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.
Vēs'pi·a·ry, n. p. 1472The nest or habitation of insects of the wasp kind.Ves-pil'lo, n. p. 1472A grave-digger;—so called because he performed his office in the evening. [Obs.] Like vespilloes, or grave-makers, I am become stupid. Browne.Vēs'sel, n. p. 1472A utensil proper for holding any thing; a hollow dish of any kind, as a tun, a pipe, a puncheon, a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a dish, or the like. 2. Any structure made…Vĕs'sel, v. t. p. 1472To put into a vessel. [Obs.] Bacon.Vĕs'sel·ful, n. p. 1472As much as a vessel will hold; enough to fill a vessel.Vĕs'ses, n. p. 1472A kind of worsted cloth. [Eng.]Vēs'sets p. 1472Halliwell.Vĕs'sie-nŏn or Vĕs'sig-nŏn, n. p. 1472(Far.) A soft swelling on a horse's leg; a wind-gall.Vēst, n. p. 1472An article of clothing covering the person; an outer garment; a vestment; a dress; a vesture; a robe. Addressed her early steps to Cynthia's fane, In state attended by her maiden train, Who bore the…Vēst, v. t. p. 1472To clothe with a garment, or as if with a garment; to dress; to robe; to cover, surround, or encompass closely. “With ether vested, and a purple sky.” Dryden. “Came, vested all in white, pure as her…Vēst, v. i. p. 1472To come or descend; to be fixed; to take effect, as a title or right; as, upon the death of the ancestor, the estate, or the right to the estate, vests in the heir at law.Vĕs'tā p. 1472(Myth.) One of the great divinities of the ancients, both among the Greeks and Romans, being a virgin divinity, and the goddess of the hearth, and hence, also, of the fire on it, and the family round…Vĕs'tal, a. p. 1472Of, or pertaining to, Vesta, the goddess of fire among the Romans, and a virgin. 2. Hence, pure; chaste.Vĕs'tal, n. p. 1472(Rom. Antiq.) A virgin consecrated to Vesta, and to the service of watching the sacred fire, which was to be perpetually kept burning upon her altar. ☞ The Vestals were six in number. Their term of…Vēst'ed, p. a. p. 1472Not in a state of contingency or suspension; fixed; as, vested rights. Vested legacy (Law), a legacy the right to which commences in presenti, and does not depend on a contingency; as a legacy to one…Vĕs/ti-ā'/ri-an, a. p. 1472Of, or pertaining to, a wardrobe, or to dress.Vĕs'ti-a-ry, n. p. 1472A wardrobe. [Obs.] Fuller.Ves-tīb’ū-lar, a. p. 1472Of, pertaining to, or like, a vestibule.Vĕs'ti-būle, n. p. 1472The porch or entrance into a house; a hall or ante-chamber next the entrance, and from which doors open to the various rooms of the house; a lobby; a porch; a hall. Vestibule of the ear (Anat.), a…Vĕs'ti-gāte, v. t. p. 1472To investigate. [Obs.]Vē'stĭge, n. p. 1472The mark of the foot left on the earth; a track or footstep; trace; sign; hence, faint mark of something which has been or was present, but is lost or has perished; remains; as, the vestiges of…Vēst'ing, n. p. 1472Cloth for vests; a vest pattern.Vĕs'ti-tūre, n. p. 1472Investiture. [Rare.] 2. The act or process of making or preparing cloth. [Rare.] R. Park.Vĕst’ment, n. p. 1472A covering or garment; some part of clothing or dress; an article of dress; a dress; a robe. “Priests in holy vestments.” Shak. The sculptor could not give vestments suitable to the quality of the…Vēs'try, n. p. 1472A room appendant to a church, in which the sacerdotal vestments and sacred utensils are usually kept, and where parochial meetings are held. 2. (Church of Eng.) A parochial assembly; an assembly of…Vestry-board or Vestry-meeting p. 1472a vestry. See 2.— Vestry-meeting, the meeting of a vestry-board; also, a meeting of a parish held in a vestry or other place.Vēs'try-clērk, n. p. 1472An officer chosen by the vestry, who keeps the parish accounts and books.Vēs'try-man, n. p. 1472One belonging to a select number of persons in each parish, who manage its temporal concerns. See VESTRY.Vēst'ūre, n. p. 1472A garment; a robe; clothing; dress; apparel; vestment; habit; covering; envelope. “And kiss her sacred vesture’s hem.” Milton. “Rocks, precipices, and gulfs, appareled with a vesture of plants.”