Defn: Exercising the will; acting from choice; willing, or having power to will. "What I do, I do volitient, not obedient." Mrs. Browning.
VOLITION Vo*li"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. volo I will, velle to will, be willing. See Voluntary.]
1. The act of willing or choosing; the act of forming a purpose; the exercise of the will. Volition is the actual exercise of the power the mind has to order the consideration of any idea, or the forbearing to consider it. Locke. Volition is an act of the mind, knowingly exerting that dominion it takes itself to have over any part of the man, by employing it in, or withholding it from, any particular action. Locke.
2. The result of an act or exercise of choosing or willing; a state of choice.
3. The power of willing or determining; will.
Syn. — Will; choice; preference; determination; purpose. — Volition, Choice. Choice is the familiar, and volition the scientific, term for the same state of the will; viz., an "elective preference." When we have "made up our minds" (as we say) to a thing, i. e., have a settled state of choice respecting it, that state is called an immanent volition; when we put forth any particular act of choice, that act is called an emanent, or executive, or imperative, volition. When an immanent, or settled state of, choice, is one which controls or governs a series of actions, we call that state a predominant volition; while we give the name of subordinate volitions to those particular acts of choice which carry into effect the object sought for by the governing or "predominant volition." See Will.
VOLITIONALVo*li"tion*al, a.
Defn: Belonging or relating to volition. "The volitional impulse."Bacon.
VOLITIVEVol"i*tive, a. Etym: [See Volition.]
1. Of or pertaining to the will; originating in the will; having the power to will. "They not only perfect the intellectual faculty, but the volitive." Sir M. Hale.
2. (Gram.)
Defn: Used in expressing a wish or permission as, volitive proposition.
VOLKSLIEDVolks"lied, n.; pl. Volkslieder Etym: [G.] (Mus.)
Defn: A popular song, or national air.
VOLKSRAADVolks"raad`, n. [D.]
Defn: A legislative assembly or parliament of any one of several countries colonized by the Dutch, esp. that of the South African Republic, or the Transvaal, and that of the Orange Free State.
VOLLEYVol"ley, n.; pl. Volleys. Etym: [F. volée; flight, a volley, ordischarge of several guns, fr. voler to fly, L. volare. SeeVolatile.]
1. A flight of missiles, as arrows, bullets, or the like; the simultaneous discharge of a number of small arms. Fiery darts in flaming volleys flew. Milton. Each volley tells that thousands cease to breathe. Byron.
2. A burst or emission of many things at once; as, a volley of words. "This volley of oaths." B. Jonson. Rattling nonsense in full volleys breaks. Pope.
3. (a) (Tennis) A return of the ball before it touches the ground. (b) (Cricket) A sending of the ball full to the top of the wicket.
Half volley. (a) (Tennis) A return of the ball immediately after is has touched the ground. (b) (Cricket) A sending of the ball so that after touching the ground it flies towards the top of the wicket. R. A. Proctor. — On the volley, at random. [Obs.] "What we spake on the volley begins work." Massinger. — Volley gun, a gun with several barrels for firing a number of shots simultaneously; a kind of mitrailleuse.
VOLLEYVol"ley, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volleyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Volleying.]
Defn: To discharge with, or as with, a volley.
VOLLEYVol"ley, v. i.
1. To be thrown out, or discharged, at once; to be discharged in a volley, or as if in a volley; to make a volley or volleys. Tennyson.
2. (a) (Tennis) To return the ball before it touches the ground. (b) (Cricket) To send the ball full to the top of the wicket. R. A. Proctor.
VOLLEY BALLVol"ley ball.
Defn: A game played by volleying a large inflated ball with the hands over a net 7 ft. 6 in. high.
VOLLEYEDVol"leyed, a.
Defn: Discharged with a sudden burst, or as if in a volley; as, volleyed thunder.
VOLOSTVo"lost, n. [Russ. volost'.]
Defn: In the greater part of Russia, a division for local government consisting of a group of mirs, or village communities; a canton.
VOLOW Vol"ow, v. t. Etym: [From the answer, Volo I will, in the baptismal service. Richardson (Dict.).]
Defn: To baptize; — used in contempt by the Reformers. [Obs.]Tyndale.
VOLPLANE Vol"plane`, v. i. [F. vol plané act of volplaning; vol flight + plané, p.p.; cf. planer to hover.] (Aëronautics)
Defn: To glide in a flying machine.
VOLTVolt, n. Etym: [F. volte; cf. It. volta. See Vault.]
1. (Man.)
Defn: A circular tread; a gait by which a horse going sideways round a center makes two concentric tracks.
2. (Fencing)
Defn: A sudden movement to avoid a thrust.
VOLTVolt, n. Etym: [After Alessandro Volta, the Italian electrician.](Elec.)
Defn: The unit of electro-motive force; — defined by the International Electrical Congress in 1893 and by United States Statute as, that electro-motive force which steadily applied to a conductor whose resistance is one ohm will produce a current of one ampère. It is practically equivalent to
VOLTAVol"ta, n.; pl. Volte. Etym: [It. volta a turn, turning, a time. SeeVolt a tread.] (Mus.)
Defn: A turning; a time; — chiefly used in phrases signifying that the part is to be repeated one, two, or more times; as, una volta, once. Seconda volta, second time, points to certain modifications in the close of a repeated strain.
VOLTA-ELECTRICVol"ta-e*lec"tric, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to voltaic electricity, or voltaism.
VOLTA-ELECTROMETERVol`ta-e`lec*trom"e*ter, n.
Defn: An instrument for the exact measurement of electric currents.
VOLTAGEVol"tage, n. (Elec.)
Defn: Electric potential or potential difference, expressed in volts.
VOLTAGRAPHYVol*tag"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Voltaic + -graphy.]
Defn: In electrotypy, the act or art of copying, in metals deposited by electrolytic action, a form or pattern which is made the negative electrode. [R.]
VOLTAICVol*ta"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. voltaïque, It. voltaico.]
1. Of or pertaining to Alessandro Volta, who first devised apparatus for developing electric currents by chemical action, and established this branch of electric science; discovered by Volta; as, voltaic electricity.
2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as, voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.
