VOA -abbr

  1. Voice of America

voc -abbr

  1. vocational

VOC -abbr

  1. volatile organic compound

vo·cab ['vō-,kab] -n

  1. vocabulary

vo·ca·ble ['vō-kə-bəl] -n

  1. term
  2. a word composed of various sounds or letters without regard to its meaning

vo·cab·u·lar [vō-'ka-byə-lər, və-] -adj

  1. of or relating to words or phraseology : verbal

vo·cab·u·lary [vō-'ka-byə-,ler-ē, və-] -n

  1. a list or collection of words or of words and phrases usu. alphabetically arranged and explained or defined : lexicon
  2. a sum or stock of words employed by a language, group, individual, or work or in a field of knowledge
  3. a list or collection of terms or codes available for use (as in an indexing system)
  4. a supply of expressive techniques or devices (as of an art form)

vocabulary entry -n

  1. a word (as the noun book), hyphenated or open compound (as the verb book-matchor the noun book review), word element (as the affix pro-), abbreviation (as agt), verbalized symbol (as Na), or term (as man in the street) entered alphabetically in a dictionary for the purpose of definition or identification or expressly included as an inflected form (as the noun miceor the verb saw) or as a derived form (as the noun godlessnessor the adverb globally) or related phrase (as one for the book) run on at its base word and usu. set in a type (as boldface) readily distinguishable from that of the lightface running text which defines, explains, or identifies the entry

vo·cal ['vō-kəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. uttered by the voice : oral
  2. produced in the larynx : uttered with voice
  3. relating to, composed or arranged for, or sung by the human voice
    • vocal music
  4. vocalic
  5. having or exercising the power of producing voice, speech, or sound
  6. expressive
  7. full of voices : resounding
  8. given to expressing oneself freely or insistently : outspoken
    • a highly vocal critic
  9. expressed in words
  10. of, relating to, or resembling the voice
    • vocal impairment

vocal -n

  1. a vocal sound
  2. a usu. accompanied musical composition for the human voice : song
  3. a performance of such a composition

vocal cords -n pl

  1. either of two pairs of folds of mucous membranes that project into the cavity of the larynx and have free edges extending dorsoventrally toward the middle line

vocal folds -n pl

  1. the lower pair of vocal cords each of which when drawn taut, approximated to the contralateral member of the pair, and subjected to a flow of breath produces the voice

vo·cal·ic [vō-'ka-lik, və-] -adj, adv

  1. marked by or consisting of vowels
  2. being or functioning as a vowel
  3. of, relating to, or associated with a vowel

vocalic -n

  1. a vowel sound or sequence in its function as the most sonorous part of a syllable

vo·cal·ise ['vō-kə-,līz] -vb, n

(variant of vocalize)

  1. to give voice to : utter
  2. sing
  3. to make voiced rather than voiceless : voice
  4. to convert to a vowel
  5. to furnish (as a consonantal Hebrew or Arabic text) with vowels or vowel points
  6. to utter vocal sounds
  7. sing
  8. to sing without words

vo·cal·ism ['vō-kə-,li-zəm] -n

  1. the vowel system of a language or dialect
  2. the pattern of vowels in a word or paradigm
  3. vocalization
  4. vocal art or technique : singing

vo·cal·ist ['vō-kə-list] -n

  1. singer

vo·cal·ize ['vō-kə-,līz] -vb, n

  1. to give voice to : utter
  2. sing
  3. to make voiced rather than voiceless : voice
  4. to convert to a vowel
  5. to furnish (as a consonantal Hebrew or Arabic text) with vowels or vowel points
  6. to utter vocal sounds
  7. sing
  8. to sing without words

vo·ca·tion [vō-'kā-shən] -n

  1. a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action
  2. a divine call to the religious life
  3. an entry into the priesthood or a religious order
  4. the work in which a person is employed : occupation
  5. the persons engaged in a particular occupation
  6. the special function of an individual or group

vo·ca·tion·al [vō-'kā-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or concerned with a vocation
  2. of, relating to, or undergoing training in a skill or trade to be pursued as a career
    • a vocational school
    • vocational students

vo·ca·tion·al·ism [-shnə-,li-zəm, -shə-nᵊl-,i-zəm] -n

  1. emphasis on vocational training in education

voc·a·tive ['vä-kə-tiv] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or being a grammatical case marking the one addressed (as Latin Dominein miserere, Dominehave mercy, O Lord)
  2. marking the one addressed (as motherin mother, come here)

