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.
Vī'g'i-lan-cy, n. p. 1475Vigilance. [Obs.] Fuller.Vĭg'i-lant, a. p. 1475Attentive to discover and avoid danger, or to provide for safety; wakeful; watchful; circumspect. Be sober, be vigilant. 1 Pet. v. 8. Take your places, and be vigilant. Shak.Vĭg'i-lant-ly, adv. p. 1475In a vigilant manner; watchfully; circumspectly.Vī'g'in-tiv'i-rate p. 1475A body of officers of government consisting of twenty men. [Rare.] Murphy.Vignette, n. p. 1475(Arch.) A running ornament consisting of leaves and tendrils, used in Gothic architecture. 2. A capital letter in ancient manuscripts; — so called because frequently ornamented with flourishes in the…Vī-gō'ni-ā, a. p. 1475Of, pertaining to, or characterizing, the vicugna; — said of the wool of that animal, used in felting hats, and for other purposes. Prescott.Vĭg'or, n. p. 1475Active strength or force of body; physical force. The vigor of this arm was never vain. Dryden. 2. Strength of mind; intellectual force; energy; as, vigor of mind or intellect. 3. Strength or force…Vig'or, v. t. p. 1475To invigorate. [Obs.] Feltham.Vĭg'o-rō'so, a. p. 1475(Mus.) Vigorous; energetic; — a direction to perform a passage with energy and force.Vig'or-oüs, a. p. 1475Possessing vigor; full of physical strength or active force; strong; lusty; as, a vigorous youth; a vigorous body. 2. Exhibiting strength, either of body or mind; powerful; strong; as, a vigorous…Vig'or-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 1475In a vigorous manner; with great physical force or strength; forcibly; with active exertions; as, to prosecute an enterprise vigorously.Vig'or-oüs-ness, n. p. 1475The quality of being vigorous, or possessed of active strength. ☞ Vigor and its derivatives commonly imply active strength, or the power of action and exertion, in distinction from passive strength…Vī'king or VĪ'KINGS or VĪ'KING§, n. p. 1475One of the pirate chiefs from among the Northmen, who plundered the coasts of Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries. Grim vikings, and their rapture In the sea-fight and the capture, And the life…Vild, a. p. 1475Vile. [Obs.] Spenser.Vĭl'dly, adv. p. 1475Vilely. [Obs.]Vīle, a. p. 1475Humble; low; base; mean; despicable. The craft either of fishing, which was Peter’s, or of making tents, which was Paul’s, were [was] more vile than the science of physic. Ridley. The inhabitants…Viled, a. p. 1475Abusive; scurrilous; defamatory; vile. [Obs.] Hayward.Vīle'ly, adv. p. 1475In a vile manner; basely; meanly; shamefully; as, Hector vilely dragged about the walls of Troy. 2. In a cowardly manner. The Volscians vilely yielded the town. Shak.Vile'ness, n. p. 1475The quality of being vile; baseness; meanness; despicableness. His vileness us shall never awe. Drayton. 2. Moral baseness or depravity; degradation by sin; extreme wickedness; badness; as, the…Vĭl'i-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 1475Act of vilifying or defaming.Vĭl'i-fi'er, n. p. 1475One who vilifies or defames.Vĭl'i-fy, v. t. p. 1475To make vile; to debase; to degrade. [Rare.] Their Maker’s image Forsook them, when themselves they vilified To serve ungoverned appetite. Milton. 2. To defame; to traduce; to attempt to degrade by…Vil'i-pĕnd, v. t. p. 1476To despise; to condemn; to slight. [Rare.] That petulant volatility which is impatient of or vilipends the conversation and advice of seniors. W. Scott.Vil/i-pĕnd'en-cy, n. p. 1476Disesteem; slight. [Rare.]Vil'i-ty, n. p. 1476The state or quality of being vile; vileness; baseness. [Obs.] Kennet.Vill, n. p. 1476A small collection of houses; a village. Hale. Nor should e'er the crested fowl From thorp or vill his matins sound for me. Wordsworth. ☞ A word of various significations in English law; as, a manor…Vil'la, n. p. 1476A country-seat; a country residence, usually of a wealthy