Note: See the Note under Galvanism. Voltaic arc, a luminous arc, of intense brilliancy, formed between carbon points as electrodes by the passage of a powerful voltaic current. — Voltaic battery, an apparatus variously constructed, consisting of a series of plates or pieces of dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, arranged in pairs, and subjected to the action of a saline or acid solution, by which a current of electricity is generated whenever the two poles, or ends of the series, are connected by a conductor; a galvanic battery. See Battery, 4. (b), and Note. — Voltaic circuit. See under Circuit. — Voltaic couple or element, a single pair of the connected plates of a battery. — Voltaic electricity. See the Note under Electricity. — Voltaic pile, a kind of voltaic battery consisting of alternate disks of dissimilar metals, separated by moistened cloth or paper. See 5th Pile. — Voltaic protection of metals, the protection of a metal exposed to the corrosive action of sea water, saline or acid liquids, or the like, by associating it with a metal which is positive to it, as when iron is galvanized, or coated with zinc.
VOLTAIREANVol*tair"e*an, a. Etym: [Cf. F. voltairien.]
Defn: Of or relating to Voltaire, the French author. J. Morley.
VOLTAIRISMVol*tair"ism, n.
Defn: The theories or practice of Voltaire. J. Morley.
VOLTAISMVol"ta*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. voltaïsme.] (Physics)
Defn: That form of electricity which is developed by the chemical action between metals and different liquids; voltaic electricity; also, the science which treats of this form of electricity; — called also galvanism, from Galvani, on account of his experiments showing the remarkable influence of this agent on animals.
VOLTAMETERVol*tam"e*ter, n. Etym: [Voltaic + -meter.] (Physics)
Defn: An instrument for measuring the voltaic electricity passing through it, by its effect in decomposing water or some other chemical compound acting as an electrolyte.
VOLTAMMETERVolt*am"me`ter, n.
Defn: A wattmeter.
VOLT AMPEREVolt ampère. (Elec.)
Defn: A unit of electric measurement equal to the product of a volt and an ampere. For direct current it is a measure of power and is the same as a watt; for alternating current it is a measure of apparent power.
VOLTAPLASTVol"ta*plast, n. Etym: [Voltaic + Gr.
Defn: A form of voltaic, or galvanic, battery suitable for use electrotyping. G. Francis.
VOLTATYPEVol"ta*type, n. Etym: [Voltaic + type.]
Defn: An electrotype. [R.]
VOLTI Vol"ti, imperative. Etym: [It., fr. voltare to turn. See Volt a tread.] (Mus.)
Defn: Turn, that is, turn over the leaf. Volti subito Etym: [It.](Mus.), turn over quickly.
VOLTIGEURVol`ti*geur, n. Etym: [F., fr. voltiger to vault, It. volteggiare.See Volt a tread.]
1. A tumbler; a leaper or vaulter.
2. (Mil.)
Defn: One of a picked company of irregular riflemen in each regiment of the French infantry.
VOLTMETERVolt"me`ter, n. Etym: [2d volt + -meter.] (elec.)
Defn: An instrument for measuring in volts the differences of potential between different points of an electrical circuit.
VOLTZITEVoltz"ite, n. Etym: [So named in honor of Voltz, a French engineer.](Min.)
Defn: An oxysulphide of lead occurring in implanted spherical globules of a yellowish or brownish color; — called also voltzine.
VOLUBILATE; VOLUBILEVo*lu"bi*late, Vol"u*bile}, a. Etym: [See Voluble.]
Defn: Turning, or whirling; winding; twining; voluble.
VOLUBILITYVol`u*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. volubilitas: cf. F. volubilité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being voluble (in any of the senses of the adjective).
VOLUBLE Vol"u*ble, a. Etym: [L. volubilis, fr. volvere, volutum, to roll, to turn round; akin to Gr. welle a wave: cf. F. voluble. Cf. F. Well of water, Convolvulus, Devolve, Involve, Revolt, Vault an arch, Volume, Volute.]
1. Easily rolling or turning; easily set in motion; apt to roll; rotating; as, voluble particles of matter.
2. Moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; of rapid speech; nimble in speaking; glib; as, a flippant, voluble, tongue. [Cassio,] a knave very voluble. Shak.
Note: Voluble was used formerly to indicate readiness of speech merely, without any derogatory suggestion. "A grave and voluble eloquence." Bp. Hacket.
3. Changeable; unstable; fickle. [Obs.]
4. (Bot.)
Defn: Having the power or habit of turning or twining; as, the voluble stem of hop plants. Voluble stem (Bot.), a stem that climbs by winding, or twining, round another body. — Vol"u*ble*ness, n. — Vol"u*bly, adv.
1. A roll; a scroll; a written document rolled up for keeping or for use, after the manner of the ancients. [Obs.] The papyrus, and afterward the parchment, was joined together [by the ancients] to form one sheet, and then rolled upon a staff into a volume (volumen). Encyc. Brit.
2. Hence, a collection of printed sheets bound together, whether containing a single work, or a part of a work, or more than one work; a book; a tome; especially, that part of an extended work which is bound up together in one cover; as, a work in four volumes. An odd volume of a set of books bears not the value of its proportion to the set. Franklin.
4. Anything of a rounded or swelling form resembling a roll; a turn;a convolution; a coil.So glides some trodden serpent on the grass, And long behind woundedvolume trails. Dryden.Undulating billows rolling their silver volumes. W. Irving.
4. Dimensions; compass; space occupied, as measured by cubic units, that is, cubic inches, feet, yards, etc.; mass; bulk; as, the volume of an elephant's body; a volume of gas.
5. (Mus.)
Defn: Amount, fullness, quantity, or caliber of voice or tone. Atomic volume, Molecular volume (Chem.), the ratio of the atomic and molecular weights divided respectively by the specific gravity of the substance in question. — Specific volume (Physics & Chem.), the quotient obtained by dividing unity by the specific gravity; the reciprocal of the specific gravity. It is equal (when the specific gravity is referred to water at 4º C. as a standard) to the number of cubic centimeters occupied by one gram of the substance.
VOLUMEDVol"umed, a.
1. Having the form of a volume, or roil; as, volumed mist. The distant torrent's rushing sound Tells where the volumed cataract doth roll. Byron.
2. Having volume, or bulk; massive; great.
VOLUMENOMETERVol`u*me*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. volumen volume + -meter.] (Physics)
Defn: An instrument for measuring the volume of a body, especially a solid, by means of the difference in tension caused by its presence and absence in a confined portion of air.
VOLUMENOMETRYVol`u*me*nom"e*try, n. (Chem. & Physics)
Defn: The method or process of measuring volumes by means of the volumenometer.
VOLUMESCOPEVol*u"me*scope, n. Etym: [Volume + -scope.] (Physics)
Defn: An instrument consisting essentially of a glass tube provided with a graduated scale, for exhibiting to the eye the changes of volume of a gas or gaseous mixture resulting from chemical action, and the like.
