obs.] Feltham.

VAGABOND Vag"a*bond, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. vagabundus, from vagari to stroll about, from vagus strolling. See Vague.]

1. Moving from place to place without a settled habitation; wandering. "Vagabond exile." Shak.

2. Floating about without any certain direction; driven to and fro. To heaven their prayers Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds Blown vagabond or frustrate. Milton.

3. Being a vagabond; strolling and idle or vicious.

VAGABOND
Vag"a*bond, n.

Defn: One who wanders from place to place, having no fixed dwelling, or not abiding in it, and usually without the means of honest livelihood; a vagrant; a tramp; hence, a worthless person; a rascal. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be. Gen. iv. 12.

Note: In English and American law, vagabond is used in bad sense, denoting one who is without a home; a strolling, idle, worthless person. Vagabonds are described in old English statutes as "such as wake on the night and sleep on the day, and haunt customable taverns and alehouses, and routs about; and no man wot from whence they came, nor whither they go." In American law, the term vagrant is employed in the same sense. Cf Rogue, n., 1. Burrill. Bouvier.

VAGABOND
Vag"a*bond, v. i.

Defn: To play the vagabond; to wander like a vagabond; to stroll. On every part my vagabonding sight Did cast, and drown mine eyes in sweet delight. Drummond.

VAGABONDAGE
Vag"a*bond`age, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vagabondage.]

Defn: The condition of a vagabond; a state or habit of wandering about in idleness; vagrancy.

VAGABONDISM
Vag"a*bond`ism, n.

Defn: Vagabondage.

VAGABONDIZE
Vag"a*bond`ize, v. i.

Defn: To play the vagabond; to wander about in idleness.

VAGABONDRY
Vag"a*bond`ry, n.

Defn: Vagabondage.

VAGAL
Va"gal, a. Etym: [See Vagus.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the vagus, or pneumogastric nerves; pneumogastric.

VAGANCY
Va"gan*cy, n. Etym: [From L. vagans, p. pr. See Vagantes.]

Defn: A wandering; vagrancy. [Obs.]
A thousand vagancies of glory and desight. Milton.

VAGANTES Va*gan"tes, p. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. vagans, p. pr. of vagari to stroll or wander.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tribe of spiders, comprising some of those which take their prey in a web, but which also frequently run with agility, and chase and seize their prey.

VAGARIOUS
Va*ga"ri*ous, a.

Defn: Given to, or characterized by, vagaries; capricious; whimsical; crochety.

VAGARY
Va*ga"ry, n.; pl. Vagaries. Etym: [L. vagari to stroll about. See
Vague.]

1. A wandering or strolling. [Obs.]

2. Hence, a wandering of the thoughts; a wild or fanciful freak; a whim; a whimsical purpose. "The vagaries of a child." Spectator. They changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell. Milton.

VAGIENT Va"gi*ent, a. Etym: [L. vagiens, p. pr. of vagire to cry like a young child.]

Defn: Crying like a child. [Obs.]

VAGINA
Va*gi"na, n.; pl. Vaginæ. Etym: [L. vagina a scabbard or sheath.]

1. (Anat.) (a) A sheath; a theca; as, the vagina of the portal vein. (b) Specifically, the canal which leads from the uterus to the external orifice if the genital canal, or to the cloaca.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The terminal part of the oviduct in insects and various other invertebrates. See Illust., of Spermatheca.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The basal expansion of certain leaves, which inwraps the stem; a sheath.

4. (Arch.)

Defn: The shaft of a terminus, from which the bust of figure seems to issue or arise.

VAGINAL
Vag"i*nal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vaginal.]

1. Of or pertaining to a vagina; resembling a vagina, or sheath; thecal; as, a vaginal synovial membrane; the vaginal process of the temporal bone.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the vagina of the genital canal; as, the vaginal artery.

VAGINANT
Vag"i*nant, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vaginant. See Vagina.]

Defn: Serving to in invest, or sheathe; sheathing. Vaginant leaf (Bot.), a leaf investing the stem or branch by its base, which has the form of a tube.

VAGINATE; VAGINATED
Vag"i*nate, Vag"i*na`ted, a. Etym: [See Vagina.]

Defn: Invested with, or as if with, a sheath; as, a vaginate stem, or one invested by the tubular base of a leaf.

VAGINATI
Vag`i*na"ti, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tribe of birds comprising the sheathbills.

VAGINERVOSE
Vag`i*ner*vose", a. Etym: [L. vagus wandering + E. nervose.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the nerves, or veins, placed in apparent disorder.

VAGINICOLA Vag`i*nic"o*la, n. Etym: [NL., from L. vagina sheath + colere to in habit.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of Infusoria which form minute vaselike or tubular cases in which they dwell.

VAGINISMUS
Vag`i*nis"mus, n. Etym: [NL.] (Med.)

Defn: A painful spasmodic contraction of the vagina, often rendering copulation impossible.

VAGINITIS
Vag`i*ni"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Vagina, and -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the vagina, or the genital canal, usually of its mucous living membrane.

VAGINOPENNOUS Vag`i*no*pen"nous, a. Etym: [L. vagina a sheath + penna a feather, pl. pennae a wing.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having elytra; sheath-winged. [R.]

VAGINULA Va*gin"u*la, n. Etym: [L., dim. of vagina sheath.] (Bot.) (a) A little sheath, as that about the base of the pedicel of most mosses. (b) One of the tubular florets in composite flowers. Henslow.

VAGINULE
Vag"i*nule, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A vaginula.

VAGISSATE
Vag"is*sate, v. i. Etym: [L. vagari to stroll or wander.]

Defn: To caper or frolic. [Obs.]

VAGOUS
Va"gous, a. Etym: [L. vagus. See Vague.]

Defn: Wandering; unsettled. [Obs.] Ayliffe.

VAGRANCY
Va"gran*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being a vagrant; a wandering without a settled home; an unsettled condition; vagabondism. Threatened away into banishment and vagrancy. Barrow.

VAGRANT Va"grant, a. Etym: [Probably fr. OF. waucrant, wacrant, p. p. of waucrer, wacrer, walcrer, to wander (probably of Teutonic origin), but influenced by F. vagant, p. pr. of vaguer to stray, L. vagari. Cf. Vagary.]

1. Moving without certain direction; wandering; erratic; unsettled.
That beauteous Emma vagrant courses took. Prior.
While leading this vagrant and miserable life, Johnson fell in live.
Macaulay.

2. Wandering from place to place without any settled habitation; as, a vagrant beggar.

VAGRANT
Va"grant, n.

Defn: One who strolls from place to place; one who has no settled
habitation; an idle wanderer; a sturdy beggar; an incorrigible rogue;
a vagabond.
Vagrants and outlaws shall offend thy view. Prior.

VAGRANTLY
Va"grant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vagrant manner.

VAGRANTNESS
Va"grant*ness, n.

Defn: State of being vagrant; vagrancy.

VAGUE Vague, a. [Compar. Vaguer; superl. Vaguest.] Etym: [F. vague, or L. vagus. See Vague, v. i.]

1. Wandering; vagrant; vagabond. [Archaic] "To set upon the vague villains." Hayward. She danced along with vague, regardless eyes. Keats.

2. Unsettled; unfixed; undetermined; indefinite; ambiguous; as, a vague idea; a vague proposition. This faith is neither a mere fantasy of future glory, nor a vague ebullition of feeling. I. Taylor. The poet turned away, and gave himself up to a sort of vague revery, which he called thought. Hawthorne.

3. Proceeding from no known authority; unauthenticated; uncertain; flying; as, a vague report. Some legend strange and value. Longfellow. Vague year. See Sothiac year, under Sothiac.

Syn. — Unsettled; indefinite; unfixed; ill-defined; ambiguous; hazy; loose; lax; uncertain.

VAGUE
Vague, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vague.]

Defn: An indefinite expanse. [R.]
The gray vague of unsympathizing sea. Lowell.

VAGUE
Vague, v. i. Etym: [F. vaguer, L. vagari, fr. vagus roaming.]

Defn: To wander; to roam; to stray. [Obs.] "[The soul] doth vague and wander." Holland.

VAGUE
Vague, n.

Defn: A wandering; a vagary. [Obs.] Holinshed.

VAGUELY
Vague"ly, adv.

Defn: In a vague manner.
What he vaguely hinted at, but dared not speak. Hawthorne.

VAGUENESS
Vague"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vague.

VAGUS
Va"gus, a. Etym: [L., wandering.] (Anat.)

Defn: Wandering; — applied especially to the pneumogastric nerve.
— n.

Defn: The vagus, ore pneumogastric, nerve.

VAIL
Vail, n. & v. t.

Defn: Same as Veil.

VAIL
Vail, n. Etym: [Aphetic form of avail, n.]

1. Avails; profit; return; proceeds. [Obs.] My house is as were the cave where the young outlaw hoards the stolen vails of his occupation. Chapman.

2. An unexpected gain or acquisition; a casual advantage or benefit; a windfall. [Obs.]

3. Money given to servants by visitors; a gratuity; — usually in the plural. [Written also vale.] Dryden.

VAIL Vail, v. t. Etym: [Aphetic form of avale. See Avale, Vale.] [Written also vale, and veil.]

1. To let fail; to allow or cause to sink. [Obs.] Vail your regard Upon a wronged, I would fain have said, a maid! Shak.

2. To lower, or take off, in token of inferiority, reverence, submission, or the like. France must vail her lofty-plumed crest! Shak. Without vailing his bonnet or testifying any reverence for the alleged sanctity of the relic. Sir. W. Scott.

VAIL
Vail, v. i.

Defn: To yield or recede; to give place; to show respect by yielding, uncovering, or the like. [Written also vale, and veil.] [Obs.] Thy convenience must vail to thy neighbor's necessity. South.

VAIL
Vail, n.

Defn: Submission; decline; descent. [Obs.]

VAILER
Vail"er, n.

Defn: One who vails. [Obs.] Overbury.

VAIMURE
Vai"mure, n.

Defn: An outer, or exterior. wall. See Vauntmure. [Obs.] Hakluyt.

VAIN Vain, a. [Compar. Vainer; superl. Vainest.] Etym: [F. vain, L. vanus empty, void, vain. Cf. Vanish, Vanity, Vaunt to boast.]

1. Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying. "Thy vain excuse." Shak. Every man walketh in a vain show. Ps. xxxix. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words. Eph. v. 6. Vain pomp, and glory of this world, I hate ye! Shak. Vain visdom all, and false philosophy. Milton.

2. Destitute of forge or efficacy; effecting no purpose; fruitless; ineffectual; as, vain toil; a vain attempt. Bring no more vain oblations. Isa. i. 13. Vain is the force of man To crush the pillars which the pile sustain. Dryden.

3. Proud of petty things, or of trifling attainments; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason; conceited; puffed up; inflated. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren James ii. 20 (Rev. Ver.). The minstrels played on every side, Vain of their art. Dryden.

4. Showy; ostentatious. Load some vain church with old theatric state. Pope.

Syn. — Empty; worthless; fruitless; ineffectual; idle; unreal; shadowy; showy; ostentatious; light; inconstant; deceitful; delusive; unimportant; trifling.

VAIN
Vain, n.

Defn: Vanity; emptiness; — now used only in the phrase in vain. For vain. See In vain. [Obs.] Shak. — In vain, to no purpose; without effect; ineffectually. " In vain doth valor bleed." Milton. " In vain they do worship me." Matt. xv. 9. — To take the name of God in vain, to use the name of God with levity or profaneness.

VAINGLORIOUS
Vain`glo"ri*ous, a.

Defn: Feeling or indicating vainglory; elated by vanity; boastful.
"Arrogant and vainglorious expression." Sir M. Hale.
— Vain`glo"ri*ous*ly, adv.
— Vain`glo"ri*ous*ness, n.

VAINGLORY
Vain`glo"ry, n. Etym: [Vain + glory.]

Defn: Excessive vanity excited by one's own performances; empty pride; undue elation of mind; vain show; boastfulness. He had nothing of vainglory. Bacon. The man's undone forever; for if Hector break not his neck i' the combat, he'll break't himself in vainglory. Shak.

VAINLY
Vain"ly, adv.

Defn: In a vain manner; in vain.

VAINNESS
Vain"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vain.

VAIR Vair, n. Etym: [F. vair, from OF. vair, a., L. varius various, variegated. See Various, and cf. Menivel.]

Defn: The skin of the squirrel, much used in the fourteenth century as fur for garments, and frequently mentioned by writers of that period in describing the costly dresses of kings, nobles, and prelates. It is represented in heraldry by a series of small shields placed close together, and alternately white and blue. Fairholt. No vair or ermine decked his garment. Sir W. Scott. Counter vair (Her.), a fur resembling vair, except in the arrangement of the patches or figures.

VAIRY
Vair"y, a. Etym: [F. vairé. See Vair, n.] (Her.)

Defn: Charged with vair; variegated with shield-shaped figures. See
Vair.

VAISHNAVA
Vaish"na*va (vish"na*va), n. Etym: [Skr. vaishnsava.] (Hindoo Myth.)

Defn: A worshiper of the god Vishnu in any of his incarnations.

VAISHNAVISM
Vaish"na*vism, n.

Defn: The worship of Vishnu.

VAISYA
Vais"ya, n. Etym: [Skr. vaiçya.]

Defn: The third of the four great original castes among the Hindoos, now either extinct or partially represented by the mercantile class of Banyas. See the Note under Caste, 1.

VAIVODE
Vai"vode, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vayvode. See Waywode.]

Defn: See Waywode.

VAKEEL
Va*keel", n. Etym: [Ar. wakil.]

Defn: A native attorney or agent; also, an ambassador. [India]

VALANCE Val"ance, n. Etym: [Perhaps fr. OF. avalant descending, hanging down, p. pr. of avaler to go down, let down, descent (cf. Avalanche); but probably from the town of Valence in France.]

1. Hanging drapery for a bed, couch, window, or the like, especially that which hangs around a bedstead, from the bed to the floor. [Written also valence.] Valance of Venice gold in needlework. Shak.

2. The drooping edging of the lid of a trunk. which covers the joint when the lid is closed.

VALANCE
Val"ance, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Valanced; p. pr. & vb. n. Valancing.]

Defn: To furnish with a valance; to decorate with hangings or
drapery.
His old fringed chair valanced around with party-colored worsted
bobs. Sterne.

VALE
Vale, n. Etym: [OE. val, F. val, L. vallis; perhaps akin to Gr.
Avalanche, Vail to lower, Valley.]

Defn: A tract of low ground, or of land between hills; a valley. "
Make me a cottage in the vale." Tennyson.
Beyond this vale of tears there is a life above. Montgomery.
In those fair vales, by nature formed to please. Harte.

Note: Vale is more commonly used in poetry, and valley in prose and common discourse.

Syn.
— Valley; dingle; dell; dale.

VALE
Vale, n.

Defn: See 2d Vail, 3.

VALEDICTION Val`e*dic"tion, n. Etym: [L., valedicere, valedictum, to say farewell; vale farewell (imperative of valere to be strong or well) + dicere to say. See Valiant, Diction.]

Defn: A farewell; a bidding farewell. Donne.

VALEDICTORIAN
Val`e*dic*to"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who pronounces a valedictory address; especially, in American colleges, the student who pronounces the valedictory of the graduating class at the annual commencement, usually the student who ranks first in scholarship.

VALEDICTORY
Val`e*dic"to*ry, a.

Defn: Bidding farewell; suitable or designed for an occasion of leave-taking; as, a valedictory oration.

VALEDICTORY
Val`e*dic"to*ry, n.; pl. Valedictories (.

Defn: A valedictory oration or address spoken at commencement in American colleges or seminaries by one of the graduating class, usually by the leading scholar.

VALENCE Va"lence, n. Etym: [From L. valens, -entis, p. pr. of valere to have power, to be strong. See Valiant.] (Chem.)

Defn: The degree of combining power of an atom (or radical) as shown by the number of atoms of hydrogen (or of other monads, as chlorine, sodium, etc.) with which it will combine, or for which it can be substituted, or with which it can be compared; thus, an atom of hydrogen is a monad, and has a valence of one; the atoms of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon are respectively dyads, triads, and tetrads, and have a valence respectively of two, three, and four.

Note: The valence of certain elements varies in different compounds. Valence in degree may extend as high as seven or eight, as in the cases of iodine and osmium respectively. The doctrine of valence has been of fundamental importance in distinguishing the equivalence from the atomic weight, and is an essential factor in explaining the chemical structures of compounds.

VALENCIA
Va*len"ci*a, n. Etym: [Perhaps fr. Valence in France.]

Defn: A kind of woven fabric for waistcoats, having the weft of wool and the warp of silk or cotton. [Written also valentia.]

VALENCIENNES LACE
Va*len`ci*ennes" lace". Etym: [F.; — so called after the town of
Valenciennes.]

Defn: A rich kind of lace made at Valenciennes, in France. Each piece is made throughout, ground and pattern, by the same person and with the same thread, the pattern being worked in the net.

VALENCY Val"en*cy, n.; pl. Valencies (. (Chem.) (a) See Valence. (b) A unit of combining power; a so-called bond of affinity.

VALENTIA
Va*len"ti*a, n.

Defn: See Valencia.

VALENTINE
Val"en*tine, n.

1. A sweetheart chosen on St. Valentine's Day.

2. A letter containing professions of love, or a missive of a sentimental, comic, or burlesque character, sent on St. Valentine's Day. St. Valentine's Day, a day sacred to St. Valentine; the 14th of February. It was a very old notion, alluded to by Shakespeare, that on this day birds begin to mate. Hence, perhaps, arose the custom of sending love tokens at that time.

VALENTINIAN
Val`en*tin"i*an, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of a school of Judaizing Gnostics in the second century; — so called from Valentinus, the founder.

VALERAMIDE
Val`er*am"ide, n. Etym: [Valeric + amide.] (Chem.)

Defn: The acid amide derivative of valeric acid, obtained as a white crystalline substance.

VALERATE
Val"er*ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of valeric acid.

VALERIAN
Va*le"ri*an, n. Etym: [LL. valeriana, perhaps from some person named
Valerius, or fr. L. valere to be strong. powerful, on account of its
medicinal virtues: cf. F. valériane.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Valeriana. The root of the officinal valerian (V. officinalis) has a strong smell, and is much used in medicine as an antispasmodic. Greek valerian (Bot.), a plant (Polemonium cæruleum) with blue or white flowers, and leaves resembling those of the officinal valerian.

VALERIANACEOUS
Va*le`ri*an*a"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, plants of a natural order (Valerianaccæ) of which the valerian is the type. The order includes also the corn salads and the oriental spikenard.

VALERIANATE
Va*le"ri*an*ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A valerate.

VALERIANIC
Va*le`ri*an"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Performance to, or obtained from, valerian root; specifically, designating an acid which is usually called valeric acid.

VALERIC
Va*ler"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Valerianic; specifically, designating any one of three metameric acids, of which the typical one (called also inactive valeric acid), C4H9CO2H, is obtained from valerian root and other sources, as a corrosive, mobile, oily liquid, having a strong acid taste, and an odor of old cheese. Active valeric acid, a metameric variety which turns the plane of polarization to the right, although formed by the oxidation of a levorotatory amyl alcohol.

VALERIDINE
Va*ler"i*dine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A base, C10H19N, produced by heating valeric aldehyde with ammonia. It is probably related to the conine alkaloids.

VALERIN
Val"er*in, n. Etym: [Valeric + glycerin.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of valeric acid with glycerin, occurring in butter, dolphin oil., and forming an forming an oily liquid with a slightly unpleasant odor.

VALERITRINE
Va*ler"i*trine, n. Etym: [Valeric + iropine + -ine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A base, C15H27N, produced together with valeridine, which it resembles.

VALERO-
Val"er*o-. (Chem.)

Defn: A combining form (also used adjectively) indicating derivation from, or relation to, valerian or some of its products, as valeric acid; as in valerolactone, a colorless oily liquid produced as the anhydride of an hydroxy valeric acid.

VALERONE
Val"er*one, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A ketone of valeric acid obtained as an oily liquid.

VALERYL
Val"er*yl, n. Etym: [Valeric + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: The hypothetical radical C5H9O, regarded as the essential nucleus of certain valeric acid derivatives.

VALERYLENE
Val`er*yl*ene, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon, C5H8; — called also pentine.

VALET Val"et, n. Etym: [F. valet, OF. vallet, varlet, vaslet. See Varlet, and Vassal.]

1. A male waiting servant; a servant who attends on gentleman's person; a body servant.

2. (Man.)

Defn: A kind of goad or stick with a point of iron. Valet de chambre
( Etym: [F.], a body servant, or personal attendant.

VALETUDINARIAN Val`e*tu`di*na"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. valetudinarius, from valetudo state of health, health, ill health, fr. valere to be strong or well: cf. F. valétudinaire. See Valiant.]

Defn: Of infirm health; seeking to recover health; sickly; weakly;
infirm.
My feeble health and valetudinarian stomach. Coleridge.
The virtue which the world wants is a healthful virtue, not a
valetudinarian virtue. Macaulay.

VALETUDINARIAN
Val`e*tu`di*na"ri*an, n.

Defn: A person of a weak or sickly constitution; one who is seeking
to recover health.
Valetudinarians must live where they can command and scold. Swift.

VALETUDINARIANISM
Val`e*tu`di*na"ri*an*ism, n.

Defn: The condition of a valetudinarian; a state of feeble health; infirmity.

VALETUDINARY
Val`e*tu"di*na*ry, a.

Defn: Infirm; sickly; valetudinarian.
— Val`e*tu"di*na*ri*ness, n.
It renders the habit of society dangerously. Burke.

VALETUDINARY
Val`e*tu"di*na*ry, n.

Defn: A valetudinarian.

VALETUDINOUS
Val`e*tu"di*nous, a.

Defn: Valetudinarian. [Obs.] "The valetudinous condition of King
Edward." Fuller.

VALHALLA Val*hal"la, n. Etym: [Icel. valhöll, literally, hall of the slain; valr the slain (akin to AS. wæl, OHG. wal battlefield, wuol defeat, slaughter, AS. wol pestilence) + höll a royal hall. See Hall, and cf. Walhalla.] [Written also walhalla.]

1. (Scand. Myth.)

Defn: The palace of immortality, inhabited by the souls of heroes slain in battle.

2. Fig.: A hall or temple adorned with statues and memorials of a nation's heroes; specifically, the Pantheon near Ratisbon, in Bavaria, consecrated to the illustrious dead of all Germany.

VALIANCE; VALIANCY
Val"iance, Val"ian*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vaillance. See Valiant.]

Defn: The quality or state of being valiant; bravery; valor. [Obs.]
"His doughty valiance." Spenser.

VALIANT Val"iant, a. Etym: [OE. valiant, F. vaillant, OF. vaillant, valant, originally p. pr. of OF. & F. valoir to be worth, L. valere to be strong. See Wield, and cf. Avail, Convalesce, Equivalent, Prevail, Valid.]

1. Vigorous in body; strong; powerful; as, a valiant fencer. [Obs.] Walton.

2. Intrepid in danger; courageous; brave.
A valiant and most expert gentleman. Shak.
And Saul said to David . . . be thou valiant for me, and fight the
Lord's battles. 1 Sam. xviii. 17.

3. Performed with valor or bravery; heroic. "Thou bearest the highest name for valiant acts." Milton. [The saints] have made such valiant confessions. J. H. Newman. — Val"iant*ly, adv. — Val"iant*ness, n.

VALID Val"id, a. Etym: [F. valide, F. validus strong, from valere to be strong. See Valiant.]

1. Strong; powerful; efficient. [Obs.] "Perhaps more valid arms . . . may serve to better us." Milton.

2. Having sufficient strength or force; founded in truth; capable of being justified, defended, or supported; not weak or defective; sound; good; efficacious; as, a valid argument; a valid objection. An answer that is open to no valid exception. I. Taylor.

3. (Law)

Defn: Having legal strength or force; executed with the proper formalities; incapable of being rightfully overthrown or set aside; as, a valid deed; a valid covenant; a valid instrument of any kind; a valid claim or title; a valid marriage.

Syn. — Prevalent; available; efficacious; just; good; weighty; sufficient; sound; well-grounded.

VALIDATE
Val"i*date, v. t. Etym: [See Valid.]

Defn: To confirm; to render valid; to give legal force to. The chamber of deputies . . . refusing to validate at once the election of an official candidate. London Spectator.

VALIDATION
Val`i*da"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. validation.]

Defn: The act of giving validity. [R.] Knowles.

VALIDITY
Va*lid"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. validité, L. validitas strength.]

1. The quality or state of being valid; strength; force; especially, power to convince; justness; soundness; as, the validity of an argument or proof; the validity of an objection.

2. (Law)

Defn: Legal strength, force, or authority; that quality of a thing which renders it supportable in law, or equity; as, the validity of a will; the validity of a contract, claim, or title.

3. Value. [Obs.] "Rich validity." Shak.

VALIDLY
Val"id*ly, adv.

Defn: In a valid manner; so as to be valid.

VALIDNESS
Val"id*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being valid.

VALINCH
Val"inch, n. Etym: [Cf. F. avaler to let down, drink up. Cf.
Avalanche.]

Defn: A tube for drawing liquors from a cask by the bunghole.
[Written also velinche.]

VALISE Va*lise", n. Etym: [F. valise; cf. It. valigia, Sp. balija, LL. valisia, valesia; of uncertain origin, perhaps through (assumed) LL. vidulitia, from L. vidulus a leathern trunk; a knapsack.]

Defn: A small sack or case, usually of leather, but sometimes of other material, for containing the clothes, toilet articles, etc., of a traveler; a traveling bag; a portmanteau.

VALKYRIA
Val*kyr"i*a, n. Etym: [Icel. valkyrja (akin to AS. wælcyrie); valr
the slain + kjosa to choose. See Valhalla, and Choose.] (Scand.
Myth.)

Defn: One of the maidens of Odin, represented as awful and beautiful, who presided over battle and marked out those who were to be slain, and who also ministered at the feasts of heroes in Valhalla. [Written also Valkyr, and Walkyr.]

VALKYRIAN
Val*kyr"i*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Valkyrias; hence, relating to battle.
"Ourself have often tried Valkyrian hymns." Tennyson.

VALLANCY
Val*lan"cy, n. Etym: [From Valance.]

Defn: A large wig that shades the face. [Obs.]

VALLAR
Val"lar, a. Etym: [L.vallaris.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a rampart. Vallar crown (Rom. Antiq.), a circular gold crown with palisades, bestowed upon the soldier who first surmounted the rampart and broke into the enemy's camp.

VALLAR
Val"lar, n.

Defn: A vallar crown.

VALLARY
Val"la*ry, a.

Defn: Same as Vallar.

VALLATION Val*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. vallatio, fr. vallare to surround with a rampart, fr. vallum rampart. See Wall, n.]

Defn: A rampart or intrenchment.

VALLATORY
Val"la*to*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vallation; used for a vallation; as, vallatory reads. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

VALLECULA Val*lec"u*la, n.; pl. Valleculæ. Etym: [NL., dim. fr. L. vallis, valles, a valley.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A groove; a fossa; as, the vallecula, or fossa, which separates the hemispheres of the cerebellum.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the grooves, or hollows, between the ribs of the fruit of umbelliferous plants.

VALLET'S PILLS
Val`let's pills". Etym: [From Dr. Vallet of Paris.] (Med.)

Defn: Pills containing sulphate of iron and carbonate of sodium, mixed with saccharine matter; — called also Vallet's mass.

VALLEY
Val"ley, n.; pl. Valleys. Etym: [OE. vale, valeie, OF. valée, valede,
F. vallée, LL. vallata, L. vallis, valles. See Vale.]

1. The space inclosed between ranges of hills or mountains; the strip of land at the bottom of the depressions intersecting a country, including usually the bed of a stream, with frequently broad alluvial plains on one or both sides of the stream. Also used figuratively. The valley of the shadow of death. Ps. xxiii. 4. Sweet interchange Of hill and valley, rivers, woods, and plains. Milton.

Note: Deep and narrow valleys with abrupt sides are usually the results of erosion by water, and are called gorges, ravines, cañons, gulches, etc.

2. (Arch.) (a) The place of meeting of two slopes of a roof, which have their plates running in different directions, and form on the plan a reëntrant angle. (b) The depression formed by the meeting of two slopes on a flat roof. Valley board (Arch.), a board for the reception of the lead gutter in the valley of a roof. The valley board and lead gutter are not usual in the United States. — Valley rafter, or Valley piece (Arch.), the rafter which supports the valley. — Valley roof (Arch.), a roof having one or more valleys. See Valley, 2, above.

VALLUM
Val"lum, n.; pl. L. Valla, E. Vallums. Etym: [L. See Wall.] (Rom.
Antiq.)

Defn: A rampart; a wall, as in a fortification.

VALONIA Va*lo"ni*a, n. Etym: [It. vallonia, vallonea, fr. NGr. balania`, balanidia`, the holm oak, bala`ni, balani`di, an acorn, Gr. ba`lanos.]

1. The acorn cup of two kinds of oak (Quercus macrolepis, and Q. vallonea) found in Eastern Europe. It contains abundance of tannin, and is much used by tanners and dyers.

2. Etym: [Perhaps named from its resemblance to an acorn.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of marine green algæ, in which the whole frond consists of a single oval or cylindrical cell, often an inch in length.

VALOR
Val"or, n. Etym: [OE. valour, OF. valor, valur, valour, F. valeur,
LL. valor, fr. L. valere to be strong, or worth. See Valiant.]
[Written also valour.]

1. Value; worth. [Obs.] "The valor of a penny." Sir T. More.

2. Strength of mind in regard to danger; that quality which enables a man to encounter danger with firmness; personal bravery; courage; prowess; intrepidity. For contemplation he and valor formed. Milton. When valor preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. Shak. Fear to do base, unworthy things is valor. B. Jonson.

3. A brave man; a man of valor. [R.] Ld. Lytton.

Syn.
— Courage; heroism; bravery; gallantry; boldness; fearlessness. See
Courage, and Heroism.

VALORIZATION
Val`or*i*za"tion, n. [Pg. valorizacão.]

Defn: Act or process of attempting to give an arbitrary market value or price to a commodity by governmental interference, as by maintaining a purchasing fund, making loans to producers to enable them to hold their products, etc.; — used chiefly of such action by Brazil.

VALOROUS
Val"or*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. valeureux, LL. valorosus.]

Defn: Possessing or exhibiting valor; brave; courageous; valiant;
intrepid.
— Val"or*ous*ly, adv.

VALSALVIAN
Val*sal"vi*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Valsalva, an Italian anatomist of the 17th century. Valsalvian experiment (Med.), the process of inflating the middle ear by closing the mouth and nostrils, and blowing so as to puff out the cheeks.

VALUABLE
Val"u*a*ble, a.

1. Having value or worth; possessing qualities which are useful and esteemed; precious; costly; as, a valuable horse; valuable land; a valuable cargo.

2. Worthy; estimable; deserving esteem; as, a valuable friend; a valuable companion. Valuable consideration (Law), an equivalent or compensation having value given for a thing purchased, as money, marriage, services, etc. Blackstone. Bouvier.

VALUABLE
Val"u*a*ble, n.

Defn: A precious possession; a thing of value, especially a small thing, as an article of jewelry; — used mostly in the plural. The food and valuables they offer to the gods. Tylor.

VALUABLENESS
Val"u*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being valuable.

VALUABLY
Val"u*a*bly, adv.

Defn: So as to be of value.

VALUATION
Val`u*a"tion, n.

1. The act of valuing, or of estimating value or worth; the act of setting a price; estimation; appraisement; as, a valuation of lands for the purpose of taxation.

2. Value set upon a thing; estimated value or worth; as, the goods sold for more than their valuation. Since of your lives you set So slight a valuation. Shak.

VALUATOR
Val"u*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who assesses, or sets a value on, anything; an appraiser.
Swift.

VALUE
Val"ue, n. Etym: [OF. value, fr. valoir, p. p. valu, to be worth, fr.
L. valere to be strong, to be worth. See Valiant.]

1. The property or aggregate properties of a thing by which it is rendered useful or desirable, or the degree of such property or sum of properties; worth; excellence; utility; importance.

Ye are all physicians of no value. Job xiii. 4.
Ye are of more value than many sparrows. Matt. x. 31.
Cæsar is well acquainted with your virtue, And therefore sets this
value on your life. Addison.
Before events shall have decided on the value of the measures.
Marshall.

2. (Trade & Polit. Econ.)

Defn: Worth estimated by any standard of purchasing power, especially by the market price, or the amount of money agreed upon as an equivalent to the utility and cost of anything. An article may be possessed of the highest degree of utility, or power to minister to our wants and enjoyments, and may be universally made use of, without possessing exchangeable value. M'Culloch. Value is the power to command commodities generally. A. L. Chapin (Johnson's Cys.). Value is the generic term which expresses power in exchange. F. A. Walker. His design was not to pay him the value of his pictures, because they were above any price. Dryden.