person.Vĭl'lage, n. p. 1476A small inhabited place; an assemblage of houses in the country, less than a town or city, and inhabited chiefly by farmers and other laboring people. Syn. — VILLAGE, HAMLET, TOWN, CITY. In England…Vil'la-ger, n. p. 1476An inhabitant of a village. Brutus had rather be a villager Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under such hard conditions. Shak.Vĭl'lage-ry, n. p. 1476A district of villages. [Obs.] “The maidens of the villagery.” Shak.Vĭl'lain, n. p. 1476(Feudal Law.) One who holds lands by a base or servile tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest class; a bondman or servant. If any of my ancestors was a tenant, and a servant, and held…Vĭl′lain, a. p. 1476Villainous. [Rare.]Vil'lain-ous, a. p. 1476Suited to a villain; like a villain; base; vile; mean; hence, wicked; depraved; as, a villainous person or wretch. 2. Proceeding from extreme depravity; as, a villainous action. 3. Sorry; mean; vile…Vĭl'lain-ōus-ly, adv. p. 1476In a villainous manner; with extreme wickedness or depravity; basely.Vil'lain-oüs-ness, n. p. 1476The quality of being villainous; extreme depravity; baseness.Vil'lain-y, n. p. 1476The quality of being a villain, or villainous; extreme depravity; atrocious wickedness; as, the villainy of the thief or the robber; the villainy of the seducer. The commendation is not in his wit…Vil'la-kīn, n. p. 1476A little village. [Rare.] Gay. 2. A small villa, or country-house. Atl. Monthly.Vĭl'lan, n. p. 1476A villain. [Rare.]Vil'lan-age, n. p. 1476The state of a villain; base servitude; tenure on condition of doing the meanest services for the lord. [Usually written villenage or villeinage.] I speak even now as if sin were condemned in a…Vĭl'la-nĕtte', n. p. 1476A small villa or country residence. [Rare.]Vil'lan-ize, v. t. p. 1476To make vile; to debase; to degrade; to defame; to revile. [Rare.] Were virtue by descent, a noble name Could never villanize his father's fame. Dryden.Vil'lan-īz'er, n. p. 1476One who villanizes, degrades, or debases.Vil'lan-ōs, a. p. 1476See VILLAINOUS.Vil'lan-oŭs, adv. p. 1476Villainously. [Obs.] Shak.Vil'lan-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 1476See VILLAINOUSLY.Vĭl'lan-ous-ness, n. p. 1476See VILLAINOUSNESS.Vil'lan-y, n. p. 1476See VILLAINY.Vil-lāt'ic, a. p. 1476Of, or pertaining to, a village. “Tame, villatic fowl.” Milton.Vil'lein, n. p. 1476A feudal tenant of the lowest class; a villain. See VILLAIN.Vil'lein-age or Vil'len-age, n. p. 1476A tenure of lands and tenements by base services; villanage. Blackstone.Vĭl'li, n. pl. p. 1476(Anat.) Minute papillary elevations on animal membranes, giving them a velvety appearance, and serving mainly for absorption, as in the small intestine of mammals, and on the chorion. 2. (Bot.) Fine…Vĭl'li-fōrm, a. p. 1476Having the form or appearance of villi; like close-set fibers, either hard or soft; as, the teeth of perch are villiform. Dana.Vil-lōse', a. p. 1476(Bot.) Villous. See VILLOUS.Vil-lōs'i-ty, n. p. 1476(Bot.) (a.) The state of being villose. (b.) A covering of long, weak hairs. Henslow.Vil'lous, a. p. 1476(Bot.) [Fr. villeux, It. villoso, velloso, Sp. & Pg. velloso, Lat. villosus. See supra.] 1. Abounding or covered with fine hairs, or woolly substance; nappy; shaggy, with soft hairs. 2. (Anat.)…Vī'men, n. p. 1476(Bot.) A long, slender, flexible shoot or branch.Vĭm'ĭ-nal, a. p. 1476Of, or pertaining to, twigs; consisting of twigs; producing twigs.Vi-mīn'e-oŭs, a. p. 1476Made of twigs or shoots. “In the hive’s vimineous dome.” Prior. 2. (Bot.) Producing slender twigs or shoots.Vī-nā'ceōŭs, a. p. 1476Belonging to wine or grapes. 2. Of the color of wine.Vĭn'āi-grĕtte', n. p. 1476A sauce, of which vinegar, oil, &c., are ingredients. 2. A small box, or bottle, used as a smelling-bottle, for holding aromatic vinegar contained in a sponge, or smelling-salts. 3. A small…