Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Vĕn'ta, n. p. 1467An inn; a vent. [Rare.]Vĕnt'aġe, n. p. 1467A small hole; a vent. [Obs.] Shak.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…Ven-tā'na, n. p. 1467A window. [Obs.] Dryden.Vēnt'er, n. p. 1467One who vents; one who utters, reports, or publishes. [Rare.] Barrow.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…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.Vĕnʹti-dūct, n. p. 1467A passage for wind or air; a passage or pipe for ventilating apartments. Gwilt.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…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.…Vēn'ti-lā'tive, a. p. 1468Of, pertaining to, or adapted to secure, ventilation; ventilating; as, ventilative apparatus.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.Ven-tōse', a. p. 1468Windy; flatulent. Richardson.Ven-tōse', n. p. 1468A cupping-glass. [Obs.] “Hollow concavities . . . like to ventoses or cupping-glasses.” Holland.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.Ven-tōs'i-ty, n. p. 1468The state or quality of being ventose; windiness; flatulence. Bacon. 2. Vainglory; pride.Vĕnt'-pĕg, n. p. 1468A peg to stop a vent.Vēnt'-pin, n. p. 1468A pin to stop a vent-hole.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.…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…Vēn’tri-cōse’ or Vēn’tri-coūs, a. p. 1468(Nat. Hist.) Swelling out in the middle; bellied; distended; as, a ventricose perianth.Ven-tric'ū-lar, a. p. 1468Of, or pertaining to, a ventricle.Ven-tric'ū-loūs, a. p. 1468Somewhat distended in the middle.Vĕn’/tri-lo-cū’tĭon, n. p. 1468The act or art of speaking after the manner of a ventriloquist; ventriloquism.Vēn’tri-lō’qui-al, a. p. 1468Pertaining to ventriloquism.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.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.Ven-tril'o-quize, v. i. p. 1468To practice ventriloquism.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.Ven-tril'o-quy, n. p. 1468The same as VENTRILOQUISM.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…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…Vĕnt'ūre, v. t. p. 1468To expose to hazard; to risk; as, to venture one's person in a balloon. I am afraid, 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.…Vĕnt'ūr-er, n. p. 1468One who ventures or puts to hazard; an adventurer. 2. A strumpet; a prostitute. [Rare.] “Common venturer.” Webster, 1607.Vĕnt'ure-sōme, a. p. 1468Inclined to venture; not loth to run risk or danger; venturous; bold; daring; intrepid; as, a venturesome boy.Vĕnt'ūre-sŏme-ly, adv. p. 1468In a venturesome or daring manner; boldly; daringly.Vĕnt'ūre-sōme-ness, n. p. 1468The quality of being venturesome; boldness. Jeffrey.Vĕnt'ūr-ōūs, a. p. 1468Daring; bold; hardy; fearless; venturesome; intrepid; adventurous; as, a venturous soldier. With venturous arm He plucked, he tasted. Milton.Vĕnt'ūr-ous-ly, adv. p. 1468In a venturous manner; daringly; fearlessly; boldly.Vĕnt'ūr-ous-ness, n. p. 1468The quality of being venturous; boldness; hardiness; intrepidity.Vēn'ūe, n. p. 1468(Law.) A neighborhood or near place; the place or county in which an act or fact is alleged to have happened; the place where an action is laid. [Written also visne.] The twelve men who are to try…Vĕn'āe, n. p. 1468A bout; a hit; a turn; a veney. [Rare.] See VENEY.Vēn'ā-īte, n. p. 1468A petrified shell of the genus Venus. [Obs.]Vĕn'ū-lōse, a. p. 1468(Bot.) Full of small veins. Gray.Vē'nus, n. p. 1468(Myth.) The goddess of female beauty and of love; that is, beauty or love deified. 2. (Astron.) One of the planets, the second in order from the sun, its orbit lying between that of Mercury and that…Ve-năst', a. p. 1468Beautiful. [Rare.] Waterhouse.Ve-rā'ciōus, a. p. 1468Observant of truth; habitually disposed to speak truth; truthful. 2. Characterized by truth; true; not false. The young, ardent soul that enters on this world with heroic purpose, with veracious…Ve-rā'ciōŭs-ly, adv. p. 1468In a veracious manner; truthfully.Ve-răc'i-ty, n. p. 1468The state or quality of being veracious; habitual observance of truth; truthfulness; truth; as, a man of veracity. ☞ It is applied, with less propriety, to things; as, the veracity of a fact.Ve-răn'dă, n. p. 1468(Arch.) (a.) A kind of open portico, formed by extending a sloping roof beyond the main building. (b.) A light, open portico or outer gallery, with a sloping roof.Ve-rā'tri-ā p. 1468Vēra'tri'niä p. 1468Ve-rā'trīne p. 1468Lat. veratrum, hellebore. See infra.] (Chem.) A vegetable alkaloid, obtained from Veratrum sabadilla, V. album, &c. It is generally obtained as a crystalline powder, nearly white, very acrid and…Ve-rā'trum, n. p. 1468(Bot.) A genus of plants having very poisonous qualities, from which veratria is obtained.Vērb, n. p. 1468A word; a vocable. [Obs.] South. 2. (Gram.) A word which affirms or predicates something of some person or thing; a part of speech expressing being, action, or the suffering of action.Vẽr'bal, a. p. 1468Expressed in words; addressed to the ear; spoken; oral; not written; as, a verbal message; a verbal contract; verbal testimony. Made she no verbal question? Shak. 2. Consisting in, relating to, or…Vẽr'bal, n. p. 1468(Gram.) A noun derived from a verb.Vẽr'bal-ĭsm, n. p. 1468Something expressed verbally or orally.Vẽr'bal-ĭst, n. p. 1468A literal adherent to, or a minute critic of, words.Ver-băl'i-ty, n. p. 1468State or quality of being verbal; mere words; bare literal expression. [R.] Browne.