vocative -n

  1. the vocative case of a language
  2. a form in the vocative case

voced ['vōk-,ed] -n

  1. vocational education

vo·cif·er·ant [vō-'si-fə-rənt] -adj

  1. clamorous, vociferous

vo·cif·er·ate [-,rāt] -vb, n

  1. to utter loudly : shout
  2. to cry out loudly : clamor

vo·cif·er·ous [vō-'si-f(ə-)rəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry

vo·cod·er ['vō-'kō-dər] -n

  1. an electronic mechanism that reduces speech signals to slowly varying signals transmittable over communication systems of limited frequency bandwidth

vod·ka ['väd-kə] -n

  1. a colorless liquor of neutral spirits distilled from a mash (as of rye or wheat)

vodka martini -n

  1. a martini made with vodka instead of gin

vodou ['vü-(,)dü] -n

(variant of voodoo)

  1. a religion that is derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship and is practiced chiefly in Haiti
  2. a person who deals in spells and necromancy
  3. a sorcerer's spell : hex
  4. a hexed object : charm

vo·dun [vō-'düⁿ] -n

  1. voodoo

vog ['vȯg, 'väg] -n

  1. air pollution caused by volcanic emissions

vo·gie ['vō-gē] -adj

  1. proud, vain

vogue ['vōg] -n, adj

  1. the leading place in popularity or acceptance
  2. popular acceptation or favor : popularity
  3. a period of popularity
  4. one that is in fashion at a particular time
  5. to strike poses in campy imitation of fashion models esp. as a kind of dance

vogu·ish ['vō-gish] -adj, n

  1. fashionable, smart
  2. suddenly or temporarily popular
    • a voguish term

voice ['vȯis] -n

  1. sound produced by vertebrates by means of lungs, larynx, or syrinx
  2. sound so produced by human beings
  3. musical sound produced by the vocal folds and resonated by the cavities of head and throat
  4. the power or ability to produce musical tones
  5. singer
  6. one of the melodic parts in a vocal or instrumental composition
  7. condition of the vocal organs with respect to production of musical tones
  8. the use of the voice (as in singing or acting)
    • studying voice
  9. expiration of air with the vocal cords drawn close so as to vibrate audibly (as in uttering vowels and consonant sounds as v or z)
  10. the faculty of utterance
    • lost my voice
  11. a sound resembling or suggesting vocal utterance
  12. an instrument or medium of expression
    • the party became the voice of the workers
  13. wish, choice, or opinion openly or formally expressed
    • the voice of the people
  14. right of expression
  15. influential power
  16. distinction of form or a system of inflections of a verb to indicate the relation of the subject of the verb to the action which the verb expresses
    • active and passive voice s
  17. to express in words : utter
    • voice a complaint
  18. to adjust for producing the proper musical sounds
  19. to pronounce (as a consonant) with voice

voice box -n

  1. larynx

voiced -adj

  1. having or furnished with a voice esp. of a specified kind often used in combination
    • soft- voiced
  2. uttered with vocal cord vibration
    • a voiced consonant

voice·ful ['vȯis-fəl] -adj, n

  1. having a voice or vocal quality
  2. having a loud voice or many voices

voice·less [-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. having no voice : mute
  2. not voiced : surd
    • a voiceless consonant

voice mail -n

  1. an electronic communication system in which spoken messages are recorded or digitized for later playback to the intended recipient
  2. such a message

voiceover ['vȯis-,ō-vər] -n

  1. the voice of an unseen narrator speaking (as in a motion picture or television commercial)
  2. the voice of a visible character (as in a motion picture) expressing unspoken thoughts
  3. a recording of a voice-over

voice part -n

  1. voice

voice·print ['vȯis-print] -n

  1. an individually distinctive pattern of certain voice characteristics that is spectrographically produced

voic·er ['vȯi-sər] -n

  1. one that voices
  2. one that voices organ pipes

voice vote -n

  1. a parliamentary vote taken by calling for ayes and noes and estimating which response is stronger