VOLUMESCOPEVo*lu"me*scope, n. [Volume + -scope.] (Physics)
Defn: An instrument consisting essentially of a glass tube provided with a graduated scale, for exhibiting to the eye the changes of volume of a gas or gaseous mixture resulting from chemical action, etc.
VOLUMETERVol*u"me*ter, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volumètre. See Volumetric.] (Physics)
Defn: An instrument for measuring the volumes of gases or liquids by introducing them into a vessel of known capacity.
VOLUMETRICVol`u*met"ric, a. Etym: [Volume + -metric.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the measurement of volume. Volumetric analysis (Chem.), that system of the quantitative analysis of solutions which employs definite volumes of standardized solutions of reagents, as measured by burettes, pipettes, etc.; also, the analysis of gases by volume, as by the eudiometer.
VOLUMETRICALVol`u*met"ric*al, a.
Defn: Volumetric.— Vol`u*met"ric*al*ly, adv.
VOLUMINOUSVo*lu"mi*nous, a. Etym: [L. voluminosus: cf. F. volumineux.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to volume or volumes. Specifically: — (a) Consisting of many folds, coils, or convolutions. But ended foul in many a scaly fold, Voluminous and vast. Milton. Over which dusky draperies are hanging, and voluminous curtains have long since fallen. De Quincey.
(b) Of great volume, or bulk; large. B. Jonson. (c) Consisting of many volumes or books; as, the collections of Muratori are voluminous. (d) Having written much, or produced many volumes; copious; diffuse; as, a voluminous writer. — Vo*lu"mi*nous*ly, adv. — Vo*lu"mi*nous*ness, n.
VOLUMISTVol"u*mist, n.
Defn: One who writes a volume; an author. [Obs.] Milton.
VOLUNTARILYVol"un*ta*ri*ly, adv.
Defn: In a voluntary manner; of one's own will; spontaneously.
VOLUNTARINESSVol"un*ta*ri*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being voluntary; spontaneousness; specifically, the quality or state of being free in the exercise of one's will.
VOLUNTARISMVol"un*ta*rism, n.
Defn: Any theory which conceives will to be the dominant factor in experience or in the constitution of the world; — contrasted with intellectualism. Schopenhauer and Fichte are typical exponents of the two types of metaphysical voluntarism, Schopenhauer teaching that the evolution of the universe is the activity of a blind and irrational will, Fichte holding that the intelligent activity of the ego is the fundamental fact of reality.
VOLUNTARYVol"un*ta*ry, a. Etym: [L. voluntarius, fr. voluntas will, choice,from the root of velle to will, p. pr. volens; akin to E. will: cf.F. volontaire, Of. also voluntaire. See Will, v. t., and cf.Benevolent, Volition, Volunteer.]
1. Proceeding from the will; produced in or by an act of choice. That sin or guilt pertains exclusively to voluntary action is the true principle of orthodoxy. N. W. Taylor.
2. Unconstrained by the interference of another; unimpelled by the influence of another; not prompted or persuaded by another; done of his or its own accord; spontaneous; acting of one's self, or of itself; free. Our voluntary service he requires. Milton. She fell to lust a voluntary prey. Pope.
3. Done by design or intention; intentional; purposed; intended; not accidental; as, if a man kills another by lopping a tree, it is not voluntary manslaughter.
4. (Physiol.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the will; subject to, or regulated by, the will; as, the voluntary motions of an animal, such as the movements of the leg or arm (in distinction from involuntary motions, such as the movements of the heart); the voluntary muscle fibers, which are the agents in voluntary motion.
5. Endowed with the power of willing; as, man is a voluntary agent. God did not work as a necessary, but a voluntary, agent, intending beforehand, and decreeing with himself, that which did outwardly proceed from him. Hooker.
6. (Law)
Defn: Free; without compulsion; according to the will, consent, or agreement, of a party; without consideration; gratuitous; without valuable consideration.
7. (Eccl.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to voluntaryism; as, a voluntary church, in distinction from an established or state church. Voluntary affidavit or oath (Law), an affidavit or oath made in extrajudicial matter. — Voluntary conveyance (Law), a conveyance without valuable consideration. — Voluntary escape (Law), the escape of a prisoner by the express consent of the sheriff. — Voluntary jurisdiction. (Eng. Eccl. Law) See Contentious jurisdiction, under Contentious. — Voluntary waste. (Law) See Waste, n., 4.
Syn.— See Spontaneous.
VOLUNTARYVol"un*ta*ry, n.; pl. Voluntaries (.
1. One who engages in any affair of his own free will; a volunteer. [R.] Shak.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A piece played by a musician, often extemporarily, according to his fancy; specifically, an organ solo played before, during, or after divine service.
3. (Eccl.)
Defn: One who advocates voluntaryism.
VOLUNTARYISMVol"un*ta*ry*ism, n. (Eccl.)
Defn: The principle of supporting a religious system and its institutions by voluntary association and effort, rather than by the aid or patronage of the state.
VOLUNTEERVol`un*teer", n. Etym: [F. volontaire. See Voluntary, a.]
1. One who enters into, or offers for, any service of his own free will.
2. (Mil.)
Defn: One who enters into service voluntarily, but who, when in service, is subject to discipline and regulations like other soldiers; — opposed to conscript; specifically, a voluntary member of the organized militia of a country as distinguished from the standing army.
3. (Law)
Defn: A grantee in a voluntary conveyance; one to whom a conveyance is made without valuable consideration; a party, other than a wife or child of the grantor, to whom, or for whose benefit, a voluntary conveyance is made. Burrill.
VOLUNTEERVol`un*teer", a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a volunteer or volunteers; consisting of volunteers; voluntary; as, volunteer companies; volunteer advice.
VOLUNTEERVol`un*teer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volunteered; p. pr. & vb. n.Volunteering.]
Defn: To offer or bestow voluntarily, or without solicitation or compulsion; as, to volunteer one's services.
VOLUNTEERVol`un*teer", v. i.
Defn: To enter into, or offer for, any service of one's own free will, without solicitation or compulsion; as, he volunteered in that undertaking.
VOLUNTEER NAVYVol`un*teer" na"vy.
Defn: A navy of vessels fitted out and manned by volunteers who sail under the flag of the regular navy and subject to naval discipline. Prussia in 1870, in the Franco-German war, organized such a navy, which was commanded by merchant seamen with temporary commissions, with the claim (in which England acquiesced) that it did not come within the meaning of the term privateer.