Note: In political economy, value is often distinguished as intrinsic and exchangeable. Intrinsic value is the same as utility or adaptation to satisfy the desires or wants of men. Exchangeable value is that in an article or product which disposes individuals to give for it some quantity of labor, or some other article or product obtainable by labor; as, pure air has an intrinsic value, but generally not an exchangeable value.

3. Precise signification; import; as, the value of a word; the value of a legal instrument Mitford.

4. Esteem; regard. Dryden. My relation to the person was so near, and my value for him so great Bp. Burnet.

5. (Mus.)

Defn: The relative length or duration of a tone or note, answering to quantity in prosody; thus, a quarter note [value of two eighth notes [

6. In an artistical composition, the character of any one part in its relation to other parts and to the whole; — often used in the plural; as, the values are well given, or well maintained.

7. Valor. [Written also valew.] [Obs.] Spenser. Value received, a phrase usually employed in a bill of exchange or a promissory note, to denote that a consideration has been given for it. Bouvier.

VALUE
Val"ue, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Valued; p. pr. & vb. n. Valuing.]

1. To estimate the value, or worth, of; to rate at a certain price; to appraise; to reckon with respect to number, power, importance, etc. The mind doth value every moment. Bacon. The queen is valued thirty thousand strong. Shak. The king must take it ill, That he's so slightly valued in his messenger. Shak. Neither of them valued their promises according to rules of honor or integrity. Clarendon.

2. To rate highly; to have in high esteem; to hold in respect and estimation; to appreciate; to prize; as, to value one for his works or his virtues. Which of the dukes he values most. Shak.

3. To raise to estimation; to cause to have value, either real or apparent; to enhance in value. [Obs.] Some value themselves to their country by jealousies of the crown. Sir W. Temple.

4. To be worth; to be equal to in value. [Obs.] The peace between the French and us not values The cost that did conclude it. Shak.

Syn. — To compute; rate; appraise; esteem; respect; regard; estimate; prize; appreciate.

VALUED
Val"ued, a.

Defn: Highly regarded; esteemed; prized; as, a valued contributor; a valued friend. Valued policy. See under Policy.

VALUED POLICY
Val"ued pol"i*cy. (Fire Insurance)

Defn: A policy in which the value of the goods, property, or interest insured is specified; — opposed to open policy.

VALUED-POLICY LAW
Valued-policy law. (Fire Insurance)

Defn: A law requiring insurance companies to pay to the insured, in case of total loss, the full amount of the insurance, regardless of the actual value of the property at the time of the loss.

VALUELESS
Val"ue*less, a.

Defn: Being of no value; having no worth.

VALUER
Val"u*er, n.

Defn: One who values; an appraiser.

VALURE
Val"ure, n.

Defn: Value. [Obs.] Ld. Berners.

VALVAL; VALVAR
Valv"al, Valv"ar, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Valvular.

VALVASOR
Val"va*sor, n. (Feud. Law)

Defn: See Vavasor.

VALVATA
Val*va"ta, n. Etym: [NL.; cf. L. valvatus having folding doors. See
Valve.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of small spiral fresh-water gastropods having an operculum.

VALVATE
Valv"ate, a. Etym: [L. valvatus having folding doors.]

1. Resembling, or serving as, a valve; consisting of, or opening by, a valve or valves; valvular.

2. (Bot.) (a) Meeting at the edges without overlapping; — said of the sepals or the petals of flowers in æstivation, and of leaves in vernation. (b) Opening as if by doors or valves, as most kinds of capsules and some anthers.

VALVE Valve, n. Etym: [L. valva the leaf, fold, or valve of a door: cf. F. valve.]

1. A door; especially, one of a pair of folding doors, or one of the
leaves of such a door.
Swift through the valves the visionary fair Repassed. Pope.
Heavily closed, . . . the valves of the barn doors. Longfellow.

2. A lid, plug, or cover, applied to an aperture so that by its movement, as by swinging, lifting and falling, sliding, turning, or the like, it will open or close the aperture to permit or prevent passage, as of a fluid.

Note: A valve may act automatically so as to be opened by the effort of a fluid to pass in one direction, and closed by the effort to pass in the other direction, as a clack valve; or it may be opened or closed by hand or by mechanism, as a screw valve, or a slide valve.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: One or more membranous partitions, flaps, or folds, which permit the passage of the contents of a vessel or cavity in one direction, but stop or retard the flow in the opposite direction; as, the ileocolic, mitral, and semilunar valves.

4. (Bot.) (a) One of the pieces into which a capsule naturally separates when it bursts. (b) One of the two similar portions of the shell of a diatom. (c) A small portion of certain anthers, which opens like a trapdoor to allow the pollen to escape, as in the barberry.

5. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the pieces or divisions of bivalve or multivalve shells. Air valve, Ball valve, Check valve, etc. See under Air. Ball, Check, etc. — Double-beat valve, a kind of balance valve usually consisting of a movable, open-ended, turban-shaped shell provided with two faces of nearly equal diameters, one above another, which rest upon two corresponding seats when the valve is closed. — Equilibrium valve. (a) A balance valve. See under Balance. (b) A valve for permitting air, steam, water, etc., to pass into or out of a chamber so as to establish or maintain equal pressure within and without. — Valve chest (Mach.), a chamber in which a valve works; especially (Steam Engine), the steam chest; — called in England valve box, and valve casing. See Steam chest, under Steam. — Valve face (Mach.), that part of the surface of a valve which comes in contact with the valve seat. — Valve gear, or Valve motion (Steam Engine), the system of parts by which motion is given to the valve or valves for the distribution of steam in the cylinder. For an illustration of one form of valve gear, see Link motion. — Valve seat. (Mach.) (a) The fixed surface on which a valve rests or against which it presses. (b) A part or piece on which such a surface is formed. — Valve stem (Mach.), a rod attached to a valve, for moving it. — Valve yoke (Mach.), a strap embracing a slide valve and connecting it to the valve stem.

VALVED
Valved, a.

Defn: Having a valve or valve; valvate.

VALVELET
Valve"let, n.

Defn: A little valve; a valvule; especially, one of the pieces which compose the outer covering of a pericarp.

VALVE-SHELL
Valve"-shell`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any fresh-water gastropod of the genus Valvata.

VALVULA Val"vu*la, n.; pl. Valvulæ. Etym: [NL., dim. fr. L. valva fold, valve of a door.] (Anat.)

Defn: A little valve or fold; a valvelet; a valvule.

VALVULAR
Valv"u*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. valvulaire.]

1. Of or pertaining to a valve or valves; specifically (Med.), of or pertaining to the valves of the heart; as, valvular disease.

2. Containing valves; serving as a valve; opening by valves; valvate; as, a valvular capsule.

VALVULE
Valv"ule, n. Etym: [Cf. F. valvule.]

1. A little valve; a valvelet.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small valvelike process.

VALYLENE
Val"yl*ene, n. Etym: [Valerian + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A volatile liquid hydrocarbon, C5H6, related to ethylene and acetylene, but possessing the property of unsaturation in the third degree. It is the only known member of a distinct series of compounds. It has a garlic odor.

VAMBRACE
Vam"brace, n. Etym: [See Vantbrass.] (Anc. Armor)

Defn: The piece designed to protect the arm from the elbow to the wrist.

VAMOSE
Va*mose", v. i. & t. Etym: [Sp. vamos let us go.]

Defn: To depart quickly; to depart from. [Written also vamos, and vamoose.] [Slang, Eng. & U. S.]

VAMP
Vamp v. i.

Defn: To advance; to travel. [Obs.]

VAMP
Vamp, n. Etym: [OE. vampe, vaumpe, vauntpe, F. avantpied the
forefoot, vamp; anat before, fore + pied foot, L. pes. See Advance,
Van of an army, and Foot.]

1. The part of a boot or shoe above the sole and welt, and in front of the ankle seam; an upper.

2. Any piece added to an old thing to give it a new appearance. See Vamp, v. t.

VAMP
Vamp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vamped; p. pr. & vb. n. Vamping.]

Defn: To provide, as a shoe, with new upper leather; hence, to piece,
as any old thing, with a new part; to repair; to patch; — often
followed by up.
I had never much hopes of your vamped play. Swift.

VAMPER
Vamp"er, n.

Defn: One who vamps; one who pieces an old thing with something new; a cobbler.

VAMPER
Vamp"er, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Vaunt.]

Defn: To swagger; to make an ostentatious show. [Prov. eng. & Scot.]
Jamieson.

VAMPIRE
Vam"pire, n. Etym: [F. vampire (cf. It. vampiro, G. & D. vampir), fr.
Servian vampir.] [Written also vampyre.]

1. A blood-sucking ghost; a soul of a dead person superstitiously believed to come from the grave and wander about by night sucking the blood of persons asleep, thus causing their death. This superstition is now prevalent in parts of Eastern Europe, and was especially current in Hungary about the year 1730. The persons who turn vampires are generally wizards, witches, suicides, and persons who have come to a violent end, or have been cursed by their parents or by the church, Encyc. Brit.

2. Fig.: One who lives by preying on others; an extortioner; a bloodsucker.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Either one of two or more species of South American blood- sucking bats belonging to the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. These bats are destitute of molar teeth, but have strong, sharp cutting incisors with which they make punctured wounds from which they suck the blood of horses, cattle, and other animals, as well as man, chiefly during sleep. They have a cæcal appendage to the stomach, in which the blood with which they gorge themselves is stored.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of harmless tropical American bats of the genus Vampyrus, especially V. spectrum. These bats feed upon insects and fruit, but were formerly erroneously supposed to suck the blood of man and animals. Called also false vampire. Vampire bat (Zoöl.), a vampire, 3.

VAMPIRISM
Vam"pir*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vampirisme.]

1. Belief in the existence of vampires.

2. The actions of a vampire; the practice of bloodsucking.

3. Fig.: The practice of extortion. Carlyle.

VAMPLATE
Vam"plate`, n. Etym: [F. avant fore, fore + E. plate.]

Defn: A round of iron on the shaft of a tilting spear, to protect the hand. [Written also vamplet.]

VAMURE
Va"mure, n.

Defn: See Vauntmure. [Obs.]

VAN
Van, n. Etym: [Abbrev. fr. vanguard.]

Defn: The front of an army; the first line or leading column; also,
the front line or foremost division of a fleet, either in sailing or
in battle.
Standards and gonfalons, twixt van and rear, Stream in the air.
Milton.

VAN
Van, n. Etym: [Cornish.] (Mining)

Defn: A shovel used in cleansing ore.

VAN
Van, v. t. (Mining)

Defn: To wash or cleanse, as a small portion of ore, on a shovel.
Raymond.

VAN
Van, n. Etym: [Abbreviated from caravan.]

1. A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others fore the transportation of goods. [Eng.]

2. A large covered wagon for moving furniture, etc., also for conveying wild beasts, etc., for exhibition.

3. A close railway car for baggage. See the Note under Car, 2. [Eng.]

VAN Van, n. Etym: [L. vannus a van, or fan for winnowing grain: cf. F. van. Cf. Fan, Van a wing Winnow.]

1. A fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing grain.

2. Etym: [OF. vanne, F. vanneau beam feather (cf. It. vanno a wing) fr. L. vannus. See Etymology above.]

Defn: A wing with which the air is beaten. [Archaic] "[/Angels] on the air plumy vans received him. " Milton. He wheeled in air, and stretched his vans in vain; His vans no longer could his flight sustain. Dryden.

VAN Van, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. vanner to winnow, to fan. See Van a winnowing machine.]

Defn: To fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow. [Obs.] Bacon.

VANADATE
Van"a*date, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vanadate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of vanadic acid. [Formerly also vanadiate.]

VANADIC
Va*nad"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or obtained from, vanadium; containing vanadium; specifically distinguished those compounds in which vanadium has a relatively higher valence as contrasted with the vanadious compounds; as, vanadic oxide. Vanadic acid (Chem.), an acid analogous to phosphoric acid, not known in the free state but forming a well-known series of salts.

VANADINITE
Va*nad"i*nite, n. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring in yellowish, and ruby-red hexagonal crystals. It consist of lead vanadate with a small proportion of lead chloride.

VANADIOUS
Va*na"di*ous, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, vanadium; specifically, designating those compounds in which vanadium has a lower valence as contrasted with the vanadic compounds; as, vanadious acid. [Sometimes written also vanadous.]

VANADITE
Van"a*dite, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of vanadious acid, analogous to a nitrite or a phosphite.

VANADIUM
Va*na"di*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Icel. Vanadis, a surname of the
Scandinavian goddess Freya.] (Chem.)

Defn: A rare element of the nitrogen-phosphorus group, found combined, in vanadates, in certain minerals, and reduced as an infusible, grayish-white metallic powder. It is intermediate between the metals and the non-metals, having both basic and acid properties. Sumbol V (or Vd, rarely). Atomic weight 51.2.

VANADIUM BRONZE
Va*na"di*um bronze`. (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow pigment consisting of a compound of vanadium.

VANADOUS
Van"a*dous, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to vanadium; obtained from vanadium; — said of an acid containing one equivalent of vanadium and two of oxygen.

VANADYL
Van"a*dyl, n. Etym: [Vanadium + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: The hypothetical radical VO, regarded as a characterized residue of certain vanadium compounds.

VAN-COURIER Van"-cou`ri*er, n. Etym: [F. avant-courrier.See Avant, Van of an army, and Courier, and cf. Avant-courier, Vaunt-courier.]

Defn: One sent in advance; an avant-courier; a precursor.

VANDAL Van"dal, n. Etym: [L. Vandalus, Vandalius; of Teutonic origin, and probably originally signifying, a wanderer. Cf. Wander.]

1. (Anc. Hist.)

Defn: One of a Teutonic race, formerly dwelling on the south shore of the Baltic, the most barbarous and fierce of the northern nations that plundered Rome in the 5th century, notorious for destroying the monuments of art and literature.

2. Hence, one who willfully destroys or defaces any work of art or literature. The Vandals of our isle, Sworn foes to sense and law. Cowper.

VANDAL; VANDALIC
Van"dal, Van*dal"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Vandals; resembling the Vandals in barbarism and destructiveness.

VANDALISM
Van"dal*ism, n.

Defn: The spirit or conduct of the Vandals; ferocious cruelty; hostility to the arts and literature, or willful destruction or defacement of their monuments.

VANDYKE
Van*dyke", a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the style of Vandyke the painter; used or represented by Vandyke. "His Vandyke dress." Macaulay. [Written also Vandyck.] Vandyke brown (Paint.), a pigment of a deep semitranssparent brown color, supposed to be the color used by Vandyke in his pictures. — Vandyke collar or cape, a broad collar or cape of linen and lace with a deep pointed or scalloped edge, worn lying on the shoulders; - - so called from its appearance in pictures by Vandyke. — Vandyke edge, an edge having ornamental triangular points.

VANDYKE
Van*dyke", n.

Defn: A picture by Vandyke. Also, a Vandyke collar, or a Vandyke edge. [Written also Vandyck.]

VANDYKE
Van*dyke", v. t.

Defn: fit or furnish with a Vandyke; to form with points or scallops like a Vandyke. [R.] [Written also Vandyck.]

VANDYKE BEARD
Van*dyke" beard`.

Defn: A trim, pointed beard, such as those often seen in pictures by
Vandyke.

VANE Vane, n. Etym: [OE. & E. Prov. E. fane weathercock, banner, AS. fana a banner, flag; akin to D. vaan, G. fahne, OHG. fano cloth, gund fano flag, Icel. fani, Sw. fana, Dan. fane, Goth. fana cloth, L. pannus, and perhaps to Gr.Fanon, Pane a compartment, panel.]

1. A contrivance attached to some elevated object for the purpose of showing which way the wind blows; a weathercock. It is usually a plate or strip of metal, or slip of wood, often cut into some fanciful form, and placed upon a perpendicular axis around which it moves freely. Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane. Chaucer.

2. Any flat, extended surface attached to an axis and moved by the wind; as, the vane of a windmill; hence, a similar fixture of any form moved in or by water, air, or other fluid; as, the vane of a screw propeller, a fan blower, an anemometer, etc.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The rhachis and web of a feather taken together.

4. One of the sights of a compass, quadrant, etc. Vane of a leveling staff. (Surv.) Same as Target, 3.

VANESSA
Van*es"sa, n. Etym: [Probably from Swift's poem of Cadenus and
Vanessa. See Vanessa, in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of handsomely colored butterflies belonging to Vanessa and allied genera. Many of these species have the edges of the wings irregularly scalloped.

VANESSIAN
Van*es"si*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A vanessa.

VANFESS
Van"fess`, n. Etym: [F. avant-fossé; avant before + fossé ditch. Cf.
Fosse.] (Fort.)

Defn: A ditch on the outside of the counterscarp, usually full of water.

VANG
Vang, n. Etym: [D. vangen to catch, seize. See Fang.] (Naut.)

Defn: A rope to steady the peak of a gaff.

VANGLO
Van"glo, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Benne (Sesamum orientale); also, its seeds; — so called in the
West Indies.

VANGUARD Van"guard`, n. Etym: [For vantguard, avantguard, F. avant-garde; avant before, fore + garde guard. See Avant, Ab-,Ante-, and Guard, and cf. Advance, Vamp, Van of an army, Vaward.] (Mil.)

Defn: The troops who march in front of an army; the advance guard; the van.

VANILLA Va*nil"la, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Sp. vainilla, dim. of Sp. vaina a sheath, a pod, L. vagina; because its grains, or seeds, are contained in little pods.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of climbing orchidaceous plants natives of tropical
America.

2. The long podlike capsules of Vanilla planifolia, and V. claviculata, remarkable for their delicate and agreeable odor, for the volatile, odoriferous oil extracted from them; also, the flavoring extract made from the capsules, extensively used in confectionery, perfumery, etc.

Note: As a medicine, vanilla is supposed to possess powers analogous to valerian, while, at the same time, it is far more grateful. Cuban vanilla, a sweet-scented West Indian composite shrub (Eupatorium Dalea). — Vanilla bean, the long capsule of the vanilla plant. — Vanilla grass. Same as Holy grass, under Holy.

VANILLATE
Va*nil"late, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of vanillic acid.

VANILLIC
Va*nil"lic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, vanilla or vanillin; resembling vanillin; specifically, designating an alcohol and an acid respectively, vanillin being the intermediate aldehyde.

VANILLIN
Va*nil"lin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline aldehyde having a burning taste and characteristic odor of vanilla. It is extracted from vanilla pods, and is also obtained by the decomposition of coniferin, and by the oxidation of eugenol.

VANILLOES
Va*nil"loes, n. pl.

Defn: An inferior kind of vanilla, the pods of Vanilla Pompona.

VANILLYL
Va*nil"lyl, n. Etym: [Vanillic + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: The hypothetical radical characteristic of vanillic alcohol.

VANILOQUENCE Va*nil"o*quence, n. Etym: [L. vaniloquentia; vanus vain + loquentia talk, loqui to speak.]

Defn: Vain or foolish talk. [Obs.]

VANISH Van"ish, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Vanished; p. pr. & vb. n. Vanishing.] Etym: [OE. vanissen, OF. vanir (in comp.): cf. OF. envanir, esvanir, esvanuïr, F. s'évanouir; fr. L. vanus empty, vain; cf. L. vanescere, evanescere, to vanish. See Vain, and cf. Evanescent,-ish.]

1. To pass from a visible to an invisible state; to go out of sight; to disappear; to fade; as, vapor vanishes from the sight by being dissipated; a ship vanishes from the sight of spectators on land. The horse vanished . . . out of sight. Chaucer. Go; vanish into air; away! Shak. The champions vanished from their posts with the speed of lightning. Sir W. Scott. Gliding from the twilight past to vanish among realities. Hawthorne.

2. To be annihilated or lost; to pass away. "All these delights will vanish." Milton.

VANISH
Van"ish, n. (Phon.)

Defn: The brief terminal part of vowel or vocal element, differing more or less in quality from the main part; as, a as in ale ordinarily ends with a vanish of i as in ill, o as in old with a vanish of oo as in foot. Rush.

Note: The vanish is included by Mr. Bell under the general term glide.

VANISHING
Van"ish*ing,

Defn: a. & n. from Vanish, v. Vanishing fraction (Math.), a fraction which reduces to the form Math. Dict. — Vanishing line (Persp.), the intersection of the parallel of any original plane and picture; one of the lines converging to the vanishing point. — Vanishing point (Persp.), the point to which all parallel lines in the same plane tend in the representation. Gwilt. — Vanishing stress (Phon.), stress of voice upon the closing portion of a syllable. Rush.

VANISHMENT
Van"ish*ment, n.

Defn: A vanishing. [Obs.]

VANITY Van"i*ty, n.; pl. Vanities. Etym: [OE. vanite, vanité, L. vanitas, fr. vanus empty, vain. See Vain.]

1. The quality or state of being vain; want of substance to satisfy desire; emptiness; unsubstantialness; unrealness; falsity. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. Eccl. i. 2. Here I may well show the vanity of that which is reported in the story of Walsingham. Sir J. Davies.

2. An inflation of mind upon slight grounds; empty pride inspired by an overweening conceit of one's personal attainments or decorations; an excessive desire for notice or approval; pride; ostentation; conceit. The exquisitely sensitive vanity of Garrick was galled. Macaulay.

3. That which is vain; anything empty, visionary, unreal, or unsubstantial; fruitless desire or effort; trifling labor productive of no good; empty pleasure; vain pursuit; idle show; unsubstantial enjoyment. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher. Eccl. i. 2. Vanity possesseth many who are desirous to know the certainty of things to come. Sir P. Sidney. [Sin] with vanity had filled the works of men. Milton. Think not, when woman's transient breath is fled, That all her vanities at once are dead; Succeeding vanities she still regards. Pope.

4. One of the established characters in the old moralities and puppet shows. See Morality, n., 5. You . . . take vanity the puppet's part. Shak.

Syn.
— Egotism; pride; emptiness; worthlessness; self-sufficiency. See
Egotism, and Pride.

VANITY BOX
Van"i*ty box.

Defn: A small box, usually jeweled or of precious metal and worn on a chain, containing a mirror, powder puff, and other small toilet articles for a woman.

VANJAS
Van"jas, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Australian pied crow shrike (Strepera graculina). It is glossy bluish black, with the under tail coverts and the tips and bases of the tail feathers white.

VANNER
Van"ner, n. (Mining)

Defn: A machine for concentrating ore. See Frue vanner.

VANNER HAWK
Van"ner hawk`.

Defn: The kestrel. [Prov. Eng.]

VANNING
Van"ning, n. (Mining)

Defn: A process by which ores are washed on a shovel, or in a vanner.

VANQUISH Van"quish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vanquished; p. pr. & vb. n. Vanquishing.] Etym: [OE. venquishen, venquissen, venkisen,F. vaincre, pret. vainquis, OF. veintre, pret. venqui, venquis (cf. an OF. infin. vainquir), fr. L. vincere; akin to AS. wig war, battle, wigant a warrior, wigan to fight, Icel. vig battle, Goth. weihan to fight, contend. Cf. Convince, Evict, Invincible, Victor.]

1. To conquer, overcome, or subdue in battle, as an enemy. Hakluyt. They . . . Vanquished the rebels in all encounters. Clarendon.

2. Hence, to defeat in any contest; to get the better of; to put
down; to refute.
This bold assertion has been fully vanquished in a late reply to the
Bishop of Meaux's treatise. Atterbury.
For e'en though vanquished, he could argue still. Goldsmith.

Syn.
— To conquer; surmount; overcome; confute; silence. See Conquer.

VANQUISH
Van"quish, n. (Far.)

Defn: A disease in sheep, in which they pine away. [Written also vinquish.]

VANQUISHABLE
Van"quish*a*ble, a.

Defn: That may be vanquished.

VANQUISHER
Van"quish*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, vanquishes. Milton.

VANQUISHMENT
Van"quish*ment, n.

Defn: The act of vanquishing, or the state of being vanquished. Bp.
Hall.

VANSIRE
Van"sire, n. Etym: [The native name: cf. F. vansire.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An ichneumon (Herpestes galera) native of Southern Africa and
Madagascar. It is reddish brown or dark brown, grizzled with white.
Called also vondsira, and marsh ichneumon.

VANT
Vant, v. i.

Defn: See Vaunt. [Obs.]

VANTAGE Van"tage (; 48), n. Etym: [Aphetic form of OE. avantage,fr. F. avantage. See Advantage.]

1. superior or more favorable situation or opportunity; gain; profit; advantage. [R.] O happy vantage of a kneeling knee! Shak.

2. (Lawn Tennis)

Defn: The first point after deuce.

Note: When the server wins this point, it is called vantage in; when the receiver, or striker out, wins, it is called vantage out. To have at vantage, to have the advantage of; to be in a more favorable condition than. "He had them at vantage, being tired and harassed with a long march." Bacon. — Vantage ground, superiority of state or place; the place or condition which gives one an advantage over another. "The vantage ground of truth. Bacon. It is these things that give him his actual standing, and it is from this vantage ground that he looks around him. I. Taylor.

VANTAGE
Van"tage, v. t.

Defn: To profit; to aid. [Obs.] Spenser.

VANTAGE GAME
Van"tage game. (Lawn Tennis)

Defn: The first game after the set is deuce. See Set, n., 9.

VANTAGE POINT
Vantage point.

Defn: A point giving advantage; vantage ground.

VANTBRACE; VANTBRASS
Vant"brace, Vant"brass, n. Etym: [F. avant fore + bras arm: cf. F.
brassard armor for the arm, brace, forearm. Cf. Vambrace.] (Anc.
Armor)

Defn: Armor for the arm; vambrace. Milton.

VANT-COURIER
Vant"-cou`ri*er, n.

Defn: An avant-courier. See Van-courier. [Obs.] Holland.

VAN'T HOFF'S LAW
Van't Hoff's law. [After J.H. van't Hoff, Dutch physical chemist.]
(Phys. Chem.)

Defn: The generalization that: when a system is in equilibrium, of the two opposed interactions the endothermic is promoted by raising the temperature, the exothermic by lowering it.

VANWARD
Van"ward, a.

Defn: Being on, or towards, the van, or front. "The vanward frontier." De Quincey.

VAP
Vap, n. Etym: [See Vapid.]

Defn: That which is vapid, insipid, or lifeless; especially, the lifeless part of liquor or wine. [Obs.] In vain it is to wash a goblet, if you mean to put it nothing but the dead lees and vap of wine. Jer. Taylor.

VAPID Vap"id, a. Etym: [L. vapidus having lost its lire and spirit, vapid; akin to vappa vapid wine, vapor vapor. See Vapor.]

Defn: Having lost its life and spirit; dead; spiritless; insipid; flat; dull; unanimated; as, vapid beer; a vapid speech; a vapid state of the blood. A cheap, bloodless reformation, a guiltless liberty, appear flat and vapid to their taste. Burke. — Vap"id*ly, adv. — Vap"id*ness, n.

VAPIDITY
Va*pid"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vapid; vapidness.

VAPOR
Va"por, n. Etym: [OE. vapour, OF. vapour, vapor, vapeur, F. vapeur,
L. vapor; probably for cvapor, and akin to Gr. kvepti to breathe,
smell, Russ. kopote fine soot. Cf. Vapid.] [Written also vapour.]

1. (Physics)

Defn: Any substance in the gaseous, or aëriform, state, the condition of which is ordinarily that of a liquid or solid.

Note: The term vapor is sometimes used in a more extended sense, as identical with gas; and the difference between the two is not so much one of kind as of degree, the latter being applied to all permanently elastic fluids except atmospheric air, the former to those elastic fluids which lose that condition at ordinary temperatures. The atmosphere contains more or less vapor of water, a portion of which, on a reduction of temperature, becomes condensed into liquid water in the form of rain or dew. The vapor of water produced by boiling, especially in its economic relations, is called steam. Vapor is any substance in the gaseous condition at the maximum of density consistent with that condition. This is the strict and proper meaning of the word vapor. Nichol.

2. In a loose and popular sense, any visible diffused substance floating in the atmosphere and impairing its transparency, as smoke, fog, etc. The vapour which that fro the earth glood [glided]. Chaucer. Fire and hail; snow and vapors; stormy wind fulfilling his word. Ps. cxlviii. 8.

3. Wind; flatulence. [Obs.] Bacon.

4. Something unsubstantial, fleeting, or transitory; unreal fancy; vain imagination; idle talk; boasting. For what is your life It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James iv. 14.

5. pl.

Defn: An old name for hypochondria, or melancholy; the blues. "A fit of vapors." Pope.

6. (Pharm.)

Defn: A medicinal agent designed for administration in the form of inhaled vapor. Brit. Pharm. Vapor bath. (a) A bath in vapor; the application of vapor to the body, or part of it, in a close place; also, the place itself. (b) (Chem.) A small metallic drying oven, usually of copper, for drying and heating filter papers, precipitates, etc.; — called also air bath. A modified form is provided with a jacket in the outside partition for holding water, or other volatile liquid, by which the temperature may be limited exactly to the required degree. — Vapor burner, a burner for burning a vaporized hydrocarbon. — Vapor density (Chem.), the relative weight of gases and vapors as compared with some specific standard, usually hydrogen, but sometimes air. The vapor density of gases and vaporizable substances as compared with hydrogen, when multiplied by two, or when compared with air and multiplied by 28.8, gives the molecular weight. — Vapor engine, an engine worked by the expansive force of a vapor, esp. a vapor other than steam.

VAPOR
Va"por, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Vapored; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaporing.] Etym:
[From Vapor, n.: cf. L. vaporare.] [Written also vapour.]

1. To pass off in fumes, or as a moist, floating substance, whether visible or invisible, to steam; to be exhaled; to evaporate.

2. To emit vapor or fumes. [R.] Running waters vapor not so much as standing waters. Bacon.

3. To talk idly; to boast or vaunt; to brag. Poets used to vapor much after this manner. Milton. We vapor and say, By this time Matthews has beaten them. Walpole.

VAPOR
Va"por, v. t.

Defn: To send off in vapor, or as if in vapor; as, to vapor away a heated fluid. [Written also vapour.] He'd laugh to see one throw his heart away, Another, sighing, vapor forth his soul. B. Jonson.

VAPORABILITY
Vap`o*ra*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vaporable.

VAPORABLE
Vap"o*ra*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being converted into vapor by the agency of heat; vaporizable.

VAPORATE
Vap"o*rate, v. i. Etym: [L. vaporare, vaporatum. See Vapor.]

Defn: To emit vapor; to evaporate. [R.]

VAPORATION
Vap`o*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vaporation, L. vaporatio.]

Defn: The act or process of converting into vapor, or of passing off in vapor; evaporation. [R.]

VAPORED
Va"pored, a.

1. Wet with vapors; moist.

2. Affected with the vapors. See Vapor, n., 5.

VAPORER
Va"por*er, n.

Defn: One who vapors; a braggart. Vaporer moth. (Zoöl.) See Orgyia.

VAPOR GALVANIZING
Va"por gal"va*niz`ing. (Metal.)

Defn: A process for coating metal (usually iron or steel) surfaces with zinc by exposing them to the vapor of zinc instead of, as in ordinary galvanizing, to molten zinc; — called also Sherardizing. Vapor galvanizing is accomplished by heating the articles to be galvanized together with zinc dust in an air tight receptacle to a temperature of about 600º F., which is 188º below the melting point of zinc, or by exposing the articles to vapor from molten zinc in a separate receptacle, using hydrogen or other reducing gas to prevent oxidation.

VAPORIFEROUS
Vap`o*rif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. vaporifer; vapor + ferre to bear.]

Defn: Conveying or producing vapor.

VAPORIFIC
Vap`o*rif"ic, a. Etym: [L. vapor vapor + facere to make.] (Chem.)

Defn: Producing vapor; tending to pass, or to cause to pass, into vapor; thus, volatile fluids are vaporific; heat is a vaporific agent.

VAPORIFORM
Va*por"i*form, a.

Defn: Existing in a vaporous form or state; as, steam is a vaporiform substance.

VAPORIMETER
Vap`o*rim"e*ter, n. Etym: [Vapor + -meter.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring the volume or the tension of any vapor; specifically, an instrument of this sort used as an alcoholometer in testing spirituous liquors.

VAPORING
Va"por*ing, a.

Defn: Talking idly; boasting; vaunting.
— Va"por*ing*ly, adv.

VAPORISH
Va"por*ish, a.

1. Full of vapors; vaporous.

2. Hypochondriacal; affected by hysterics; splenetic; peevish; humorsome. Pallas grew vap'rish once and odd. Pope.

VAPORIZABLE
Vap"o*ri`za*ble (; 110), a.

Defn: Capable of being vaporized into vapor.

VAPORIZATION
Vap`o*ri*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vaporisation.]

Defn: The act or process of vaporizing, or the state of being converted into vapor; the artificial formation of vapor; specifically, the conversion of water into steam, as in a steam boiler.