void ['vȯid] -adj, n

  1. not occupied : vacant
    • a void bishopric
  2. not inhabited : deserted
  3. containing nothing
    • void space
  4. idle, leisure
  5. being without something specified : devoid
    • a nature void of all malice
  6. having no members or examples
  7. having no cards represented in a particular hand
  8. vain, useless
  9. of no legal force or effect : null
    • a void contract
  10. voidable
  11. opening, gap
  12. empty space : emptiness, vacuum
  13. the quality or state of being without something : lack, absence
  14. a feeling of want or hollowness
  15. absence of cards of a particular suit in a hand orig. dealt to a player
  16. to make empty or vacant : clear
  17. vacate, leave
  18. discharge, emit
  19. nullify, annul
  20. to eliminate solid or liquid waste from the body

void·able ['vȯi-də-bəl] -adj, n

  1. capable of being voided
  2. capable of being adjudged void
    • a voidable contract

void·ance ['vȯi-dᵊn(t)s] -n

  1. the act of voiding
  2. the state of being without an incumbent

void·ed ['vȯi-dəd] -adj

  1. having the inner part cut away or left vacant with a narrow border left at the sides used of a heraldic charge

voi·la [vwä-'lä] -interj

  1. used to call attention, to express satisfaction or approval, or to suggest an appearance as if by magic

voile ['vȯi(-ə)l] -n

  1. a fine soft sheer fabric used esp. for women's summer clothing or curtains

voir dire ['vwär-'dir, 'wär-] -n

  1. a preliminary examination to determine the competency of a witness or juror

vol -abbr

  1. volcano
  2. volume
  3. volunteer

vo·lant ['vō-lənt] -adj

  1. having the wings extended as if in flight used of a heraldic bird
  2. flying or capable of flying
  3. quick, nimble

vo·lan·te [vō-'län-(,)tā] -adj

  1. moving with light rapidity used as a direction in music

Vo·la·puk ['vō-lə-,pu̇k, 'vä-] -n

  1. an artificial international language based largely on English but with some root words from German, French, and Latin

vo·lar ['vō-lər, -,lär] -adj

  1. relating to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot
  2. located on the same side as the palm of the hand
    • the volar part of the forearm

vol·a·tile ['vä-lə-tᵊl, esp Brit -,tī(-ə)l] -adj, n

  1. readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature
  2. flying or having the power to fly
  3. lighthearted, lively
  4. easily aroused
    • volatile suspicions
  5. tending to erupt into violence : explosive
    • a volatile temper
  6. unable to hold the attention fixed because of an inherent lightness or fickleness of disposition
  7. characterized by or subject to rapid or unexpected change
    • a volatile market
  8. difficult to capture or hold permanently : evanescent, transitory

volatile -n

  1. a volatile substance

volatile oil -n

  1. an oil that vaporizes readily
  2. essential oil

vol·a·til·ise ['vä-lə-tə-,līz, Brit also və-'la-] -vb, adj, n

(variant of volatilize)

  1. to make volatile
  2. to cause to pass off in vapor
  3. to pass off in vapor

vol·a·til·ize ['vä-lə-tə-,līz, Brit also və-'la-] -vb, adj, n

  1. to make volatile
  2. to cause to pass off in vapor
  3. to pass off in vapor

volauvent [,vȯ-lō-'väⁿ] -n

  1. a baked patty shell filled with meat, fowl, game, or seafood in sauce

vol·ca·nic [väl-'ka-nik, vȯl- also -'kā-] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or produced by a volcano
  2. characterized by volcanoes
    • a volcanic range
  3. made of materials from volcanoes
  4. explosively violent : volatile
    • volcanic emotions

volcanic -n

  1. a volcanic rock

volcanic glass -n

  1. natural glass produced by the cooling of molten lava too rapidly to permit crystallization

vol·ca·nic·i·ty [,väl-kə-'ni-sə-tē, ,vȯl-] -n

  1. volcanism

vol·ca·nism ['väl-kə-,ni-zəm, 'vȯl-] -n

  1. volcanic action or activity

vol·ca·no [väl-'kā-(,)nō, vȯl-] -n

  1. a vent in the crust of the earth or another planet or a moon from which usu. molten or hot rock and steam issue
  2. a hill or mountain composed wholly or in part of the ejected material
  3. something of explosively violent potential

vol·ca·no·log·i·cal [,väl-kə-nə-'lä-ji-kəl, ,vȯl-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or involving volcanology or volcanic phenomena
    • volcanological processes that shape the planets

vol·ca·nol·o·gy [,väl-kə-'nä-lə-jē, ,vȯl-] -n

  1. a branch of science that deals with volcanic phenomena

vole ['vōl] -n

  1. grand slam
  2. any of various small rodents ( Microtusand related genera) that typically have a stout body, rather blunt nose, and short ears, inhabit both moist meadows and dry uplands and do much damage to crops, and are closely related to muskrats and lemmings

