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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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  1. 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…
  2. 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.
  3. Vĭl'lage-ry, n.p. 1476A district of villages. [Obs.] “The maidens of the villagery.” Shak.
  4. 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…
  5. Vĭl′lain, a.p. 1476Villainous. [Rare.]
  6. 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…
  7. Vĭl'lain-ōus-ly, adv.p. 1476In a villainous manner; with extreme wickedness or depravity; basely.
  8. Vil'lain-oüs-ness, n.p. 1476The quality of being villainous; extreme depravity; baseness.
  9. 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…
  10. Vil'la-kīn, n.p. 1476A little village. [Rare.] Gay. 2. A small villa, or country-house. Atl. Monthly.
  11. Vĭl'lan, n.p. 1476A villain. [Rare.]
  12. 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…
  13. Vĭl'la-nĕtte', n.p. 1476A small villa or country residence. [Rare.]
  14. 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.
  15. Vil'lan-īz'er, n.p. 1476One who villanizes, degrades, or debases.
  16. Vil'lan-ōs, a.p. 1476See VILLAINOUS.
  17. Vil'lan-oŭs, adv.p. 1476Villainously. [Obs.] Shak.
  18. Vil'lan-oŭs-ly, adv.p. 1476See VILLAINOUSLY.
  19. Vĭl'lan-ous-ness, n.p. 1476See VILLAINOUSNESS.
  20. Vil'lan-y, n.p. 1476See VILLAINY.
  21. Vil-lāt'ic, a.p. 1476Of, or pertaining to, a village. “Tame, villatic fowl.” Milton.
  22. Vil'lein, n.p. 1476A feudal tenant of the lowest class; a villain. See VILLAIN.
  23. Vil'lein-age or Vil'len-age, n.p. 1476A tenure of lands and tenements by base services; villanage. Blackstone.
  24. 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…
  25. 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.
  26. Vil-lōse', a.p. 1476(Bot.) Villous. See VILLOUS.
  27. Vil-lōs'i-ty, n.p. 1476(Bot.) (a.) The state of being villose. (b.) A covering of long, weak hairs. Henslow.
  28. 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.)…
  29. Vī'men, n.p. 1476(Bot.) A long, slender, flexible shoot or branch.
  30. Vĭm'ĭ-nal, a.p. 1476Of, or pertaining to, twigs; consisting of twigs; producing twigs.
  31. 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.
  32. Vī-nā'ceōŭs, a.p. 1476Belonging to wine or grapes. 2. Of the color of wine.
  33. 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…
  34. Vĭ-nāt'i-co, n.p. 1476A coarse mahogany obtained in Madeira from Persea Indica. Simmonds.
  35. Vin'ci-bil'i-ty, n.p. 1476The state or quality of being vincible; vincibleness.
  36. Vĭn'ci-ble, a.p. 1476Capable of being overcome or subdued; conquerable. “He not vincible in spirit.” Hayward.
  37. Vin'ci-ble-ness, n.p. 1476The state or quality of being vincible; capability of being conquered.
  38. Vinct'ure, n.p. 1476A binding. [Obs.]
  39. 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.
  40. Vin-dē'mi-al, a.p. 1476Of, or pertaining to, a vintage, or grape harvest.
  41. Vin-dē'mi-āte, v. i.p. 1476To gather the vintage. [Obs.] Evelyn.
  42. Vin-dē/mi-a'tion, n.p. 1476The operation of gathering grapes. [Obs.] Bailey.
  43. Vin'di-ca-bil'i-ty, n.p. 1476The state or quality of being vindicable, or capable of support or justification.
  44. Vin'di-ca-ble, a.p. 1476Capable of being vindicated, justified, or supported.
  45. 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…
  46. 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…
  47. 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.
  48. Vin'di-cā-tive-ness, n.p. 1476The state or quality of being vindicative.
  49. Vin'di-cā'tor, n.p. 1476One who vindicates; one who justifies or maintains; one who defends.
  50. 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.
  51. Vin-dĭc'tive, a.p. 1476Given to revenge; revengeful. I am vindictive enough to repel force by force. Dryden.
  52. Vin-dĭc'tive-ly, adv.p. 1476In a vindictive manner; by way of revenge; revengefully.
  53. Vin-dic'tive-ness, n.p. 1476The quality of being vindictive; revengeful temper; revengefulness.
  54. Vine, n.p. 1476(Bot.) (a.) The plant from which wine is made; the woody, climbing plant, that produces grapes, of the genus Vitis, and of a great number of varieties. (b.) Hence, a climbing or trailing plant; the…
  55. Vī'ne-al, a.p. 1476Relating to, or consisting in, vines. [Rare.] “Vineal plantations.” Browne.
  56. Vined, a.p. 1476Having leaves like those of the vine.
  57. Vine'-drāg'on, n.p. 1477An old and fruitless branch of a vine. [Obs.] Holland.
  58. Vine'-dress'er, n.p. 1477One who dresses, trims, prunes, and cultivates vines.
  59. Vine'-frēt'ter, n.p. 1477A small insect that injures vines; an aphis or puceron.
  60. Vin'e-gar, n.p. 1477<br>1. An acid liquor obtained from wine, cider, beer, and the like, by the acetous fermentation.<br>☞ The sourness of vinegar is ordinarily due to acetic acid, of which it contains a small…