VAPORIZE
Vap"o*rize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vaporized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vaporizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. vaporiser.]

Defn: To convert into vapor, as by the application of heat, whether naturally or artificially. Vaporizing surface. (Steam Boilers) See Evaporating surface, under Evaporate, v. t.

VAPORIZE
Vap"o*rize, v. i.

Defn: To pass off in vapor.

VAPORIZER
Vap"o*ri`zer, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, vaporizes, or converts into vapor.

VAPOROSE
Va"por*ose`, a.

Defn: Full of vapor; vaporous.

VAPOROUS
Va"por*ous, a. Etym: [L. vaporosus: cf. vaporeux.]

1. Having the form or nature of vapor. Holland.

2. Full of vapors or exhalations. Shak. The warmer and more vaporous air of the valleys. Derham.

3. Producing vapors; hence, windy; flatulent. Bacon. The food which is most vaporous and perspirable is the most easily digested. Arbuthnot.

4. Unreal; unsubstantial; vain; whimsical. Such vaporous speculations were inevitable. Carlyle.

VAPOROUSNESS
Va"por*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being vaporous.

VAPOR PRESSURE; VAPOR TENSION
Vapor pressure or tension . (Physics)

Defn: The pressure or tension of a confined body of vapor. The pressure of a given saturated vapor is a function of the temperature only, and may be measured by introducing a small quantity of the substance into a barometer and noting the depression of the column of mercury.

VAPORY
Va"por*y, a.

1. Full of vapors; vaporous.

2. Hypochondriacal; splenetic; peevish.

VAPULATION
Vap`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. vapulare to be

Defn: The act of beating or whipping. [Obs.]

VAQUERO
Va*que"ro, n. Etym: [Sp., cowherd, fr. vaca a cow, L. vacca. Cf.
Vacher.]

Defn: One who has charge of cattle, horses, etc.; a herdsman.
[Southwestern U. S.]

VARA
Va"ra, n. Etym: [Sp. See 1st Vare.]

Defn: A Spanish measure of length equal to about one yard. The vara now in use equals 33.385 inches. Johnson's Cyc.

VARAN
Va"ran, n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The monitor. See Monitor, 3.

VARANGIAN
Va*ran"gi*an, n.

Defn: One of the Northmen who founded a dynasty in Russia in the 9th century; also, one of the Northmen composing, at a later date, the imperial bodyguard at Constantinople.

VARANUS Va*ra"nus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Ar. waran, waral; cf. F. varan, from the Arabic.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of very large lizards native of Asia and Africa. It includes the monitors. See Monitor, 3.

VARE
Vare, n. Etym: [Sp. vara staff, wand, L. vara forked pole.]

Defn: A wand or staff of authority or justice. [Obs.]
His hand a vare of justice did uphold. Dryden.

VARE
Vare, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A weasel. [Prov. Eng.] Vare widgeon (Zoöl.), a female or young male of the smew; a weasel duck; — so called from the resemblance of the head to that of a vare, or weasel. [Prov. Eng.]

VAREC Var"ec, n. Etym: [F. varech; of Teutonic origin. See Wrack seaweed, wreck.]

Defn: The calcined ashes of any coarse seaweed used for the manufacture of soda and iodine; also, the seaweed itself; fucus; wrack.

VARGUENO Var*gue"no (vär*ga"no), n. [Said to be fr. Vargas, name of a village in Spain.] (Art)

Defn: A decorative cabinet, of a form originating in Spain, the body being rectangular and supported on legs or an ornamental framework and the front opening downwards on hinges to serve as a writing desk.

VARI
Va"ri, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vari.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ringtailed lemur (Lemur catta) of Madagascar. Its long tail is annulated with black and white.

VARIABILITY
Va`ri*a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. variabilité.]

1. The quality or state of being variable; variableness.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The power possessed by living organisms, both animal and vegetable, of adapting themselves to modifications or changes in their environment, thus possibly giving rise to ultimate variation of structure or function.

VARIABLE
Va"ri*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. variabilis: cf. F. variable.]

1. Having the capacity of varying or changing; capable of alternation in any manner; changeable; as, variable winds or seasons; a variable quantity.

2. Liable to vary; too susceptible of change; mutable; fickle; unsteady; inconstant; as, the affections of men are variable; passions are variable. Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. Shak. His heart, I know, how variable and vain! Milton. Variable exhaust (Steam Eng.), a blast pipe with an adjustable opening. — Variable quantity (Math.), a variable. — Variable stars (Astron.), fixed stars which vary in their brightness, usually in more or less uniform periods.

Syn. — Changeable; mutable; fickle; wavering; unsteady; versatile; inconstant.

VARIABLE
Va"ri*a*ble, n.

1. That which is variable; that which varies, or is subject to change.

2. (Math.)

Defn: A quantity which may increase or decrease; a quantity which admits of an infinite number of values in the same expression; a variable quantity; as, in the equation x2 - y2 = R2, x and y are variables.

3. (Naut.) (a) A shifting wind, or one that varies in force. (b) pl.

Defn: Those parts of the sea where a steady wind is not expected, especially the parts between the trade-wind belts. Independent variable (Math.), that one of two or more variables, connected with each other in any way whatever, to which changes are supposed to be given at will. Thus, in the equation x2 - y2 = R2, if arbitrary changes are supposed to be given to x, then x is the independent variable, and y is called a function of x. There may be two or more independent variables in an equation or problem. Cf. Dependent variable, under Dependent.

VARIABLENESS
Va"ri*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being variable; variability. James i. 17.

VARIABLY
Va"ri*a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a variable manner.

VARIANCE
Va"ri*ance, n. Etym: [L. variantia.]

1. The quality or state of being variant; change of condition; variation.

2. Difference that produce dispute or controversy; disagreement; dissension; discord; dispute; quarrel. That which is the strength of their amity shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Shak.

3. (Law)

Defn: A disagreement or difference between two parts of the same legal proceeding, which, to be effectual, ought to agree, — as between the writ and the declaration, or between the allegation and the proof. Bouvier. A variance, in disagreement; in a state of dissension or controversy; at enmity. "What cause brought him so soon at variance with himself" Milton.

VARIANT Va"ri*ant, a. Etym: [L. varians, p. pr. of variare to change: cf. F. variant. See Vary.]

1. Varying in from, character, or the like; variable; different; diverse.

2. Changeable; changing; fickle. [Obs.] He is variant, he abit [abides] nowhere. Chaucer.

VARIANT
Va"ri*ant, n. Etym: [Cf. F. variante.]

Defn: Something which differs in form from another thing, though really the same; as, a variant from a type in natural history; a variant of a story or a word.

VARIATE
Va"ri*ate, v. t. & i. Etym: [L. variatus, p. p. of variare. See
Vary.]

Defn: To alter; to make different; to vary.

VARIATION
Va`ri*a"tion, n. Etym: [OE. variatioun, F. variation, L. variatio.
See Vary.]

1. The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing; modification; alternation; mutation; diversity; deviation; as, a variation of color in different lights; a variation in size; variation of language. The essences of things are conceived not capable of any such variation. Locke.

2. Extent to which a thing varies; amount of departure from a position or state; amount or rate of change.

3. (Gram.)

Defn: Change of termination of words, as in declension, conjugation, derivation, etc.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: Repetition of a theme or melody with fanciful embellishments or modifications, in time, tune, or harmony, or sometimes change of key; the presentation of a musical thought in new and varied aspects, yet so that the essential features of the original shall still preserve their identity.

5. (Alg.)

Defn: One of the different arrangements which can be made of any number of quantities taking a certain number of them together. Annual variation (Astron.), the yearly change in the right ascension or declination of a star, produced by the combined effects of the precession of the equinoxes and the proper motion of the star. — Calculus of variations. See under Calculus. — Variation compass. See under Compass. — Variation of the moon (Astron.), an inequality of the moon's motion, depending on the angular distance of the moon from the sun. It is greater at the octants, and zero at the quadratures. — Variation of the needle (Geog. & Naut.), the angle included between the true and magnetic meridians of a place; the deviation of the direction of a magnetic needle from the true north and south line; — called also declination of the needle.

Syn.
— Change; vicissitude; variety; deviation.

VARICELLA
Var`i*cel"la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of LL. variola smallpox.] (Med.)

Defn: Chicken pox.

VARICES
Var"i*ces, n. pl.

Defn: See Varix.

VARICIFORM
Va*ric"i*form, a. Etym: [Varix + -form.] (Med.)

Defn: Resembling a varix.

VARICOCELE
Var"i*co*cele, n. Etym: [Varix a dilated vein + Gr. varicocèle.]
(Med.)

Defn: A varicose enlargement of the veins of the spermatic cord; also, a like enlargement of the veins of the scrotum.

VARICOSE Var"i*cose`, a. Etym: [L. varicosus, from varix, -icis, a dilated vein; cf. varus bent, stretched, crooked.]

1. Irregularly swollen or enlarged; affected with, or containing, varices, or varicosities; of or pertaining to varices, or varicosities; as, a varicose nerve fiber; a varicose vein; varicose ulcers.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Intended for the treatment of varicose veins; — said of elastic stockings, bandages. and the like.

VARICOSIS
Var`i*cos"is, n. [NL. See Varix, and -osis.] (Med.)

Defn: The formation of varices; varicosity.

VARICOSITY
Var`i*cos"i*ty, n.

1. The quality or state of being varicose.

2. An enlargement or swelling in a vessel, fiber, or the like; a varix; as, the varicosities of nerve fibers.

VARICOTOMY
Var`i*cot"o*my, n. [See Varix; -tomy.] (Surg.)

Defn: Excision of a varicosity.

VARICOUS
Var"i*cous, a.

Defn: Varicose. [Obs.]

VARIED
Va"ried, a.

Defn: Changed; altered; various; diversified; as, a varied
experience; varied interests; varied scenery.
— Va"ried*ly, adv.
The varied fields of science, ever new. Cowper.

VARIEGATE
Va"ri*e*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Variegated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Variegating.] Etym: [L. variegatus, p. p. of variegare to variegate;
varius various + agere to move, make. See Various, and Agent.]

Defn: To diversify in external appearance; to mark with different colors; to dapple; to streak; as, to variegate a floor with marble of different colors. The shells are filled with a white spar, which variegates and adds to the beauty of the stone. Woodward.

VARIEGATED
Va"ri*e*ga`ted, a.

Defn: Having marks or patches of different colors; as, variegated
leaves, or flowers.
Ladies like variegated tulips show. Pope.

VARIEGATION
Va`ri*e*ga"tion, n.

Defn: The act of variegating or diversifying, or the state of being diversified, by different colors; diversity of colors.

VARIER
Va"ri*er, n. Etym: [From Vary.]

Defn: A wanderer; one who strays in search of variety. [Poetic]
Pious variers from the church. Tennyson.

VARIETAL
Va*ri"e*tal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a variety; characterizing a variety; constituting a variety, in distinction from an individual or species. Perplexed in determining what differences to consider as specific, and what as varietal. Darwin.

VARIETAS
Va*ri"e*tas, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A variety; — used in giving scientific names, and often abbreviated to var.

VARIETY
Va*ri"e*ty, n.; pl. Varieties. Etym: [L. varietas: cf. F. variété.
See Various.]

1. The quality or state of being various; intermixture or succession of different things; diversity; multifariousness. Variety is nothing else but a continued novelty. South. The variety of colors depends upon the composition of light. Sir I. Newton. For earth this variety from heaven. Milton. There is a variety in the tempers of good men. Atterbury.

2. That which is various. Specifically: — (a) A number or collection of different things; a varied assortment; as, a variety of cottons and silks. He . . . wants more time to do that variety of good which his soul thirsts after. Law.

(b) Something varying or differing from others of the same general kind; one of a number of things that are akin; a sort; as, varieties of wood, land, rocks, etc. (c) (Biol.) An individual, or group of individuals, of a species differing from the rest in some one or more of the characteristics typical of the species, and capable either of perpetuating itself for a period, or of being perpetuated by artificial means; hence, a subdivision, or peculiar form, of a species.

Note: Varieties usually differ from species in that any two, however unlike, will generally propagate indefinitely (unless they are in their nature unfertile, as some varieties of rose and other cultivated plants); in being a result of climate, food, or other extrinsic conditions or influences, but generally by a sudden, rather than a gradual, development; and in tending in many cases to lose their distinctive peculiarities when the individuals are left to a state of nature, and especially if restored to the conditions that are natural to typical individuals of the species. Many varieties of domesticated animals and of cultivated plants have been directly produced by man. (d) In inorganic nature, one of those forms in which a species may occur, which differ in minor characteristics of structure, color, purity of composition, etc.

Note: These may be viewed as variations from the typical species in its most perfect and purest form, or, as is more commonly the case, all the forms, including the latter, may rank as Varieties. Thus, the sapphire is a blue variety, and the ruby a red variety, of corundum; again, calcite has many Varieties differing in form and structure, as Iceland spar, dogtooth spar, satin spar, and also others characterized by the presence of small quantities of magnesia, iron, manganese, etc. Still again, there are Varieties of granite differing in structure, as graphic granite, porphyritic granite, and other Varieties differing in composition, as albitic granite, hornblendic, or syenitic, granite, etc. Geographical variety (Biol.), a variety of any species which is coincident with a geographical region, and is usually dependent upon, or caused by, peculiarities of climate. — Variety hybrid (Biol.), a cross between two individuals of different varieties of the same species; a mongrel.

Syn. — Diversity; difference; kind. — Variety, Diversity. A man has a variety of employments when he does many things which are not a mere repetition of the same act; he has a diversity of employments when the several acts performed are unlike each other, that is, diverse. In most cases, where there is variety there will be more or less of diversity, but not always. One who sells railroad tickets performs a great variety of acts in a day, while there is but little diversity in his employment. All sorts are here that all the earth yields! Variety without end. Milton. But see in all corporeal nature's scene, What changes, what diversities, have been! Blackmore.

VARIETY SHOW
Variety show.

Defn: A stage entertainment of successive separate performances, usually songs, dances, acrobatic feats, dramatic sketches, exhibitions of trained animals, or any specialties. Often loosely called vaudeville show.

VARIFORM
Va"ri*form, a. Etym: [L. varius various + -form.]

Defn: Having different shapes or forms.

VARIFORMED
Va"ri*formed, a.

Defn: Formed with different shapes; having various forms; variform.

VARIFY
Va"ri*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. varius various + -fly.]

Defn: To make different; to vary; to variegate. [R.] Sylvester.

VARIOLA
Va*ri"o*la, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. varius various. See Various.]
(Med.)

Defn: The smallpox.

VARIOLAR
Va*ri"o*lar, a. (Med.)

Defn: Variolous.

VARIOLATION
Va`ri*o*la"tion, n. (Med.)

Defn: Inoculation with smallpox.

VARIOLE
Va"ri*ole, n. [Cf. F. variole smallpox. See Variola.]

1. A foveola.

2. (Geol.) A spherule of a variolite.

VARIOLIC
Va`ri*ol"ic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Variolous.

VARIOLITE
Va"ri*o*lite, n. Etym: [L. varius various + -lite: cf. F. variolite.]
(Geol.)

Defn: A kind of diorite or diabase containing imbedded whitish spherules, which give the rock a spotted appearance.

VARIOLITIC
Va`ri*o*lit"ic, a. Etym: [From Variola.]

1. Thickly marked with small, round specks; spotted.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, variolite.

VARIOLOID
Va"ri*o*loid, a. Etym: [Variola + -oid: cf. F. varioloïde.] (Med.)

Defn: Resembling smallpox; pertaining to the disease called varioloid.

VARIOLOID
Va"ri*o*loid, n. Etym: [Cf. F. varioloïde. See Varioloid, a.] (Med.)

Defn: The smallpox as modified by previous inoculation or vaccination.

Note: It is almost always a milder disease than smallpox, and this circumstance, with its shorter duration, exhibits the salutary effects of previous vaccination or inoculation. Dunglison.

VARIOLOUS
Va*ri"o*lous, a. Etym: [LL. variolosus, fr. variola the smallpox: cf.
F. varioleux.] (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the smallpox; having pits, or sunken impressions, like those of the smallpox; variolar; variolic.

VARIOMETER
Va`ri*om"e*ter, n. [L. varius various + -meter.] (Elec.)

Defn: An instrument for comparing magnetic forces, esp. in the earth's magnetic field.

VARIORUM Va`ri*o"rum, a. Etym: [L., abbrev. fr. cum notis variorum with notes of various persons.]

Defn: Containing notes by different persons; — applied to a publication; as, a variorum edition of a book.

VARIOUS
Va"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. varius. Cf. Vair.]

1. Different; diverse; several; manifold; as, men of various names; various occupations; various colors. So many and so various laws are given. Milton. A wit as various, gay, grave, sage, or wild. Byron.

2. Changeable; uncertain; inconstant; variable.
A man so various, that he seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's
epitome. Dryden.
The names of mixed modes . . . are very various. Locke.

3. Variegated; diversified; not monotonous. A happy rural seat of various view. Milton.

VARIOUSLY
Va"ri*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In various or different ways.

VARISCITE
Var"is*cite, n. Etym: [So called from Variscia in Germany.] (Min.)

Defn: An apple-green mineral occurring in reniform masses. It is a hydrous phosphate of alumina.

VARISSE
Va*risse", n. Etym: [Cf. F. varice varix. Cf. Varix.] (Far.)

Defn: An imperfection on the inside of the hind leg in horses, different from a curb, but at the same height, and frequently injuring the sale of the animal by growing to an unsightly size. Craig.

VARIX
Va"rix, n.; pl. Varices. Etym: [L.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: A uneven, permanent dilatation of a vein.

Note: Varices are owing to local retardation of the venous circulation, and in some cases to relaxation of the parietes of the veins. They are very common in the superficial veins of the lower limbs. Dunglison.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the prominent ridges or ribs extending across each of the whorls of certain univalve shells.

Note: The varices usually indicate stages of growth, each one showing a former position of the outer lip of the aperture.

VARK
Vark, n. Etym: [D. varken a pig.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The bush hog, or boshvark.

VARLET Var"let, n. Etym: [OF. varlet, vaslet, vallet, servant, young man, young noble, dim of vassal. See Vassal, and cf. Valet.]

1. A servant, especially to a knight; an attendant; a valet; a footman. [Obs.] Spenser. Tusser.

2. Hence, a low fellow; a scoundrel; a rascal; as, an impudent varlet. What a brazen-faced varlet art thou ! Shak.

3. In a pack of playing cards, the court card now called the knave, or jack. [Obs.]

VARLETRY
Var"let*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. valeterie the young unmarried nobles.]

Defn: The rabble; the crowd; the mob. Shall they hoist me up, And show me to the shouting varletry Of censuring Rome. Shak.

VARNISH Var"nish, n. Etym: [OE. vernish, F. vernis, LL. vernicium; akin to F. vernir to varnish, fr. (assumed) LL. vitrinire to glaze, from LL. vitrinus glassy, fr. L. vitrum glass. See Vitreous.]

1. A viscid liquid, consisting of a solution of resinous matter in an oil or a volatile liquid, laid on work with a brush, or otherwise. When applied the varnish soon dries, either by evaporation or chemical action, and the resinous part forms thus a smooth, hard surface, with a beautiful gloss, capable of resisting, to a greater or less degree, the influences of air and moisture.

Note: According to the sorts of solvents employed, the ordinary kinds of varnish are divided into three classes: spirit, turpentine, and oil varnishes. Encyc. Brit

2. That which resembles varnish, either naturally or artificially; a glossy appearance. The varnish of the holly and ivy. Macaulay.

3. An artificial covering to give a fair appearance to any act or conduct; outside show; gloss. And set a double varnish on the fame The Frenchman gave you. Shak. Varnish tree (Bot.), a tree or shrub from the juice or resin of which varnish is made, as some species of the genus Rhus, especially R. vernicifera of Japan. The black varnish of Burmah is obtained from the Melanorrhoea usitatissima, a tall East Indian tree of the Cashew family. See Copal, and Mastic.

VARNISH
Var"nish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Varnished; p. pr. & vb. n. Varnishing.]
Etym: [Cf. F. vernir, vernisser. See Varnish, n.]

1. To lay varnish on; to cover with a liquid which produces, when dry, a hard, glossy surface; as, to varnish a table; to varnish a painting.

2. To cover or conceal with something that gives a fair appearance; to give a fair coloring to by words; to gloss over; to palliate; as, to varnish guilt. "Beauty doth varnish age." Shak. Close ambition, varnished o'er with zeal. Milton. Cato's voice was ne'er employed To clear the guilty and to varnish crimes. Addison.

VARNISHER
Var"nish*er, n.

1. One who varnishes; one whose occupation is to varnish.

2. One who disguises or palliates; one who gives a fair external appearance. Pope.

VARNISHING
Var"nish*ing, n.

Defn: The act of laying on varnish; also, materials for varnish.

VARSITY
Var"si*ty, n.

Defn: Colloq. contr. of University.

VARSOVIENNE Var`so`vienne", n. [F., prop. fem. of varsovien pertaining to Warsaw, fr. Varsovie Warsaw, Pol. Warszawa.] (a) A kind of Polish dance. (b) Music for such a dance or having its slow triple time characteristic strong accent beginning every second measure.

VARTABED
Var"ta*bed, n. Etym: [Armen., a doctor, master, preceptor.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A doctor or teacher in the Armenian church. Members of this order of ecclesiastics frequently have charge of dioceses, with episcopal functions.

VARUNA
Va*ru"na, n. Etym: [Skr. Varua.] (Hindoo Myth.)

Defn: The god of the waters; the Indian Neptune. He is regarded as regent of the west, and lord of punishment, and is represented as riding on a sea monster, holding in his hand a snaky cord or noose with which to bind offenders, under water.

VARUS
Va"rus, n. [NL., fr. L., bent, grown inwards.] (Med.)

Defn: A deformity in which the foot is turned inward. See Talipes.

VARVEL
Var"vel, n. Etym: [F. vervelle.]

Defn: In falconry, one of the rings secured to the ends of the jesses. [Written also vervel.]

VARVELED
Var"veled, a.

Defn: Having varvels, or rings. [Written also varvelled, and vervelled.]

Note: In heraldry, when the jesses attached to the legs of hawks hang loose, or have pendent ends with rings at the tips, the blazon is a hawk (or a hawk's leg) jessed and varveled.

VARY
Va"ry, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Varied; p. pr. & vb. n. Varying.] Etym:
[OE. varien, F. varier, L. variare, fr. varius various. See Various,
and cf. Variate.]

1. To change the aspect of; to alter in form, appearance, substance, position, or the like; to make different by a partial change; to modify; as, to vary the properties, proportions, or nature of a thing; to vary a posture or an attitude; to vary one's dress or opinions. Shall we vary our device at will, Even as new occasion appears Spenser.

2. To change to something else; to transmute; to exchange; to alternate. Gods, that never change their state, Vary oft their love and hate. Waller. We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies. Dryden.

3. To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversity; to variegate. God hath varied their inclinations. Sir T. Browne. God hath here Varied his bounty so with new delights. Milton.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See Variation, 4.

VARY
Va"ry, v. i.

1. To alter, or be altered, in any manner; to suffer a partial change; to become different; to be modified; as, colors vary in different lights. That each from other differs, first confess; Next, that he varies from himself no less. Pope.

2. To differ, or be different; to be unlike or diverse; as, the laws of France vary from those of England.

3. To alter or change in succession; to alternate; as, one mathematical quantity varies inversely as another. While fear and anger, with alternate grace, Pant in her breast, and vary in her face. Addison.

4. To deviate; to depart; to swerve; — followed by from; as, to vary from the law, or from reason. Locke.

5. To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension; as, men vary in opinion. The rich jewel which we vary for. Webster (1623).

VARY
Va"ry, n.

Defn: Alteration; change. [Obs.] Shak.

VARYING
Va"ry*ing,

Defn: a. & n. from Vary. Varying hare (Zoöl.), any hare or rabbit which becomes white in winter, especially the common hare of the Northern United States and Canada.

VAS
Vas, n.; pl. Vasa. Etym: [L., a vessel. See Vase.] (Anat.)

Defn: A vessel; a duct. Vas deferens; pl. Vasa deferentia. Etym: [L. vas vessel + deferens carrying down.] (Anat.) The excretory duct of a testicle; a spermatic duct.

VASCULAR Vas"cu*lar, a. Etym: [L. vasculum a small vessel, dim. of vas vessel: cf. F. vasculaire. See Vase, and cf. Vessel.]

1. (Biol.) (a) Consisting of, or containing, vessels as an essential part of a structure; full of vessels; specifically (Bot.), pertaining to, or containing, special ducts, or tubes, for the circulation of sap. (b) Operating by means of, or made up of an arrangement of, vessels; as, the vascular system in animals, including the arteries, veins, capillaries, lacteals, etc. (c) Of or pertaining to the vessels of animal and vegetable bodies; as, the vascular functions.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the higher division of plants, that is, the phænogamous plants, all of which are vascular, in distinction from the cryptogams, which to a large extent are cellular only. Vascular plants (Bot.), plants composed in part of vascular tissue, as all flowering plants and the higher cryptogamous plants, or those of the class Pteridophyta. Cf. Cellular plants, Cellular. — Vascular system (Bot.), the body of associated ducts and woody fiber; the fibrovascular part of plants. — Vascular tissue (Bot.), vegetable tissue composed partly of ducts, or sap tubes. — Water vascular system (Zoöl.), a system of vessels in annelids, nemerteans, and many other invertebrates, containing a circulating fluid analogous to blood, but not of the same composition. In annelids the fluid which they contain is usually red, but in some it is green, in others yellow, or whitish.

VASCULARITY
Vas`cu*lar"i*ty, n.; pl. Vascularities (. (Biol.)

Defn: The quality or state of being vascular.

VASCULOSE
Vas"cu*lose`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the substances of which vegetable tissue is composed, differing from cellulose in its solubility in certain media.

VASCULUM
Vas"cu*lum, n.; pl. Vascula. Etym: [L., a small vessel.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Ascidium, n., 1.

2. A tin box, commonly cylindrical or flattened, used in collecting plants.

VASE
Vase, n. Etym: [F. vase; cf. Sp. & It. vaso; fr. L. vas, vasum. Cf.
Vascular, Vessel.]

1. A vessel adapted for various domestic purposes, and anciently for sacrificial used; especially, a vessel of antique or elegant pattern used for ornament; as, a porcelain vase; a gold vase; a Grecian vase. See Illust. of Portland vase, under Portland. No chargers then were wrought in burnished gold, Nor silver vases took the forming mold. Pope.

2. (Arch.) (a) A vessel similar to that described in the first definition above, or the representation of one in a solid block of stone, or the like, used for an ornament, as on a terrace or in a garden. See Illust. of Niche. (b) The body, or naked ground, of the Corinthian and Composite capital; — called also tambour, and drum.

Note: Until the time of Walker (1791), vase was made to rhyme with base,, case, etc., and it is still commonly so pronounced in the United States. Walker made it to rhyme with phrase, maze, etc. Of modern English practice, Mr. A. J. Ellis (1874) says: "Vase has four pronunciations in English: vasz, which I most commonly say, is going out of use väz I hear most frequently, vaz very rarely, and vas I only know from Cull's marking. On the analogy of case, however, it should be the regular sound."

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The calyx of a plant.

VASE CLOCK
Vase clock. (Art)

Defn: A clock whose decorative case has the general form of a vase, esp. one in which there is no ordinary dial, but in which a part of a vase revolves while a single stationary indicator serves as a hand.

VASECTOMY
Vas*ec"to*my (vas*ek"to*my), n. [Vas + -ecmoty.] (Surg.)

Defn: Resection or excision of the vas deferens.

VASELINE Vas"e*line, n. Etym: [Said by the manufacturer to be derived from G. wasser water + Gr. 'e`laion olive oil.]

Defn: A yellowish translucent substance, almost odorless and tasteless, obtained as a residue in the purification of crude petroleum, and consisting essentially of a mixture of several of the higher members of the paraffin series. It is used as an unguent, and for various purposes in the arts. See the Note under Petrolatum. [Written also vaselin.]

VASE-SHAPED
Vase"-shaped`, a.

Defn: Formed like a vase, or like a common flowerpot.

VASIFORM
Vas"i*form, a. Etym: [L. vas a vessel + -form.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having the form of a vessel, or duct. Vasiform tissue (Bot.), tissue containing vessels, or ducts.

VASOCONSTRICTOR
Vas`o*con*strict"or, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: Causing constriction of the blood vessels; as, the vasoconstrictor nerves, stimulation of which causes constriction of the blood vessels to which they go. These nerves are also called vasohypertonic. n.

Defn: A substance which causes constriction of the blood vessels.
Such substances are used in medicine to raise blood pressure.

VASODENTINE
Vas`o*den"tine, n. Etym: [L. vas a vessel + E. dentine.] (Anat.)

Defn: A modified form of dentine, which is permeated by blood capillaries; vascular dentine.

VASODILATOR
Vas`o*di*lat"or, a.Etym: [L. vas a vessel + dilator.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Causing dilation or relaxation of the blood vessels; as, the vasodilator nerves, stimulation of which causes dilation of the blood vessels to which they go. These nerves are also called vaso- inhibitory, and vasohypotonic nerves, since their stimulation causes relaxation and rest.

VASOFORMATIVE
Vas`o*form"a*tive, a. Etym: [L. vas a vessel + formative] (Physiol.)

Defn: Concerned in the development and formation of blood vessels and blood corpuscles; as, the vasoformative cells.

VASO-INHIBITORY
Vas`o-in*hib"i*to*ry, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: See Vasodilator.

VASOMOTOR Vas`o*mo"tor, a. Etym: [L. vas a vessel + motor that which moves fr. movere to move.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Causing movement in the walls of vessels; as, the vasomotor mechanisms; the vasomotor nerves, a system of nerves distributed over the muscular coats of the blood vessels. Vasomotor center, the chief dominating or general center which supplies all the unstriped muscles of the arterial system with motor nerves, situated in a part of the medulla oblongata; a center of reflex action by the working of which afferent impulses are changed into efferent, — vasomotor impulses leading either to dilation or constriction of the blood vessels.

VASSAL
Vas"sal, n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. vassallus, vassus; of Celtic origin;
cf. W. & Corn. gwas a youth, page, servant, Arm. gwaz a man, a male.
Cf. Valet, Varlet, Vavasor.]

1. (Feud. Law)

Defn: The grantee of a fief, feud, or fee; one who holds land of superior, and who vows fidelity and homage to him; a feudatory; a feudal tenant. Burrill.

2. A subject; a dependent; a servant; a slave. "The vassals of his anger." Milton. Rear vassal, the vassal of a vassal; an arriere vassal.

VASSAL
Vas"sal, a.

Defn: Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile.
The sun and every vassal star. Keble.

VASSAL
Vas"sal, v. t.

Defn: To treat as a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave. [Obs.]
Beau. & Fl.

VASSALAGE Vas"sal*age, n. Etym: [OE. vassalage, F. vasselage, LL. vassallaticum.]

1. The state of being a vassal, or feudatory.

2. Political servitude; dependence; subjection; slavery; as, the Greeks were held in vassalage by the Turks.

3. A territory held in vassalage. "The Countship of Foix, with six territorial vassalages." Milman.

4. Vassals, collectively; vassalry. [R.] Shak.

5. Valorous service, such as that performed by a vassal; valor; prowess; courage. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VASSALESS
Vas"sal*ess, n.

Defn: A female vassal. [R.] Spenser.

VASSALRY
Vas"sal*ry, n.

Defn: The body of vassals. [R.]

VAST
Vast, a. [Compar. Vaster; superl. Vastest.] Etym: [L. vastus empty,
waste, enormous, immense: cf. F. vaste. See Waste, and cf.
Devastate.]

1. Waste; desert; desolate; lonely. [Obs.] The empty, vast, and wandering air. Shak.

2. Of great extent; very spacious or large; also, huge in bulk; immense; enormous; as, the vast ocean; vast mountains; the vast empire of Russia. Through the vast and boundless deep. Milton.

3. Very great in numbers, quantity, or amount; as, a vast army; a vast sum of money.

4. Very great in importance; as, a subject of vast concern.

Syn.
— Enormous; huge; immense; mighty.

VAST
Vast, n.

Defn: A waste region; boundless space; immensity. "The watery vast."
Pope.
Michael bid sound The archangel trumpet. Through the vast of heaven
It sounded. Milton.

VASTATION Vas*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. vastatio, fr. vastare to lay waste, fr. vastus empty, waste.]

Defn: A laying waste; waste; depopulation; devastation. [Obs.] Bp.
Hall.

VASTEL
Vas"tel, n.

Defn: See Wastel. [Obs.] Fuller.

VASTIDITY
Vas*tid"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. vastité, L. vastitas.]

Defn: Vastness; immensity. [Obs.] "All the world's vastidity." Shak.

VASTITUDE
Vas"ti*tude, n. Etym: [L. vastitudo.]

