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.
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.V-hŏŏk, n. p. 1473(Steam-eng.) A gab at the end of an eccentric rod, with long jaws shaped like the letter V.Vĭ'a, n. p. 1473A road or way. Via Lactea. [Lat.] (Astron.) The Galaxy, or Milky Way. — Via media. [Lat.] (Theol.) The middle way; — a name applied to themselves by the Anglican High Churchmen, as being between…Vī'a, adv. p. 1473By the way of; as, via Boston. [Colloq.]Vī’a-bĭl’i-ty, n. p. 1473The quality of being viable; capacity of living after birth. Bouvier. 2. Capacity of living or being distributed over wide geographical limits; as, the viability of a species.Vī'a-ble, a. p. 1473Capable of living; born alive in such a state of formation as to be capable of living, as a new-born infant or premature child. “Unless he [an infant] is born viable, he acquires no rights, and can…Vi'a-dūct, n. p. 1473A structure of considerable magnitude, and usually of masonry, for carrying a railway across a valley or river; a bridge.Vī'age, n. p. 1473A voyage. [Obs.] Gower.Vī'al, n. p. 1473A small bottle, usually of glass; a little glass vessel, with a narrow aperture, intended to be closed with cork, &c.; as, a vial of medicine. [Written also phial.] Take thou this vial, being then in…Vī'al, v. t. p. 1473To put in a vial or vials. “Precious vialed liquors.” Milton.Vī-ăm'e-ter, n. p. 1473Lat. via, a way, and metrum, a measure.] An instrument for measuring distances traveled over, usually by registering the revolutions of a carriage-wheel with which it is connected; an odometer.Vi'and, n. p. 1473An article of food; provision for eating; food; victuals;—used chiefly in the plural. Viands of various kinds allure the taste. Pope.Vī'an-der, n. p. 1473A feeder; an eater; one who provides viands or food; a host. [Obs.] A good viander would bid divers guests to a costly dinner. Holinshed.Vī'a-ry, a. p. 1473Of, pertaining to, or happening in, roads. [Obs.]Vī'a-tēct/ūre, n. p. 1473The art of making roads or ways for traveling, including the construction of bridges, canals, viaducts, and the like. [Rare.] R. Park.Vi-ăt'ic, a. p. 1473Of, or pertaining to a journey, or to traveling.Vi-āt'i-ŭm, n. p. 1473Provisions for a journey. 2. (Rom. Antiq.) (a.) An allowance to those who were sent into the provinces to exercise any office or perform any service. (b.) An allowance to the officers and soldiers of…Vī'brant, a. p. 1473Vibrating; resonant; as, vibrant drums.Vĭ′brāte, v. i. p. 1473To move to and fro, or from side to side, as a pendulum, an elastic rod, or a stretched string, when disturbed from its position of rest; to swing; to oscillate. 2. To have the constituent particles…Vĭ'brāte, v. t. p. 1473To brandish; to move to and fro; to swing; as, to vibrate a sword or staff. 2. To mark or measure by moving to and fro; as, a pendulum vibrating seconds. 3. To affect with vibratory motion; to set in…Vĭ'bra-tile, a. p. 1473Adapted to, or used in, vibratory motion; as, the vibratile organs of certain insects. 2. Having a constant vibratory motion.Vī′bra·til′i·ty, n. p. 1473The quality of being vibratile; disposition to vibration or oscillation. [Rare.] Rush.Vī-brā'tion, n. p. 1473The act of vibrating, or the state of being vibrated, or in vibratory motion; quick motion to and fro; oscillation, as of a pendulum, or musical cord. 2. (Physics.) A limited reciprocating motion of…Vi-brā'ti-ūn'cle, n. p. 1473A small vibration. Chambers.Vi'bra-tive, a. p. 1473Vibrating; vibratory. [Rare.] Newton.Vī'bra-to-ry, a. p. 1473Consisting in vibration or oscillation; vibrating; as, a vibratory motion. 2. Causing to vibrate.Vĭb′rĭ-ō,, n. p. 1473(Nat. Hist.) One of a family of very minute organisms, found in various infusions, in the purulent matter of tumors, and even in the tartar of the teeth. Their nature is not clearly understood, it…Vi-bŭr'num, n. p. 1473(Bot.) A genus of shrubs having opposite, petiolate leaves, and corymbose flowers, several species of which are cultivated as ornamental plants. Baird.Vie'ar, n. p. 1473One deputed or authorized to perform the functions of another; a substitute in office; a deputy. [Rare.] 2. (Eng. Eccl. Law.) The incumbent of an appropriated benefice. ☞ The distinction between a…Vīc'ar-age, n. p. 1473The benefice of a vicar. 2. The residence of a vicar.Vī-cā'ri-al, a. p. 1473Of, or pertaining to, a vicar; small; as, vicarial tithes. 2. Delegated; vicarious. [Rare.]Vĭ-cā'ri-an, n. p. 1473A vicar. [Obs.] Marston.Vī-cā'ri-ate, a. p. 1473Having delegated power, as a vicar; vicarious. Barron.Vī-cā'ri-ate, n. p. 1473Delegated office or power; vicarship; the office or oversight of a vicar. In consequence of that event, the vicariate of that part of Germany which is governed by the Saxon laws devolved on the…Vī-cā’ri-oŭs, a. p. 1473Of, or pertaining to, a vicar, substitute, or deputy; deputed; delegated; as, a vicarious power or authority. 2. Acting or suffering for another; as, a vicarious agent or officer. 3. Performed or…Vī-cā'ri-ōus-ly, adv. p. 1473In a vicarious manner; in the place of another; by substitution.Vī'car-ship, n. p. 1473The office of a vicar; the ministry of a vicar.Vice, n. p. 1473A defect; a fault; a blemish; an imperfection; as, the vices of a political constitution. Mark the vice of the procedure. Sir W. Hamilton. 2. A moral fault or failing; especially, immoral conduct or…Vīce, n. p. 1473(Arch.) A spiral staircase. [Obs.] See VISE. Chaucer. 2. A smith’s instrument consisting of two jaws, closing by a screw, for holding work, as in filing, and the like. 3. A gripe or grasp. [Obs.]…Vīçe, v. t. p. 1474To press closely or squeeze with a vice, or as if with a vice; to hold as if in a vice. The coachman's hand was viced between his upper and lower thigh. De Quincey.Vīçe p. 1474A prefix used in composition, chiefly in words signifying persons, and denoting one who acts in the place of another, or who is second in rank or authority; as, vice-agent, vice-consul, and the like.Vī'çe, prep. p. 1474In the place of; instead of; as, A was appointed chairman vice B, who resigned.Vīçe/-ăd'/mi-ral, n. p. 1474(British Navy.) The second officer in command. His flag is displayed at the fore top-gallant mast head. 2. A civil officer, in Great Britain, appointed by the lords commissioners of the admiralty for…Vīçe/-ăd'/mi-ral-ty, n. p. 1474The office of a vice-admiral; a vice-admiralty court.Vīce'-chām'ber-lain, n. p. 1474An officer in court next in command to the lord-chamberlain. [Eng.]Vīçe'-chân'çel-lor, n. p. 1474(Law.) An officer next in rank to a chancellor. 2. An officer in a university, in England, who is annually elected to manage the affairs in the absence of the chancellor.