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICAVol`un*teers" of America.
Defn: A religious and philanthropic organization, similar to theSalvation Army, founded (1896) by Commander and Mrs. BallingtonBooth.
VOLUNTEER STATEVolunteer State.
Defn: Tennessee; — a nickname.
VOLUPEREVol"u*pere, n. Etym: [Cf. Envelop.]
Defn: A woman's cap. [Obs.] Chaucer.
VOLUPTUARY Vo*lup"tu*a*ry, n.; pl. Voluptuaries. Etym: [L. voluptuarius or voluptarius, fr. voluptas pleasure.]
Defn: A voluptuous person; one who makes his physical enjoyment hischief care; one addicted to luxury, and the gratification of sensualappetites.A good-humored, but hard-hearted, voluptuary. Sir W. Scott.
Syn.— Sensualist; epicure.
VOLUPTUARYVo*lup"tu*a*ry, a.
Defn: Voluptuous; luxurious.
VOLUPTUOUS Vo*lup"tu*ous, a. Etym: [F. voluptueux, L. voluptuosus, fr. voluptas pleasure, volup agreeably, delightfully; probably akin to Gr. velle to wish. See Voluntary.]
1. Full of delight or pleasure, especially that of the senses; ministering to sensuous or sensual gratification; exciting sensual desires; luxurious; sensual. Music arose with its voluptuous swell. Byron. Sink back into your voluptuous repose. De Quincey.
2. Given to the enjoyments of luxury and pleasure; indulging to excess in sensual gratifications. "The jolly and voluptuous livers." Atterbury. Softened with pleasure and voluptuous life. Milton. — Vo*lup"tu*ous*ly, adv. — , n.
VOLUPTYVo*lup"ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volupté pleasure. See Voluptuous.]
Defn: Voluptuousness. [Obs.]
VOLUTAVo*lu"ta, n.; pl. E. Volutas, L. Volutæ. Etym: [L., a spiral scroll.See Volute.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of large, handsome marine gastropods belonging to Voluta and allied genera.
VOLUTATION Vol`u*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. volutatio, from volutare to roll, wallow, verb freq. volvere, volutum, to roll.]
Defn: A rolling of a body; a wallowing. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
VOLUTE Vo*lute", n. Etym: [F. volute (cf. It. voluta), L. voluta, from volvere, volutum, to roll. See Voluble.]
1. (Arch.)
Defn: A spiral scroll which forms the chief feature of the Ioniccapital, and which, on a much smaller scale, is a feature in theCorinthian and Composite capitals. See Illust. of Capital, alsoHelix, and Stale.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A spiral turn, as in certain shells.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any voluta. Volute spiring, a spring formed of a spiral scroll of plate, rod, or wire, extended or extensible in the direction of the axis of the coil, in which direction its elastic force is exerted and employed.
VOLUTEDVo*lut"ed, a.
Defn: Having a volute, or spiral scroll.
VOLUTIONVo*lu"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. volutio an arch, vault.]
1. A spiral turn or wreath.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A whorl of a spiral shell.
VOLVAVol"va, n. Etym: [L. volva, vulva, covering.] (Bot.)
Defn: A saclike envelope of certain fungi, which bursts open as the plant develops.
VOLVOXVol"vox, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one fiftieth of an inch in diameter, found rolling through water, the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but is now referred to the vegetable kingdom, and each globule is considered a colony of many individuals. The commonest species is Volvox globator, often called globe animalcule.
VOLVULUS Vol"vu*lus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. volvere to turn about, to roll.] (Med.) (a) The spasmodic contraction of the intestines which causes colic. (b) Any twisting or displacement of the intestines causing obstruction; ileus. See Ileus.
VOLYERVol"yer, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A lurcher. [Prov. Eng.]
VOMER Vo"mer, n. Etym: [L., a plowshare.] (Anat.) (a) A bone, or one of a pair of bones, beneath the ethmoid region of the skull, forming a part a part of the partition between the nostrils in man and other mammals. (b) The pygostyle.
VOMERINEVo"mer*ine, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the vomer.
VOMICA Vom"i*ca, n. Etym: [L., fr. vomere to throw up, vomit.] (Med.) (a) An abscess cavity in the lungs. (b) An abscess in any other parenchymatous organ.
VOMICINEVom"i*cine, n. Etym: [From nux vomica.] (Chem.)
Defn: See Brucine.
VOMIC NUTVom"ic nut`. Etym: [Cf. F. noix vomique.]
Defn: Same as Nux vomica.
VOMITVom"it, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Vomited; p. pr. & vb. n. Vomiting.] Etym:[Cf. L. vomere, vomitum, and v. freq. vomitare. See Vomit, n.]
Defn: To eject the contents of the stomach by the mouth; to puke; to spew.
VOMITVom"it, v. t.
1. To throw up; to eject from the stomach through the mouth; to disgorge; to puke; to spew out; — often followed by up or out. The fish . . . vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Jonah ii. 10.
2. Hence, to eject from any hollow place; to belch forth; to emit; to throw forth; as, volcanoes vomit flame, stones, etc. Like the sons of Vulcan, vomit smoke. Milton.
VOMITVom"it, n. Etym: [L. vomitus, from vomere, vomitum, to vomit; akin toGr. vam, Lith. vemiti. Cf. Emetic, Vomito.]
1. Matter that is vomited; esp., matter ejected from the stomach through the mouth. Like vomit from his yawning entrails poured. Sandys.
2. (Med.)
Defn: That which excites vomiting; an emetic.He gives your Hollander a vomit. Shak.Black vomit. (Med.) See in the Vocabulary.— Vomit nut, nux vomica.
VOMITINGVom"it*ing, n.
Defn: The spasmodic ejection of matter from the stomach through the mouth.
VOMITIONVo*mi"tion, n. Etym: [L. vomitio.]
Defn: The act or power of vomiting. Grew.
VOMITIVEVom"i*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vomitif.]
Defn: Causing the ejection of matter from the stomach; emetic.
VOMITOVo*mi"to, n. Etym: [Sp. vómito, fr. L. vomitus. See Vomit, n.] (Med.)
Defn: The yellow fever in its worst form, when it is usually attended with black vomit. See Black vomit.
VOMITORYVom"i*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. vomitorious.]
Defn: Causing vomiting; emetic; vomitive.
VOMITORYVom"i*to*ry, n.; pl. Vomitories (.