1. Vastness; immense extent. [R.]

2. Destruction; vastation. [Obs.] Joye.

VASTITY
Vast"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. vastitas.]

Defn: Vastness. [Obs.]
The huge vastity of the world. Holland.

VASTLY
Vast"ly, adv.

Defn: To a vast extent or degree; very greatly; immensely. Jer.
Taylor.

VASTNESS
Vast"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vast.

VASTY
Vas"ty, a. Etym: [From Vast.]

Defn: Vast; immense. [R.]
I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Shak.

VASUM
Va"sum, n. Etym: [L., a vase. See Vase.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus including several species of large marine gastropods having massive pyriform shells, with conspicuous folds on the columella.

VAT Vat, n. Etym: [A dialectic form for fat, OE. fat, AS. fæt; akin to D.vat, OS. fat, G. fass, OHG. faz, Icel. & Sw. fat, Dan.fad, Lith. p a pot, and probably to G. fassen to seize, to contain, OHG. fazz, D. vatten. Cf. Fat a vat.]

1. A large vessel, cistern, or tub, especially one used for holding in an immature state, chemical preparations for dyeing, or for tanning, or for tanning leather, or the like. Let him produce his vase and tubs, in opposition to heaps of arms and standards. Addison.

2. A measure for liquids, and also a dry measure; especially, a liquid measure in Belgium and Holland, corresponding to the hectoliter of the metric system, which contains 22.01 imperial gallons, or 26.4 standard gallons in the United States.

Note: The old Dutch grain vat averaged 0.762 Winchester bushel. The old London coal vat contained 9 bushels. The solid-measurement vat of Amsterdam contains 40 cubic feet; the wine vat, 241.57 imperial gallons, and the vat for olive oil, 225.45 imperial gallons.

3. (Metal.) (a) A wooden tub for washing ores and mineral substances in. (b) A square, hollow place on the back of a calcining furnace, where tin ore is laid to dry.

4. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A vessel for holding holy water.

VAT
Vat, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vatted; p. pr. & vb. n. Vatting.]

Defn: To put or transfer into a vat.

VATFUL
Vat"ful, n.; pl. Vatfuls (.

Defn: As much as a vat will hold; enough to fill a vat.

VATICAL
Vat"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. vates a prophet.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a prophet; prophetical. Bp. Hall.

VATICAN
Vat"i*can, n. Etym: [L. Vaticanus, mons, or collis, Vaticanus, the
Vatican hill, in Rome, on the western bank of the Tiber: cf. F.
Vatican, It. Vaticano.]

Defn: A magnificent assemblage of buildings at Rome, near the church of St. Peter, including the pope's palace, a museum, a library, a famous chapel, etc.

Note: The word is often used to indicate the papal authority. Thunders of the Vatican, the anathemas, or denunciations, of the pope.

VATICAN COUNCIL
Vat"i*can Coun"cil. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: The council held under Pope Pius IX. in Vatican at Rome, in 1870, which promulgated the dogma of papal infallibility.

VATICANISM
Vat"i*can*ism, n.

Defn: The doctrine of papal supremacy; extreme views in support of the authority of the pope; ultramontanism; — a term used only by persons who are not Roman Catholics.

VATICANIST
Vat"i*can*ist, n.

Defn: One who strongly adheres to the papal authority; an ultramontanist.

VATICIDE
Vat"i*cide, n. Etym: [L. vates a prophet + caedere to kill.]

Defn: The murder, or the murderer, of a prophet. "The caitiff vaticide." Pope.

VATICINAL
Va*tic"i*nal, a. Etym: [See Vaticinate.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to prophecy; prophetic. T. Warton.

VATICINATE Va*tic"i*nate, v. i. & t. Etym: [L. vaticinatus, p. p. of vaticinari to prophesy, fr. vaticinus prophetical, fr. vates a prophet.]

Defn: To prophesy; to foretell; to practice prediction; to utter prophecies.

VATICINATION
Va*tic`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. vaticinatio.]

Defn: Prediction; prophecy. It is not a false utterance; it is a true, though an impetuous, vaticination. I. Taylor.

VATICINATOR
Va*tic"i*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who vaticinates; a prophet.

VATICINE
Vat"i*cine, n. Etym: [L. vaticinium.]

Defn: A prediction; a vaticination. [Obs.] Holinshed.

VAUDEVILLE Vaude"ville, n. Etym: [F., fr. Vau-de-vire, a village in Normandy, where Olivier Basselin, at the end of the 14th century, composed such songs.] [Written also vaudevil.]

1. A kind of song of a lively character, frequently embodying a satire on some person or event, sung to a familiar air in couplets with a refrain; a street song; a topical song.

2. A theatrical piece, usually a comedy, the dialogue of which is intermingled with light or satirical songs, set to familiar airs. The early vaudeville, which is the forerunner of the opera bouffe, was light, graceful, and piquant. Johnson's Cyc.

VAUDOIS
Vau*dois, n. sing. & pl. [

1. An inhabitant, or the inhabitants, of the Swiss canton of Vaud.

2. A modern name of the Waldenses.

VAUDOUX
Vau*doux", n. & a.

Defn: See Voodoo.

VAULT
Vault, n. Etym: [OE. voute, OF. voute, volte, F. voûte, LL. volta,
for voluta, volutio, fr. L. volvere, volutum, to roll, to turn about.
See Voluble, and cf. Vault a leap, Volt a turn, Volute.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: An arched structure of masonry, forming a ceiling or canopy.
The long-drawn aisle and fretted vault. Gray.

2. An arched apartment; especially, a subterranean room, use for storing articles, for a prison, for interment, or the like; a cell; a cellar. "Charnel vaults." Milton. The silent vaults of death. Sandys. To banish rats that haunt our vault. Swift.

3. The canopy of heaven; the sky. That heaven's vault should crack. Shak.

4. Etym: [F. volte, It. volta, originally, a turn, and the same word as volta an arch. See the Etymology above.]

Defn: A leap or bound. Specifically: — (a) (Man.) The bound or leap of a horse; a curvet. (b) A leap by aid of the hands, or of a pole, springboard, or the like.

Note: The l in this word was formerly often suppressed in pronunciation. Barrel, Cradle, Cylindrical, or Wagon, vault (Arch.), a kind of vault having two parallel abutments, and the same section or profile at all points. It may be rampant, as over a staircase (see Rampant vault, under Rampant), or curved in plan, as around the apse of a church. — Coved vault. (Arch.) See under 1st Cove, v. t. — Groined vault (Arch.), a vault having groins, that is, one in which different cylindrical surfaces intersect one another, as distinguished from a barrel, or wagon, vault. — Rampant vault. (Arch.) See under Rampant. — Ribbed vault (Arch.), a vault differing from others in having solid ribs which bear the weight of the vaulted surface. True Gothic vaults are of this character. — Vault light, a partly glazed plate inserted in a pavement or ceiling to admit light to a vault below.

VAULT
Vault, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vaulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaulting.] Etym:
[OE. vouten, OF. volter, vouter, F. voûter. See Vault an arch.]

1. To form with a vault, or to cover with a vault; to give the shape of an arch to; to arch; as, vault a roof; to vault a passage to a court. The shady arch that vaulted the broad green alley. Sir W. Scott.

2. Etym: [See Vault, v. i.]

Defn: To leap over; esp., to leap over by aid of the hands or a pole;
as, to vault a fence.
I will vault credit, and affect high pleasures. Webster (1623).

VAULT
Vault, v. i. Etym: [Cf. OF. volter, F. voltiger, It. volt turn. See
Vault, n., 4.]

1. To leap; to bound; to jump; to spring. Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself. Shak. Leaning on his lance, he vaulted on a tree. Dryden. Lucan vaulted upon Pegasus with all the heat and intrepidity of youth. Addison.

2. To exhibit feats of tumbling or leaping; to tumble.

VAULTAGE
Vault"age, n.

Defn: Vaulted work; also, a vaulted place; an arched cellar. [Obs.]
Shak.

VAULTED
Vault"ed, a.

1. Arched; concave; as, a vaulted roof.

2. Covered with an arch, or vault.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: Arched like the roof of the mouth, as the upper lip of many ringent flowers.

VAULTER
Vault"er, n.

Defn: One who vaults; a leaper; a tumbler. B. Jonson.

VAULTING
Vault"ing, n.

1. The act of constructing vaults; a vaulted construction.

2. Act of one who vaults or leaps.

VAULTY
Vault"y, a.

Defn: Arched; concave. [Obs.] "The vaulty heaven." Shak.

VAUNCE
Vaunce, v. i. Etym: [See Advance.]

Defn: To advance. [Obs.] Spenser.

VAUNT
Vaunt, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Vaunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaunting.] Etym:
[F. vanter, LL. vanitare, fr. L. vanus vain. See Vain.]

Defn: To boast; to make a vain display of one's own worth, attainments, decorations, or the like; to talk ostentatiously; to brag. Pride, which prompts a man to vaunt and overvalue what he is, does incline him to disvalue what he has. Gov. of Tongue.

VAUNT
Vaunt, v. t.

Defn: To boast of; to make a vain display of; to display with
ostentation.
Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 1 Cor. xiii. 4.
My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted spoil. Milton.

VAUNT
Vaunt, n.

Defn: A vain display of what one is, or has, or has done; ostentation from vanity; a boast; a brag. The spirits beneath, whom I seduced With other promises and other vaunts. Milton.

VAUNT
Vaunt, n. Etym: [F. avant before, fore. See Avant, Vanguard.]

Defn: The first part. [Obs.] Shak.

VAUNT
Vaunt, v. t. Etym: [See Avant, Advance.]

Defn: To put forward; to display. [Obs.] "Vaunted spear." Spenser.
And what so else his person most may vaunt. Spenser.

VAUNT-COURIER
Vaunt"-cou`ri*er, n.

Defn: See Van-courier. [Obs.] Shak.

VAUNTER
Vaunt"er, n.

Defn: One who vaunts; a boaster.

VAUNTFUL
Vaunt"ful, a.

Defn: Given to vaunting or boasting; vainly ostentatious; boastful; vainglorious.

VAUNTINGLY
Vaunt"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vaunting manner.

VAUNTMURE
Vaunt"mure`, n. Etym: [F. avant-mur. See Vanguard, and Mure.] (Fort.)

Defn: A false wall; a work raised in front of the main wall. [Written also vaimure, and vamure.] Camden.

VAUQUELINITE
Vauque"lin*ite, n. Etym: [So called after the French chemist
Vauquelin, who died in 1829: cf. F. vauquelinite.] (Min.)

Defn: Chromate of copper and lead, of various shades of green.

VAUT
Vaut, v. i.

Defn: To vault; to leap. [Obs.] Spenser.

VAUT
Vaut, n.

Defn: A vault; a leap. [Obs.] Spenser.

VAUTY
Vaut"y, a.

Defn: Vaulted. "The haughty vauty welkin." [Obs.] Taylor (1611).

VAVASOR Vav"a*sor, n. Etym: [OE. vavasour, OF. vavassor, vavassour, F. vavasseur, LL. vavassor, probably contr. from vassus vassorum vassal of the vassals. See Vassal.] (Feud. Law)

Defn: The vassal or tenant of a baron; one who held under a baron, and who also had tenants under him; one in dignity next to a baron; a title of dignity next to a baron. Burrill. "A worthy vavasour." Chaucer. [Also written vavasour, vavassor, valvasor, etc.] Vavasours subdivide again to vassals, exchanging land and cattle, human or otherwise, against fealty. Motley.

VAVASORY
Vav"a*so*ry, n. Etym: [F. vavassorie.] (Feud. Law)

Defn: The quality or tenure of the fee held by a vavasor; also, the lands held by a vavasor.

VAWARD
Va"ward`, n. Etym: [For vanward, equivalent to vanguard. See
Vanguard, Ward guard.]

Defn: The fore part; van. [Obs.]
Since we have the vaward of the day. Shak.

VAZA PARROT
Va"za par`rot. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of parrots of the genus Coracopsis, native of Madagascar; — called also vasa parrot.

VEADAR
Ve"a*dar, n.

Defn: The thirteenth, or intercalary, month of the Jewish ecclesiastical calendar, which is added about every third year.

VEAL
Veal, n.Etym: [OE. veel, OF. veel, F. veau, L. vitellus, dim. of
vitulus a calf; akin to E. wether. See Wether, and cf. Vellum,
Vituline.]

Defn: The flesh of a calf when killed and used for food.

VECTION
Vec"tion, n. Etym: [L. vectio, from vehere, vectum, to carry.]

Defn: Vectitation. [Obs.]

VECTITATION Vec`ti*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. vectitatus bornve, v. intens. fr. vehere, vectum, to carry.]

Defn: The act of carrying, or state of being carried. [Obs.]

VECTOR Vec"tor, n. Etym: [L., a bearer, carrier. fr. vehere, vectum, to carry.]

1. Same as Radius vector.

2. (Math.)

Defn: A directed quantity, as a straight line, a force, or a velocity. Vectors are said to be equal when their directions are the same their magnitudes equal. Cf. Scalar.

Note: In a triangle, either side is the vector sum of the other two sides taken in proper order; the process finding the vector sum of two or more vectors is vector addition (see under Addition).

VECTURE
Vec"ture, n. Etym: [L. vectura, from vehere, vectum, to carry. Cf.
Vettura, Voiture.]

Defn: The act of carrying; conveyance; carriage. [Obs.] Bacon.

VEDA
Ve"da, n. Etym: [Skr. v, properly, knowledge, from vid to know. See
Wit.]

Defn: The ancient sacred literature of the Hindoos; also, one of the four collections, called Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, and Atharva-Veda, constituting the most ancient portions of that literature.

Note: The language of the Vedas is usually called Vedic Sanskrit, as distinguished from the later and more settled form called classical Sanskrit.

VEDANTA
Ve*dan"ta, n. Etym: [Skr. V.]

Defn: A system of philosophy among the Hindoos, founded on scattered texts of the Vedas, and thence termed the "Anta," or end or substance. Balfour (Cyc. of India.)

VEDANTIC
Ve*dan"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Vedas.

VEDANTIST
Ve*dan"tist, n.

Defn: One versed in the doctrines of the Vedantas.

VEDETTE
Ve*dette", n. Etym: [F. vedette, It. vedetta, for veletta (influenced
by vedere to see, L. videre), from It. veglia watch, L. vigilia. See
Vigil.]

Defn: A sentinel, usually on horseback, stationed on the outpost of an army, to watch an enemy and give notice of danger; a vidette.

VEDRO
Ve"dro, n. Etym: [Russ.]

Defn: A Russian liquid measure, equal to 3.249 gallons of U.S. standard measure, or 2.706 imperial gallons. McElrath.

VEER Veer, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Veered; p. pr. & vb. n. Veering.] Etym: [F. virer (cf. Sp. virar, birar), LL. virare; perhaps fr. L. vibrare to brandish, vibrate (cf. Vibrate); or cf. L. viriae armlets, bracelets, viriola a little bracelet (cf. Ferrule). Cf. Environ.]

Defn: To change direction; to turn; to shift; as, wind veers to the west or north. "His veering gait." Wordsworth. And as he leads, the following navy veers. Dryden. an ordinary community which is hostile or friendly as passion or as interest may veer about. Burke. To veer and haul (Naut.), to vary the course or direction; — said of the wind, which veers aft and hauls forward. The wind is also said to veer when it shifts with the sun.

VEER
Veer, v. t.

Defn: To direct to a different course; to turn; to wear; as, to veer, or wear, a vessel. To veer and haul (Naut.), to pull tight and slacken alternately. Totten. — To veer away or out (Naut.), to let out; to slacken and let run; to pay out; as, to veer away the cable; to veer out a rope.

VEERING
Veer"ing, a.

Defn: Shifting.
— Veer"ing*ly, adv.

VEERY
Veer"y, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American thrush (Turdus fuscescens) common in the Northern
United States and Canada. It is light tawny brown above. The breast
is pale buff, thickly spotted with brown. Called also Wilson's
thrush.
Sometimes I hear the veery's clarion. Thoreau.

VEGA
Ve"ga, n. (Astron.) Etym: [Ar. w, properly, falling: cf. F. Wéga.]

Defn: A brilliant star of the first magnitude, the brightest of those constituting the constellation Lyra.

VEGETABILITY
Veg`e*ta*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vegetable. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

VEGETABLE Veg`e*ta*ble, a. Etym: [F. végétable growing, capable of growing, formerly also, as a noun, a vegetable, from L. vegetabilis enlivening, from vegetare to enliven, invigorate, quicken, vegetus enlivened, vigorous, active, vegere to quicken, arouse, to be lively, akin to vigere to be lively, to thrive, vigil watchful, awake, and probably to E. wake, v. See Vigil, Wake, v.]

1. Of or pertaining to plants; having the nature of, or produced by, plants; as, a vegetable nature; vegetable growths, juices, etc. Blooming ambrosial fruit Of vegetable gold. Milton.

2. Consisting of, or comprising, plants; as, the vegetable kingdom. Vegetable alkali (Chem.), an alkaloid. — Vegetable brimstone. (Bot.) See Vegetable sulphur, below. — Vegetable butter (Bot.), a name of several kinds of concrete vegetable oil; as that produced by the Indian butter tree, the African shea tree, and the Pentadesma butyracea, a tree of the order Guttiferæ, also African. Still another kind is pressed from the seeds of cocoa (Theobroma). — Vegetable flannel, a textile material, manufactured in Germany from pine-needle wool, a down or fiber obtained from the leaves of the Pinus sylvestris. — Vegetable ivory. See Ivory nut, under Ivory. — Vegetable jelly. See Pectin. — Vegetable kingdom. (Nat. Hist.) See the last Phrase, below. —

Vegetable leather. (a) (Bot.) A shrubby West Indian spurge (Euphorbia punicea), with leathery foliage and crimson bracts. (b) See Vegetable leather, under Leather. — Vegetable marrow (Bot.), an egg-shaped gourd, commonly eight to ten inches long. It is noted for the very tender quality of its flesh, and is a favorite culinary vegetable in England. It has been said to be of Persian origin, but is now thought to have been derived from a form of the American pumpkin. — Vegetable oyster (Bot.), the oyster plant. See under Oyster. — Vegetable parchment, papyrine. — Vegetable sheep (Bot.), a white woolly plant (Raoulia eximia) of New Zealand, which grows in the form of large fleecy cushions on the mountains. — Vegetable silk, a cottonlike, fibrous material obtained from the coating of the seeds of a Brazilian tree (Chorisia speciosa). It us used for various purposes, as for stuffing, and the like, but is incapable of being spun on account of a want of cohesion among the fibers. — Vegetable sponge. See 1st Loof. — Vegetable sulphur, the fine highly inflammable spores of the club moss (Lycopodium clavatum); witch. — Vegetable tallow, a substance resembling tallow, obtained from various plants; as, Chinese vegetable tallow, obtained from the seeds of the tallow tree. Indian vegetable tallow is a name sometimes given to piney tallow. — Vegetable wax, a waxy excretion on the leaves or fruits of certain plants, as the bayberry. Vegetable kingdom (Nat. Hist.), that primary division of living things which includes all plants. The classes of the vegetable kingdom have been grouped differently by various botanists. The following is one of the best of the many arrangements of the principal subdivisions. I. Phænogamia (called also Phanerogamia).

Defn: Plants having distinct flowers and true seeds. { 1. Dicotyledons (called also Exogens). — Seeds with two or more cotyledons. Stems with the pith, woody fiber, and bark concentrically arranged. Divided into two subclasses: Angiosperms, having the woody fiber interspersed with dotted or annular ducts, and the seed contained in a true ovary; Gymnosperms, having few or no ducts in the woody fiber, and the seeds naked. 2. Monocotyledons (called also Endogens). — Seeds with single cotyledon. Stems with slender bundles of woody fiber not concentrically arranged, and with no true bark.} II. Cryptogamia.

Defn: Plants without true flowers, and reproduced by minute spores of various kinds, or by simple cell division. { 1. Acrogens. — Plants usually with distinct stems and leaves, existing in two alternate conditions, one of which is nonsexual and sporophoric, the other sexual and oöphoric. Divided into Vascular Acrogens, or Pteridophyta, having the sporophoric plant conspicuous and consisting partly of vascular tissue, as in Ferns, Lycopods, and Equiseta, and Cellular Acrogens, or Bryophyta, having the sexual plant most conspicuous, but destitute of vascular tissue, as in Mosses and Scale Mosses. 2. Thallogens. — Plants without distinct stem and leaves, consisting of a simple or branched mass of cellular tissue, or educed to a single cell. Reproduction effected variously. Divided into Algæ, which contain chlorophyll or its equivalent, and which live upon air and water, and Fungi, which contain no chlorophyll, and live on organic matter. (Lichens are now believed to be fungi parasitic on included algæ.}

Note: Many botanists divide the Phænogamia primarily into Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, and the latter into Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons. Others consider Pteridophyta and Bryophyta to be separate classes. Thallogens are variously divided by different writers, and the places for diatoms, slime molds, and stoneworts are altogether uncertain. For definitions, see these names in the Vocabulary.

VEGETAL
Veg"e*tal, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A vegetable. [R.] B. Jonson.

VEGETALITY
Veg`e*tal"i*ty, n.

1. The quality or state of being vegetal, or vegetable. [R.]

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The quality or state of being vegetal, or exhibiting those physiological phenomena which are common to plants and animals. See Vegetal, a., 2.

VEGETARIAN
Veg`e*ta"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who holds that vegetables and fruits are the only proper food for man. Strict vegetarians eat no meat, eggs, or milk.

VEGETARIAN
Veg`e*ta"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to vegetarianism; as, a vegetarian diet.

VEGETARIANISM
Veg`e*ta"ri*an*ism, n.

Defn: The theory or practice of living upon vegetables and fruits.

VEGETATE
Veg"e*tate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Vegetated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vegetating.] Etym: [L. vegetatus, p. p. of vegetare to enliven. See
Vegetable.]

1. To grow, as plants, by nutriment imbibed by means of roots and leaves; to start into growth; to sprout; to germinate. See dying vegetables life sustain, See life dissolving vegetate again. Pope.

2. Fig.: To lead a live too low for an animate creature; to do nothing but eat and grow. Cowper. Persons who . . . would have vegetated stupidly in the places where fortune had fixed them. Jeffrey.

3. (Med.)

Defn: To grow exuberantly; to produce fleshy or warty outgrowths; as, a vegetating papule.

VEGETATION Veg`e*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. végétation, L. vegetatio an enlivening. See Vegetable.]

1. The act or process of vegetating, or growing as a plant does; vegetable growth.

2. The sum of vegetable life; vegetables or plants in general; as, luxuriant vegetation.

3. (Med.)

Defn: An exuberant morbid outgrowth upon any part, especially upon the valves of the heart. Vegetation of salts (Old Chem.), a crystalline growth of an arborescent form.

VEGETATIVE
Veg"e*ta*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. végétatif.]

1. Growing, or having the power of growing, as plants; capable of vegetating.

2. Having the power to produce growth in plants; as, the vegetative properties of soil.

3. (Biol.)

Defn: Having relation to growth or nutrition; partaking of simple growth and enlargement of the systems of nutrition, apart from the sensorial or distinctively animal functions; vegetal. — Veg"e*ta*tive*ly, adv. — Veg"e*ta*tive*ness, n.

VEGETE
Ve*gete", a. Etym: [L. vegetus. See Vegetable.]

Defn: Lively; active; sprightly; vigorous. [Obs.]
Even her body was made airy and vegete. Jer. Taylor.

VEGETISM
Veg"e*tism, n.

Defn: Vegetal state or characteristic.

VEGETIVE
Veg"e*tive, a. Etym: [See Vegetate, and Vegetative.]

Defn: Having the nature of a plant; vegetable; as, vegetive life.
[R.] Tusser.

VEGETIVE
Veg"e*tive, n.

Defn: A vegetable. [Obs.]
The blest infusions That dwell in vegetives, in metals, stones. Shak.

VEGETO-ANIMAL
Veg"e*to-an"i*mal, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Partaking of the nature both of vegetable and animal matter; — a term sometimes applied to vegetable albumen and gluten, from their resemblance to similar animal products.

VEGETOUS
Veg"e*tous, a. Etym: [L. vegetus. See Vegete.]

Defn: Vigorous; lively; active; vegete. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

VEHEMENCE
Ve"he*mence, n. Etym: [L. vehementia: cf. F. véhémence.]

1. The quality pr state of being vehement; impetuous force; impetuosity; violence; fury; as, the vehemence.

2. Violent ardor; great heat; animated fervor; as, the vehemence of love, anger, or other passions. I . . . tremble at his vehemence of temper. Addison.

VEHEMENCY
Ve"he*men*cy, n.

Defn: Vehemence. [R.]
The vehemency of your affection. Shak.

VEHEMENT
Ve"he*ment, a. Etym: [L. vehemens, the first part of which is perhaps
akin to vehere to carry, and the second mens mind: cf. F. véhément.
Cf. Vehicle, and Mental.]

1. Acting with great force; furious; violent; impetuous; forcible; mighty; as, vehement wind; a vehement torrent; a vehement fire or heat.

2. Very ardent; very eager or urgent; very fervent; passionate; as, a vehement affection or passion. "Vehement instigation." Shak. "Vehement desire." Milton.

Syn. — Furious; violent; raging; impetuous; passionate; ardent; eager; hot; fervid; burning.

VEHEMENTLY
Ve"he*ment*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vehement manner.

VEHICLE Ve"hi*cle, n. Etym: [L. vehiculum, fr. vehere to carry; akin to E. way, wain. See Way, n., and cf. Convex, Inveigh, Veil, Vex.]

1. That in or on which any person or thing is, or may be, carried, as a coach, carriage, wagon, cart, car, sleigh, bicycle, etc.; a means of conveyance; specifically, a means of conveyance upon land.

2. That which is used as the instrument of conveyance or communication; as, matter is the vehicle of energy. A simple style forms the best vehicle of thought to a popular assembly. Wirt.

3. (Pharm.)

Defn: A substance in which medicine is taken.

4. (Paint.)

Defn: Any liquid with which a pigment is applied, including whatever gum, wax, or glutinous or adhesive substance is combined with it.

Note: Water is used in fresco and in water-color painting, the colors being consolidated with gum arabic; size is used in distemper painting. In oil painting, the fixed oils of linseed, nut, and poppy, are used; in encaustic, wax is the vehicle. Fairholt.

VEHICLED
Ve"hi*cled, a.

Defn: Conveyed in a vehicle; furnished with a vehicle. M. Green.

VEHICULAR
Ve*hic"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. vehicularis: cf. F. véhiculaire.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vehicle; serving as a vehicle; as, a vehicular contrivance.

VEHICULARY
Ve*hic"u*la*ry, a.

Defn: Vehicular.

VEHICULATE
Ve*hic"u*late, v. t. & i.

Defn: To convey by means of a vehicle; to ride in a vehicle. Carlyle.

VEHICULATION
Ve*hic`u*la"tion, n.

Defn: Movement of vehicles.

VEHICULATORY
Ve*hic"u*la*to*ry, a.

Defn: Vehicular. Carlyle.

VEHM; VEHME
Vehm, Vehme, n.; pl. Vehme (#). [See Vehmgericht.]

Defn: A vehmic court.

VEHMGERICHT Vehm"ge*richt, n.; pl. Vehmgerichte (#). [G. vefm, fehm criminal tribunal + gerichte court, judgment. Cf. Vehmic.]

Defn: A vehmic court.

VEHMIC Veh"mic, a. Etym: [G. vehm, fehm, fehme, a secret tribunal of punishment, MHG. veime, veme: cf. F. vehmique.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, certain secret tribunals flourished in Germany from the end of the 12th century to the middle of the 16th, usurping many of the functions of the government which were too weak to maintain law and order, and inspiring dread in all who came within their jurisdiction. Encyc. Brit.

VEIL Veil, n. Etym: [OE. veile, OF. veile, F. voile, L. velum a sail, covering, curtain, veil, probably fr. vehere to bear, carry, and thus originally, that which bears the ship on. See Vehicle, and cf. Reveal.] [Written also vail.]

1. Something hung up, or spread out, to intercept the view, and hide an object; a cover; a curtain; esp., a screen, usually of gauze, crape, or similar diaphnous material, to hide or protect the face. The veil of the temple was rent in twain. Matt. xxvii. 51. She, as a veil down to the slender waist, Her unadornéd golden tresses wore. Milton.

2. A cover; disguise; a mask; a pretense. [I will] pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming Mistress Page. Shak.

3. (Bot.) (a) The calyptra of mosses. (b) A membrane connecting the margin of the pileus of a mushroom with the stalk; — called also velum.

4. (Eccl.)

Defn: A covering for a person or thing; as, a nun's veil; a paten veil; an altar veil.

5. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Velum, 3. To take the veil (Eccl.), to receive or be covered with, a veil, as a nun, in token of retirement from the world; to become a nun.

VEIL
Veil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Veiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Veiling.] Etym:
[Cf. OF. veler, F. voiler, L. velarc. See Veil, n.] [Written also
vail.]

1. To throw a veil over; to cover with a veil. Her face was veiled; yet to my fancied sight, Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shined. Milton.

2. Fig.: To invest; to cover; to hide; to conceal. To keep your great pretenses veiled. Shak.

VEILED
Veiled, a.

Defn: Covered by, or as by, a veil; hidden. "Words used to convey a veiled meaning." Earle.

VEILED PLATE
Veiled plate. (Photog.)

Defn: A fogged plate.

VEILING
Veil"ing, n.

Defn: A veil; a thin covering; also, material for making veils.

VEILLESS
Veil"less, a.

Defn: Having no veil. Tennyson.

VEIN
Vein, n. Etym: [OE. veine, F. veine, L. vena.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the vessels which carry blood, either venous or arterial, to the heart. See Artery, 2.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the similar branches of the framework of a leaf.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the ribs or nervures of the wings of insects. See
Venation.

4. (Geol. or Mining)

Defn: A narrow mass of rock intersecting other rocks, and filling inclined or vertical fissures not corresponding with the stratification; a lode; a dike; — often limited, in the language of miners, to a mineral vein or lode, that is, to a vein which contains useful minerals or ores.

5. A fissure, cleft, or cavity, as in the earth or other substance. "Down to the veins of earth." Milton. Let the glass of the prisms be free from veins. Sir I. Newton.

6. A streak or wave of different color, appearing in wood, and in marble and other stones; variegation.

7. A train of association, thoughts, emotions, or the like; a current; a course. He can open a vein of true and noble thinking. Swift.

8. Peculiar temper or temperament; tendency or turn of mind; a particular disposition or cast of genius; humor; strain; quality; also, manner of speech or action; as, a rich vein of humor; a satirical vein. Shak. Certain discoursing wits which are of the same veins. Bacon. Invoke the Muses, and improve my vein. Waller.

VEIN
Vein, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Veined; p. pr. & vb. n. Veining.]

Defn: To form or mark with veins; to fill or cover with veins.
Tennyson.

VEINAL
Vein"al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to veins; venous. [R.]

VEINED
Veined, a.

1. Full of veins; streaked; variegated; as, veined marble. "Veined follies." Ford.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Having fibrovascular threads extending throughout the lamina; as, a veined leaf.

VEINLESS
Vein"less, a.

Defn: Having no veins; as, a veinless leaf.

VEINLET
Vein"let, n.

Defn: A small vein.

VEINOUS
Vein"ous, a.

Defn: Marked with veins; veined; veiny. The excellent old gentleman's nails are long and leaden, and his hands lean and veinous. Dickens.

VEIN QUARTZ
Vein quartz.

Defn: Quartz occurring as gangue in a vein.

VEINSTONE
Vein"stone`, n.

Defn: The nonmetalliferous mineral or rock material which accompanies the ores in a vein, as quartz, calcite, barite, fluor spar, etc.; — called also veinstuff.

VEINY
Vein"y, a. Etym: [From Vein: cf. F. veiné.]

Defn: Full of veins; veinous; veined; as, veiny marble.

VELAR
Ve"lar, a. Etym: [See Velum.]

1. Of or pertaining to a velum; esp. (Anat.) of or pertaining to the soft palate.

2. (Phon.)

Defn: Having the place of articulation on the soft palate; guttural; as, the velar consonants, such as k and hard q.

VELARIUM
Ve*la"ri*um, n.; pl. Velaria. Etym: [L., a covering.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The marginal membrane of certain medusæ belonging to the
Discophora.

VELATE
Ve"late, a. Etym: [L. velatus, p. p. of velare to veil. See Veil.]
(Bot.)

Defn: Having a veil; veiled.

VELDT
Veldt, n. [D. veld. Cf. Field, n.]

Defn: A region or tract of land; esp., the open field; grass country.
[South Africa]

VELDT SORE
Veldt sore. (Med.)

Defn: An infective sore mostly on the hands and feet, often contracted in walking on the veldt and apparently due to a specific microörganism.

VELE
Vele, n.

