Violence

n. [Fr. violence, Pr. violense, Sp. & Pg. violencia, It. violenza, Lat. violentia.] 1. The quality of being violent; highly excited action, whether physical or moral; vehemence; impetuosity; force. That seal You ask for with such violence, the king With his own hand gave me. Shak. All the elements At least had gone to wreck, disturbed and torn With violence of this conflict. Milton. 2. Injury done to that which is entitled to respect, reverence, or observance; outrage; unjust force; profanation; infringement. Do violence to no man. Luke iii. 14. We can not, without offering violence to all records, divine and human, deny a universal deluge. Burnet. Looking down, he saw The whole earth filled with violence. Milton. 3. Ravishment; rape; constupration. To do violence on, to attack; to murder. “But, as it seems, did violence on herself.” Shak.—To do violence to, to outrage; to force; to injure; as, he does violence to his own opinions. Syn.—Vehemence; outrage; fierceness; eagerness; violation; infraction; infringement; transgression; oppression.