1. An emetic; a vomit. Harvey.
2. Etym: [L. vomitorium.] (Arch.)
Defn: A principal door of a large ancient building, as of anamphitheater.Sixty-four vomitories . . . poured forth the immense multitude.Gibbon.
VOMITURITION Vom`i*tu*ri"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vomiturition.] (Med.) (a) An ineffectual attempt to vomit. (b) The vomiting of but little matter; also, that vomiting which is effected with little effort. Dunglison.
VONDSIRAVond*si"ra, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Vansire.
VOODOOVoo"doo, n.
1. See Voodooism.
2. One who practices voodooism; a negro sorcerer.
VOODOOVoo"doo, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to voodooism, or a voodoo; as, voodoo incantations.
VOODOOISM Voo"doo*ism, n. Etym: [Probably (through Creole French vaudoux a negro sorcerer) fr. F. Vaudois Waldensian, because the Waldenses were accused of sorcery.]
Defn: A degraded form of superstition and sorcery, said to include human sacrifices and cannibalism in some of its rites. It is prevalent among the negroes of Hayti, and to some extent in the United States, and is regarded as a relic of African barbarism.
VOORTREKERVoor"trek`er, n. [D. (in South Africa).]
Defn: One who treks before or first; a pioneer. [South Africa]
VORACIOUSVo*ra"cious, a. Etym: [L. vorax, -acis, fr. vorare to devour; akin toGr. gar. Cf. Devour.]
Defn: Greedy in eating; very hungry; eager to devour or swallow; ravenous; gluttonous; edacious; rapacious; as, a voracious man or appetite; a voracious gulf or whirlpool. Dampier. — Vo*ra"cious*ly, adv. — Vo*ra"cious*ness, n.
VORACITYVo*rac"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. voracitas: cf. F. voracité.]
Defn: The quality of being voracious; voraciousness.
VORAGINOUS Vo*rag"i*nous, a. Etym: [L. voraginosus, fr. vorago an abyss, fr. vorare to swallow up.]
Defn: Pertaining to a gulf; full of gulfs; hence, devouring. [R.]Mallet.
VORTEX Vor"tex, n.; pl. E. Vortexes, L. Vortices. Etym: [L. vortex, vertex, -icis, fr. vortere, vertere, to turn. See Vertex.]
1. A mass of fluid, especially of a liquid, having a whirling or circular motion tending to form a cavity or vacuum in the center of the circle, and to draw in towards the center bodies subject to its action; the form assumed by a fluid in such motion; a whirlpool; an eddy.
2. (Cartesian System)
Defn: A supposed collection of particles of very subtile matter, endowed with a rapid rotary motion around an axis which was also the axis of a sun or a planet. Descartes attempted to account for the formation of the universe, and the movements of the bodies composing it, by a theory of vortices.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of small Turbellaria belonging to Vortex and allied genera. See Illustration in Appendix. Vortex atom (Chem.), a hypothetical ring-shaped mass of elementary matter in continuous vortical motion. It is conveniently regarded in certain mathematical speculations as the typical form and structure of the chemical atom. — Vortex wheel, a kind of turbine.
VORTEX FILAMENTVor"tex fil"a*ment.
Defn: A vortex tube of infinitesimal cross section.
VORTEX FRINGEVor"tex fringe.
Defn: The region immediately surrounding a disk moving flatwise through air; — so called because the air has a cyclic motion as in vortex ring.
VORTEX LINEVortex line.
Defn: A line, within a rotating fluid, whose tangent at every point is the instantaneous axis of rotation as that point of the fluid.
VORTEX RINGVortex ring. (Physics)
Defn: A ring-shaped mass of moving fluid which, by virtue of its motion of rotation around an axis disposed in circular form, attains a more or less distinct separation from the surrounding medium and has many of the properties of a solid.
VORTEX THEORYVortex theory. (Chem. & Physics)
Defn: The theory, advanced by Thomson (Lord Kelvin) on the basis of investigation by Helmholtz, that the atoms are vortically moving ring-shaped masses (or masses of other forms having a similar internal motion) of a homogeneous, incompressible, frictionless fluid. Various properties of such atoms (vortex atoms) can be mathematically deduced.
VORTEX TUBEVortex tube. (Physics)
Defn: An imaginary tube within a rotating fluid, formed by drawing the vortex lines through all points of a closed curve.
VORTICALVor"ti*cal, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a vortex or vortexes; resembling a vortex in form or motion; whirling; as, a vortical motion. — Vor"ti*cal*ly, adv.
VORTICELVor"ti*cel, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vorticelle. See Vortex.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A vorticella.
VORTICELLA Vor`ti*cel"la, n.; pl. E. Vorticellas (, L. Vorticellæ (. Etym: [NL., dim. fr. L. vortex. See Vortex.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of ciliated Infusoria belonging to Vorticella and many other genera of the family Vorticellidæ. They have a more or less bell-shaped body with a circle of vibrating cilia around the oral disk. Most of the species have slender, contractile stems, either simple or branched.
VORTICOSEVor"ti*cose`, a. Etym: [L. vorticosus.]
Defn: Vortical; whirling; as, a vorticose motion.
VORTIGINOUSVor*tig"i*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. Vertiginous.]
Defn: Moving rapidly round a center; vortical. [R.] Cowper.
VOTARESSVo"ta*ress, n. Etym: [See Votary, n.]
Defn: A woman who is a votary. Shak.
VOTARISTVo"ta*rist, n. Etym: [See Votary.]
Defn: A votary.Like a sad votarist in palmer's weed. Milton.
VOTARYVo"ta*ry, a. Etym: [From L. votus, p. p. vovere to vow, to devote.See Vote, Vow.]
Defn: Consecrated by a vow or promise; consequent on a vow; devoted;promised.Votary resolution is made equipollent to custom. Bacon.
VOTARYVo"ta*ry, n.; pl. Votaries (.
Defn: One devoted, consecrated, or engaged by a vow or promise; hence, especially, one devoted, given, or addicted, to some particular service, worship, study, or state of life. "You are already love's firm votary." Shak. 'T was coldness of the votary, not the prayer, that was in fault. Bp. Fell. But thou, my votary, weepest thou Emerson.
VOTE Vote, n. Etym: [L. votum a vow, wish, will, fr. vovere, votum, to vow: cf. F. vote. See Vow.]
1. An ardent wish or desire; a vow; a prayer. [Obs.] Massinger.
2. A wish, choice, or opinion, of a person or a body of persons, expressed in some received and authorized way; the expression of a wish, desire, will, preference, or choice, in regard to any measure proposed, in which the person voting has an interest in common with others, either in electing a person to office, or in passing laws, rules, regulations, etc.; suffrage.