Defn: A veil. [Obs.] Spenser.

VELELLA
Ve*lel"la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. from L. velum a veil, a sail.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of oceanic Siphonophora belonging to the genus
Velella.

Note: These creatures are brilliantly colored and float at the surface of the sea. They have an oblong, disklike body, supported by a thin chitinous plate, from which rises a thin diagonal crest which acts as a sail. The feeding and reproductive zooids hang down from the under side of the disk.

VELIFEROUS
Ve*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. velifer; velum a sail + ferre to bear.]

Defn: Carrying or bearing sails. [Obs.] "Veliferous chariots."
Evelyn.

VELIGER
Vel"i*ger, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. velum a veil + gerere bear.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any larval gastropod or bivalve mollusk in the state when it is furnished with one or two ciliated membranes for swimming.

VELITATION Vel`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. velitatio, fr. velitari, velitatus, to skirmish, from veles, -itis, a light-armed soldier.]

Defn: A dispute or contest; a slight contest; a skirmish. [R.] Sir M.
Hale.
After a short velitation we parted. Evelyn.

VELIVOLANT Ve*liv"o*lant, a. Etym: [L. velivolans; velum a sail + volare to fly.]

Defn: Flying with sails; passing under full sail. [R.]

VELL Vell, n. Etym: [Cf. L. vellus the skin of a sheep with the wool on it, a fleece, a hide or pelt, or E. fell a hide.]

Defn: The salted stomach of a calf, used in making cheese; a rennet bag. [Prov. Eng.]

VELL
Vell, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Vell, n.]

Defn: To cut the turf from, as for burning. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

VELLEITY Vel*le"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. velléité (cf. It. velleità), fr. L. velle to will, to be willing.]

Defn: The lowest degree of desire; imperfect or incomplete volition.
Locke.

VELLET
Vel"let, n.

Defn: Velvet. [Obs.] Spenser.

VELLICATE
Vel"li*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vellicated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vellicating.] Etym: [L. vellicatus, p. p. of vellicare to twitch, fr.
vellere to pluck, pull.]

Defn: To twitch; to cause to twitch convulsively. Convulsions, arising from something vellicating a nerve in its extremity, are not very dangerous. Arbuthnot.

VELLICATE
Vel"li*cate, v. i.

Defn: To move spasmodically; to twitch; as, a nerve vellicates.

VELLICATION
Vel`li*ca"tion, Etym: [L. vellicatio.]

1. The act of twitching, or of causing to twitch.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A local twitching, or convulsive motion, of a muscular fiber, especially of the face.

VELLICATIVE
Vel"li*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Having the power of vellicating, plucking, or twitching; causing vellication.

VELLON
Vel*lon", n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A word occurring in the phrase real vellon. See the Note under
Its Real.

VELLUM Vel"lum, n. Etym: [OE. velim, F. vélin, fr. L. vitulinus of a calf, fr. vitulus a calf. See Veal.]

Defn: A fine kind of parchment, usually made from calfskin, and rendered clear and white, — used as for writing upon, and for binding books. Vellum cloth, a fine kind of cotton fabric, made very transparent, and used as a tracing cloth.

VELLUMY
Vel"lum*y, a.

Defn: Resembling vellum.

VELOCIMETER
Vel`o*cim"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. velox, -ocis, rapid + -meter.]

Defn: An apparatus for measuring speed, as of machinery or vessels, but especially of projectiles.

VELOCIPEDE
Ve*loc"i*pede, n. Etym: [L. velox, -ocis, swift + pes, pedis, a foot.
See Velocity, and Foot.]

Defn: A light road carriage propelled by the feet of the rider. Originally it was propelled by striking the tips of the toes on the roadway, but commonly now by the action of the feet on a pedal or pedals connected with the axle of one or more of the wheels, and causing their revolution. They are made in many forms, with two, three, or four wheels. See Bicycle, and Tricycle.

VELOCIPEDIST
Ve*loc"i*pe`dist, n.

Defn: One who rides on a velocipede.

VELOCITY Ve*loc"i*ty, n.; pl. Velocities. Etym: [L. velocitas, from velox, - ocis, swift, quick; perhaps akin to v to fly (see Volatile): cf. F. vélocité.]

1. Quickness of motion; swiftness; speed; celerity; rapidity; as, the velocity of wind; the velocity of a planet or comet in its orbit or course; the velocity of a cannon ball; the velocity of light.

Note: In such phrases, velocity is more generally used than celerity. We apply celerity to animals; as, a horse or an ostrich runs with celerity; but bodies moving in the air or in ethereal space move with greater or less velocity, not celerity. This usage is arbitrary, and perhaps not universal.

2. (Mech.)

Defn: Rate of motion; the relation of motion to time, measured by the number of units of space passed over by a moving body or point in a unit of time, usually the number of feet passed over in a second. See the Note under Speed. Angular velocity. See under Angular. — Initial velocity, the velocity of a moving body at starting; especially, the velocity of a projectile as it leaves the mouth of a firearm from which it is discharged. — Relative velocity, the velocity with which a body approaches or recedes from another body, whether both are moving or only one. — Uniform velocity, velocity in which the same number of units of space are described in each successive unit of time. — Variable velocity, velocity in which the space described varies from instant, either increasing or decreasing; — in the former case called accelerated velocity, in the latter, retarded velocity; the acceleration or retardation itself being also either uniform or variable. — Virtual velocity. See under Virtual.

Note: In variable velocity, the velocity, strictly, at any given instant, is the rate of motion at that instant, and is expressed by the units of space, which, if the velocity at that instant were continued uniform during a unit of time, would be described in the unit of time; thus, the velocity of a falling body at a given instant is the number of feet which, if the motion which the body has at that instant were continued uniformly for one second, it would pass through in the second. The scientific sense of velocity differs from the popular sense in being applied to all rates of motion, however slow, while the latter implies more or less rapidity or quickness of motion.

Syn.
— Swiftness; celerity; rapidity; fleetness; speed.

VELOURS
Ve*lours", n. Etym: [F. See Velure.]

Defn: One of many textile fabrics having a pile like that of velvet.

VELOUTE; SAUCE VELOUTE
Ve*lou`té", n., or Sauce velouté. [F. velouté, lit., velvety.]
(Cookery)

Defn: A white sauce or stock made by boiling down ham, veal, beef, fowl, bouillon, etc., then adding soup stock, seasoning, vegetables, and thickening, and again boiling and straining.

VELTFARE
Velt"fare, n. Etym: [See Fieldfare.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The fieldfare. [Prov. Eng.]

VELUM
Ve"lum, n.; pl. Vela. Etym: [L., an awning, a veil. See Veil.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Curtain or covering; — applied to various membranous partitions, especially to the soft palate. See under Palate.

2. (Bot.) (a) See Veil, n., 3 (b). (b) A thin membrane surrounding the sporocarps of quillworts Isoetes).

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A veil-like organ or part. Especially: (a) The circular membrane that partially incloses the space beneath the umbrella of hydroid medusæ. (b) A delicate funnel-like membrane around the flagellum of certain Infusoria. See Illust. a of Protozoa.

VELURE
Vel"ure, n. Etym: [F. velours, OF. velous, from L. villosus hairy.
See Velvet.]

Defn: Velvet. [Obs.] "A woman's crupper of velure." Shak.

VELUTINA
Vel`u*ti"na, n. Etym: [NL. See Velvet.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of marine gastropods belonging to
Velutina and allied genera.

VELUTINOUS
Ve*lu"ti*nous, a. Etym: [It. velluto velvet. See Velvet.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the surface covered with a fine and dense silky pubescence; velvety; as, a velutinous leaf.

VELVERD
Vel"verd, n.

Defn: The veltfare. [Prov. Eng.]

VELVERET
Vel`ver*et", n.

Defn: A kind of velvet having cotton back.

VELVET
Vel"vet, n. Etym: [OE. velouette, veluet, velwet; cf. OF. velluau,
LL. velluetum, vellutum, It. velluto, Sp. velludo; all fr. (assumed)
LL. villutus shaggy, fr L. villus shaggy hair; akin to vellus a
fleece, and E. wool. See Wool, and cf. Villous.]

1. A silk fabric, having a short, close nap of erect threads. Inferior qualities are made with a silk pile on a cotton or linen back.

2. The soft and highly vascular deciduous skin which envelops and nourishes the antlers of deer during their rapid growth. Cotton velvet, an imitation of velvet, made of cotton. — Velvet cork, the best kind of cork bark, supple, elastic, and not woody or porous. — Velvet crab a European crab (Portunus puber). When adult the black carapace is covered with a velvety pile. Called also lady crab, and velvet fiddler. — Velvet dock (Bot.), the common mullein. — Velvet duck. (Zoöl.) (a) A large European sea duck, or scoter (Oidemia fusca). The adult male is glossy, velvety black, with a white speculum on each wing, and a white patch behind each eye. (b) The American whitewinged scoter. See Scoter. — Velvet flower (Bot.), love-lies-bleeding. See under Love. — Velvet grass (Bot.), a tall grass (Holcus lanatus) with velvety stem and leaves; — called also soft grass. — Velvet runner (Zoöl.), the water rail; — so called from its quiet, stealthy manner of running. [Prov. Eng.] — Velvet scoter. (Zoöl.) Same as Velvet duck, above. — Velvet sponge. (Zoöl.) See under Sponge.

VELVET
Vel"vet, a.

Defn: Made of velvet; soft and delicate, like velvet; velvety. " The cowslip's velvet head." Milton.

VELVET
Vel"vet, v. i.

Defn: To pain velvet. [R.] Peacham.

VELVET
Vel"vet, v. t.

Defn: To make like, or cover with, velvet. [R.]

VELVETBREAST
Vel"vet*breast`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The goosander. [Local, U. S.]

VELVETEEN
Vel`vet*een", n. Etym: [Cf. F. velvetine. See Velvet.]

Defn: A kind of cloth, usually cotton, made in imitation of velvet; cotton velvet.

VELVETING
Vel"vet*ing, n.

Defn: The fine shag or nap of velvet; a piece of velvet; velvet goods.

VELVETLEAF
Vel"vet*leaf`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several plants which have soft, velvety leaves, as the Abutilon Avicennæ, the Cissampelos Pareira, and the Lavatera arborea, and even the common mullein.

VELVETY
Vel"vet*y, a.

Defn: Made of velvet, or like velvet; soft; smooth; delicate.

VENA
Ve"na, n.; pl. Venæ. Etym: [L. See Vein.]

Defn: A vein. Vena cava; pl. Venæ cavæ. Etym: [L., literally, hollow vein.] (Anat.) Any one of the great systemic veins connected directly with the heart.— Vena contracta. Etym: [L., literally, contracted vein.] (Hydraulics) The contracted portion of a liquid jet at and near the orifice from which it issues. — Vena portæ; pl. VenÆ portæ. Etym: [L., literally, vein of the entrance.] (Anat.) The portal vein of the liver. See under Portal.

VENADA
Ve*na"da, N. Etym: [Cf. Sp. venado a does, stag.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The pudu.

VENAL
Ve"nal, a. Etym: [L. vena a vein.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to veins; venous; as, venal blood. [R.]

VENAL
Ve"nal, a. Etym: [L. venalis, from venus sale; akin to Gr. vasna: cf.
F. vénal.]

Defn: Capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; made matter of trade or barter; held for sale; salable; mercenary; purchasable; hireling; as, venal services. " Paid court to venal beauties." Macaulay. The venal cry and prepared vote of a passive senate. Burke.

Syn. — Mercenary; hireling; vendible. — Venal, Mercenary. One is mercenary who is either actually a hireling (as, mercenary soldiers, a mercenary judge, etc.), or is governed by a sordid love of gain; hence, we speak of mercenary motives, a mercenary marriage, etc. Venal goes further, and supposes either an actual purchase, or a readiness to be purchased, which places a person or thing wholly in the power of the purchaser; as, a venal press. Brissot played ingeniously on the latter word in his celebrated saying, " My pen is venal that it may not be mercenary," meaning that he wrote books, and sold them to the publishers, in order to avoid the necessity of being the hireling of any political party. Thus needy wits a vile revenue made, And verse became a mercenary trade. Dryden. This verse be thine, my friend, nor thou refuse This, from no venal or ungrateful muse. Pope.

VENALITY
Ve*nal"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. venalitas: cf. F. vénalité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being venal, or purchasable; mercenariness; prostitution of talents, offices, or services, for money or reward; as, the venality of a corrupt court; the venality of an official. Complaints of Roman venality became louder. Milton.

VENALLY
Ve"nal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a venal manner.

VENANTES Ve*nan"tes, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. venans, p. pr. of venari to hunt.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The hunting spiders, which run after, or leap upon, their prey.

VENARY Ven"a*ry, a. Etym: [LL. venarius, fr. L. venari, p. p. venatus, to hunt.]

Defn: Of or, pertaining to hunting.

VENATIC; VENATICAL Ve*nat"ic, Ve*nat"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. venaticus, fr. venatus hunting, fr. venari, p. p. venatus, to hunt.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to hunting; used in hunting. [R.] " Venatical pleasure." Howell.

VENATICA
Ve*nat"i*ca, n.

Defn: See Vinatico.

VENATION
Ve*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. vena a vein.]

Defn: The arrangement or system of veins, as in the wing of an insect, or in the leaves of a plant. See Illust. in Appendix.

VENATION
Ve*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. venatio, fr. venari, p. p. venatus, to hunt.
See Venison.]

Defn: The act or art of hunting, or the state of being hunted. [Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.

VENATORIAL
Ven`a*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. venatorius.]

Defn: Or or pertaining to hunting; venatic. [R.]

VEND Vend, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vended; p. pr. & vb. n. Vending.] Etym: [F. vendre, L. vendere, from venum dare; venus sale + dare to give. See 2d Venal, Date, time.]

Defn: To transfer to another person for a pecuniary equivalent; to make an object of trade; to dispose of by sale; to sell; as, to vend goods; to vend vegetables.

Note: Vend differs from barter. We vend for money; we barter for commodities. Vend is used chiefly of wares, merchandise, or other small articles, not of lands and tenements.

VEND
Vend, n.

1. The act of vending or selling; a sale.

2. The total sales of coal from a colliery. [Eng.]

VENDACE
Ven"dace, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A European lake whitefish (Coregonus Willughbii, or C. Vandesius) native of certain lakes in Scotland and England. It is regarded as a delicate food fish. Called also vendis.

VENDEE
Vend*ee", n.

Defn: The person to whom a thing is vended, or sold; — the correlative of vendor.

VENDEMIAIRE
Ven`dé`miaire", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. vindemia vintage.]

Defn: The first month of the French republican calendar, dating from
September 22, 1792.

Note: This calendar was substituted for the ordinary calendar, dating from the Christian era, by a decree of the National Convention in 1793. The 22d of September, 1792, which had been fixed upon as the day of the foundation of the republic, was also the date of the new calendar. In this calendar, the year, which began at midnight of the day of the autumnal equinox, was divided into twelve months of thirty days, with five additional days for festivals, and every fourth year six. Each month was divided into three decades of ten days each, the week being abolished. The names of the months in their order were, Vendémiaire, Brumaire, Frimaire Nivose, Pluviose, Ventose, Germinal, Floréal, Prairial, Messidor, Thermidor (sometimes called Fervidor), and Fructidor. This calendar was abolished December 31, 1805, and the ordinary one restored January 1, 1806.

VENDER
Vend"er, n. Etym: [From Vend: cf. F. vendeur, OF. vendeor. Cf.
Vendor.]

Defn: One who vends; one who transfers the exclusive right of possessing a thing, either his own, or that of another as his agent, for a price or pecuniary equivalent; a seller; a vendor.

VENDETTA
Ven*det"ta, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: A blood feud; private revenge for the murder of a kinsman.

VENDIBILITY
Vend`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vendible, or salable.

VENDIBLE
Vend"i*ble, a. Etym: [L. vendibilis: cf. OF. vendible, F. vendable.]

Defn: Capable of being vended, or sold; that may be sold; salable.
The regulating of prices of things vendible. Bacon.

Note: Vendible differs from marketable; the latter signifies proper or fit for market, according to the laws or customs of a place. Vendible has no reference to such legal fitness.

VENDIBLE
Vend"i*ble, n.

Defn: Something to be sold, or offered for sale.
— Vend"i*ble*ness, n.
— Vend"i*bly, adv.

VENDITATE
Ven"di*tate, v. t. Etym: [See Venditation.]

Defn: To cry up. as if for sale; to blazon. [Obs.] Holland.

VENDITATION Ven`di*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. venditatio, fr. venditare, venditatum, to offer again and again for sale, v. freq. of vendere. See Vend.]

Defn: The act of setting forth ostentatiously; a boastful display.
[Obs.] B. Jonson.

VENDITION
Ven*di"tion, n. Etym: [L. venditio: cf. F. vendition.]

Defn: The act of vending, or selling; sale.

VENDOR
Vend"or , n. Etym: [See Vender.]

Defn: A vender; a seller; the correlative of vendee.

VENDOR'S LIEN
Vend"or's lien. (Law)

Defn: An implied lien (that is, one not created by mortgage or other express agreement) given in equity to a vendor of lands for the unpaid purchase money.

VENDS
Vends, n. pl. (Ethnol.)

Defn: See Wends.

VENDUE Ven*due", n. Etym: [OF. vendue, from F. vendre, p. p. vendu, vendue, to sell.]

Defn: A public sale of anything, by outcry, to the highest bidder; an auction. [Obsoles.] Vendue master, one who is authorized to sell any property by vendue; an auctioneer. [Obsoles.]

VENEER
Ve*neer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Veneered; p. pr. & vb. n. Veneering.]
Etym: [G. furnieren, fourniren, fr. F. fournir to furnish. See
Furnish.]

Defn: To overlay or plate with a thin layer of wood or other material for outer finish or decoration; as, to veneer a piece of furniture with mahogany. Used also figuratively. As a rogue in grain Veneered with sanctimonious theory. Tennyson.

VENEER
Ve*neer", n. Etym: [Cf. G. furnier or fournier. See Veneer, v. t.]

Defn: A thin leaf or layer of a more valuable or beautiful material for overlaying an inferior one, especially such a thin leaf of wood to be glued to a cheaper wood; hence, external show; gloss; false pretense. Veneer moth (Zoöl.), any moth of the genus Chilo; — so called because the mottled colors resemble those of veneering.

VENEERING
Ve*neer"ing, n.

1. The act or art of one who veneers.

2. Thin wood or other material used as a veneer.

VENEFICAL
Ve*nef"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. veneficus.]

Defn: Veneficial. [Obs.] "Venefical instruments." B. Jonson.

VENEFICE Ven"e*fice, n. Etym: [L. veneficium, fr. veneficus poisoning; venenum poison + facere to make: cf. F. vénéfice.]

Defn: The act or practice of poisoning. [Obs.]

VENEFICIAL; VENEFICIOUS
Ven`e*fi"cial, Ven`e*fi"cious, a.

Defn: Acting by poison; used in poisoning or in sorcery. [Obs.] "An old veneficious practice." Sir T. Browne. — Ven`e*fi"cious*ly, adv. [Obs.]

VENEMOUS
Ven"e*mous, a.

Defn: Venomous. [Obs.]

VENENATE Ven"e*nate, v. t. Etym: [L. veneatus, p. p. venenare to poison, from venenum poison. Cf. Venom.]

Defn: To poison; to infect with poison. [R.] Harvey.

VENENATE
Ven"e*nate, a.

Defn: Poisoned. Woodward.

VENENATION
Ven`en*na"tion, n.

1. The act of poisoning.

2. Poison; venom. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

VENENE
Ve*nene", a.

Defn: Poisonous; venomous. [Obs.]

VENENOSE
Ven"e*nose`, a. Etym: [L. venenosus, fr. venenum poison. Cf.
Venomous.]

Defn: Poisonous. [Obs.]

VENERABILITY
Ven`er*a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being venerable; venerableness. Dr. H.
More.

VENERABLE
Ven"er*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. venerabilis: cf. F. vénérable.]

1. Capable of being venerated; worthy of veneration or reverence; deserving of honor and respect; — generally implying an advanced age; as, a venerable magistrate; a venerable parent. He was a man of eternal self-sacrifice, and that is always venerable. De Quincey. Venerable men! you have come down to us from a former generation. D. Webster.

2. Rendered sacred by religious or other associations; that should be regarded with awe and treated with reverence; as, the venerable walls of a temple or a church.

Note: This word is employed in the Church of England as a title for an archdeacon. In the Roman Catholic Church, venerable is applied to those who have attained to the lowest of the three recognized degrees of sanctity, but are not among the beatified, nor the canonized. — Ven"er*a*ble*ness, n. — Ven"er*a*bly, adv.

VENERACEA
Ven`e*ra"ce*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Venus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive tribe of bivalve mollusks of which the genus Venus is the type. The shells are usually oval, or somewhat heartshaped, with a conspicuous lunule. See Venus.

VENERATE
Ven"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Venerated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Venerating.] Etym: [L. veneratus, p. p. of venerari to venerate; akin
to Venus Venus, Skr. van to like, to wish, and E. winsome. See
Winsome.]

Defn: To regard with reverential respect; to honor with mingled respect and awe; to reverence; to revere; as, we venerate parents and elders. And seemed to venerate the sacred shade. Dryden. I do not know a man more to be venerated for uprightness of heart and loftiness of genius. Sir W. Scott.

Syn.
— To reverence; revere; adore; respect.

VENERATION
Ven`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. veneratio: cf. F. vénération.]

Defn: The act of venerating, or the state of being venerated; the highest degree of respect and reverence; respect mingled with awe; a feeling or sentimental excited by the dignity, wisdom, or superiority of a person, by sacredness of character, by consecration to sacred services, or by hallowed associations. We find a secret awe and veneration for one who moves about us in regular and illustrious course of virtue. Addison.

Syn.
— Awe; reverence; respect. See Reverence.

VENERATOR
Ven"er*a`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who venerates. Jer. Taylor

VENEREAL
Ve*ne"re*al, a. Etym: [L. venereus, venerius, fr. Venus, Veneris,
Venus, the goddess of love. See Venerate.]

1. Of or pertaining to venery, or sexual love; relating to sexual
intercourse.
Into the snare I fell Of fair, fallacious looks, venereal trains,
Softened with pleasure and voluptuous life. Milton.

2. (Med.) (a) Arising from sexual intercourse; as, a venereal disease; venereal virus or poison. (b) Adapted to the cure of venereal diseases; as, venereal medicines.

3. Adapted to excite venereal desire; aphrodisiac.

4. Consisting of, or pertaining to, copper, formerly called by chemists Venus. [Obs.] Boyle.

VENEREAL
Ve*ne"re*al, n. (Med.)

Defn: The venereal disease; syphilis.

VENEREAN
Ve*ne"re*an, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vénérien.]

Defn: Devoted to the offices of Venus, or love; venereal. [Obs.] "I am all venerean in feeling." Chaucer.

VENEREOUS
Ve*ne"re*ous, a. Etym: [L. venereus.]

1. Venereal; exciting lust; aphrodisiac. [Obs.]

2. Lustful; lascivious; libidinous. [R.] Derham.

VENEROUS
Ven"er*ous, a.

Defn: Venereous. [Obs.] Burton.

VENERY
Ven"er*y, n. Etym: [L. Venus, Veneris, the goddess of love.]

Defn: Sexual love; sexual intercourse; coition. Contentment, without the pleasure of lawful venery, is continence; of unlawful, chastity. Grew.

VENERY
Ven"er*y, n. Etym: [OE. venerie, F. vénerie, fr. OF. vener to hunt,
L. venari. See Venison.]

Defn: The art, act, or practice of hunting; the sports of the chase.
"Beasts of venery and fishes." Sir T. Browne.
I love hunting and venery. Chaucer.

VENESECTION Ve`ne*sec"tion, n. Etym: [NL. venaesectio; L. vena vein + sectio section.] (Med.)

Defn: The act or operation of opening a vein for letting blood; bloodletting; phlebotomy.

VENETIAN
Ve*ne"tian, a. Etym: [Cf. It. Veneziano, L. Venetianus.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Venice in Italy. Venetian blind, a blind for windows, doors, etc., made of thin slats, either fixed at a certain angle in the shutter, or movable, and in the latter case so disposed as to overlap each other when close, and to show a series of open spaces for the admission of air and light when in other positions. — Venetian carpet, an inexpensive carpet, used for passages and stairs, having a woolen warp which conceals the weft; the pattern is therefore commonly made up of simple stripes. — Venetian chalk, a white compact or steatite, used for marking on cloth, etc. — Venetian door (Arch.), a door having long, narrow windows or panes of glass on the sides. — Venetian glass, a kind of glass made by the Venetians, for decorative purposes, by the combination of pieces of glass of different colors fused together and wrought into various ornamental patterns. — Venetian red, a brownish red color, prepared from sulphate of iron; — called also scarlet ocher. — Venetian soap. See Castile soap, under Soap. — Venetian sumac (Bot.), a South European tree (Rhus Cotinus) which yields the yellow dyewood called fustet; — also called smoke tree. — Venetian window (Arch.), a window consisting of a main window with an arched head, having on each side a long and narrow window with a square head.

VENETIAN
Ve*ne"tian, n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Venice.

VENEW Ven"ew, n. Etym: [F. venue, lit., an arrival, from venir, p. p. venu, venue, to come. See Venue.]

Defn: A bout, or turn, as at fencing; a thrust; a hit; a veney.
[Obs.] Fuller.

VENEY
Ven"ey, n. Etym: [Cf. Venew or Visne.]

Defn: A bout; a thrust; a venew. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
Three veneys for a dish of stewed prunes. Shak.

VENGE
Venge, v. t. Etym: [F. venger. See Vengeance.]

Defn: To avenge; to punish; to revenge. [Obs.] See Avenge, and
Revenge. Chaucer. "To venge me, as I may." Shak.

VENGEABLE
Venge"a*ble, a.

Defn: Revengeful; deserving revenge. [Obs.] Spenser.
— Venge"a*bly, adv. [Obs.]

VENGEANCE Venge"ance, n. Etym: [F. vengeance, fr. venger to avenge, L. vindicare to lay claim to, defend, avenge, fr. vindex a claimant, defender, avenger, the first part of which is of uncertain origin, and the last part akin to dicere to say. See Diction, and cf. Avenge, Revenge, Vindicate.]

1. Punishment inflicted in return for an injury or an offense; retribution; — often, in a bad sense, passionate or unrestrained revenge. To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Deut. xxxii. 35. To execute fierce vengeance on his foes. Milton.

2. Harm; mischief. [Obs.] Shak. What a vengeance, or What the vengeance, what! — emphatically. [Obs.] "But what a vengeance makes thee fly!" Hudibras. "What the vengeance! Could he not speak 'em fair" Shak. — With a vengeance, with great violence; as, to strike with a vengeance. [Colloq.]

VENGEANCELY
Venge"ance*ly, adv.

Defn: Extremely; excessively. [Obs.] "He loves that vengeancely."
Beau. & Fl.

VENGEFUL
Venge"ful, a.

Defn: Vindictive; retributive; revengeful. "Vengeful ire." Milton.
— Venge"ful*ly, adv.

VENGEMENT
Venge"ment, n. Etym: [OF. vengement.]

Defn: Avengement; penal retribution; vengeance. [Obs.] Spenser.

VENGER
Ven"ger, n.

Defn: An avenger. [Obs.] Spenser.

VENIABLE
Ve"ni*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. veniabilis, fr. venia forgiveness, pardon.]

Defn: Venial; pardonable. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
— Ve"ni*a*bly, adv. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

VENIAL Ve"ni*al, a. Etym: [OF. venial, F. véniel, L. venialis, from venia forgiveness, pardon, grace, favor, kindness; akin to venerari to venerate. See Venerate.]

1. Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable; pardonable; as, a venial fault or transgression. So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip. Shak.

2. Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while venial discourse unblamed." Milton. Venial sin (R. C. Theol.), a sin which weakens, but does not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or deadly, sins. — Ve"ni*al*ly, adv. — Ve"ni*al*ness, n. Bp. Hall.

VENIALITY
Ve`ni*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being venial; venialness. Jer. Taylor.

VENIN
Ven"in, n. [L. venenum poison.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A toxic substance contained in the venom of poisonous snakes; also, a (supposedly identical) toxic substance obtained by the cleavage of an albumose.

VENIRE FACIAS Ve*ni"re fa"ci*as. Etym: [L., make, or cause, to come.] (Law) (a) A judicial writ or precept directed to the sheriff, requiring him to cause a certain number of qualified persons to appear in court at a specified time, to serve as jurors in said court. (b) A writ in the nature of a summons to cause the party indicted on a penal statute to appear. Called also venire.

VENISON Ven"i*son, n. Etym: [OE. veneison, veneson, venison, OF. veneison, F. venaison, L. venatio hunting, the chase, game, fr. venari, p. p. venatus, to hunt; perhaps akin to OHG. weidin, weidenen, to pasture, to hunt, G. weide pasturage. Cf. Gain to acquire, Venation.]

1. Beasts of the chase. [Obs.] Fabyan.

2. Formerly, the flesh of any of the edible beasts of the chase, also of game birds; now, the flesh of animals of the deer kind exclusively.

VENITE Ve*ni"te, n. Etym: [L., come, imperative 2d person pl. So called from its opening word in the Latin version.] (Eccl.)

Defn: The 95th Psalm, which is said or sung regularly in the public worship of many churches. Also, a musical composition adapted to this Psalm.

VENOM
Ven"om, n. Etym: [OE. venim, OF. venim, F. venin, L. veneum. Cf.
Venenate.]

1. Matter fatal or injurious to life; poison; particularly, the poisonous, the poisonous matter which certain animals, such as serpents, scorpions, bees, etc., secrete in a state of health, and communicate by thing or stinging. Or hurtful worm with cankered venom bites. Milton.

2. Spite; malice; malignity; evil quality. Chaucer. "The venom of such looks." Shak.

Syn.
— Venom; virus; bane. See Poison.

VENOM
Ven"om, v. t. Etym: [OE. venimen, OF. venimer, L. venenare. See
Venom, n.]

Defn: To infect with venom; to envenom; to poison. [R.] "Venomed vengeance." Shak.

VENOMOUS Ven"om*ous, a. Etym: [OE. venemous, venimous, F. venimeux, L. venenosus, fr. venenum poison. See Venom, and cf. Venenose.]

1. Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a poison gland or glands for the secretion of venom, as certain serpents and insects.

3. Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer. Venomous snake (Zoöl.), any serpent which has poison glands and fangs, whether dangerous to man or not. These serpents constitute two tribes, the viperine serpents, or Solenoglypha, and the cobralike serpents, or Proteroglypha. The former have perforated, erectile fangs situated in the front part of the upper jaw, and are without ordinary teeth behind the fangs; the latter have permanently erect and grooved fangs, with ordinary maxillary teeth behind them. — Ven"om*ous*ly, adv. — Ven"om*ous*ness, n.

VENOSE
Ve*nose", a. Etym: [See Venous.]

Defn: Having numerous or conspicuous veins; veiny; as, a venose frond.

VENOSITY
Ve*nos"i*ty, n.

1. The quality or state of being venous.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A condition in which the circulation is retarded, and the entire mass of blood is less oxygenated than it normally is.

VENOUS
Ven"ous, a. Etym: [L. venosus, from vena a vein. See Vein.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vein or veins; as, the venous circulation of the blood.

2. Contained in the veins, or having the same qualities as if contained in the veins, that is, having a dark bluish color and containing an insufficient amount of oxygen so as no longer to be fit for oxygenating the tissues; — said of the blood, and opposed to arterial.

3. Marked with veins; veined; as, a venous leaf. Venous leaf (Bot.), a leaf having vessels branching, or variously divided, over its surface. — Venous hum (Med.), a humming sound, or bruit, heard during auscultation of the veins of the neck in anæmia. — Venous pulse (Physiol.), the pulse, or rhythmic contraction, sometimes seen in a vein, as in the neck, when there is an obstruction to the passage of blood from the auricles to the ventricles, or when there is an abnormal rigidity in the walls of the greater vessels. There is normally no pulse in a vein.

VENT Vent, n. Etym: [F. vente, fr. L. vendere, -itum, to sell; perh. confused with E. vent an opening. See Vend.]

Defn: Sale; opportunity to sell; market. [Obs.] Shelton.
There is no vent for any commodity but of wool. Sir W. Temple.

VENT
Vent, v. t.

Defn: To sell; to vend. [Obs.]
Therefore did those nations vent such spice. Sir W. Raleigh.

VENT
Vent, n. Etym: [Sp. venta a poor inn, sale, market. See Vent sale.]

Defn: A baiting place; an inn. [Obs.]

VENT Vent, v. i. Etym: [Cf. F. venter to blow, vent wind (see Ventilate); but prob influenced by E. vent an opening.]

Defn: To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort. [Obs.] Spenser.