vo·li·tion [vō-'li-shən, və-] -n, adj

  1. an act of making a choice or decision
  2. a choice or decision made
  3. the power of choosing or determining : will

vol·i·tive ['vä-lə-tiv] -adj

  1. of or relating to the will
  2. expressing a wish or permission

volks·lied ['fōks-,lēt, 'fȯlks-] -n

  1. a folk song

vol·ley ['vä-lē] -n

  1. a flight of missiles (as arrows)
  2. simultaneous discharge of a number of missile weapons
  3. one round per gun in a battery fired as soon as a gun is ready without regard to order
  4. the flight of the ball (as in volleyball or tennis) or its course before striking the ground
  5. a return of the ball before it touches the ground
  6. a kick of the ball in soccer before it rebounds
  7. the exchange of the shuttlecock in badminton following the serve
  8. a burst or emission of many things or a large amount at once
    • received a volley of angry letters
    • a volley of praise
  9. a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center

volley -vb, n

  1. to discharge in or as if in a volley
  2. to propel (an object) while in the air and before touching the ground
  3. to hit (a tennis ball) on the volley
  4. to become discharged in or as if in a volley
  5. to make a volley
  6. to volley an object of play (as in tennis)

vol·ley·ball ['vä-lē-,bȯl] -n

  1. a game played by volleying an inflated ball over a net
  2. the ball used in this game

vol·plane ['väl-,plān, 'vȯl-] -vi

  1. to glide in or as if in an airplane
  2. glide

Vol·sci ['vȯl-,skē, 'väl-,sī] -n pl

  1. a people of ancient Italy dwelling between the Latins and Samnites

Vol·scian ['väl-shən, 'vȯl-skē-ən] -n, adj

  1. a member of the Volsci
  2. the Italic language of the Volsci

volt ['vōlt, 'vȯlt] -n

  1. a leaping movement in fencing to avoid a thrust
  2. a tread or gait in which a horse going sideways makes a turn around a center
  3. a circle traced by a horse in this movement
  4. the practical meter-kilogram-second unit of electrical potential difference and electromotive force equal to the difference of potential between two points in a conducting wire carrying a constant current of one ampere when the power dissipated between these two points is equal to one watt and equivalent to the potential difference across a resistance of one ohm when one ampere is flowing through it

volt·age ['vōl-tij] -n

  1. electric potential or potential difference expressed in volts
  2. intensity of feeling

voltage divider -n

  1. a resistor or series of resistors provided with taps at certain points and used to provide various potential differences from a single power source

vol·ta·ic [väl-'tā-ik, vōl-, vȯl-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or producing direct electric current by chemical action (as in a battery) : galvanic
    • voltaic cell

voltam·pere ['vōlt-'am-,pir also -,per] -n

  1. a unit of electric measurement equal to the product of a volt and an ampere that for direct current constitutes a measure of power equivalent to a watt

volteface [,vȯlt-'fäs, ,vȯl-tə-] -n

  1. a reversal in policy : about-face

volt·me·ter ['vōlt-,mē-tər] -n

  1. an instrument (as a galvanometer) for measuring in volts the differences in potential between different points of an electrical circuit

vol·u·ble ['väl-yə-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. easily rolling or turning : rotating
  2. characterized by ready or rapid speech : glib, fluent

vol·ume ['väl-yəm, -(,)yüm] -n, adj

  1. a series of printed sheets bound typically in book form : book
  2. a series of issues of a periodical
  3. album
  4. scroll
  5. the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object as measured in cubic units (as quarts or liters) : cubic capacity
  6. amount
  7. bulk, mass
  8. a considerable quantity
  9. the amount of a substance occupying a particular volume
  10. mass or the representation of mass in art or architecture
  11. the degree of loudness or the intensity of a sound
  12. loudness

volume -vb

  1. to send or give out in volume
  2. to roll or rise in volume
  3. involving large quantities
    • offered volume discounts

vol·u·me·ter ['väl-yu̇-,mē-tər] -n

  1. an instrument for measuring volumes (as of gases or liquids) directly or (as of solids) by displacement of a liquid

vol·u·met·ric [,väl-yu̇-'me-trik] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or involving the measurement of volume