3. That by means of which will or preference is expressed in elections, or in deciding propositions; voice; a ballot; a ticket; as, a written vote. The freeman casting with unpurchased hand The vote that shakes the turrets of the land. Holmes.
4. Expression of judgment or will by a majority; legal decision by some expression of the minds of a number; as, the vote was unanimous; a vote of confidence.
5. Votes, collectively; as, the Tory vote; the labor vote. Casting vote, Cumulative vote, etc. See under Casting, Cumulative, etc.
VOTEVote, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Voted; p. pr. & vb. n. Voting.] Etym: [Cf.F. voter.]
Defn: To express or signify the mind, will, or preference, either viva voce, or by ballot, or by other authorized means, as in electing persons to office, in passing laws, regulations, etc., or in deciding on any proposition in which one has an interest with others. The vote for a duelist is to assist in the prostration of justice, and, indirectly, to encourage the crime. L. Beecher. To vote on large principles, to vote honestly, requires a great amount of information. F. W. Robertson.
VOTEVote, v. t.
1. To choose by suffrage; to elecas, to vote a candidate into office.
2. To enact, establish, grant, determine, etc., by a formal vote; as, the legislature voted the resolution. Parliament voted them one hundred thousand pounds. Swift.
3. To declare by general opinion or common consent, as if by a vote; as, he was voted a bore. [Colloq.]
4. To condemn; to devote; to doom. [Obs.] Glanvill.
VOTERVot"er, n.
Defn: One who votes; one who has a legal right to vote, or give his suffrage; an elector; a suffragist; as, as, an independent voter.
VOTINGVot"ing,
Defn: a. & n. from Vote, v. Voting paper, a form of ballot containing the names of more candidates than there are offices to be filled, the voter making a mark against the preferred names. [Eng.]
VOTISTVot"ist, n.
Defn: One who makes a vow. [Obs.] Chapman.
VOTIVEVo"tive, a. Etym: [L. votivus, fr. votum a vow: cf. F. votif. SeeVow.]
Defn: Given by vow, or in fulfillment of a vow; consecrated by a vow;devoted; as, votive offerings; a votive tablet. "Votive incense."Keble.We reached a votive stone, that bears the name Of Aloys Reding.Wordsworth.Embellishments of flowers and votive garlands. Motley.Votive medal, a medal struck in grateful commemoration of someauspicious event.— Votive offering, an offering in fulfillment of a religious vow,as of one's person or property.— Vo"tive*ly, adv.— Vo"tive*ness, n.
VOTRESSVo"tress, n.
Defn: A votaress. Dryden.
VOUCHVouch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vouched; p. pr. & vb. n. Vouching.] Etym:[OE. vouchen, OF. vochier to call, fr. L. vocare to call, fr. vox,vocis, voice. See Voice, and cf. Avouch.]
1. To call; to summon. [Obs.] [They] vouch (as I might say) to their aid the authority of the writers. Sir T. Elyot.
2. To call upon to witness; to obtest. Vouch the silent stars and conscious moon. Dryden.
3. To warrant; to maintain by affirmations; to attest; to affirm; to avouch. They made him ashamed to vouch the truth of the relation, and afterwards to credit it. Atterbury.
4. To back; to support; to confirm; to establish. Me damp horror chilled At such bold words vouched with a deed so bold. Milton.
5. (Law)
Defn: To call into court to warrant and defend, or to make good awarranty of title.He vouches the tenant in tail, who vouches over the common vouchee.Blackstone.
Syn. — To obtest; declare; affirm; attest; warrant; confirm; asseverate; aver; protest; assure.
VOUCHVouch, v. i.
1. To bear witness; to give testimony or full attestation. He will not believe her until the elector of Hanover shall vouch for the truth of what she has . . . affirmed. Swift.
2. To assert; to aver; to declare. Shak.
VOUCHVouch, n.
Defn: Warrant; attestation. [Obs.]The vouch of very malice itself. Shak.
VOUCHEEVouch*ee", n. (Law)
Defn: The person who is vouched, or called into court to support or make good his warranty of title in the process of common recovery. Blackstone.
VOUCHERVouch"er, n.
1. One who vouches, or gives witness or full attestation, to anything. Will his vouchers vouch him no more Shak. The great writers of that age stand up together as vouchers for one another's reputation. Spectator.
2. A book, paper, or document which serves to vouch the truth of accounts, or to confirm and establish facts of any kind; also, any acquittance or receipt showing the payment of a debt; as, the merchant's books are his vouchers for the correctness of his accounts; notes, bonds, receipts, and other writings, are used as vouchers in proving facts.
3. (Law) (a) The act of calling in a person to make good his warranty of title in the old form of action for the recovery of lands. (b) The tenant in a writ of right; one who calls in another to establish his warranty of title. In common recoveries, there may be a single voucher or double vouchers. Blackstone.
VOUCHMENTVouch"ment, n.
Defn: A solemn assertion. [R.]
VOUCHORVouchor, n. (Law)
Defn: Same as Voucher, 3 (b).
VOUCHSAFEVouch*safe", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vouchsafed; p. pr. & vb. n.Vouchsafing.] Etym: [Vouch + safe, that is, to vouch or answer forsafety.]
1. To condescend to grant; to concede; to bestow. If ye vouchsafe that it be so. Chaucer. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two Shak. It is not said by the apostle that God vouchsafed to the heathens the means of salvation. South.
2. To receive or accept in condescension. [Obs.] Shak.
VOUCHSAFEVouch*safe", v. i.
Defn: To condescend; to deign; to yield; to descend or stoop.Chaucer.Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Bk. of Com.Prayer.Vouchsafe, illustrious Ormond, to behold What power the charms ofbeauty had of old. Dryden.
VOUCHSAFEMENTVouch*safe"ment, n.
Defn: The act of vouchsafing, or that which is vouchsafed; a gift or grant in condescension. Glanvill.
VOUSSOIRVous`soir", n. Etym: [F., akin to voûte an arch, a vault.] (Arch.)
Defn: One of the wedgelike stones of which an arch is composed.
VOW Vow, n. Etym: [OE. vou, OF. vou, veu, vo, vu, F. v, from L. votum, from vovere, to vow. Cf. Avow, Devout, Vote.]