VENT
Vent, n. Etym: [OE. fent, fente, a slit, F. fente a slit, cleft,
fissure, from fendre to split, L. findere; but probably confused with
F. vent wind, L. ventus. See Fissure, and cf. Vent to snuff.]

1. A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask; the vent of a mold; a volcanic vent. Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents. Shak. Long't was doubtful, both so closely pent, Which first should issue from the narrow vent. Pope.

2. Specifically: —(a) (Zoöl.)

Defn: The anal opening of certain invertebrates and fishes; also, the external cloacal opening of reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes. (b) (Gun.) The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge; touchhole. (c) (Steam Boilers) Sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet.

3. Fig.: Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet.

4. Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication;
utterance.
Without the vent of words. Milton.
Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel. Shak.
To give vent to, to suffer to escape; to let out; to pour forth; as,
to give vent to anger.
— To take vent, to escape; to be made public. [R.] — Vent feather
(Zoöl.), one of the anal, or crissal, feathers of a bird.
— Vent field (Gun.), a flat raised surface around a vent.
— Vent piece. (Gun.) (a) A bush. See 4th Bush, n, 2. (b) A breech
block.

VENT
Vent, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vented; p. pr. & vb. n. Venting.]

1. To let out at a vent, or small aperture; to give passage or outlet to.

2. To suffer to escape from confinement; to let out; to utter; to pour forth; as, to vent passion or complaint. The queen of heaven did thus her fury vent. Dryden.

3. To utter; to report; to publish. [Obs.] By mixing somewhat true to vent more lies. Milton. Thou hast framed and vented very curious orations. Barrow.

4. To scent, as a hound. [Obs.] Turbervile.

5. To furnish with a vent; to make a vent in; as, to vent. a mold.

VENTAGE
Vent"age, n.

Defn: A small hole, as the stop in a flute; a vent. Shak.

VENTAIL
Vent"ail, n. Etym: [OF. ventaille, F. ventail. See Ventilate, and cf.
Aventail.]

Defn: That part of a helmet which is intended for the admission of air, — sometimes in the visor. Spenser. Her ventail up so high that he descried Her goodly visage and her beauty's pride. Fairfax.

VENTER
Vent"er, n.

Defn: One who vents; one who utters, reports, or publishes. [R.]
Barrow.

VENTER
Vent"er, n. Etym: [L.]

1. (Anat.) (a) The belly; the abdomen; — sometimes applied to any large cavity containing viscera. (b) The uterus, or womb. (c) A belly, or protuberant part; a broad surface; as, the venter of a muscle; the venter, or anterior surface, of the scapula.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The lower part of the abdomen in insects.

3. (Rom. & O. E. Law)

Defn: A pregnant woman; a mother; as, A has a son B by one venter, and a daughter C by another venter; children by different venters.

VENTHOLE
Vent"hole, n.

Defn: A touchhole; a vent.

VENTIDUCT Ven"ti*duct, n. Etym: [L. ventus wind + ductus a leading, conduit, fr. ducere, ductum, to lead.]

Defn: A passage for wind or air; a passage or pipe for ventilating apartments. Gwilt.

VENTILATE Ven"ti*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ventilated; p. pr. & vb. n. Ventilating.] Etym: [L. ventilatus, p. p. of ventilare to toss, brandish in the air, to fan, to winnow, from ventus wind; akin to E. wind. See Wind rushing air.]

1. To open and expose to the free passage of air; to supply with fresh air, and remove impure air from; to air; as, to ventilate a room; to ventilate a cellar; to ventilate a mine.

2. To provide with a vent, or escape, for air, gas, etc.; as, to ventilate a mold, or a water-wheel bucket.

3. To change or renew, as the air of a room. Harvey.

4. To winnow; to fan; as, to ventilate wheat.

5. To sift and examine; to bring out, and subject to penetrating scrutiny; to expose to examination and discussion; as, to ventilate questions of policy. Ayliffe.

6. To give vent; to utter; to make public. Macaulay took occasion to ventilate one of those starling, but not very profound, paradoxes. J. C. Shairp.

VENTILATION
Ven`ti*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. ventilatio: cf. F. ventilation.]

1. The act of ventilating, or the state of being ventilated; the art or process of replacing foul air by that which is pure, in any inclosed place, as a house, a church, a mine, etc.; free exposure to air. Insuring, for the laboring man, better ventilation. F. W. Robertson.

2. The act of refrigerating, or cooling; refrigeration; as, ventilation of the blood. [Obs.] Harvey.

3. The act of fanning, or winnowing, for the purpose of separating chaff and dust from the grain.

4. The act of sifting, and bringing out to view or examination; free discussion; public exposure. The ventilation of these points diffused them to the knowledge of the world. Bp. Hall.

5. The act of giving vent or expression. "Ventilation of his thoughts." Sir H. Wotton.

VENTILATIVE
Ven"ti*la*tive, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to ventilation; adapted to secure ventilation; ventilating; as, ventilative apparatus.

VENTILATOR Ven"ti*la`tor, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ventilateur, L. ventilator a winnower.]

Defn: A contrivance for effecting ventilation; especially, a contrivance or machine for drawing off or expelling foul or stagnant air from any place or apartment, or for introducing that which is fresh and pure.

VENTOSE
Ven*tose", n.

Defn: A ventouse. [Obs.] Holland.

VENTOSE
Ven*tose", a. Etym: [L. ventosus windy. See Ventilate.]

Defn: Windy; flatulent. Richardson (Dict.).

VENTOSE
Ven`tose", n. Etym: [F. ventôse. See Ventose, a.]

Defn: The sixth month of the calendar adopted by the first French republic. It began February 19, and ended March 20. See Vend.

VENTOSITY Ven*tos"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. ventositas: cf. F. ventosité. See Ventose, n.]

Defn: Quality or state of being ventose; windiness; hence, vainglory; pride. Bacon.

VENTOUSE
Ven"touse, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A cupping glass. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VENTOUSE
Ven"touse, v. t. & i.

Defn: To cup; to use a cupping glass. [Obs.] [Written also ventuse.]
Chaucer.

VENTRAD
Ven"trad, adv. Etym: [L. venter belly + ad to.] (Anat.)

Defn: Toward the ventral side; on the ventral side; ventrally; — opposed to dorsad.

VENTRAL Ven"tral, a. Etym: [L. ventralis, fr. venter the belly; perhaps akin to G. wanst: cf. F. ventral.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or situated near, the belly, or ventral side, of an animal or of one of its parts; hemal; abdominal; as, the ventral fin of a fish; the ventral root of a spinal nerve; — opposed to Ant: dorsal.

2. (Bot.) (a) Of or pertaining to that surface of a carpel, petal, etc., which faces toward the center of a flower. (b) Of or pertaining to the lower side or surface of a creeping moss or other low flowerless plant. Opposed to Ant: dorsal. Ventral fins (Zoöl.), the posterior pair of fins of a fish. They are often situated beneath the belly, but sometimes beneath the throat. — Ventral segment. (Acoustics) See Loop, n., 5.

VENTRICLE Ven"tri*cle, n. Etym: [L. ventriculus the stomach, a ventricle, dim. of venter the belly: cf. F. ventricule. See Ventral.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A cavity, or one of the cavities, of an organ, as of the larynx or the brain; specifically, the posterior chamber, or one of the two posterior chambers, of the heart, which receives the blood from the auricle and forces it out from the heart. See Heart.

Note: The principal ventricles of the brain are the fourth in the medulla, the third in the midbrain, the first and second, or lateral, ventricles in the cerebral hemispheres, all of which are connected with each other, and the fifth, or pseudoc, situated between the hemispheres, in front of, or above, the fornix, and entirely disconnected with the other cavities. See Brain, and C.

2. The stomach. [Obs.] Whether I will or not, while I live, my heart beats, and my ventricle digests what is in it. Sir M. Hale.

3. Fig.: Any cavity, or hollow place, in which any function may be conceived of as operating. These [ideas] are begot on the ventricle of memory. Shak.

VENTRICOSE; VENTRICOUS Ven"tri*cose`, Ven"tri*cous, a. Etym: [NL. ventricosus, fr. L. venter belly.] (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Swelling out on one side or unequally; bellied; ventricular; as, a ventricose corolla. Ventricose shell. (Zoöl.) (a) A spiral shell having the body whorls rounded or swollen in the middle. (b) A bivalve shell in which the valves are strongly convex.

VENTRICULAR
Ven*tric"u*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ventriculaire.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a ventricle; bellied.

VENTRICULITE
Ven*tric"u*lite, n. Etym: [See Ventriculus.] (Paleon.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of siliceous fossil sponges belonging to Ventriculites and allied genera, characteristic of the Cretaceous period.

Note: Many of them were shaped like vases, others like mushrooms. They belong to the hexactinellids, and are allied to the Venus's basket of modern seas.

VENTRICULOUS
Ven*tric"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. ventriculosus of the belly.]

Defn: Somewhat distended in the middle; ventricular.

VENTRICULUS Ven*tric"u*lus, n.; pl. Ventriculi. Etym: [L., belly, dim. fr. venter belly.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the stomachs of certain insects. (b) The body cavity of a sponge.

VENTRILOCUTION
Ven`tri*lo*cu"tion, n. Etym: [See Ventriloquous.]

Defn: Ventriloquism.

VENTRILOQUIAL
Ven`tri*lo"qui*al, a.

Defn: Ventriloquous.

VENTRILOQUISM
Ven*tril"o*quism, n. Etym: [See Ventriloquous.]

Defn: The act, art, or practice of speaking in such a manner that the voice appears to come, not from the person speaking, but from some other source, as from the opposite side of the room, from the cellar, etc.

VENTRILOQUIST
Ven*tril"o*quist, n.

Defn: One who practices, or is skilled in, ventriloquism. Ventriloquist monkey (Zoöl.), the onappo; — so called from the character of its cry.

VENTRILOQUIZE
Ven*tril"o*quize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ventriloquized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Ventriloquizing .]

Defn: To practice ventriloquism; to speak like a ventriloquist.

VENTRILOQUOUS
Ven*tril"o*quous, a. Etym: [L. ventriloquus a ventriloquist; venter
the belly + loqui, p. p. locutus, to speak. See Ventral, and
Loquacious.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a ventriloquist or ventriloquism.

VENTRILOQUY
Ven*tril"o*quy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ventriloquie.]

Defn: Same as Ventriloquism.

VENTRIMESON
Ven`tri*mes"on, n. Etym: [NL. See Venter, and Meson.] (Anat.)

Defn: See Meson.

VENTRO-
Ven"tro- (. Etym: [L. venter belly.]

Defn: A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the abdomen; also, connection with, relation to, or direction toward, the ventral side; as, ventrolateral; ventro- inguinal.

VENTRO-INGUINAL
Ven`tro-in"gui*nal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining both to the abdomen and groin, or to the abdomen and inguinal canal; as, ventro-inguinal hernia.

VENTURE
Ven"ture, n. Etym: [Aphetic form of OE. aventure. See Adventure.]

1. An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen with certainty; a hazard; a risk; a speculation. I, in this venture, double gains pursue. Dryden.

2. An event that is not, or can not be, foreseen; an accident; chance; hap; contingency; luck. Bacon.

3. The thing put to hazard; a stake; a risk; especially, something sent to sea in trade. My ventures are not in one bottom trusted. Shak. At a venture, at hazard; without seeing the end or mark; without foreseeing the issue; at random. A certain man drew a bow at a venture. 1 Kings xxii. 34. A bargain at a venture made. Hudibras.

Note: The phrase at a venture was originally at aventure, that is, at adventure.

VENTURE
Ven"ture, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ventured; p. pr. & vb. n. Venturing.]

1. To hazard one's self; to have the courage or presumption to do, undertake, or say something; to dare. Bunyan.

2. To make a venture; to run a hazard or risk; to take the chances. Who freights a ship to venture on the seas. J. Dryden, Jr. To venture at, or To venture on or upon, to dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success; as, it is rash to venture upon such a project. "When I venture at the comic style." Waller.

VENTURE
Ven"ture, v. t.

1. To expose to hazard; to risk; to hazard; as, to venture one's person in a balloon. I am afraid; and yet I'll venture it. Shak.

2. To put or send on a venture or chance; as, to venture a horse to the West Indies.

3. To confide in; to rely on; to trust. [R.] A man would be well enough pleased to buy silks of one whom he would not venture to feel his pulse. Addison.

VENTURER
Ven"tur*er, n.

1. One who ventures, or puts to hazard; an adventurer. Beau. & Fl.

2. A strumpet; a prostitute. [R.] J. Webster (1607).

VENTURESOME
Ven"ture*some, a.

Defn: Inclined to venture; not loth to run risk or danger; venturous;
bold; daring; adventurous; as, a venturesome boy or act.
— Ven"ture*some*ly, adv.
— Ven"ture*some*ness, n.

VENTURINE
Ven"tur*ine, n. Etym: [Cf. Aventurine.] (Japanning)

Defn: Gold powder for covering varnished surfaces.

VENTUROUS
Ven"tur*ous, a. Etym: [Aphetic form of OE. aventurous. See
Adventurous, Venture, n.]

Defn: Daring; bold; hardy; fearless; venturesome; adveturous; as, a
venturous soldier. Spenser.
This said, he paused not, but with venturous arm He plucked, he
tasted. Milton.
— Ven"tur*ous*ly, adv.
— Ven"tur*ous*ness, n.

VENTUSE
Ven"tuse, v. t. & i.

Defn: See Ventouse. [Obs.]

VENUE Ven"ue, n. Etym: [F. venue a coming, arrival, fr. venir to come, L. venire; hence, in English, the place whither the jury are summoned to come. See Come, and cf. Venew, Veney.]

1. (Law)

Defn: A neighborhood or near place; the place or county in which anything is alleged to have happened; also, the place where an action is laid. The twelve men who are to try the cause must be of the same venue where the demand is made. Blackstone.

Note: In certain cases, the court has power to change the venue, which is to direct the trial to be had in a different county from that where the venue is laid.

2. A bout; a hit; a turn. See Venew. [R.] To lay a venue (Law), to allege a place.

VENULE
Ven"ule, n. Etym: [L. venula, dim. from vena vein.]

Defn: A small vein; a veinlet; specifically (Zoöl.), one of the small branches of the veins of the wings in insects.

VENULOSE
Ven"u*lose`, a.

Defn: Full of venules, or small veins.

VENUS
Ve"nus, n. Etym: [L. Venus, -eris, the goddess of love, the planet
Venus.]

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of beauty and love, that is, beauty or love deified.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the planets, the second in order from the sun, its orbit lying between that of Mercury and that of the Earth, at a mean distance from the sun of about 67,000,000 miles. Its diameter is 7,700 miles, and its sidereal period 224.7 days. As the morning star, it was called by the ancients Lucifer; as the evening star, Hesperus.

3. (Alchem.)

Defn: The metal copper; — probably so designated from the ancient use of the metal in making mirrors, a mirror being still the astronomical symbol of the planet Venus. [Archaic]

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of marine bivalve shells of the genus Venus or family Veneridæ. Many of these shells are large, and ornamented with beautiful frills; others are smooth, glossy, and handsomely colored. Some of the larger species, as the round clam, or quahog, are valued for food. Venus's basin (Bot.), the wild teasel; - - so called because the connate leaf bases form a kind of receptacle for water, which was formerly gathered for use in the toilet. Also called Venus's bath. — Venus's basket (Zoöl.), an elegant, cornucopia-shaped, hexactinellid sponge (Euplectella speciosa) native of the East Indies. It consists of glassy, transparent, siliceous fibers interwoven and soldered together so as to form a firm network, and has long, slender, divergent anchoring fibers at the base by means of which it stands erect in the soft mud at the bottom of the sea. Called also Venus's flower basket, and Venus's purse. — Venus's comb. (a) (Bot.) Same as Lady's comb. (b) (Zoöl.) A species of Murex (M. tenuispinus). It has a long, tubular canal, with a row of long, slender spines along both of its borders, and rows of similar spines covering the body of the shell. Called also Venus's shell. — Venus's fan (Zoöl.), a common reticulated, fanshaped gorgonia (Gorgonia flabellum) native of Florida and the West Indies. When fresh the color is purple or yellow, or a mixture of the two. — Venus's flytrap. (Bot.) See Flytrap, 2. — Venus's girdle (Zoöl.), a long, flat, ribbonlike, very delicate, transparent and iridescent ctenophore (Cestum Veneris) which swims in the open sea. Its form is due to the enormous development of two spheromeres. See Illust. in Appendix. — Venus's hair (Bot.), a delicate and graceful fern (Adiantum Capillus-Veneris) having a slender, black and shining stem and branches. — Venus's hair stone (Min.), quartz penetrated by acicular crystals of rutile. — Venus's looking-glass (Bot.), an annual plant of the genus Specularia allied to the bellflower; — also called lady's looking- glass. — Venus's navelwort (Bot.), any one of several species of Omphalodes, low boraginaceous herbs with small blue or white flowers. — Venus's pride (Bot.), an old name for Quaker ladies. See under Quaker. — Venus's purse. (Zoöl.) Same as Venus's basket, above. — Venus's shell. (Zoöl.) (a) Any species of Cypræa; a cowrie. (b) Same as Venus's comb, above. (c) Same as Venus, 4. — Venus's slipper. (a) (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Cypripedium. See Lady's slipper. (b) (Zoöl.) Any heteropod shell of the genus Carinaria. See Carinaria.

VENUST
Ve*nust", a. Etym: [L. venustus, from Venus the goddess of love.]

Defn: Beautiful. [R.] E. Waterhouse.

VERACIOUS
Ve*ra"cious, a. Etym: [L. verax, -acis, fr. verus true. See Very.]

1. Observant of truth; habitually speaking truth; truthful; as, veracious historian. The Spirit is most perfectly and absolutely veracious. Barrow.

2. Characterized by truth; not false; as, a veracious account or narrative. The young, ardent soul that enters on this world with heroic purpose, with veracious insight, will find it a mad one. Carlyle.

VERACIOUSLY
Ve*ra"cious*ly, adv.

Defn: In a veracious manner.

VERACITY
Ve*rac"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. véracité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being veracious; habitual observance of truth; truthfulness; truth; as, a man of veracity.

VERANDA Ve*ran"da, n. Etym: [A word brought by the English from India; of uncertain origin; cf. Skr. vara, Pg. varanda, Sp. baranda, Malay baranda.] (Arch.)

Defn: An open, roofed gallery or portico, adjoining a dwelling house, forming an out-of-door sitting room. See Loggia. The house was of adobe, low, with a wide veranda on the three sides of the inner court. Mrs. H. H. Jackson.

VERATRALBINE
Ver`a*tral"bine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A yellowish amorphous alkaloid extracted from the rootstock of
Veratrum album.

VERATRATE
Ve*ra"trate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of veratric acid.

VERATRIA
Ve*ra"tri*a, n. Etym: [NL.] (Chem.)

Defn: Veratrine.

VERATRIC
Ve*ra"tric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, plants of the genus Veratrum. Veratric acid (Chem.), an acid occurring, together with veratrine, in the root of white hellebore (Veratrum album), and in sabadilla seed; — extracted as a white crystalline substance which is related to protocatechuic acid.

VERATRINA
Ver`a*tri"na, n. Etym: [NL.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Veratrine.

VERATRINE
Ve*ra"trine, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vératrine. See Veratrum.] (Chem.)

Defn: A poisonous alkaloid obtained from the root hellebore (Veratrum) and from sabadilla seeds as a white crystalline powder, having an acrid, burning taste. It is sometimes used externally, as in ointments, in the local treatment of neuralgia and rheumatism. Called also veratria, and veratrina.

VERATROL
Ve*ra"trol, n. Etym: [Veratric + ol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon obtained by the decomposition of veratric acid, and constituting the dimethyl ether of pyrocatechin.

VERATRUM
Ve*ra"trum, n. Etym: [L. veratrum hellebore.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of coarse liliaceous herbs having very poisonous qualities.

Note: Veratrum album of Europe, and Veratrum viride of America, are both called hellebore. They grow in wet land, have large, elliptical, plicate leaves in three vertical ranks, and bear panicles of greenish flowers.

VERB
Verb, n. Etym: [F. verbe, L. verbum a word, verb. See Word.]

1. A word; a vocable. [Obs.] South.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A word which affirms or predicates something of some person or thing; a part of speech expressing being, action, or the suffering of action.

Note: A verb is a word whereby the chief action of the mind [the
assertion or the denial of a proposition] finds expression. Earle.
Active verb, Auxiliary verb, Neuter verb, etc. See Active, Auxiliary,
Neuter, etc.

VERBAL
Ver"bal, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. verbalis. See Verb.]

1. Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not written; as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony. Made she no verbal question Shak. We subjoin an engraving . . . which will give the reader a far better notion of the structure than any verbal description could convey to the mind. Mayhew.

2. Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing with words rather than with the ideas intended to be conveyed; as, a verbal critic; a verbal change. And loses, though but verbal, his reward. Milton. Mere verbal refinements, instead of substantial knowledge. Whewell.

3. Having word answering to word; word for word; literal; as, a verbal translation.

4. Abounding with words; verbose. [Obs.] Shak.

5. (Gram.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a verb; as, a verbal group; derived directly from a verb; as, a verbal noun; used in forming verbs; as, a verbal prefix. Verbal inspiration. See under Inspiration. — Verbal noun (Gram.), a noun derived directly from a verb or verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter. See Gerund, and -ing, 2. See also, Infinitive mood, under Infinitive.

VERBAL
Ver"bal, n. (Gram.)

Defn: A noun derived from a verb.

VERBALISM
Ver"bal*ism, n.

Defn: Something expressed verbally; a verbal remark or expression.

VERBALIST
Ver"bal*ist, n.

Defn: A literal adherent to, or a minute critic of, words; a literalist.

VERBALITY
Ver*bal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being verbal; mere words; bare literal expression. [R.] "More verbality than matter." Bp. Hall.

VERBALIZATION
Ver`bal*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of verbalizing, or the state of being verbalized.

VERBALIZE
Ver"bal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Verbalized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Verbalizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. verbaliser.]

Defn: To convert into a verb; to verbify.

VERBALIZE
Ver"bal*ize, v. i.

Defn: To be verbose.

VERBALLY
Ver"bal*ly, adv.

1. In a verbal manner; orally.

2. Word for word; verbatim. Dryden.

VERBARIAN
Ver*ba"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to words; verbal. [R.] Coleridge.

VERBARIAN
Ver*ba"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who coins words. [R.]
Southey gives himself free scope as a verbarian. Fitzed. Hall.

VERBARIUM
Ver*ba"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. verbum word.]

Defn: A game in word making. See Logomachy, 2.

VERBATIM
Ver*ba"tim, adv. Etym: [LL., fr. L. verbum word.]

Defn: Word for word; in the same words; verbally; as, to tell a story verbatim as another has related it. Verbatim et literatim Etym: [LL.], word for word, and letter for letter.

VERBENA
Ver*be"na, n. Etym: [L. See Vervain.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbaceous plants of which several species are extensively cultivated for the great beauty of their flowers; vervain.

Note: Verbena, or vervain, was used by the Greeks, the Romans, and the Druids, in their sacred rites. Brewer. Essence of verbena, Oil of verbena, a perfume prepared from the lemon verbena; also, a similar perfume properly called grass oil. See Grass oil, under Grass. — Lemon, or Sweet, verbena, a shrubby verbenaceous plant (Lippia citriodora), with narrow leaves which exhale a pleasant, lemonlike fragrance when crushed.

VERBENACEOUS
Ver`be*na"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order (Verbenaceæ) of gamopetalous plants of which Verbena is the type. The order includes also the black and white mangroves, and many plants noted for medicinal use or for beauty of bloom.

VERBENATE
Ver"be*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Verbenated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Verbenating.] Etym: [L. verbenatus crowned with a wreath of sacred
boughs. See Verbena.]

Defn: To strew with verbena, or vervain, as in ancient sacrifices and rites.

VERBERATE Ver"ber*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. verberatus, p. p. of verberare to beat, from verber a lash, a whip.]

Defn: To beat; to strike. [Obs.] "The sound . . . rebounds again and verberates the skies." Mir. for Mag.

VERBERATION
Ver`ber*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. verberatio: cf. F. verbération.]

1. The act of verberating; a beating or striking. Arbuthnot.

2. The impulse of a body; which causes sound. [R.]

VERBIAGE
Ver"bi*age (; 48), n. Etym: [F. verbiage, from OF. verbe a word. See
Verb.]

Defn: The use of many words without necessity, or with little sense;
a superabundance of words; verbosity; wordiness.
Verbiage may indicate observation, but not thinking. W. Irving.
This barren verbiage current among men. Tennyson.

VERBIFY
Ver"bi*fy, v. t. Etym: [Verb + -fy.]

Defn: To make into a verb; to use as a verb; to verbalize. [R.]
Earle.

VERBIGERATE
Ver*big"er*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. -ated; p. pr. & vb. n. -ating.]
[L. verbigerate, -atum, to talk.]

1. To talk; chat. [Obs.]

2. (Med.) To repeat a word or sentence, in speaking or writing, without wishing to do so or in spite of efforts to cease. — Ver*big`er*a"tion (#), n.

VERBOSE
Ver*bose", a. Etym: [L. verbosus, from verbum a word. See Verb.]

Defn: Abounding in words; using or containing more words than are necessary; tedious by a multiplicity of words; prolix; wordy; as, a verbose speaker; a verbose argument. Too verbose in their way of speaking. Ayliffe. — Ver*bose"ly, adv. — Ver*bose"ness, n.

VERBOSITY Ver*bos"i*ty n.; pl. Verbosities. Etym: [L. verbositas: cf. F. verbosité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being verbose; the use of more words than are necessary; prolixity; wordiness; verbiage. The worst fault, by far, is the extreme diffuseness and verbosity of his style. Jeffrey.

VERD
Verd, n. Etym: [See Vert, Verdant.]

1. (Eng. Forest Law) (a) The privilege of cutting green wood within a forest for fuel. (b) The right of pasturing animals in a forest. Burrill.

2. Greenness; freshness. [Obs.] Nares.

VERDANCY
Ver"dan*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being verdant.

VERDANT Ver"dant, a. Etym: [F. verdoyant, p. pr. of verdoyer to be verdant, to grow green, OF. verdoier, verdeier, fr. verd, vert, green, fr. L. viridis green, fr. virere to be green: cf. OF. verdant verdant, L. viridans, p. pr. of viridare to make green. Cf. Farthingale, Verjuice, Vert.]

1. Covered with growing plants or grass; green; fresh; flourishing; as, verdant fields; a verdant lawn. Let the earth Put forth the verdant grass. Milton.

2. Unripe in knowledge or judgment; unsophisticated; raw; green; as, a verdant youth. [Colloq.]

VERD ANTIQUE Verd` an*tique". Etym: [F. vert antique a kind of marble; verd, vert, green + antique ancient: cf. It. verde antico.] (Min.) (a) A mottled-green serpentine marble. (b) A green porphyry called oriental verd antique.

VERDANTLY
Ver"dant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a verdant manner.

VERDERER; VERDEROR Ver"der*er, Ver"der*or, n. Etym: [F. verdier, LL. viridarius, fr. L. viridis green.] (Eng. Forest Law)

Defn: An officer who has the charge of the king's forest, to preserve the vert and venison, keep the assizes, view, receive, and enroll attachments and presentments of all manner of trespasses. Blackstone.

VERDICT Ver"dict, n. Etym: [OE. verdit, OF. verdit, veirdit, LL. verdictum, veredictum; L. vere truly (fr. verus true) + dictum a saying, a word, fr. dicere, dictum, to say. See Very, and Dictum.]

1. (Law)

Defn: The answer of a jury given to the court concerning any matter of fact in any cause, civil or criminal, committed to their examination and determination; the finding or decision of a jury on the matter legally submitted to them in the course of the trial of a cause.

Note: The decision of a judge or referee, upon an issue of fact, is not called a verdict, but a finding, or a finding of fact. Abbott.

2. Decision; judgment; opinion pronounced; as, to be condemned by the verdict of the public. These were enormities condemned by the most natural verdict of common humanity. South. Two generations have since confirmed the verdict which was pronounced on that night. Macaulay.

VERDIGRIS Ver"di*gris, n. Etym: [F. vert-de-gris, apparently from verd, vert, green + de of + gris gray, but really a corruption of LL. viride aeris (equivalent to L. aerugo), from L. viridis green + aes, aeris, brass. See Verdant, and 2d Ore.]

1. (Chem.)

Defn: A green poisonous substance used as a pigment and drug, obtained by the action of acetic acid on copper, and consisting essentially of a complex mixture of several basic copper acetates.

2. The green rust formed on copper. [Colloq.]

Note: This rust is a carbonate of copper, and should not be confounded with true verdigris. U. S. Disp. Blue verdigris (Chem.), a verdigris having a blue color, used a pigment, etc. — Distilled verdigris (Old Chem.), an acid copper acetate; — so called because the acetic acid used in making it was obtained from distilled vinegar. — Verdigris green, clear bluish green, the color of verdigris.

VERDIGRIS
Ver"di*gris, v. t.

Defn: To cover, or coat, with verdigris. [R.] "An old verdigrised brass bugle." Hawthorne.

VERDIN Ver"din, n. Etym: [Cf. Sp. verdino bright green, F. verdin the yellow-hammer.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small yellow-headed bird (Auriparus flaviceps) of Lower
California, allied to the titmice; — called also goldtit.

VERDINE
Ver"dine, n. Etym: [F. verd, vert, green.] (Chem.)

Defn: A commercial name for green aniline dye.

VERDINGALE
Ver"din*gale, n.

Defn: See Farthingale. [Spelled also verdingall.] [Obs.]

VERDIT
Ver"dit, n.

Defn: Verdict. Chaucer.

VERDITER Ver"di*ter, n. Etym: [F. vert-de-terre, literally, green of earth.] (Chem.) (a) Verdigris. [Obs.] (b) Either one of two pigments (called blue verditer, and green verditer) which are made by treating copper nitrate with calcium carbonate (in the form of lime, whiting, chalk, etc.) They consist of hydrated copper carbonates analogous to the minerals azurite and malachite. Verditer blue, a pale greenish blue color, like that of the pigment verditer.

VERDITURE
Ver"di*ture, n. Etym: [Cf. Verditer.]

Defn: The faintest and palest green.

VERDOY
Ver"doy, a. Etym: [F. verdoyer to become green. See Verdant.] (Her.)

Defn: Charged with leaves, fruits, flowers, etc.; — said of a border.

VERDURE
Ver"dure, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. viridis green. See Verdant.]

Defn: Green; greenness; freshness of vegetation; as, the verdure of
the meadows in June.
A wide expanse of living verdure, cultivated gardens, shady groves,
fertile cornfields, flowed round it like a sea. Motley.

VERDURED
Ver"dured, a.

Defn: Covered with verdure. Poe.

VERDURELESS
Ver"dure*less, a.

Defn: Destitute of verdure.

VERDUROUS
Ver"dur*ous, a.

Defn: Covered with verdure; clothed with the fresh green of vegetation; verdured; verdant; as, verdurous pastures. Milton.

VERECUND
Ver"e*cund, a. Etym: [L. verecundus, fr. vereri to feel awe.]

Defn: Rashful; modest. [Obs.]

VERECUNDIOUS
Ver`e*cun"di*ous, a.

Defn: Verecund. [Obs.] "Verecundious generosity." Sir H. Wotton.

VERECUNDITY
Ver`e*cun"di*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being verecund; modesty. [Obs.]

VEREIN
Ver*ein", n. [G.]

Defn: A union, association, or society; — used in names of German organizations.

VERETILLUM
Ver`e*til"lum, n. Etym: [L., dim. of veretrum the private parts.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of club-shaped, compound Alcyonaria belonging to Veretillum and allied genera, of the tribe Pennatulacea. The whole colony can move about as if it were a simple animal.

VERGALIEN; VERGALOO
Ver"ga*lien, Ver"ga*loo, n. Etym: [Cf. Virgouleuse.] (Bot.)

Defn: See Virgalieu.

VERGE
Verge, n. Etym: [F. verge, L. virga; perhaps akin to E. wisp.]

1. A rod or staff, carried as an emblem of authority; as, the verge, carried before a dean.

2. The stick or wand with which persons were formerly admitted tenants, they holding it in the hand, and swearing fealty to the lord. Such tenants were called tenants by the verge. [Eng.]

3. (Eng. Law)

Defn: The compass of the court of Marshalsea and the Palace court, within which the lord steward and the marshal of the king's household had special jurisdiction; — so called from the verge, or staff, which the marshal bore.

4. A virgate; a yardland. [Obs.]

5. A border, limit, or boundary of a space; an edge, margin, or brink of something definite in extent. Even though we go to the extreme verge of possibility to invent a supposition favorable to it, the theory . . . implies an absurdity. J. S. Mill. But on the horizon's verge descried, Hangs, touched with light, one snowy sail. M. Arnold.

