Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Văn'ish, v. i. p. 1461To pass from a visible to an invisible state; to go out of sight; to be lost to view; to disappear; hence, to disappear gradually; as, vapor vanishes from the sight by being dissipated; a ship…Văn'ish, n. p. 1461(Elocution.) The final or closing portion of a syllable, or of a vocal element. Rush.Vān'ish-ment, n. p. 1461A vanishing. [Obs.]Vān'i-ty, n. p. 1461The state or quality of being vain; want of substance to satisfy desire; emptiness; unsubstantialness; unrealness; falsity. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. Eccles. i. 2. Here I…Vān'quish, v. t. p. 1461To conquer; to overcome; to subdue in battle, as an enemy. 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 in…Văn'guish, n. p. 1462A disease in sheep, in which they pine away. [Written also vinquish.]Vān'quish-a-ble, a. p. 1462Capable of being vanquished or conquered.Văn'quish-er, n. p. 1462One who vanquishes; a conqueror; a victor.Văn'quish-ment, n. p. 1462The act of vanquishing, or the state of being vanquished or subdued. Bp. Hall.Vāna'sire, n. p. 1462(Zoöl.) The Mangusta galera, a small, digitigrade, carnivorous mammal, somewhat resembling a weasel, of a deep-brown color, speckled with yellow, inhabiting Madagascar and the Isle of France.Vänt, v. i. p. 1462To vaunt. See VAUNT.Văn'-tage, n. p. 1462Superior or more favorable situation or opportunity; gain; profit; advantage. [Rare.] O, happy vantage of a kneeling knee. Shak. To have at vantage, to have the advantage of; to be in a more…Vān'-tage, v. t. p. 1462To profit. [Obs.] Spenser.Vănt'braçe or Vănt'brăss, n. p. 1462Armor for the arm; vambrace. [Obs.] Milton.Vănt'-cou'ri-er, n. p. 1462An avant-courier. [Obs.]Văp, n. p. 1462That which is vapid, insipid, or lifeless; dead or inert matter; scum or dregs. [Obs. and rare.] In vain it is to wash a goblet, if you mean to put into it nothing but the dead lees and vap of wine.…Văp'id, a. p. 1462Having lost its life and spirit; dead; spiritless; insipid; flat; dull; unanimated; as, vapid beer; a vapid state of the blood. A cheap, bloodless reformation, a guiltless liberty, appear flat and…Văp'id-ly, adv. p. 1462In a vapid manner.Vāp'id-ness or Va-pĭd'i-ty, n. p. 1462The state or quality of being vapid; deadness; flatness; dullness; want of life or spirit; as, the vapidness of ale or cider; the vapidness of a dull person's conversation.Vā'por, n. p. 1462(Physics.) Any substance in the gaseous or aëriform state, the condition of which is ordinarily that of a liquid or solid. ☞ The term vapor is sometimes used in a more extended sense, as identical…Vā'por, v. i. p. 1462To pass off in fumes, or a moist, floating substance; to steam; to be exhaled; to evaporate. 2. To emit vapor or fumes. [Rare.] Running waters vapor not so much as standing waters. Bacon. 3. To boast…Vā'por, v. t. p. 1462To emit, cast off, or scatter, in vapor or fumes; as, to vapor away a heated fluid; to send off in vapor, or as if in vapor. Another, sighing, vapors forth his soul. B. Jonson.Vāp'o-ra-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1462The quality of being vaporable.Vāp'o-ra-ble, a. p. 1462Capable of being converted into vapor by the agency of heat.Vāp'o-rāte, v. i. p. 1462To emit vapor; to evaporate. [Obs.]Văp'o-rā'tion, n. p. 1462The act or process of converting into vapor, or of passing off in vapor; evaporation. [Rare.]Vā'por-bàth, n. p. 1462A bath in vapor; the application of vapor to the body in a close place; also, the place itself. 2. (Chem.) An apparatus for heating bodies by the vapor of water.Vā'pored, p. a. p. 1462Wet with vapors; moist. 