vo·lu·mi·nos·i·ty [və-,lü-mə-'nä-sə-tē] -n

  1. the quality or state of being voluminous

vo·lu·mi·nous [və-'lü-mə-nəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. consisting of many folds, coils, or convolutions : winding
  2. having or marked by great volume or bulk : large
    • long voluminous tresses
  3. full
    • a voluminous skirt
  4. numerous
    • trying to keep track of voluminous slips of paper
  5. filling or capable of filling a large volume or several volumes
    • a voluminous literature on the subject
  6. writing or speaking much or at great length
    • a voluminous correspondent

vol·un·ta·rism ['vä-lən-tə-,ri-zəm] -n, adj

  1. the principle or system of doing something by or relying on voluntary action or volunteers
  2. a theory that conceives will to be the dominant factor in experience or in the world

vol·un·tary ['vä-lən-,ter-ē] -adj, adv, n

  1. proceeding from the will or from one's own choice or consent
  2. unconstrained by interference : self-determining
  3. done by design or intention : intentional
    • voluntary manslaughter
  4. of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will
    • voluntary behavior
  5. having power of free choice
  6. provided or supported by voluntary action
    • a voluntary organization
  7. acting or done of one's own free will without valuable consideration or legal obligation

voluntary -n

  1. a prefatory often extemporized musical piece
  2. an improvisatory organ piece played before, during, or after a religious service
  3. one who participates voluntarily : volunteer

vol·un·tary·ism ['vä-lən-,ter-ē-,i-zəm] -n

  1. voluntarism

voluntary muscle -n

  1. muscle (as most striated muscle) under voluntary control

vol·un·teer [,vä-lən-'tir] -n

  1. : a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: as
  2. one who enters into military service voluntarily
  3. one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest
  4. one who receives a conveyance or transfer of property without giving valuable consideration
  5. a volunteer plant
  6. a member of a quasi-military religious and philanthropic organization founded in 1896 by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth

volunteer -adj

  1. being, consisting of, or engaged in by volunteers
    • a volunteer army
    • busy with volunteer activities
  2. growing spontaneously without direct human control or supervision esp. from seeds lost from a previous crop
    • volunteer corn plants
  3. to offer oneself as a volunteer
    • volunteer ed to host the meeting
  4. to offer or bestow voluntarily
    • volunteer one's services

vol·un·teer·ism [,vä-lən-'tir-,i-zəm] -n

  1. voluntarism
  2. the act or practice of doing volunteer work in community service

vo·lup·tu·ary [və-'ləp(t)-shə-,wer-ē] -n, adj

  1. a person whose chief interests are luxury and the gratification of sensual appetites

vo·lup·tu·ous [və-'ləp(t)-shə-wəs, -shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. full of delight or pleasure to the senses : conducive to or arising from sensuous or sensual gratification : luxurious
    • a voluptuous dance
    • voluptuous ornamentation
    • a voluptuous wine
  2. suggesting sensual pleasure by fullness and beauty of form
    • voluptuous nudes
  3. given to or spent in enjoyment of luxury, pleasure, or sensual gratifications
    • a long and voluptuous holiday -- Edmund Wilson

vo·lute [və-'lüt] -n, adj

  1. a spiral or scroll-shaped form
  2. a spiral scroll-shaped ornament forming the chief feature of the Ionic capital
  3. any of various marine gastropod mollusks (family Volutidae) with a thick short-spired shell
  4. the shell of a volute

vo·lu·tin ['väl-yə-,tin, və-'lü-tᵊn] -n

  1. a granular basophilic substance containing nucleic acids that is found esp. in cells of microorganisms

vol·va ['väl-və, 'vȯl-] -n

  1. a membranous sac or cup about the base of the stipe in many gilled fungi (as agarics)

vol·vox [-,väks] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Volvox) of flagellated unicellular green algae that form spherical colonies

vol·vu·lus ['väl-vyə-ləs, 'vȯl-] -n

  1. a twisting of the intestine upon itself that causes obstruction

vo·mer ['vō-mər] -n, adj

  1. a bone of the skull of most vertebrates that is situated below the ethmoid region and in the human skull forms part of the nasal septum

vom·ero·na·sal organ [,vä-mə-rō-'nā-zəl-, ,vō-] -n

  1. either of a pair of small blind pouches or tubes in many vertebrates that are situated one on either side of the nasal septum or in the buccal cavity and that are reduced to rudimentary pits in adult humans but are developed in reptiles, amphibians, and some mammals as chemoreceptors called also Jacobson's organ

