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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Vēnge'ance-ly, adv.p. 1467Extremely; excessively; exceedingly. [Obs. and low.] “He loves that vengeancely.” Beau. & Fl.
  2. Vĕnge'ful, a.p. 1467Vindictive; retributive; revengeful. “Vengeful ire.” Milton.
  3. Vĕn'ge'ful-ly, adv.p. 1467In a vengeful manner; vindictively.
  4. Vĕn'ge'ment, n.p. 1467Avengement; penal retribution; vengeance. [Obs.]
  5. Vĕn'ger, n.p. 1467An avenger. [Obs.] Spenser.
  6. Vē'ni-a-ble, a.p. 1467Venial; pardonable. [Obs.]
  7. Vē'ni-a-bly, adv.p. 1467In a veniable manner; pardonably; excusably. [Obs.] Browne.
  8. Vē'ni-al, a.p. 1467Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable; pardonable; as, a venial fault or transgression. “'Tis a venial slip.” Shak. 2. Allowed; permitted. Permitting him the while Venial discourse…
  9. Vē'ni-ăl'i-ty, n.p. 1467The state or quality of being venial, or pardonable. They palliate wickedness with the fair pretense of veniality. Bp. Hall.
  10. Vē'ni-al-ly, adv.p. 1467In a venial manner; pardonably.
  11. Vē'ni-al-ness, n.p. 1467The state or quality of being venial, or pardonable.
  12. Ve-nī're or Ve-nī're Fā'ci-as, n.p. 1467(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.…
  13. Vĕn'i-son, n.p. 1467The flesh of edible beasts of chase; game. 2. Beasts of the chase. [Obs.] ☞ In England, the word is more especially applied to the flesh of deer, hares, and certain birds called game. In the United…
  14. Vĕn'nel, n.p. 1467A small or narrow street; an alley or lane. [Written also venall and vinell.] 2. A gutter; a sink. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
  15. Vĕn'om, n.p. 1467Matter fatal or injurious to life; poison. “Or hurtful worm with cankered venom bites.” Milton. 2. Spite; malice; malignity. “The venom of such looks.” Shak. Syn.—See POISON.
  16. Vĕn'om, v. t.p. 1467To infect with venom; to envenom; to poison. [Rare.] “Venom of vengeance.” Shak.
  17. Vĕn'om-ous, a.p. 1467Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous. 2. Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer. Syn.—Mischievous…
  18. Vĕn'om-ous-ly, adv.p. 1467In a venomous manner; poisonously; malignantly; spitefully.
  19. Vĕn′om-ous-ness, n.p. 1467The quality of being venomous; poisonousness; noxiousness to animal life; malignity; spitefulness.
  20. Ve-nōse′, a.p. 1467(Bot.) Having numerous or conspicuous veins; veiny. Gray.
  21. Ve-nōs'i-ty, n.p. 1467The state or quality of being venous. 2. (Med.) A condition in which, as it has been supposed, the blood moves more slowly, is more venous, and the venous blood itself in greater quantity. Dunglison.
  22. Vē'nous, a.p. 1467Of, or pertaining to, a vein, or to veins; contained in veins; as, venous blood, which is distinguished from arterial blood by its darker color. 2. (Bot.) Marked with veins; veined. Venous leaf…
  23. Vĕnt, n.p. 1467A small aperture; a hole, or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask. Wounds do bleed at many vents. Shak. Long ’twas doubtful, both so closely pent, Which first should issue…
  24. Vĕnt, v. t.p. 1467To let out at a vent, or small aperture. 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.…
  25. Vĕnt, n.p. 1467Sale; opportunity to sell; demand. [Obs.] There is no vent for any commodity except wool. Sir W. Temple.
  26. Vĕnt, v. t.p. 1467To vend. [Obs.] “Therefore did those nations vent such spice.” Raleigh.
  27. Vĕnt, n.p. 1467A baiting-place; an inn. [Obs.]
  28. Vĕnt, v. i.p. 1467To snuff; to take in air with the nostrils. [Obs.] Spenser.
  29. Vĕn'ta, n.p. 1467An inn; a vent. [Rare.]
  30. Vĕnt'aġe, n.p. 1467A small hole; a vent. [Obs.] Shak.
  31. Vĕnt'āil, n.p. 1467That part of a helmet made to be lifted up; the part intended for the admission of air, or for breathing; the visor of a helmet. Her ventail up so high that he descried Her goodly visage and her…
  32. Ven-tā'na, n.p. 1467A window. [Obs.] Dryden.
  33. Vēnt'er, n.p. 1467One who vents; one who utters, reports, or publishes. [Rare.] Barrow.
  34. Vĕn’ter, n.p. 1467(Anat.) (a.) The abdomen, or lower belly; — formerly applied to any large cavity containing viscera, as the head, thorax, and abdomen, called the three venters. (b.) The uterus or womb. (c.) The…
  35. Vĕnt'-hōle, n.p. 1467A small hole for the passage of air, as in a cask; a vent. Ogilvie. 2. (Casting.) A hole pierced through a mold for the escape of air and gas.
