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.
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…Vĭ-nāt'i-co, n. p. 1476A coarse mahogany obtained in Madeira from Persea Indica. Simmonds.Vin'ci-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1476The state or quality of being vincible; vincibleness.Vĭn'ci-ble, a. p. 1476Capable of being overcome or subdued; conquerable. “He not vincible in spirit.” Hayward.Vin'ci-ble-ness, n. p. 1476The state or quality of being vincible; capability of being conquered.Vinct'ure, n. p. 1476A binding. [Obs.]Vīn'cu-lum, n. p. 1476A bond of union. 2. (Math.) A straight, horizontal mark placed over several members of a compound quantity, which are to be subjected to the same operation.Vin-dē'mi-al, a. p. 1476Of, or pertaining to, a vintage, or grape harvest.Vin-dē'mi-āte, v. i. p. 1476To gather the vintage. [Obs.] Evelyn.Vin-dē/mi-a'tion, n. p. 1476The operation of gathering grapes. [Obs.] Bailey.Vin'di-ca-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1476The state or quality of being vindicable, or capable of support or justification.Vin'di-ca-ble, a. p. 1476Capable of being vindicated, justified, or supported.Vin'di-cāte, v. t. p. 1476To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim; to arrogate. [Rare.] Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain? The birds of heaven shall vindicate their grain. Pope. 2. To defend with success…Vĭn'/di-cā'tion, n. p. 1476The act of vindicating, or the state of being vindicated; claim; defense; justification against denial or censure; support; as by proof, legal process, or the like; as, the vindication of opinions…Vin'di-cā/tive, a. p. 1476Tending to vindicate; vindicating. 2. Revengeful; vindictive. [Obs.] Vindicative persons live the lives of wretches, who as they are mischievous, so end they unfortunately. Bacon.Vin'di-cā-tive-ness, n. p. 1476The state or quality of being vindicative.Vin'di-cā'tor, n. p. 1476One who vindicates; one who justifies or maintains; one who defends.Vĭn'di-ca-to-ry, a. p. 1476Tending to vindicate; justificatory. 2. Inflicting punishment; avenging; punitory. The afflictions of Job were not vindicatory punishments. Bramhall.Vin-dĭc'tive, a. p. 1476Given to revenge; revengeful. I am vindictive enough to repel force by force. Dryden.