vom·it ['vä-mət] -n

  1. an act or instance of disgorging the contents of the stomach through the mouth
  2. the disgorged matter
  3. emetic

vomit -vi, n

  1. to disgorge the stomach contents
  2. to spew forth : belch, gush
  3. to disgorge (the contents of the stomach) through the mouth
  4. to eject violently or abundantly : spew
  5. to cause to vomit

vom·i·to·ry ['vä-mə-,tȯr-ē] -n

  1. an entrance piercing the banks of seats of a theater, amphitheater, or stadium

vom·i·tus ['vä-mə-təs] -n

  1. material discharged by vomiting

voo·doo ['vü-(,)dü] -n

  1. a religion that is derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship and is practiced chiefly in Haiti
  2. a person who deals in spells and necromancy
  3. a sorcerer's spell : hex
  4. a hexed object : charm

voodoo -vt

  1. to bewitch by or as if by means of voodoo : hex
  2. of, relating to, or practicing voodoo
    • voodoo rituals
  3. based on highly improbable suppositions : extremely implausible or unrealistic
    • voodoo economics

voo·doo·ism ['vü-(,)dü-,i-zəm] -n, adj

  1. voodoo
  2. the practice of witchcraft

VOR -abbr

  1. very-high-frequency omnidirectional radio (range)
  2. very-high-frequency omnidirectional radio (beacon)

vo·ra·cious [vȯ-'rā-shəs, və-] -adj, adv, n

  1. having a huge appetite : ravenous
  2. excessively eager : insatiable
    • a voracious reader

vo·rac·i·ty [vȯ-'ra-sə-tē, və-] -n

  1. the quality or state of being voracious

vor·la·ge ['fȯr-,lä-gə] -n

  1. the position of a skier leaning forward from the ankles usu. without lifting the heels from the skis

vor·tex ['vȯr-,teks] -n

  1. something that resembles a whirlpool
    • the hellish vortex of battle -- Time
  2. a mass of fluid (as a liquid) with a whirling or circular motion that tends to form a cavity or vacuum in the center of the circle and to draw toward this cavity or vacuum bodies subject to its action
  3. whirlpool, eddy
  4. a region within a body of fluid in which the fluid elements have an angular velocity

vor·ti·cal ['vȯr-ti-kəl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or resembling a vortex : swirling

vor·ti·cel·la [,vȯr-tə-'se-lə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Vorticella) of stalked bell-shaped ciliates

vor·ti·cism ['vȯr-tə-,si-zəm] -n, n or adj

  1. an English abstract art movement from about 191215 embracing cubist and futurist concepts

vor·tic·i·ty [vȯr-'ti-sə-tē] -n

  1. the state of a fluid in vortical motion
  2. vortical motion
  3. a measure of vortical motion
  4. a vector measure of local rotation in a fluid flow

vor·ti·cose ['vȯr-ti-,kōs] -adj

  1. vortical

vo·ta·ress ['vō-tə-rəs] -n

  1. a woman who is a votary

vo·ta·rist [-rist] -n

  1. votary

vo·ta·ry ['vō-tə-rē] -n

  1. a sworn adherent
  2. devotee
  3. a devoted admirer
  4. a devout or zealous worshipper
  5. a staunch believer or advocate

vote ['vōt] -n

  1. a usu. formal expression of opinion or will in response to a proposed decision
  2. one given as an indication of approval or disapproval of a proposal, motion, or candidate for office
  3. the total number of such expressions of opinion made known at a single time (as at an election)
  4. an expression of opinion or preference that resembles a vote
  5. ballot
  6. the collective opinion or verdict of a body of persons expressed by voting
  7. the right to cast a vote
  8. the right of suffrage : franchise
  9. the act or process of voting
    • brought the question to a vote
  10. a method of voting
  11. a formal expression of a wish, will, or choice voted by a meeting
  12. voter
  13. a group of voters with some common and identifying characteristics
    • the labor vote
  14. a proposition to be voted on
  15. a legislative money item
  16. appropriation
  17. to express one's views in response to a poll
  18. to exercise a political franchise
  19. to express an opinion
    • consumers...vote with their dollars -- Lucia Mouat
  20. to choose, endorse, decide the disposition of, defeat, or authorize by vote
    • he was voted out of office
  21. to adjudge by general agreement : declare
  22. to offer as a suggestion : propose
    • I vote we all go home
  23. to cause to vote in a given way
  24. to cause to be cast for or against a proposal
  25. to vote in accordance with or in the interest of
    • vote your conscience
    • voted their pocketbooks