2. Affected with the vapors; splenetic; dejected and peevish. Green.Vā′por-er, n. p. 1462One who vapors, or makes a vaunting display of his prowess or worth; a braggart; a boaster.Vā'por-er-mōth, n. p. 1462(Entom.) A moth of the genus Orgyia.Vāp'o-rīf'er-ōūs, a. p. 1462Conveying or producing vapor.Vāp'o-rĭf'ic, a. p. 1462Forming into vapor; converting into steam, or expelling in a volatile form, as fluids.Vā'por-ing-ly, adv. p. 1462In a vaporing or boasting manner.Vā'pōr-ish, a. p. 1462Full of vapors; hypochondriacal; splenetic; affected by hysterics. Syn. — Splenetic; peevish; humorsome.Vāp'o-rīz/a-ble, a. p. 1462Capable of being vaporized, or converted into vapor.Vāp'o-ri-zā'tion, n. p. 1462The act of vaporizing, or the state of being converted into vapor; the artificial formation of vapor.Văp’or-ize, v. t. p. 1462– [Fr. vaporiser.] To convert into vapor by the application of heat, whether naturally or artificially.Vaporizing surface p. 1462the part of the heating surface actually in contact with water.Vāp'or-īze, v. i. p. 1462To pass off in vapor.Vāp'o-rīz'er, n. p. 1462One who, or that which, vapors, or converts into vapor.Vā'pōr-ōse', a. p. 1462Full of vapor; vaporous.Vā'por-ōus, a. p. 1462Full of vapors or exhalations. “The more vaporous air of valleys.” Derham. 2. Windy; flatulent. “Beans, or such vaporous food.” Bacon. The food which is most vaporous and perspirable is the most…Vā'pōr-ōs-ness, n. p. 1462The state or the quality of being vaporous.Vā'pōr-y, a. p. 1462Full of vapors; vaporous. 2. Hypochondriacal; splenetic; peevish.Văp-ū-lā'tion, n. p. 1462The act of beating or whipping. [Obs.]Vā-rā'nas, n. p. 1462(Zoöl.) A genus of large, strong reptiles, which acquire a size only inferior to the crocodiles. Baird.Vāre, n. p. 1462A wand or staff of justice. [Obs.] Howell.Vār'ee, n. p. 1462Kelp or incinerated sea-weed; wrack; Fucus vesiculosus. Ure.Vā'rē, n. p. 1462(Zoöl.) A quadrumanous mammal found in Madagascar; the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), a quadruped having its tail marked with rings of black and white.Vā'ri-a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 1462The state or quality of being variable; variableness.Vā'ri-a-ble, a. p. 1462Having the capacity of varying or changing; capable of alteration in any manner; changeable; as, variable winds or seasons; variable colors. 2. Over-susceptible of change; liable to change; mutable…Vā'ri-a-ble, n. p. 1462(Math.) A quantity which may increase or decrease; a quantity which admits of an infinite number of values in the same expression; thus, in the equation x² − y² = R², x and y are variables. 2.…Independent variables p. 1462any variables except one in an equation in which there are several, as distinguished from that one, which is called a function of the others.Vā'ri-a-ble-ness, n. p. 1462The state or quality of being variable; susceptibility of change; liableness or aptness to alter; changeableness; inconstancy; fickleness; unsteadiness; levity; as, the variableness of the weather…Vā'ri-a-bly, adv. p. 1462In a variable manner; changeably; inconstantly.Vā'ri-ance, n. p. 1462The act or state of being variant; alteration; change of condition. 2. (Law.) A disagreement or difference between two parts of the same legal proceeding, which, to be effectual, ought to agree…Vā'ri-ant, a. p. 1462Varying; different; diverse. [Rare.] Rawle.Vā'ri-ant, n. p. 1462(Lit.) A various reading. [Rare.]Vā'ri-āte, v. t. p. 1462To alter; to make different; to vary.Vā'ri-ā'tion, n. p. 1462The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of the same thing; alteration; mutation; diversity; as, a variation of color in different lights; a variation in the…