1. A solemn promise made to God, or to some deity; an act by which one consecrates or devotes himself, absolutely or conditionally, wholly or in part, for a longer or shorter time, to some act, service, or condition; a devotion of one's possessions; as, a baptismal vow; a vow of poverty. "Nothing . . . that may . . . stain my vow of Nazarite." Milton. I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow. 2 Sam. xv. 7. I am combined by a sacred vow. Shak.
2. Specifically, a promise of fidelity; a pledge of love or affection; as, the marriage vow. Knights of love, who never broke their vow; Firm to their plighted faith. Dryden.
VOW Vow, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Vowing.] Etym: [OE. vouen, OF. vouer, voer, F. vouer, LL. votare. See Vow, n.]
1. To give, consecrate, or dedicate to God, or to some deity, by a solemn promise; to devote; to promise solemnly. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it." Eccl. v. 4. [Men] that vow a long and weary pilgrimage. Shak.
2. To assert solemnly; to asseverate.
VOWVow, v. i.
Defn: To make a vow, or solemn promise. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Eccl. v. 5.
VOWEL Vow"el, n. Etym: [F. voyelle, or an OF. form without y, L. vocalis (sc. littera), from vocalis sounding, from vox, vocis, a voice, sound. See Vocal.] (Phon.)
Defn: A vocal, or sometimes a whispered, sound modified by resonance in the oral passage, the peculiar resonance in each case giving to each several vowel its distinctive character or quality as a sound of speech; — distinguished from a consonant in that the latter, whether made with or without vocality, derives its character in every case from some kind of obstructive action by the mouth organs. Also, a letter or character which represents such a sound. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 5, 146-149.
Note: In the English language, the written vowels are a, e, i, o, u,and sometimes w and y. The spoken vowels are much more numerous.Close vowel. See under Close, a.— Vowel point. See under Point, n.
VOWELVow"el, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a vowel; vocal.
VOWELEDVow"eled, a.
Defn: Furnished with vowels. [Written also vowelled.] Dryden.
VOWELISHVow"el*ish, a.
Defn: Of the nature of a vowel. [R.] "The power [of w] is always vowelish." B. Jonson.
VOWELISMVow"el*ism, n.
Defn: The use of vowels. [R.]
VOWELIZEVow"el*ize, v. t.
Defn: To give the quality, sound, or office of a vowel to.
VOWERVow"er, n.
Defn: One who makes a vow. Bale.
VOW-FELLOWVow"-fel`low, n.
Defn: One bound by the same vow as another. [R.] Shak.
VOXVox, n. Etym: [L. See Voice.]
Defn: A voice. Vox humana ( Etym: [L., human voice] (Mus.), a reed stop in an organ, made to imitate the human voice.
VOX ANGELICAVox` an*gel"i*ca. [L. angelica angelic.] (Music)
Defn: An organ stop of delicate stringlike quality, having for each finger key a pair of pipes, of which one is tuned slightly sharp to give a wavy effect to their joint tone.
VOYAGE Voy"age (; 48), n. Etym: [OE. veage, viage, OF. veage, viage, veiage, voiage, F. voyage, LL. viaticum, fr. L. viaticum traveling money, provision for a journey, from viaticus belonging to a road or journey, fr. via way, akin to E. way. See Way, n., and cf. Convey, Deviate, Devious, Envoy, Trivial, Viaduct, Viaticum.]
1. Formerly, a passage either by sea or land; a journey, in general; but not chiefly limited to a passing by sea or water from one place, port, or country, to another; especially, a passing or journey by water to a distant place or country. I love a sea voyage and a blustering tempest. J. Fletcher. So steers the prudent crane Her annual voyage, borne on winds. Milton. All the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. Shak.
2. The act or practice of traveling. [Obs.] Nations have interknowledge of one another by voyage into foreign parts, or strangers that come to them. Bacon.
3. Course; way. [Obs.] Shak.
VOYAGEVoy"age, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Voyaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Voyaging.]Etym: [Cf. F. voyager.]
Defn: To take a voyage; especially, to sail or pass by water.A mind forever Voyaging through strange seas of thought alone.Wordsworth.
VOYAGEVoy"age, v. t.
Defn: To travel; to pass over; to traverse.With what pain [I] voyaged the unreal, vast, unbounded deep. Milton.
VOYAGEABLEVoy"age*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. voyageable.]
Defn: That may be sailed over, as water or air; navigable.
VOYAGERVoy"a*ger, n. Etym: [Cf. F. voyager traveling.]
Defn: One who voyages; one who sails or passes by sea or water.
VOYAGEURVoy`a`geur", n. Etym: [F., fr. voyager to travel. See Voyage.]
Defn: A traveler; — applied in Canada to a man employed by the fur companies in transporting goods by the rivers and across the land, to and from the remote stations in the Northwest.
VOYOL Voy"ol, n. (Naut.) (a) See Viol, 2. (b) The block through which a messenger passes. [Written also viol, and voyal.]
VRAISEMBLANCEVrai`sem`blance", n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: The appearance of truth; verisimilitude.
VUGG; VUGHVugg, Vugh, n. (Mining)
Defn: A cavity in a lode; — called also vogle.
VULCAN Vul"can, n. Etym: [L. Vulcanus, Volcanus: cf. Skr. ulka a firebrand, meteor. Cf. Volcano.] (Rom. Myth.)
Defn: The god of fire, who presided over the working of metals; — answering to the Greek Hephæstus.
VULCANIANVul*ca"ni*an, a. Etym: [L. Vulcanius.]
1. Of or pertaining to Vulcan; made by Vulcan; hence, of or pertaining to works in iron or other metals. Ingenious allusions to the Vulcanian panoply which Achilles lent to his feebler friend. Macaulay.
2. (Geol.)
Defn: Volcanic.
VULCANICVul*can"ic, a.
1. Of or pertaining to Vulcan; made by Vulcan; Vulcanian.
2. Of or pertaining to volcanoes; specifically, relating to the geological theory of the Vulcanists, or Plutonists.
VULCANICITYVul`can*ic"i*ty, n.
Defn: Volcanicity.
VULCANISMVul"can*ism, n.
Defn: Volcanism.
VULCANISTVul"can*ist, n.
Defn: A volcanist.
VULCANITEVul"can*ite, n.
Defn: Hard rubber produced by vulcanizing with a large proportion of sulphur.
VULCANIZATIONVul`can*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [See Vulcan.]
Defn: The act or process of imparting to caoutchouc, gutta-percha, or the like, greater elasticity, durability, or hardness by heating with sulphur under pressure.
VULCANIZEVul"can*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vulcanized; p. pr. & vb. n.Vulcanizing.]