votech ['vō-'tek] -adj

  1. relating to, providing, or receiving vocational and technical education and training

vote·less ['vōt-ləs] -adj

  1. having no vote
  2. denied the political franchise

vot·er ['vō-tər] -n

  1. one that votes or has the legal right to vote

voting machine -n

  1. a mechanical device for recording and counting votes cast in an election

vo·tive ['vō-tiv] -adj, adv, n

  1. consisting of or expressing a vow, wish, or desire
    • a votive prayer
  2. offered or performed in fulfillment of a vow or in gratitude or devotion

votive candle -n

  1. a candle lit in devotion or gratitude
  2. a small squat candle called also votive

votive mass -n

  1. a mass celebrated for a special intention (as for a wedding or funeral) in place of the mass of the day

vo·tress ['vō-trəs] -n

  1. votaress

VO2 max [,vē-ō-'tü-'maks] -n

  1. the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during a specified period of usu. intense exercise

vouch ['vau̇ch] -vb

  1. to summon into court to warrant or defend a title
  2. assert, affirm
  3. attest
  4. to cite or refer to as authority or supporting evidence
  5. prove, substantiate
  6. to verify (a business transaction) by examining documentary evidence
  7. to give a guarantee : become surety
  8. to supply supporting evidence or testimony
  9. to give personal assurance
  10. allegation, declaration

vouch·ee [vau̇-'chē] -n

  1. a person for whom another vouches

vouch·er ['vau̇-chər] -n

  1. an act of vouching
  2. a piece of supporting evidence : proof
  3. a documentary record of a business transaction
  4. a written affidavit or authorization : certificate
  5. a form or check indicating a credit against future purchases or expenditures
  6. a coupon issued by government to a parent or guardian to be used to fund a child's education in either a public or private school

voucher -vt

  1. to establish the authenticity of
  2. to prepare a voucher for
  3. one that guarantees : surety

vouch·safe [vau̇ch-'sāf, 'vau̇ch-,] -vt, n

  1. to grant or furnish often in a gracious or condescending manner
  2. to give by way of reply
    • refused to vouchsafe an explanation
  3. to grant as a privilege or special favor

vous·soir [vü-'swär, 'vü-,] -n

  1. one of the wedge-shaped pieces forming an arch or vault

Vou·vray [vü-'vrā] -n

  1. a semidry to semisweet white wine from the Loire Valley of France that is often produced as a sparkling wine

vow ['vau̇] -n

  1. a solemn promise or assertion
  2. one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition
  3. to promise solemnly : swear
  4. to bind or consecrate by a vow
  5. to make a vow
  6. avow, declare

vow·el ['vau̇(-ə)l] -n

  1. one of a class of speech sounds in the articulation of which the oral part of the breath channel is not blocked and is not constricted enough to cause audible friction
  2. the one most prominent sound in a syllable
  3. a letter or other symbol representing a vowel usu. used in English of a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y

vow·el·ize ['vau̇-(ə-),līz] -vt

  1. to furnish with vowel points

vowel point -n

  1. a mark placed below or otherwise near a consonant in some languages (as Hebrew) and representing the vowel sound that precedes or follows the consonant sound

vowel rhyme -n

  1. assonance

vox po·pu·li ['väks-'pä-pyü-,lī, -pyə-(,)lē, -pə-(,)lē] -n

  1. popular sentiment

voy·age ['vȯi-ij, 'vȯ(-)ij] -n

  1. an act or instance of traveling : journey
  2. a course or period of traveling by other than land routes
    • a long sea voyage
  3. an account of a journey esp. by sea

voyage -vb, n

  1. to take a trip : travel
  2. sail, traverse

voya·geur [,vȯi-ə-'zhər, ,vwä-yä-] -n

  1. a man employed by a fur company to transport goods to and from remote stations esp. in the Canadian Northwest

voy·eur [vwä-'yər, vȯi-'ər] -n, adj, adv

  1. one obtaining sexual gratification from observing unsuspecting individuals who are partly undressed, naked, or engaged in sexual acts
  2. one who habitually seeks sexual stimulation by visual means
  3. a prying observer who is usu. seeking the sordid or the scandalous