6. A circumference; a circle; a ring. The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow. Shak.

7. (Arch.) (a) The shaft of a column, or a small ornamental shaft. Oxf. Gloss. (b) The edge of the tiling projecting over the gable of a roof. Encyc. Brit.

8. (Horol.)

Defn: The spindle of a watch balance, especially one with pallets, as in the old vertical escapement. See under Escapement.

9. (Hort.) (a) The edge or outside of a bed or border. (b) A slip of grass adjoining gravel walks, and dividing them from the borders in a parterre.

10. The penis.

11. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The external male organ of certain mollusks, worms, etc. See
Illustration in Appendix.

Syn.
— Border; edge; rim; brim; margin; brink.

VERGE
Verge, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Verged; p. pr. & vb. n. Verging.] Etym:
[L. vergere to bend, turn, incline; cf. Skr. v to turn.]

1. To border upon; to tend; to incline; to come near; to approach.

2. To tend downward; to bend; to slope; as, a hill verges to the north. Our soul, from original instinct, vergeth towards him as its center. Barrow. I find myself verging to that period of life which is to be labor and sorrow. Swift.

VERGEBOARD
Verge"board`, n. Etym: [Verge + board. Cf. Bargeboard.] (Arch.)

Defn: The ornament of woodwork upon the gable of a house, used extensively in the 15th century. It was generally suspended from the edge of the projecting roof (see Verge, n., 4), and in position parallel to the gable wall. Called also bargeboard.

VERGENCY
Ver"gen*cy, n.

1. The act of verging or approaching; tendency; approach. [R.]

2. (Opt.)

Defn: The reciprocal of the focal distance of a lens, used as measure of the divergence or convergence of a pencil of rays. [R.] Humphrey Lloyd.

VERGER
Ver"ger, n. Etym: [F. verger, from verge a rod. See 1st Verge.]

Defn: One who carries a verge, or emblem of office. Specifically: — (a) An attendant upon a dignitary, as on a bishop, a dean, a justice, etc. [Eng.] Strype. (b) The official who takes care of the interior of a church building.

VERGER
Ver"ger, n.

Defn: A garden or orchard. [Obs.]

VERGETTE
Ver`get`té", a. Etym: [Cf. F. vergeté.]

Defn: Divided by pallets, or pales; paly. W. Berry.

VERGETTE
Ver*gette", n. (Her.)

Defn: A small pale.

VERIDICAL Ve*rid"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. veridicus; verus true + dicere to say, tell.]

Defn: Truth-telling; truthful; veracious. [R.] Carlyle.

VERIFIABLE
Ver"i*fi`a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being verified; confirmable. Bp. Hall.

VERIFICATION
Ver`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vérification.]

1. The act of verifying, or the state of being verified; confirmation; authentication.

2. (Law) (a) Confirmation by evidence. (b) A formal phrase used in concluding a plea. Verification of an equation (Math.), the operation of testing the equation of a problem, to see whether it expresses truly the conditions of the problem. Davies & Peck. (Math. Dict.)

VERIFICATIVE
Ver"i*fi*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Serving to verify; verifying; authenciating; confirming.

VERIFIER
Ver"i*fi`er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, verifies.

VERIFY
Ver"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Verified; p. pr. & vb. n. Verifying.]
Etym: [F. vérifier, LL. verificare, from L. verus true + -ficare to
make. See Very, and -fy.]

1. To prove to be true or correct; to establish the truth of; to confirm; to substantiate. This is verified by a number of examples. Bacon. So shalt thou best fulfill, best verify. The prophets old, who sung thy endless reign. Milton.

2. To confirm or establish the authenticity of by examination or competent evidence; to authenciate; as, to verify a written statement; to verify an account, a pleading, or the like. To verify our title with their lives. Shak.

3. To maintain; to affirm; to support. [Obs.] Shak.

VERILOQUENT
Ve*ril"o*quent, a. Etym: [L. verus true + speaking.]

Defn: Speaking truth; truthful. [Obs.]

VERILY
Ver"i*ly, adv. Etym: [From Very.]

Defn: In very truth; beyond doubt or question; in fact; certainly.
Bacon.
Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the verily thou
shalt be fed. Ps. xxxvii. 3.

VERINE
Ver"ine, n. Etym: [Contr. from veratrine.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alkaloid obtained as a yellow amorphous substance by the decomposition of veratrine.

VERISIMILAR Ver`i*sim"i*lar, a. Etym: [L. verisimilis; verus true + similis like, similar. See Very, and Similar.]

Defn: Having the appearance of truth; probable; likely. "How verisimilar it looks." Carlyle.

VERISIMILITUDE Ver`i*si*mil"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. verisimilitudo: cf. OF. verisimilitude. See Verisimilar.]

Defn: The quality or state of being verisimilar; the appearance of truth; probability; likelihood. Verisimilitude and opinion are an easy purchase; but true knowledge is dear and difficult. Glanvill. All that gives verisimilitude to a narrative. Sir. W. Scott.

VERISIMILITY
Ver`i*si*mil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Verisimilitude. [Obs.]
The verisimility or probable truth. Sir T. Browne.

VERISIMILOUS
Ver`i*sim"i*lous, a.

Defn: Verisimilar. [Obs.]

VERITABLE
Ver"i*ta*ble, a. Etym: [F. véritable. See Verity.]

Defn: Agreeable to truth or to fact; actual; real; true; genuine.
"The veritable Deity." Sir W. Hamilton.
— Ver"i*ta*bly, adv.

VERITAS
Ver"i*tas, n. Etym: [Cf. F. véritas. See Verity.]

Defn: The Bureau Veritas. See under Bureau.

VERITY Ver"i*ty, n.; pl. Verities. Etym: [F. vérité, L. veritas, fr. verus true. See Very.]

1. The quality or state of being true, or real; consonance of a statement, proposition, or other thing, with fact; truth; reality. "The verity of certain words." Shak. It is a proposition of eternal verity, that none can govern while he is despised. South.

2. That which is true; a true assertion or tenet; a truth; a reality. Mark what I say, which you shall find By every syllable a faithful verity. Shak.

VERJUICE Ver"juice`, n. Etym: [OE. vergeous, F. verjus, that is, the juice of green fruits; verd, vert, green + jus juice. See Verdant, and Juice.]

1. The sour juice of crab apples, of green or unripe grapes, apples, etc.; also, an acid liquor made from such juice.

2. Tartness; sourness, as of disposition.

VERMEIL
Ver"meil, n. Etym: [F., vermilion, fr. LL. vermiculus, fr. L.
vermiculus a little worm, the coccus Indicus, from vermis a worm. See
Worm, and cf. Vermicule.]

1. Vermilion; also, the color of vermilion, a bright, beautiful red. [Poetic & R.] In her cheeks the vermeil red did show Like roses in a bed of lilies shed. Spenser.

2. Silver gilt or gilt bronze.

3. A liquid composition applied to a gilded surface to give luster to the gold. Knight.

VERMEOLOGIST
Ver`me*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One who treats of vermes, or worms; a helminthologist.

VERMEOLOGY
Ver`me*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. vermes worms + -logy.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A discourse or treatise on worms; that part of zoölogy which treats of worms; helminthology. [R.]

VERMES Ver"mes, n. pl. Etym: [L. vermes, pl. of vermis a worm.] (Zoöl.) (a) An extensive artificial division of the animal kingdom, including the parasitic worms, or helminths, together with the nemerteans, annelids, and allied groups. By some writers the branchiopods, the bryzoans, and the tunicates are also included. The name was used in a still wider sense by Linnæus and his followers. (b) A more restricted group, comprising only the helminths and closely allied orders.

VERMETID
Ver"me*tid, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of vermetus.

VERMETUS
Ver*me"tus, n. Etym: [NL., from L. vermis worm.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of many species of marine gastropods belonging to Vermetus and allied genera, of the family Vermetidæ. Their shells are regularly spiral when young, but later in life the whorls become separate, and the shell is often irregularly bent and contorted like a worm tube.

VERMICELLI
Ver`mi*cel"li, n. Etym: [It., pl. of vermicello, literally, a little
worm, dim. of verme a worm, L. vermis. See Worm, and cf. Vermicule,
Vermeil.]

Defn: The flour of a hard and small-grained wheat made into dough, and forced through small cylinders or pipes till it takes a slender, wormlike form, whence the Italian name. When the paste is made in larger tubes, it is called macaroni.

VERMICIDE
Ver"mi*cide, n. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + caedere to kill.]

Defn: A medicine which destroys intestinal worms; a worm killer.
Pereira.

VERMICIOUS
Ver*mi"cious, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to worms; wormy.

VERMICULAR Ver*mic"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. vermiculus a little worm, dim. of vermis a worm: cf. F. vermiculaire. See Vermicelli.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a worm or worms; resembling a worm; shaped like a worm; especially, resembling the motion or track of a worm; as, the vermicular, or peristaltic, motion of the intestines. See Peristaltic. "A twisted form vermicular." Cowper.

VERMICULATE Ver*mic"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vermiculated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vermiculating.] Etym: [L. vermiculatus inlaid so as to resemble the tracks of worms, p. p. of vermiculari to be full of worms, vermiculus a little worm. See Vermicular.]

Defn: To form or work, as by inlaying, with irregular lines or impressions resembling the tracks of worms, or appearing as if formed by the motion of worms.

VERMICULATE
Ver*mic"u*late, a.

1. Wormlike in shape; covered with wormlike elevations; marked with irregular fine lines of color, or with irregular wavy impressed lines like worm tracks; as, a vermiculate nut.

2. Crawling or creeping like a worm; hence, insinuating; sophistical. "Vermiculate questions." Bacon. "Vermiculate logic." R. Choate.

VERMICULATED
Ver*mic"u*la`ted, a.

Defn: Made or marked with irregular wavy lines or impressions; vermiculate. Vermiculated work, or Vermicular work (Arch.), rustic work so wrought as to have the appearance of convoluted worms, or of having been eaten into by, or covered with tracks of, worms. Gwilt.

VERMICULATION
Ver*mic`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. vermiculatio a being worm-eaten.]

1. The act or operation of moving in the manner of a worm; continuation of motion from one part to another; as, the vermiculation, or peristaltic motion, of the intestines.

2. The act of vermiculating, or forming or inlaying so as to resemble the motion, track, or work of a worm.

3. Penetration by worms; the state of being wormeaten.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A very fine wavy crosswise color marking, or a patch of such markings, as on the feathers of birds.

VERMICULE
Ver"mi*cule, n. Etym: [L. vermiculus, dim. of vermis a worm. See
Vermicular.]

Defn: A small worm or insect larva; also, a wormlike body. [R.]
Derham.

VERMICULITE
Ver*mic"u*lite, n. Etym: [L. vermiculus, dim. of vermis worm.] (Min.)

Defn: A group of minerals having, a micaceous structure. They are hydrous silicates, derived generally from the alteration of some kind of mica. So called because the scales, when heated, open out into wormlike forms.

VERMICULOSE; VERMICULOUS
Ver*mic"u*lose`, Ver*mic"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. vermiculosus. See
Vermicule.]

Defn: Containing, or full of, worms; resembling worms.

VERMIFORM
Ver"mi*form, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + -form.]

Defn: Resembling a worm in form or motions; vermicular; as, the vermiform process of the cerebellum. Vermiform appendix (Anat.), a slender blind process of the cæcum in man and some other animals; — called also vermiform appendage, and vermiform process. Small solid bodies, such as grape seeds or cherry stones, sometimes lodge in it, causing serious, or even fatal, inflammation. See Illust. under Digestion.

VERMIFORMIA
Ver`mi*for"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tribe of worms including Phoronis. See Phoronis.

VERMIFUGAL Ver*mif"u*gal, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + fugare to drive away, fr. fugere to flee. See Worm, and Fugitive.] (Med.)

Defn: Tending to prevent, destroy, or expel, worms or vermin; anthelmintic.

VERMIFUGE
Ver"mi*fuge, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vermifuge. See Vermifugal.] (Med.)

Defn: A medicine or substance that expels worms from animal bodies; an anthelmintic.

VERMIL
Ver"mil, n.

Defn: See Vermeil. [Obs.] Spenser.

VERMILINGUIA Ver`mi*lin"gui*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. vermis worm + lingua tongue.] [Called also Vermilingues.] (Zoöl.) (a) A tribe of edentates comprising the South American ant-eaters. The tongue is long, slender, exsertile, and very flexible, whence the name. (b) A tribe of Old World lizards which comprises the chameleon. They have long, flexible tongues.

VERMILION
Ver*mil"ion, n. Etym: [F. vermillon. See Vermeil.]

1. (Chem.)

Defn: A bright red pigment consisting of mercuric sulphide, obtained either from the mineral cinnabar or artificially. It has a fine red color, and is much used in coloring sealing wax, in printing, etc.

Note: The kermes insect has long been used for dyeing red or scarlet. It was formerly known as the worm dye, vermiculus, or vermiculum, and the cloth was called vermiculatia. Hence came the French vermeil for any red dye, and hence the modern name vermilion, although the substance it denotes is very different from the kermes, being a compound of mercury and sulphur. R. Hunt.

2. Hence, a red color like the pigment; a lively and brilliant red; as, cheeks of vermilion.

VERMILION
Ver*mil"ion, v. t.

Defn: To color with vermilion, or as if with vermilion; to dye red; to cover with a delicate red.

VERMILY
Ver"mi*ly, n.

Defn: Vermeil. [Obs.] Spenser.

VERMIN
Ver"min, n. sing. & pl.; used chiefly as plural. Etym: [OE. vermine,
F. vermine, from L. vermis a worm; cf. LL. vermen a worm, L.
verminosus full of worms. See Vermicular, Worm.]

1. An animal, in general. [Obs.] Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and vermin, and worms, and fowls. Acts x. 12. (Geneva Bible). This crocodile is a mischievous fourfooted beast, a dangerous vermin, used to both elements. Holland.

2. A noxious or mischievous animal; especially, noxious little animals or insects, collectively, as squirrels, rats, mice, flies, lice, bugs, etc. "Cruel hounds or some foul vermin." Chaucer. Great injuries these vermin, mice and rats, do in the field. Mortimer. They disdain such vermin when the mighty boar of the forest . . . is before them. Burke.

3. Hence, in contempt, noxious human beings. You are my prisoners, base vermin. Hudibras.

VERMINATE Ver"mi*nate, v. i. Etym: [L. verminare to have worms, fr. vermis a worm.]

Defn: To breed vermin.

VERMINATION Ver`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. verminatio the worms, a disease of animals, a crawling, itching pain.]

1. The generation or breeding of vermin. Derham.

2. A griping of the bowels.

VERMINLY
Ver"min*ly, a. & adv.

Defn: Resembling vermin; in the manner of vermin. [Obs.] Gauden.

VERMINOUS Ver"min*ous, a. Etym: [L. verminosus, fr. vermis a worm: cf. F. vermineux.]

1. Tending to breed vermin; infested by vermin. Some . . . verminous disposition of the body. Harvey.

2. Caused by, or arising from the presence of, vermin; as, verminous disease.

VERMINOUSLY
Ver"min*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a verminous manner.

VERMIPAROUS
Ver*mip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + parere to bring forth.]

Defn: Producing or breeding worms. "Vermiparous animals." Sir T.
Browne.

VERMIVOROUS Ver*miv"o*rous, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + vorare to devour: cf. F. vermivore.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Devouring worms; feeding on worms; as, vermivorous birds.

VERMUTH
Ver"muth, n. Etym: [F. vermout.]

Defn: A liqueur made of white wine, absinthe, and various aromatic drugs, used to excite the appetite. [Written also vermouth.]

VERNACLE
Ver"na*cle, n.

Defn: See Veronica, 1. [Obs.]

VERNACULAR Ver*nac"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. vernaculus born in one's house, native, fr. verna a slave born in his master's house, a native, probably akin to Skr. vas to dwell, E. was.]

Defn: Belonging to the country of one's birth; one's own by birth or
nature; native; indigenous; — now used chiefly of language; as,
English is our vernacular language. "A vernacular disease." Harvey.
His skill the vernacular dialect of the Celtic tongue. Fuller.
Which in our vernacular idiom may be thus interpreted. Pope.

VERNACULAR
Ver*nac"u*lar, n.

Defn: The vernacular language; one's mother tongue; often, the common forms of expression in a particular locality.

VERNACULARISM
Ver*nac"u*lar*ism, n.

Defn: A vernacular idiom.

VERNACULARIZATION
Ver*nac"u*lar*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of making vernacular, or the state of being made vernacular. Fitzed. Hall.

VERNACULARLY
Ver*nac"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vernacular manner; in the vernacular. Earle.

VERNACULOUS
Ver*nac"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. vernaculus. See Vernacular.]

1. Vernacular. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

2. Etym: [L. vernaculi, pl., buffoons, jesters.]

Defn: Scoffing; scurrilous. [A Latinism. Obs.] "Subject to the petulancy of every vernaculous orator." B. Jonson.

VERNAGE
Ver"nage, n. Etym: [It. vernaccia.]

Defn: A kind of sweet wine from Italy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERNAL Ver"nal, a. Etym: [L. vernalis, fr. vernus vernal, ver spring; akin to Gr. vasanta, Icel. var, and E. Easter, east.]

1. Of or pertaining to the spring; appearing in the spring; as, vernal bloom.

2. Fig.: Belonging to youth, the spring of life. When after the long vernal day of life. Thomson. And seems it hard thy vernal years Few vernal joys can show Keble.

Vernal equinox (Astron.), the time when the sun crosses the equator when proceeding northward. — Vernal grass (Bot.), a low, soft grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), producing in the spring narrow spikelike panicles, and noted for the delicious fragrance which it gives to new-mown hay; — also called sweet vernal grass. See Illust. in Appendix. — Vernal signs (Astron.), the signs, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, in which the sun appears between the vernal equinox and summer solstice.

VERNANT Ver"nant, a. Etym: [L. vernans, p. pr. vernare to flourish, from ver spring.]

Defn: Flourishing, as in spring; vernal. [Obs.] "Vernant flowers."
Milton.

VERNATE
Ver"nate, v. i. Etym: [See Vernant.]

Defn: To become young again. [Obs.]

VERNATION Ver*na"tion, n. Etym: [F. vernation: cf. L. vernatio the sloughing of the skin of snakes.] (Bot.)

Defn: The arrangement of the leaves within the leaf bud, as regards their folding, coiling, rolling, etc.; prefoliation.

VERNER'S LAW
Ver"ner's law. (Philol.)

Defn: A statement, propounded by the Danish philologist Karl Verner in 1875, which explains certain apparent exceptions to Grimm's law by the original position of the accent. Primitive Indo-European k, t, p, became first in Teutonic h, th, f, and appear without further change in old Teutonic, if the accent rested on the preceding syllable; but these sounds became voiced and produced g, d, b, if the accent was originally on a different syllable. Similarly s either remained unchanged, or it became z and later r. Example: Skt. sapta (accent on ultima), Gr. 'e`pta, Gothic sibun (seven). Examples in English are dead by the side of death, to rise and to rear.

VERNICLE
Ver"ni*cle, n.

Defn: A Veronica. See Veronica, 1. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
A vernicle had he sowed upon his cap. Chaucer.

VERNICOSE
Ver"ni*cose`, a. Etym: [See Varnish.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having a brilliantly polished surface, as some leaves.

VERNIER
Ver"ni*er, n. Etym: [So named after the inventor, Pierre Vernier.]

Defn: A short scale made to slide along the divisions of a graduated instrument, as the limb of a sextant, or the scale of a barometer, for indicating parts of divisions. It is so graduated that a certain convenient number of its divisions are just equal to a certain number, either one less or one more, of the divisions of the instrument, so that parts of a division are determined by observing what line on the vernier coincides with a line on the instrument. Vernier calipers, Vernier gauge, a gauge with a graduated bar and a sliding jaw bearing a vernier, used for accurate measurements. — Vernier compass, a surveyor's compass with a vernier for the accurate adjustment of the zero point in accordance with magnetic variation. — Vernier transit, a surveyor's transit instrument with a vernier compass.

VERNILE
Ver"nile, a. Etym: [L. vernilis servile. See Vernacular.]

Defn: Suiting a salve; servile; obsequious. [R.]
The example . . . of vernile scurrility. De Quincey.

VERNILITY
Ver*nil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. vernilitas.]

Defn: Fawning or obsequious behavior; servility. [R.] Bailey.

VERNINE
Ver"nine, n. Etym: [Vernal + -ine.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alkaloid extracted from the shoots of the vetch, red clover, etc., as a white crystalline substance.

VERNISH
Ver"nish, n. & v.

Defn: Varnish. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERNONIN
Ver"no*nin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A glucoside extracted from the root of a South African plant of the genus Vernonia, as a deliquescent powder, and used as a mild heart tonic.

VERONESE
Ver`o*nese", a. Etym: [It. Veronese.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Verona, in Italy.
— n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A native of Verona; collectively, the people of Verona.

VERONICA Ve*ron"i*ca, n. Etym: [LL.; — so called from Veronica, a woman who, according to an old legend, as Christ was carrying the cross, wiped his face with a cloth, which received an impression of his countenance; Veronica is fr. MGr.

1. A portrait or representation of the face of our Savior on the alleged handkerchief of Saint Veronica, preserved at Rome; hence, a representation of this portrait, or any similar representation of the face of the Savior. Formerly called also Vernacle, and Vernicle.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus scrophulariaceous plants; the speedwell. See Speedwell.

Note: Several herbaceous species are common in both Europe and America, most of which have small blue flowers. A few shrubby species from New Zealand are sometimes found in cultivation.

VERRAY
Ver"ray, a.

Defn: Very; true. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERRAYMENT
Ver"ray*ment, adv. Etym: [OF. veraiement. See Very.]

Defn: Verily; truly. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERREL
Ver"rel, n.

Defn: See Ferrule. [Obs.]

VERRICULATE
Ver*ric"u*late, a. Etym: [L. verriculum a net, seine.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having thickset tufts of parallel hairs, bristles, or branches.

VERRUCA
Ver*ru"ca, n.; pl. Verrucæ (#). [L. Cf. Verrugas.]

1. (Med.) A wart.

2. (Zoöl.) A wartlike elevation or roughness.

VERRUCIFORM
Ver*ru"ci*form, a. Etym: [L. verruca wart + -form.]

Defn: Shaped like a wart or warts.

VERRUCOSE
Ver"ru*cose`, a. Etym: [L. verrucosus, fr. verruca a wart.]

Defn: Covered with wartlike elevations; tuberculate; warty; verrucous; as, a verrucose capsule.

VERRUCOUS
Ver"ru*cous, a.

Defn: Verrucose.

VERRUCULOSE
Ver*ru"cu*lose`, a. Etym: [L. verrucula, dim. of verruca a wart.]

Defn: Minutely verrucose; as, a verruculose leaf or stalk.

VERRUGAS
Ver*ru"gas, n. [Sp., warts. Cf. Verruca.] (Med.)

Defn: An endemic disease occurring in the Andes in Peru, characterized by warty tumors which ulcerate and bleed. It is probably due to a special bacillus, and is often fatal.

VERS
Vers, n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A verse or verses. See Verse. [Obs.] "Ten vers or twelve."
Chaucer.

VERSABILITY
Ver`sa*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being versable. [R.] Sterne

VERSABLE
Ver"sa*ble, a. Etym: [L. versabilis: cf. F. versable. See Versatile.]

Defn: Capable of being turned. [R.]

VERSABLENESS
Ver"sa*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Versability. [R.]

VERSAL
Ver"sal, a.

Defn: Universal. [Obs. or Colloq.] Shak.

VERSANT Ver"sant, a. Etym: [L. versans, p. pr. versare to turn abound frequently, to turn over in the mind, to meditate. See Versatile.]

Defn: Familiar; conversant. [R.]
Men not versant with courts of justice. Sydney Smith.

VERSANT
Ver"sant, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: The slope of a side of a mountain chain; hence, the general slope of a country; aspect.

VERSATILE Ver"sa*tile, a. Etym: [L. versatilis, fr. versare to turn around, v. freq. of vertere: cf. F. versatile. See Verse.]

1. Capable of being turned round. Harte.

2. Liable to be turned in opinion; changeable; variable; unsteady; inconstant; as versatile disposition.

3. Turning with ease from one thing to another; readily applied to a new task, or to various subjects; many-sided; as, versatile genius; a versatile politician. Conspicuous among the youths of high promise . . . was the quick and versatile [Charles] Montagu. Macaulay.

4. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Capable of turning; freely movable; as, a versatile anther, which is fixed at one point to the filament, and hence is very easily turned around; a versatile toe of a bird. — Ver"sa*tile*ly, adv. — — Ver"sa*tile*ness, n.

VERSATILITY
Ver`sa*til"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. versatilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being versatile; versatileness.

VERS DE SOCIETE
Vers` de so`cié`té". Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Society verses, under Society.

VERSE Verse, n. Etym: [OE. vers, AS. fers, L. versus a line in writing, and, in poetry, a verse, from vertere, versum, to turn, to turn round; akin to E. worth to become: cf. F. vers. See Worth to become, and cf. Advertise, Averse, Controversy, Convert, Divers, Invert, Obverse, Prose, Suzerain, Vortex.]

1. A line consisting of a certain number of metrical feet (see Foot, n., 9) disposed according to metrical rules.

Note: Verses are of various kinds, as hexameter, pentameter, tetrameter, etc., according to the number of feet in each. A verse of twelve syllables is called an Alexandrine. Two or more verses form a stanza or strophe.

2. Metrical arrangement and language; that which is composed in metrical form; versification; poetry. Such prompt eloquence Flowed from their lips in prose or numerous verse. Milton. Virtue was taught in verse. Prior. Verse embalms virtue. Donne.

3. A short division of any composition. Specifically: — (a) A stanza; a stave; as, a hymn of four verses.

Note: Although this use of verse is common, it is objectionable, because not always distinguishable from the stricter use in the sense of a line. (b) (Script.) One of the short divisions of the chapters in the Old and New Testaments.

Note: The author of the division of the Old Testament into verses is not ascertained. The New Testament was divided into verses by Robert Stephens [or Estienne], a French printer. This arrangement appeared for the first time in an edition printed at Geneva, in 1551. (c) (Mus.) A portion of an anthem to be performed by a single voice to each part.

4. A piece of poetry. "This verse be thine." Pope. Blank verse, poetry in which the lines do not end in rhymes. — Heroic verse. See under Heroic.

VERSE
Verse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Versed; p. pr. & vb. n. Versing.]

Defn: To tell in verse, or poetry. [Obs.]
Playing on pipes of corn and versing love. Shak.

VERSE
Verse, v. i.

Defn: To make verses; to versify. [Obs.]
It is not rhyming and versing that maketh a poet. Sir P. Sidney.

VERSED Versed, a. Etym: [Cf. F. versé, L. versatus, p. p. of versari to turn about frequently, to turn over, to be engaged in a thing, passive of versare. See Versant, a.]

Defn: Acquainted or familiar, as the result of experience, study, practice, etc.; skilled; practiced. Deep versed in books and shallow in himself. Milton. Opinions . . . derived from studying the Scriptures, wherein he was versed beyond any person of his age. Southey. These men were versed in the details of business. Macaulay.

VERSED
Versed, a. Etym: [L. versus turned, p. p. vertere. See 1st Versed.]
(Math.)

Defn: Turned. Versed sine. See under Sine, and Illust. of Functions.

VERSEMAN
Verse"man, n.

Defn: Same as Versemonger. Prior.

VERSEMONGER
Verse"mon`ger, n.

Defn: A writer of verses; especially, a writer of commonplace poetry; a poetaster; a rhymer; — used humorously or in contempt.

VERSER
Vers"er, n.

Defn: A versifier. B. Jonson.

VERSET
Vers"et, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A verse. [Obs.] Milton.

VERSICLE
Ver"si*cle, n. Etym: [L. versiculus, dim. of versus. See Verse.]

Defn: A little verse; especially, a short verse or text said or sung in public worship by the priest or minister, and followed by a response from the people. The psalms were in number fifteen, . . . being digested into versicles. Strype.

VERSICOLOR; VERSICOLORED Ver"si*col`or, Ver"si*col`ored, a. Etym: [L. versicolor; versare to change + color color.]

Defn: Having various colors; changeable in color. "Versicolor, sweet- smelling flowers." Burton.

VERSICULAR
Ver*sic"u*lar, a. Etym: [See Versicle.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to verses; designating distinct divisions of a writing.

VERSIFICATION
Ver`si*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. versificatio: cf. F. versification.]

Defn: The act, art, or practice, of versifying, or making verses; the construction of poetry; metrical composition.

VERSIFICATOR
Ver"si*fi*ca`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A versifier. [R.] "The best versificator next Virgil." Dryden.

VERSIFIER
Ver"si*fi`er, n.

1. One who versifies, or makes verses; as, not every versifier is a poet. Dryden.

2. One who converts into verse; one who expresses in verse the ideas of another written in prose; as, Dr. Watts was a versifier of the Psalms.

VERSIFY
Ver"si*fy, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Versified; p. pr. & vb. n.
Versifying.] Etym: [OE. versifien, F. versifier, L. versificare;
versus a verse + -ficare to make. See Verse, and -fy.]

Defn: To make verses.
I'll versify in spite, and do my best. Dryden.

VERSIFY
Ver"si*fy, v. t.

1. To relate or describe in verse; to compose in verse. I'll versify the truth, not poetize. Daniel.

2. To turn into verse; to render into metrical form; as, to versify the Psalms. Chaucer.

VERSION Ver"sion, n. Etym: [F., from L. vertere, versum, to turn, to change, to translate. See Verse.]

1. A change of form, direction, or the like; transformation; conversion; turning. The version of air into water. Bacon.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A condition of the uterus in which its axis is deflected from its normal position without being bent upon itself. See Anteversion, and Retroversion.

3. The act of translating, or rendering, from one language into another language.

4. A translation; that which is rendered from another language; as, the Common, or Authorized, Version of the Scriptures (see under Authorized); the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament.

5. An account or description from a particular point of view, especially as contrasted with another account; as, he gave another version of the affair.

VERSIONIST
Ver"sion*ist, n.

Defn: One who makes or favors a version; a translator. [R.]

VERSO
Ver"so, n. Etym: [L. versus, p. p. of vertere to turn: cf. F. verso.]
(Print.)

Defn: The reverse, or left-hand, page of a book or a folded sheet of paper; — opposed to recto.

VERSOR
Ver"sor, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. vertere, versus, to turn. See
Version.] (Geom.)

Defn: The turning factor of a quaternion.

Note: The change of one vector into another is considered in quaternions as made up of two operations; 1st, the rotation of the first vector so that it shall be parallel to the second; 2d, the change of length so that the first vector shall be equal to the second. That which expresses in amount and kind the first operation is a versor, and is denoted geometrically by a line at right angles to the plane in which the rotation takes place, the length of this line being proportioned to the amount of rotation. That which expresses the second operation is a tensor. The product of the versor and tensor expresses the total operation, and is called a quaternion. See Quaternion. Quadrantal versor. See under Quadrantal.

VERST
Verst, n. Etym: [Russ. versta: cf. F. verste.]

Defn: A Russian measure of length containing 3,500 English feet.
[Written also werst.]

VERSUAL
Ver"su*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a verse.

VERSUS Ver"sus, prep. Etym: [L., toward, turned in the direction of, from vertere, versum, to turn. See Verse.]

Defn: Against; as, John Doe versus Richard Roe; — chiefly used in legal language, and abbreviated to v. or vs.

VERSUTE
Ver*sute", a. Etym: [L. versutus, fr. vertere, versum, to turn.]

Defn: Crafty; wily; cunning; artful. [R.]

VERT
Vert, n. Etym: [F., green, from L. viridis. See Verdant, and cf.
Verd.]

1. (Eng. Forest Law) (a) Everything that grows, and bears a green leaf, within the forest; as, to preserve vert and venison is the duty of the verderer. (b) The right or privilege of cutting growing wood.

2. (Her.)

Defn: The color green, represented in a drawing or engraving by parallel lines sloping downward toward the right.

VERTEBER
Ver"te*ber, n.

Defn: A vertebra. [Obs.]

VERTEBRA Ver"te*bra, n.; pl. Vertebræ. Etym: [L. vertebra, fr. vertere to turn, change. See Verse.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the serial segments of the spinal column.