  36. Vĕnʹti-dūct, n.p. 1467A passage for wind or air; a passage or pipe for ventilating apartments. Gwilt.
  37. Vēn'ti-lāte, v. t.p. 1467To fan with wind; to open and expose to the free passage of air or wind; to furnish supplies of fresh air to; to air; as, to ventilate a room; to ventilate a cellar; to ventilate a mine. 2. To…
  38. Vēnʹti-lāʹtion, n.p. 1467The act of ventilating, or the state of being ventilated; free exposure to air; supply of air furnished. “Insuring, for the laboring man, better ventilation, personal and domestic cleanliness.” F. W.…
  39. Vēn'ti-lā'tive, a.p. 1468Of, pertaining to, or adapted to secure, ventilation; ventilating; as, ventilative apparatus.
  40. Vēn'ti-lā'tor, n.p. 1468A contrivance or machine for drawing off or expelling foul or stagnant air from any close place or apartment, and introducing that which is fresh and pure.
  41. Ven-tōse', a.p. 1468Windy; flatulent. Richardson.
  42. Ven-tōse', n.p. 1468A cupping-glass. [Obs.] “Hollow concavities . . . like to ventoses or cupping-glasses.” Holland.
  43. Ven-tōse', n.p. 1468The sixth month of the French republican calendar dating from September 22, 1792. It commenced February 19 or 20, and ended March 20. See VENDÉMIAIRE.
  44. Ven-tōs'i-ty, n.p. 1468The state or quality of being ventose; windiness; flatulence. Bacon. 2. Vainglory; pride.
  45. Vĕnt'-pĕg, n.p. 1468A peg to stop a vent.
  46. Vēnt'-pin, n.p. 1468A pin to stop a vent-hole.
  47. Vĕn'tral, a.p. 1468Belonging to the belly, or the surface of the body opposite to the back, or dorsal side; — in fishes, sometimes restricted to the part of this surface anterior to the anus; as, ventral fins. 2.…
  48. Vĕn’tri-cle, n.p. 1468A small cavity. [Obs.] These [ideas] are begot in the ventricle of memory. Shak. 2. The stomach. [Obs.] Whether I will or not, while I live, my heart beats, and my ventricle digests what I put into…
  49. Vēn’tri-cōse’ or Vēn’tri-coūs, a.p. 1468(Nat. Hist.) Swelling out in the middle; bellied; distended; as, a ventricose perianth.
  50. Ven-tric'ū-lar, a.p. 1468Of, or pertaining to, a ventricle.
  51. Ven-tric'ū-loūs, a.p. 1468Somewhat distended in the middle.
  52. Vĕn’/tri-lo-cū’tĭon, n.p. 1468The act or art of speaking after the manner of a ventriloquist; ventriloquism.
  53. Vēn’tri-lō’qui-al, a.p. 1468Pertaining to ventriloquism.
  54. Ven-tril'o-quism, n.p. 1468The act, art, or practice of speaking in such a manner that the voice appears to come, not from the person, but from some other place, as from the opposite side of the room, from the cellar, &c.
  55. Ven-tril'o-quist, n.p. 1468One who speaks in such a manner that his voice appears to come from some distant or different place.
  56. Ven-tril'o-quize, v. i.p. 1468To practice ventriloquism.
  57. Ven-tril'o-quous, a.p. 1468Speaking in such a manner as to make the sound appear to come from a place remote from the speaker.
  58. Ven-tril'o-quy, n.p. 1468The same as VENTRILOQUISM.
  59. Vĕnt'ure (vĕnt'yūr), n.p. 1468An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen with certainty; a hazard. I, in this venture, double gains pursue. Dryden. 2. An event that is…
  60. Vĕnt'ūre, v. i.p. 1468To hazard one's self; to have the courage or presumption to do, undertake, or say something; to dare. 2. To run a hazard or risk. “Who freights a ship to venture on the seas.” Dryden. To venture at…