…Vēst'ūred, p. a. p. 1472Covered with vesture or garments; clothed; enveloped. “We be vestured with poor cloth.” Berners.Vēst'ūre-shroud, n. p. 1472A covering for a corpse; a shroud.Ve-sū'vi-an, a. p. 1472(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Vesuvius, a volcano near Naples.Ve-sū'vi-an, n. p. 1472(Min.) The same as IDOCRASE, q. v.Vĕtch, n. p. 1472(Bot.) A leguminous plant of the genus Vicia, some species of which are valuable for fodder, the common species being V. sativa. The name is also applied to many other leguminous plants of different…Vĕtch'ling, n. p. 1472(Bot.) A small, leguminous plant of the genus Lathyrus; everlasting-pea.Vĕtch'y, a. p. 1472Consisting of vetches or of pea straw. “A vetchy bed.” Spenser. 2. Abounding with vetches.Vĕt'er-an, a. p. 1472Long exercised in any thing, especially in military life and the duties of a soldier; long practiced or experienced; as, a veteran officer or soldier; veteran skill. “The insinuating eloquence and…Vĕt'er-an, n. p. 1472One who has been long exercised in any service or art, particularly in war; one who has grown old in service, and has had much experience. Ensigns that pierced the foe's remotest lines, The hardy…Vĕt'er-i-nā'ri-an, n. p. 1472One skilled in the diseases of cattle or domestic animals.Vĕt'er-i-na-ry, a. p. 1472Of, or pertaining to, the art of healing or treating the diseases of domestic animals, as oxen, horses, sheep, and the like.Vē'to, n. p. 1472Any authoritative prohibition; especially, the power possessed by the executive branch of a legislative body, as a king, president, governor, &c., to negative a bill which has passed the other…Vē'to, v. t. p. 1472To withhold assent to, especially to a bill for a law, and thus prevent its enactment.Vē'to-ĭst, n. p. 1472One who sustains the use of the veto.Vet-tu'ră, n. p. 1472An Italian four-wheeled carriage.Vet'tu-rī'no, n. p. 1472One who carries travelers from one place to another in a vettura, or four-wheeled carriage, at a price agreed on. [Italy.]Ve-tūst', a. p. 1472Venerable from antiquity; ancient; old. [Obs.]Vĕx, v. t. p. 1473To make angry by little provocations; to irritate; to plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict; to trouble. I will not vex your souls. Shak. Ten thousand torments vex my heart. Prior. 2. To disturb…Vĕx, v. i. p. 1473To be teased or irritated; to fret. [Rare.]Vex-ā'tion, n. p. 1473The act of vexing, or the state of being vexed; irritation; trouble; disquiet; agitation; affliction. Passions too violent ... afford us vexation and pain. Sir W. Temple. Those who saw him after a…Vex-ā'tious, a. p. 1473Causing vexation; vexing; teasing; annoying; disturbing or agitating to the mind; causing disquiet; afflictive; as, a vexatious controversy; a vexatious neighbor. 2. Distressing; harassing.…Vex-ā'tious-ly, adv. p. 1473In a vexatious manner; so as to give trouble or annoyance.Vex-ā'tious-ness, n. p. 1473The quality of being vexatious, or of giving trouble and disquiet.Vĕx'er, n. p. 1473One who vexes, irritates, or troubles.Vĕx'il, n. p. 1473The same as VEXILLUM, q. v.Vĕx'il-lar or Vĕx'il-la-ry, a. p. 1473Of, or pertaining to, an ensign or standard. 2. (Bot.) (a.) Of, or pertaining to, the vexillum, or upper petal of papilionaceous flowers. (b.) Of, or pertaining to, a mode of estivation in which the…Vĕx'il-la-ry, n. p. 1473A standard-bearer.Vĕx'il-lā'tion, n. p. 1473(Rom. Antiq.) A company of troops under one ensign.Vex-īl'lum, n. p. 1473(Rom. Antiq.) (a.) A flag or standard. (b.) A company of troops. 2. (Bot.) The upper petal of a papilionaceous flower. Martyn.Vĕx'ing-ly, adv. p. 1473In a vexing manner; so as to vex, tease, or irritate. Tatler.Vēze, v. t. p. 1473See FEESE.