Defn: To change the properties of, as caoutchouc, or India rubber, by the process of vulcanization. Vulcanized fiber, paper, paper pulp, or other fiber, chemically treated, as with metallic chlorides, so as to form a substance resembling ebonite in texture, hardness, etc. Knight. — Vulcanized rubber, India rubber, vulcanized.
VULCANIZERVul"can*i`zer, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, vulcanizes; esp., an apparatus for vulcanizing caoutchouc.
VULCANOVul*ca"no, n.
Defn: A volcano. [Obs.]
VULCANOLOGYVul`can*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [See Vulcan, and -logy.]
Defn: The science which treats of phenomena due to plutonic action, as in volcanoes, hot springs, etc. [R.]
VULCAN POWDERVul"can pow"der.
Defn: A dynamite composed of nitroglycerin (30 parts), sodium nitrate (52.5), charcoal (10.5), and sulphur (7), used in mining and blasting.
VULGAR Vul"gar, a. Etym: [L. vulgaris, from vulgus the multitude, the common people; of uncertain origin: cf. F. vulgaire. Cf. Divulge.]
1. Of or pertaining to the mass, or multitude, of people; common; general; ordinary; public; hence, in general use; vernacular. "As common as any the most vulgar thing to sense. " Shak. Things vulgar, and well-weighed, scarce worth the praise. Milton. It might be more useful to the English reader . . . to write in our vulgar language. Bp. Fell. The mechanical process of multiplying books had brought the New Testament in the vulgar tongue within the reach of every class. Bancroft.
2. Belonging or relating to the common people, as distinguished from the cultivated or educated; pertaining to common life; plebeian; not select or distinguished; hence, sometimes, of little or no value. "Like the vulgar sort of market men." Shak. Men who have passed all their time in low and vulgar life. Addison. In reading an account of a battle, we follow the hero with our whole attention, but seldom reflect on the vulgar heaps of slaughter. Rambler.
3. Hence, lacking cultivation or refinement; rustic; boorish; also, offensive to good taste or refined feelings; low; coarse; mean; base; as, vulgar men, minds, language, or manners. Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. Shak. Vulgar fraction. (Arith.) See under Fraction.
VULGARVul"gar, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vulgaire.]
1. One of the common people; a vulgar person. [Obs.] These vile vulgars are extremely proud. Chapman.
2. The vernacular, or common language. [Obs.]
VULGARIANVul*ga"ri*an, n.
Defn: A vulgar person; one who has vulgar ideas. Used also adjectively.
VULGARISMVul"gar*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vulgarisme.]
1. Grossness; rudeness; vulgarity.
2. A vulgar phrase or expression. A fastidious taste will find offense in the occasional vulgarisms, or what we now call "slang," which not a few of our writers seem to have affected. Coleridge.
VULGARITY Vul*gar"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vulgarité, L. vulgaritas the multitude.]
1. The quality or state of being vulgar; mean condition of life; the state of the lower classes of society. Sir T. Browne.
2. Grossness or clownishness of manners of language; absence ofrefinement; coarseness.The reprobate vulgarity of the frequenters of Bartholomew Fair. B.Jonson.
VULGARIZATIONVul`gar*i*za"tion, n.
Defn: The act or process of making vulgar, or common.
VULGARIZEVul"gar*ize, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Vulgarized; p. pr. & vb. n.Vulgarizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. vulgariser, LL. vulgarizare.]
Defn: To make vulgar, or common.Exhortation vulgarized by low wit. V. Knox.
VULGARLYVul"gar*ly, adv.
Defn: In a vulgar manner.
VULGARNESSVul"gar*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being vulgar.
VULGATE Vul"gate, n. Etym: [NL. vulgata, from L. vulgatus usual, common, p. p. of vulgare to make general, or common, fr. vulgus the multitude: cf. F. vulgate. See Vulgar, a.]
Defn: An ancient Latin version of the Scripture, and the only version which the Roman Church admits to be authentic; — so called from its common use in the Latin Church.
Note: The Vulgate was made by Jerome at the close of the 4th century.The Old Testament he translated mostly from the Hebrew and Chaldaic,and the New Testament he revised from an older Latin version. TheDouay version, so called, is an English translation from the Vulgate.See Douay Bible.
VULGATEVul"gate, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Vulgate, or the old Latin version of the Scriptures.
VULNERABILITYVul`ner*a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being vulnerable; vulnerableness.
VULNERABLE Vul"ner*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. vulnerabilis wounding, injurious, from vulnerare to wound, vulnus a wound; akin to Skr. vra: cf. F. vulnérable.]
1. Capable of being wounded; susceptible of wounds or external injuries; as, a vulnerable body. Achilles was vulnerable in his heel; and there will be wanting a Paris to infix the dart. Dr. T. Dwight.
2. Liable to injury; subject to be affected injuriously; assailable; as, a vulnerable reputation. His skill in finding out the vulnerable parts of strong minds was consummate. Macaulay.
VULNERABLENESSVul"ner*a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being vulnerable; vulnerability.
VULNERARYVul"ner*a*ry, a. Etym: [L. vulnearius: cf. F. vulnéraire.]
Defn: Useful in healing wounds; adapted to the cure of external injuries; as, vulnerary plants or potions. "Such vulnerary remedies." Sir W. Scott. — n. Etym: [Cf. F. vulnéraire.] (Med.)
Defn: A vulnerary remedy.
VULNERATE Vul"ner*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. vulneratus, p. p. of vulnerare to wound.]
Defn: To wound; to hurt. [Obs.]
VULNERATIONVul`ner*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. vulneratio.]
Defn: The act of wounding, or the state of being wounded. [Obs.]
VULNEROSEVul"ner*ose`, a.
Defn: Full of wounds; wounded.
VULNIFIC; VULNIFICAL Vul*nif"ic, Vul*nif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. vulnificus; vulnus a wound + facere to make.]
Defn: Causing wounds; inflicting wounds; wounding.
VULNOSEVul*nose", a.
Defn: Having wounds; vulnerose. [R.]
VULPESVul"pes, n. Etym: [L., a fox.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of Carnivora including the foxes.
VULPICVul"pic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid obtained from a lichen (Cetraria vulpina) as a yellow or red crystalline substance which on decomposition yields pulvinic acid.
VULPICIDEVul"pi*cide, n. Etym: [L. vulpes a fox + caedere to kill.]
Defn: One who kills a fox, except in hunting; also, the act of so killing a fox. [Written also vulpecide.]
VULPINEVul"pine, a. Etym: [L. vulpinus, from vulpes a fox.]