Note: In many fishes the vertebræ are simple cartilaginous disks or short cylinders, but in the higher vertebrates they are composed of many parts, and the vertebræ in different portions of the same column vary very greatly. A well-developed vertebra usually consists of a more or less cylindrical and solid body, or centrum, which is surmounted dorsally by an arch, leaving an opening which forms a part of the canal containing the spinal cord. From this dorsal, or neural, arch spring various processes, or apophyses, which have received special names: a dorsal, or neural, spine, spinous process, or neurapophysis, on the middle of the arch; two anterior and two posterior articular processes, or zygapophyses; and one or two transverse processes on each side. In those vertebræ which bear well- developed ribs, a tubercle near the end of the rib articulates at a tubercular facet on the transverse process (diapophysis), while the end, or head, of the rib articulates at a more ventral capitular facet which is sometimes developed into a second, or ventral, transverse process (parapophysis). In vertebrates with well-developed hind limbs, the spinal column is divided into five regions in each of which the vertebræ are specially designated: those vertebræ in front of, or anterior to, the first vertebra which bears ribs connected with the sternum are cervical; all those which bear ribs and are back of the cervicals are dorsal; the one or more directly supporting the pelvis are sacral and form the sacrum; those between the sacral and dorsal are lumbar; and all those back of the sacral are caudal, or coccygeal. In man there are seven cervical vertebræ, twelve dorsal, five lumbar, five sacral, and usually four, but sometimes five and rarely three, coccygeal.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the central ossicles in each joint of the arms of an ophiuran.

VERTEBRAL
Ver"te*bral, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vertébral.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vertebræ, or the vertebral column; spinal; rachidian.

2. Vertebrate.

VERTEBRAL
Ver"te*bral, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A vertebrate. [R.]

VERTEBRALLY
Ver"te*bral*ly, adv. (Anat.)

Defn: At or within a vertebra or vertebræ; — distinguished from interverterbrally.

VERTEBRARTERIAL
Ver`te*brar*te"ri*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vertebræ and an artery; — said of the foramina in the transverse processes of cervical vertebræ and of the canal which they form for the vertebral artery and vein.

VERTEBRATA
Ver`te*bra"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom, comprising all animals that have a backbone composed of bony or cartilaginous vertebræ, together with Amphioxus in which the backbone is represented by a simple undivided notochord. The Vertebrata always have a dorsal, or neural, cavity above the notochord or backbone, and a ventral, or visceral, cavity below it. The subdivisions or classes of Vertebrata are Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Amphibia, Pisces, Marsipobranchia, and Leptocardia.

VERTEBRATE
Ver"te*brate, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Vertebrata.

VERTEBRATE; VERTEBRATED
Ver"te*brate, Ver"te*bra`ted, a. Etym: [L. vertebratus.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Having a backbone, or vertebral column, containing the spinal marrow, as man, quadrupeds, birds, amphibia, and fishes.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Contracted at intervals, so as to resemble the spine in animals. Henslow.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having movable joints resembling vertebræ; — said of the arms ophiurans.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Vertebrata; — used only in the form vertebrate.

VERTEBRE
Ver"te*bre, n. (Anat.)

Defn: A vertebra. [Obs.]

VERTEBRO-
Ver"te*bro-.

Defn: A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, a vertebra, vertebræ, or vertebral column; as in vertebrocostal.

VERTEBRO-ILIAC
Ver"te*bro-il"i*ac, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Iliolumbar.

VERTEX Ver"tex, n.; pl. Vertexes, L. Vertices. Etym: [L. vertex, -icis, a whirl, top of the head, top, summit, from vertere to turn. See Verse, and cf. Vortex.]

Defn: A turning point; the principal or highest point; top; summit; crown; apex. Specifically: —(a) (Anat.)

Defn: The top, or crown, of the head. (b) (Anat.) The zenith, or the point of the heavens directly overhead. (c) (Math.) The point in any figure opposite to, and farthest from, the base; the terminating point of some particular line or lines in a figure or a curve; the top, or the point opposite the base.

Note: The principal vertex of a conic section is, in the parabola, the vertex of the axis of the curve: in the ellipse, either extremity of either axis, but usually the left-hand vertex of the transverse axis; in the hyperbola, either vertex, but usually the right-hand vertex of the transverse axis. Vertex of a curve (Math.), the point in which the axis of the curve intersects it. — Vertex of an angle (Math.), the point in which the sides of the angle meet. — Vertex of a solid, or of a surface of revolution (Math.), the point in which the axis pierces the surface.

VERTICAL
Ver"ti*cal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vertical. See Vertex.]

1. Of or pertaining to the vertex; situated at the vertex, or highest point; directly overhead, or in the zenith; perpendicularly above one. Charity . . . is the vertical top of all religion. Jer. Taylor.

2. Perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; upright; plumb; as, a vertical line. Vertical angle (Astron. & Geod.), an angle measured on a vertical circle, called an angle of elevation, or altitude, when reckoned from the horizon upward, and of depression when downward below the horizon. — Vertical anthers (Bot.), such anthers as stand erect at the top of the filaments. — Vertical circle (Astron.), an azimuth circle. See under Azimuth. — Vertical drill, an drill. See under Upright. — Vertical fire (Mil.), the fire, as of mortars, at high angles of elevation. — Vertical leaves (Bot.), leaves which present their edges to the earth and the sky, and their faces to the horizon, as in the Australian species of Eucalyptus. — Vertical limb, a graduated arc attached to an instrument, as a theodolite, for measuring vertical angles. — Vertical line. (a) (Dialing) A line perpendicular to the horizon. (b) (Conic Sections) A right line drawn on the vertical plane, and passing through the vertex of the cone. (c) (Surv.) The direction of a plumb line; a line normal to the surface of still water. (d) (Geom., Drawing, etc.) A line parallel to the sides of a page or sheet, in distinction from a horizontal line parallel to the top or bottom. — Vertical plane. (a) (Conic Sections) A plane passing through the vertex of a cone, and through its axis. (b) (Projections) Any plane which passes through a vertical line. (c) (Persp.) The plane passing through the point of sight, and perpendicular to the ground plane, and also to the picture. — Vertical sash, a sash sliding up and down. Cf. French sash, under 3d Sash. — Vertical steam engine, a steam engine having the crank shaft vertically above or below a vertical cylinder.

VERTICAL
Ver"ti*cal, n.

1. Vertical position; zenith. [R.]

2. (Math.)

Defn: A vertical line, plane, or circle. Prime vertical, Prime vertical dial. See under Prime, a.

VERTICALITY
Ver`ti*cal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being vertical; verticalness. [R.]
The different points of the verticality. Sir T. Browne.

VERTICALLY
Ver"ti*cal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vertical manner, position, or direction; perpendicularly; as, to look down vertically; to raise a thing vertically.

VERTICALNESS
Ver"ti*cal*ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being vertical.

VERTICIL Ver"ti*cil, n. Etym: [L. verticillus, dim. of vertex a whirl: cf. F. verticille. See Vertex.] (Bot.)

Defn: A circle either of leaves or flowers about a stem at the same node; a whorl. [Written also verticel.]

VERTICILLASTER Ver`ti*cil*las"ter, a. Etym: [NL., fr. L. verticillus a whirl + aster a star.] (Bot.)

Defn: A whorl of flowers apparently of one cluster, but composed of two opposite axillary cymes, as in mint. See Illust. of Whorl.

VERTICILLATE; VERTICILLATED
Ver*tic"il*late, Ver*tic"il*la`ted, a. Etym: [See Verticil.] (Bot. &
Zoöl.)

Defn: Arranged in a transverse whorl or whorls like the rays of a wheel; as, verticillate leaves of a plant; a verticillate shell.

VERTICILLUS
Ver`ti*cil"lus, n. Etym: [L., a whirl.] (Bot.)

Defn: A whorl; a verticil.

VERTICITY
Ver*tic"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. verticité. See Vertex.]

Defn: The quality or power of turning; revolution; rotation. [R.]
Locke.
I hardly believe he hath from elder times unknown the verticity of
the loadstone. Sir T. Browne.

VERTICLE
Ver"ti*cle, n. Etym: [L. verticula a joint.]

Defn: An axis; hinge; a turning point. E. Waterhouse.

VERTIGINATE
Ver*tig"i*nate, a.

Defn: Turned round; giddy. [R.] Coleridge.

VERTIGINOUS Ver*tig"i*nous, a. Etym: [L. vertiginosus, fr. vertigo a whirling around, giddiness: cf. F. vertigineux. See Vertig.]

1. Turning round; whirling; rotary; revolving; as, vertiginous motion. Some vertiginous whirl of fortune. De Quincey.

2. Affected with vertigo; giddy; dizzy. They [the angels] grew vertiginous, and fell from the battlements of heaven. Jer. Taylor. — Ver*tig"i*nous*ly, adv. — Ver*tig"i*nous*ness, n.

VERTIGO Ver"ti*go, n; pl. E. Vertigoes, L. Vertigines. Etym: [L., fr. vertere to turn. See Verse.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: Dizziness or swimming of the head; an affection of the head in which objects, though stationary, appear to move in various directions, and the person affected finds it difficult to maintain an erect posture; giddiness. Quian.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of small land snails belonging to the genus Vertigo, having an elongated or conical spiral shell and usually teeth in the aperture.

VERTILINEAR
Ver`ti*lin"e*ar, a. Etym: [Vertical + linear.]

Defn: Straight; rectilinear. [R.]

VERTU
Ver"tu, n.

1. Virtue; power. See Virtue. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. See Virtu.

VERTUOUS
Ver"tu*ous, a.

Defn: Virtuous; powerful. [Obs.] Spenser.

VERUMONTANUM
Ver`u*mon*ta"num, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: An elevation, or crest, in the wall of the urethra where the seminal ducts enter it.

Note: This is sometimes written veru montanum.

VERVAIN Ver"vain, n. Etym: [OE. verveine, F. verveine, fr. L. verbena, pl. verbenae sacred boughs of laurel, olive, or myrtle, a class of plants; cf. verbenaca vervain. Cf. Verbena.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Verbena. Vervain mallow (Bot.), a species of mallow (Malva Alcea) with rose-colored flowers.

VERVE
Verve, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Excitement of imagination such as animates a poet, artist, or musician, in composing or performing; rapture; enthusiasm; spirit; energy.

VERVEL
Ver"vel, n.

Defn: See Varvel.

VERVET
Ver"vet, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South African monkey (Cercopithecus pygerythrus, or Lelandii). The upper parts are grayish green, finely specked with black. The cheeks and belly are reddish white.

VERY Ver"y, a. [Compar. Verier; superl. Veriest.] Etym: [OE. verai, verray, OF. verai, vrai, F. vrai, (assumed) LL. veracus, for L. verax true, veracious, fr. verus true; akin to OHG. & OS. war, G. wahr, D. waar; perhaps originally, that is or exists, and akin to E. was. Cf. Aver, v. t., Veracious, Verdict, Verity.]

Defn: True; real; actual; veritable. Whether thou be my very son Esau or not. Gen. xxvii. 21. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. Prov. xvii. 9. The very essence of truth is plainness and brightness. Milton. I looked on the consideration of public service or public ornament to be real and very justice. Burke.

Note: Very is sometimes used to make the word with which it is connected emphatic, and may then be paraphrased by same, self-same, itself, and the like. "The very hand, the very words." Shak. "The very rats instinctively have quit it." Shak. "Yea, there where very desolation dwells." Milton. Very is used occasionally in the comparative degree, and more frequently in the superlative. "Was not my lord the verier wag of the two" Shak. "The veriest hermit in the nation." Pope. "He had spoken the very truth, and transformed it into the veriest falsehood." Hawthorne. Very Reverend. See the Note under Reverend.

VERY
Ver"y, adv.

Defn: In a high degree; to no small extent; exceedingly; excessively; extremely; as, a very great mountain; a very bright sum; a very cold day; the river flows very rapidly; he was very much hurt.

VERY'S NIGHT SIGNALS; VERY NIGHT SIGNALS; VERY'S LIGHT SIGNALS; VERY
LIGHT SIGNALS
Ver"y's, or Ver"y, night signals . [After Lieut. Samuel W. Very, who
invented the system in 1877.] (Naut.)

Defn: A system of signaling in which balls of red and green fire are fired from a pistol, the arrangement in groups denoting numbers having a code significance.

VESBIUM
Ves"bi*um, n. Etym: [NL., from L. Vesuvius, contr. Vesbius,
Vesuvius.] (Chem.)

Defn: A rare metallic element of which little is known. It is said by Scacchi to have been extracted from a yellowish incrustation from the cracks of a Vesuvian lava erupted in 1631.

VESE
Vese, n. Etym: [Cf. Frese, n.]

Defn: Onset; rush; violent draught or wind. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VESICA
Ve*si"ca, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A bladder. Vesica piscis. Etym: [L., dish bladder.] (Eccl. Art) A glory, or aureole, of oval shape, or composed of two arcs of circles usually represented as surrounding a divine personage. More rarely, an oval composed of two arcs not representing a glory; a solid oval, etc.

VESICAL
Ves"i*cal, a. Etym: [L. vesica bladder.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the bladder. Dunglison.

VESICANT
Ves"i*cant, n. Etym: [L. vesica blister: cf. F. vésicant.] (Med.)

Defn: A vesicatory.

VESICATE
Ves"i*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vesicated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Vesicating.] Etym: [See Vesicant.] (Med.)

Defn: To raise little bladders or blisters upon; to inflame and separate the cuticle of; to blister. Wiseman.

VESICATION
Ves`i*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vésication.] (Med.)

Defn: The process of vesicating, or of raising blisters.

VESICATORY
Ves"i*ca*to*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vésicatoire.] (Med.)

Defn: Tending, or having power, to raise a blister.
— n.

Defn: A blistering application or plaster; a vesicant; an epispastic.

VESICLE Ves"i*cle, n. Etym: [L. vesicula, dim. of vesica a bladder, blister; akin to Skr. vasti bladder: cf. F. vésicule.]

Defn: A bladderlike vessel; a membranous cavity; a cyst; a cell.
Specifically: —(a) (Bot.)

Defn: A small bladderlike body in the substance of vegetable, or upon the surface of a leaf. (b) (Med.)

Defn: A small, and more or less circular, elevation of the cuticle, containing a clear watery fluid. (c) (Anat.) A cavity or sac, especially one filled with fluid; as, the umbilical vesicle. (d) (Zoöl.) A small convex hollow prominence on the surface of a shell or a coral. (e) (Geol.) A small cavity, nearly spherical in form, and usually of the size of a pea or smaller, such as are common in some volcanic rocks. They are produced by the liberation of watery vapor in the molten mass.

VESICO-
Ves"i*co-.

Defn: A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the bla; as in vesicoprostatic, vesicovaginal.

VESICOPROSTATIC
Ves`i*co*pro*stat"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of a pertaining to the bladder and the prostrate gland.

VESICOUTERINE
Ves`i*co*u"ter*ine, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the bladder and the uterus.

VESICOVAGINAL
Ves`i*co*vag"i*nal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the bladder and the vagina.

VESICULA
Ve*sic"u*la, n.; pl. Vesiculæ . Etym: [L., dim. of vesica.] (Anat. &
Med.)

Defn: A vesicle.

VESICULAR
Ve*sic"u*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vésiculaire.]

1. Of or pertaining to vesicles; esp., of or pertaining to the air vesicles, or air cells, of the lungs; as, vesicular breathing, or normal breathing, in which the air enters freely the air vesicles of the lungs.

2. Containing, or composed of, vesicles or vesiclelike structures; covered with vesicles or bladders; vesiculate; as, vesicular coral; vesicular lava; a vesicular leaf.

3. Having the form or structure of a vesicle; as, a vesicular body. Vesicular column (Anat.), a series of nerve cells forming one of the tracts distinguished in the spinal; — also called the ganglionic column. — Vesicular emphysema (Med.), emphysema of the lungs, in which the air vesicles are distended and their walls ruptured. — Vesicular murmur (Med.), the sound, audible on auscultation of the chest, made by the air entering and leaving the air vesicles of the lungs in respiration.

VESICULARIA
Ve*sic`u*la"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Vesicle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of marine Bryozoa belonging to Vesicularia and allied genera. They have delicate tubular cells attached in clusters to slender flexible stems.

VESICULATA
Ve*sic`u*la"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Vesicle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The campanularian medusæ.

VESICULATE
Ve*sic"u*late, a.

Defn: Bladdery; full of, or covered with, bladders; vesicular.

VESICULATE
Ve*sic"u*late, v. t.

Defn: To form vesicles in, as lava.

VESICULATION
Ve*sic`u*la"tion, n. (Geol.)

Defn: The state of containing vesicles, or the process by which vesicles are formed.

VESICULITIS
Ve*sic`u*li"tis, n. [NL.; vesicula + -itis.]

Defn: Inflammation of a vesicle.

VESICULOSE; VESICULOUS Ve*sic"u*lose`, Ve*sic"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. vesiculosus: cf. F. vésiculeux.]

Defn: Bladdery; vesicular; vesiculate; composed of vesicles; covered with vesicles; as, a vesiculose shell.

VESPA
Ves"pa, n. Etym: [L., wasp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of Hymenoptera including the common wasps and hornets.

VESPER Ves"per, n. Etym: [L., the evening, the evening star, the west; akin to Gr. west. Cf. Hesperian, Vespers.]

Defn: The evening star; Hesper; Venus, when seen after sunset; hence, the evening. Shak.

VESPER
Ves"per, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the evening, or to the service of vespers; as, a vesper hymn; vesper bells. Vesper sparrow, the grass finch. See under Grass.

VESPERAL
Ves"per*al, a.

Defn: Vesper; evening. [R.]

VESPERS Ves"pers, n.; pl. Etym: [OF. vespres, F. vêpres, LL. vesperae, fr. L. vespera evening. See Vesper, n.] (R. C. Ch.) (a) One of the little hours of the Breviary. (b) The evening song or service. Sicilian vespers. See under Sicilian, a.

VESPERTILIO
Ves`per*til"i*o, n. Etym: [L., a bat.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of bats including some of the common small insectivorous species of North America and Europe.

VESPERTILIONES
Ves`per*til`i*o"nes, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tribe of bats including the common insectivorous bats of America and Europe, belonging to Vespertilio and allied genera. They lack a nose membrane.

VESPERTILIONINE
Ves`per*til`i*o"nine, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Vespertiliones.

VESPERTINAL
Ves"per*ti`nal, a.

Defn: Vespertine. Lowell.

VESPERTINE
Ves"per*tine, a. Etym: [L. vespertinus. See Vesper.]

1. Of or pertaining to the evening; happening or being in the evening. Gray.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Blossoming in the evening.

VESPIARY
Ves"pi*a*ry, n. Etym: [L. vespa a wasp.]

Defn: A nest, or habitation, of insects of the wasp kind.

VESPILLO
Ves*pil"lo, n.; pl. Vespilloes. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: One who carried out the dead bodies of the poor at night for
burial.
Like vespilloes or grave makers. Sir T. Browne.

VESSEL
Ves"sel, n. Etym: [OF. vessel, veissel, vaissel, vaissiel, F.
vascellum, dim. of vasculum, dim. of vas a vessel. Cf. Vascular,
Vase.]

1. A hollow or concave utensil for holding anything; a hollow receptacle of any kind, as a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a bowl, etc. [They drank] out of these noble vessels. Chaucer.

2. A general name for any hollow structure made to float upon the water for purposes of navigation; especially, one that is larger than a common rowboat; as, a war vessel; a passenger vessel. [He] began to build a vessel of huge bulk. Milton.

3. Fig.: A person regarded as receiving or containing something; esp. (Script.), one into whom something is conceived as poured, or in whom something is stored for use; as, vessels of wrath or mercy. He is a chosen vessel unto me. Acts ix. 15. [The serpent] fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom To enter. Milton.

4. (Anat.)

Defn: Any tube or canal in which the blood or other fluids are contained, secreted, or circulated, as the arteries, veins, lymphatics, etc.

5. (Bot.)

Defn: A continuous tube formed from superposed large cylindrical or prismatic cells (tracheæ), which have lost their intervening partitions, and are usually marked with dots, pits, rings, or spirals by internal deposition of secondary membranes; a duct. Acoustic vessels. See under Acoustic. — Weaker vessel, a woman; — now applied humorously. "Giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel." 1 Peter iii. 7. "You are the weaker vessel." Shak.

VESSEL
Ves"sel, v. t.

Defn: To put into a vessel. [Obs.] Bacon.

VESSELFUL
Ves"sel*ful, n.; pl. Vesselfuls (.

Defn: As much as a vessel will hold; enough to fill a vessel.

VESSES; VESSETS
Ves"ses, Ves"sets, n.

Defn: A kind of worsted; also, a worsted cloth. [Prov. Eng.]

VESSICNON; VESSIGNON Ves"sic*non, Ves"sig*non, n. Etym: [F. vessigon, fr. L. vesica a bladder, blister.] (Far.)

Defn: A soft swelling on a horse's leg; a windgall.

VEST
Vest, n. Etym: [L. vestis a garment, vesture; akin to Goth. wasti,
and E. wear: cf. F. veste. See Wear to carry on the person, and cf.
Divest, Invest, Travesty.]

1. An article of clothing covering the person; an outer garment; a vestment; a dress; a vesture; a robe. In state attended by her maiden train, Who bore the vests that holy rites require. Dryden.

2. Any outer covering; array; garb. Not seldom clothed in radiant vest Deceitfully goes forth the morn. Wordsworth.

3. Specifically, a waistcoat, or sleeveless body garment, for men, worn under the coat.

Syn. — Garment; vesture; dress; robe; vestment; waistcoat. — Vest, Waistcoat. In England, the original word waistcoat is generally used for the body garment worn over the shirt and immediately under the coat. In the United States this garment is commonly called a vest, and the waistcoat is often improperly given to an under-garment.

VEST
Vest, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vested; p. pr. & vb. n. Vesting.] Etym:
[Cf. L. vestire, vestitum, OF. vestir, F. vêtir. See Vest, n.]

1. To clothe with, or as with, a vestment, or garment; to dress; to robe; to cover, surround, or encompass closely. Came vested all in white, pure as her mind. Milton. With ether vested, and a purple sky. Dryden.

2. To clothe with authority, power, or the like; to put in possession; to invest; to furnish; to endow; — followed by with before the thing conferred; as, to vest a court with power to try cases of life and death. Had I been vested with the monarch's power. Prior.

3. To place or give into the possession or discretion of some person or authority; to commit to another; — with in before the possessor; as, the power of life and death is vested in the king, or in the courts. Empire and dominion was [were] vested in him. Locke.

4. To invest; to put; as, to vest money in goods, land, or houses. [R.]

5. (Law)

Defn: To clothe with possession; as, to vest a person with an estate; also, to give a person an immediate fixed right of present or future enjoyment of; as, an estate is vested in possession. Bouvier.

VEST
Vest, v. i.

Defn: To come or descend; to be fixed; to take effect, as a title or right; — followed by in; as, upon the death of the ancestor, the estate, or the right to the estate, vests in the heir at law.

VESTA Ves"ta, n. Etym: [L. Vesta, akin to Gr. ush to burn (see East), or perhaps to Skr. vas to dwell, and E. was.]

1. (Rom. Myth.)

Defn: One of the great divinities of the ancient Romans, identical with the Greek Hestia. She was a virgin, and the goddess of the hearth; hence, also, of the fire on it, and the family round it.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: An asteroid, or minor planet, discovered by Olbers in 1807.

3. A wax friction match. Simmonds.

VESTAL
Ves"tal, a. Etym: [L. Vestalis belonging to Vesta, vestal. See
Vesta.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Vesta, the virgin goddess of the hearth; hence, pure; chaste.

VESTAL
Ves"tal, n. Etym: [L. Vestalis (sc. virgo): cf. F. vestale. See
Vestal, a.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A virgin consecrated to Vesta, and to the service of watching the sacred fire, which was to be perpetually kept burning upon her altar.

Note: The Vestals were originally four, but afterward six, in number. Their term of service lasted thirty years, the period of admission being from the sixth to the tenth year of the candidate's age.

2. A virgin; a woman pure and chaste; also, a nun. How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! Pope.

VESTALES
Ves*ta"les, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Vestal.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of butterflies including those known as virgins, or gossamer-winged butterflies.

VESTED
Vest"ed, a.

1. Clothed; robed; wearing vestments. "The vested priest." Milton.

2. (Law)

Defn: Not in a state of contingency or suspension; fixed; as, vested rights; vested interests. Vested legacy (Law), a legacy the right to which commences in præsenti, and does not depend on a contingency; as, a legacy to one to be paid when he attains to twenty-one years of age is a vested legacy, and if the legatee dies before the testator, his representative shall receive it. Blackstone. — Vested remainder (Law), an estate settled, to remain to a determined person, after the particular estate is spent. Blackstone. Kent.

VESTED SCHOOL
Vest"ed school.

Defn: In Ireland, a national school which has been built by the aid of grants from the board of Commissioners of National Education and is secured for educational purposes by leases to the commissioners themselves, or to the commissioners and the trustees.

VESTIARIAN
Ves`ti*a"ri*an, a. Etym: [See Vestiary.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vestiary or vestments.

VESTIARY
Ves"ti*a*ry, n. Etym: [L. vestiarium. See Vestry.]

Defn: A wardrobe; a robing room; a vestry. Fuller.

VESTIARY
Ves"ti*a*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to clothes, or vestments.

VESTIBULAR
Ves*tib"u*lar, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vestibule; like a vestibule.

VESTIBULE Ves"ti*bule, n. Etym: [L. vestibulum, of uncertain origin: cf. F. vestibule.]

Defn: The porch or entrance into a house; a hall or antechamber next the entrance; a lobby; a porch; a hall. Vestibule of the ear. (Anat.) See under Ear. — Vestibule of the vulva (Anat.), a triangular space between the nymphæ, in which the orifice of the urethra is situated. — Vestibule train (Railroads), a train of passenger cars having the space between the end doors of adjacent cars inclosed, so as to admit of leaving the doors open to provide for intercommunication between all the cars.

Syn. — Hall; passage. — Vestibule, Hall, Passage. A vestibule is a small apartment within the doors of a building. A hall is the first large apartment beyond the vestibule, and, in the United States, is often long and narrow, serving as a passage to the several apartments. In England, the hall is generally square or oblong, and a long, narrow space of entrance is called a passage, not a hall, as in America. Vestibule is often used in a figurative sense to denote a place of entrance. "The citizens of Rome placed the images of their ancestors in the vestibules of their houses." Bolingbroke

VESTIBULED TRAIN
Vestibuled train. (Railroad)

Defn: Same as Vestibule train, under Vestibule.

VESTIBULUM
Ves*tib"u*lum, n.; pl. Vestibula. Etym: [L., vestibule.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A cavity into which, in certain bryozoans, the esophagus and anus open.

VESTIGATE
Ves"ti*gate, v. t. Etym: [L. vestigatus, p. p. of vestigare. See
Vestige.]

Defn: To investigate. [Obs.]

VESTIGE
Ves"tige, n. Etym: [F., from L. vestigium footprint, trace, sign; the
last part (-stigium) is probably akin to E. sty, v. i. Cf.
Investigate.]

Defn: The mark of the foot left on the earth; a track or footstep; a trace; a sign; hence, a faint mark or visible sign left by something which is lost, or has perished, or is no longer present; remains; as, the vestiges of ancient magnificence in Palmyra; vestiges of former population. What vestiges of liberty or property have they left Burke. Ridicule has followed the vestiges of Truth, but never usurped her place. Landor.

Syn. — Trace; mark; sign; token. — Vestige, Trace. These words agree in marking some indications of the past, but differ to some extent in their use and application. Vestige is used chiefly in a figurative sense, for the remains something long passed away; as, the vestiges of ancient times; vestiges of the creation. A trace is literally something drawn out in a line, and may be used in this its primary sense, or figuratively, to denote a sign or evidence left by something that has passed by, or ceased to exist. Vestige usually supposes some definite object of the past to be left behind; while a trace may be a mere indication that something has been present or is present; as, traces of former population; a trace of poison in a given substance.

VESTIGIAL
Ves*tig"i*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a vestige or remnant; like a vestige.

VESTING
Vest"ing, n.

Defn: Cloth for vests; a vest pattern.

VESTITURE
Ves"ti*ture, n. Etym: [See Vesture.]

Defn: In vestiture. [R.]

VESTLET
Vest"let, n. Etym: [Dim. of vest.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of actinians belonging to the genus Cerianthus. These animals have a long, smooth body tapering to the base, and two separate circles of tentacles around the mouth. They form a tough, flexible, feltlike tube with a smooth internal lining, in which they dwell, whence the name.

VESTMENT Vest"ment, n. Etym: [OE. vestement, vestiment, OF. vestement, vestiment, F. vêtement, fr. L. vestimentum, fr. vestire to clothe, fr. vestis a garment, clothing. See Vest.]

Defn: A covering or garment; some part of clothing or dress; specifically (Eccl.), any priestly garment. "Royal vestiment." Chaucer. "Priests in holy vestments." Shak. The sculptor could not give vestments suitable to the quality of the persons represented. Dryden.

VESTRY Ves"try, n.; pl. Vestries. Etym: [OE. vestrye, F. vestiaire, L. vestiarium, fr. vestiarius belonging to clothes, fr. vestis a garment. See Vest, n., and cf. Vestiary.]

1. A room appendant to a church, in which sacerdotal vestments and sacred utensils are sometimes kept, and where meetings for worship or parish business are held; a sacristy; — formerly called revestiary. He said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshipers of Baal. 2 Kings x. 22.

2. (Ch. of Eng.)

Defn: A parochial assembly; an assembly of persons who manage parochial affairs; — so called because usually held in a vestry.

3. (Prot. Epis. Ch.)

Defn: A body, composed of wardens and vestrymen, chosen annually by a parish to manage its temporal concerns. Metropolitan vestry, in the city of London, and certain specified parishes and places in England, a body composed of householders who pay poor rates. Its duties include the repair of churches, care of highways, the appointment of certain officers, etc. — Select vestry, a select number of persons chosen in large and populous English parishes to represent and manage the concerns of the parish for one year. Mozley & W. — Vestry board (Ch. of Eng.), a vestry. See def. 2, above. — Vestry clerk, an officer chosen by the vestry, who keeps a record of its proceedings; also, in England, one who keeps the parish accounts and books. — Vestry meeting, the meeting of a vestry or vestry board; also, a meeting of a parish held in a vestry or other place.

VESTRYMAN
Ves"try*man, n.; pl. Vestrymen (.

Defn: A member of a vestry; especially (Prot. Epis. Ch.), a member other than a warden. See Vestry.

VESTURE
Ves"ture, n. Etym: [OF. vesture, vesteure, F. vêture, LL. vestitura,
from L. vestire to clothe, dress. See Vest, v. t., and cf.
Vestiture.]

1. A garment or garments; a robe; clothing; dress; apparel; vestment; covering; envelope. Piers Plowman. Approach, and kiss her sacred vesture's hem. Milton. Rocks, precipices, and gulfs, appareled with a vesture of plants. Bentley. There polished chests embroidered vestures graced. Pope.

2. (O. Eng. Law) (a) The corn, grass, underwood, stubble, etc., with which land was covered; as, the vesture of an acre. (b) Seizin; possession.

VESTURED
Ves"tured, a.

Defn: Covered with vesture or garments; clothed; enveloped.
We be vestured with poor cloth. Ld. Berners.

VESUVIAN
Ve*su"vi*an, a. Etym: [Cf. F. Vésuvien, It. Vesuviano.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Vesuvius, a volcano near Naples.

VESUVIAN
Ve*su"vi*an, n. Etym: [G. vesuvian. See Vesuvian, a.] (Min.)

Defn: Vesuvianite.

VESUVIANITE
Ve*su"vi*an*ite, n. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring in tetragonal crystals, and also massive, of a brown to green color, rarely sulphur yellow and blue. It is a silicate of alumina and lime with some iron magnesia, and is common at Vesuvius. Also called idocrase.

VESUVINE
Ve*su"vine, n.

Defn: A trade name for a brown dyestuff obtained from certain basic azo compounds of benzene; — called also Bismarck brown, Manchester brown, etc.

VETCH Vetch, n. Etym: [Also fitch; OE. ficche, feche, for veche, OF. veche, vecce, vesche, vesce, F. vesce, fr. L. vicia.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any leguminous plant of the genus Vicia, some species of which are valuable for fodder. The common species is V. sativa.

Note: The name is also applied to many other leguminous plants of different genera; as the chichling vetch, of the genus Lathyrus; the horse vetch, of the genus Hippocrepis; the kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria); the milk vetch, of the genus Astragalus; the licorice vetch, or wild licorice (Abrus precatorius).

VETCHLING
Vetch"ling, n. Etym: [Vetch + -ling.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any small leguminous plant of the genus Lathyrus, especially L.
Nissolia.

VETCHY
Vetch"y, a.

1. Consisting of vetches or of pea straw. "A vetchy bed." Spenser.

2. Abounding with vetches.

VETERAN
Vet"er*an, a. Etym: [L. veteranus, from vetus, veteris, old; akin to
Gr. vatsara. See Wether.]

Defn: Long exercised in anything, especially in military life and the duties of a soldier; long practiced or experienced; as, a veteran officer or soldier; veteran skill. The insinuating eloquence and delicate flattery of veteran diplomatists and courtiers. Macaulay.

VETERAN
Vet"er*an, n. Etym: [L. veteranus (sc. miles): cf. F. vétéran.]