VI -abbr
- Virgin Islands
via ['vī-ə, 'vē-ə] -prep
- by way of
- through the medium or agency of
- by means of
vi·a·ble ['vī-ə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of living
- having attained such form and development as to be normally capable of surviving outside the mother's womb
- capable of growing or developing
- capable of working, functioning, or developing adequately
- capable of existence and development as an independent unit
- the colony is now a viable state
- having a reasonable chance of succeeding
- financially sustainable
via·duct ['vī-ə-,dəkt] -n
- a long elevated roadway usu. consisting of a series of short spans supported on arches, piers, or columns
Vi·ag·ra [vī-'a-grə] -trademark
- used for a preparation of the citrate of sildenafil
vi·al ['vī(-ə)l] -n
- a small closed or closable vessel esp. for liquids
via me·dia [,vī-ə-'mē-dē-ə; ,vē-ə-'mā-dē-ə, -'me-] -n
- a middle way
vi·and ['vī-ənd] -n
- an item of food
- a choice or tasty dish
- provisions, food
vi·at·i·cal settlement [vī-'a-ti-kəl-] -n
- an agreement by which the owner of a life insurance policy that covers a person (as the owner) who has a catastrophic or life-threatening illness receives compensation for less than the expected death benefit of the policy in return for a turning over (as by sale or bequest) of the death benefit or ownership of the policy to the other party (as a company specializing in such transfers) called also viatical
vi·at·i·cum [vī-'a-ti-kəm, vē-] -n
- the Christian Eucharist given to a person in danger of death
- an allowance (as of transportation or supplies and money) for traveling expenses
- provisions for a journey
vibe ['vīb] -n
- vibration
- seems to be in on every conversation, every deal, every vibe that is winging through the room -- Albert Goldman
usu. used in pl.
vibes ['vībz] -n pl, n
- vibraphone
vi·bra·harp ['vī-brə-,härp] -n
- vibraphone
vi·brance ['vī-brən(t)s] -n
- vibrancy
vi·bran·cy ['vī-brən(t)-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being vibrant
vi·brant [-brənt] -adj, adv
- oscillating or pulsating rapidly
- pulsating with life, vigor, or activity
- readily set in vibration
- responsive, sensitive
- sounding as a result of vibration : resonant
- bright
vi·bra·phone ['vī-brə-,fōn] -n
- a percussion instrument resembling the xylophone but having metal bars and motor-driven resonators for sustaining the tone and producing a vibrato
vi·brate ['vī-,brāt, esp Brit vī-'] -vb
- to swing or move to and fro
- to emit with or as if with a vibratory motion
- to mark or measure by oscillation
- a pendulum vibrating seconds
- to set in vibration
- to move to and fro or from side to side : oscillate
- fluctuate, vacillate
- vibrate between two choices
- to have an effect as or as if of vibration
- music, when soft voices die, vibrate s in the memory -- P. B. Shelley
- to be in a state of vibration : quiver
- to respond sympathetically : thrill
- vibrate to the opportunity
vi·bra·tile ['vī-brə-tᵊl, -,tī(-ə)l] -adj
- characterized by vibration
- adapted to, used in, or capable of vibratory motion
vi·bra·tion [vī-'brā-shən] -n, adj
- a periodic motion of the particles of an elastic body or medium in alternately opposite directions from the position of equilibrium when that equilibrium has been disturbed (as when a stretched cord produces musical tones or molecules in the air transmit sounds to the ear)
- : the action of vibrating : the state of being vibrated or in vibratory motion: as
- oscillation
- a quivering or trembling motion : quiver
- an instance of vibration
- vacillation in opinion or action : wavering
- a characteristic emanation, aura, or spirit that infuses or vitalizes someone or something and that can be instinctively sensed or experienced often used in pl.
- a distinctive usu. emotional atmosphere capable of being sensed usu. used in pl.
vi·bra·to [vi-'brä-(,)tō, vī-] -n, adj
- a slightly tremulous effect imparted to vocal or instrumental tone for added warmth and expressiveness by slight and rapid variations in pitch
vi·bra·tor ['vī-,brā-tər] -n
- : one that vibrates or causes vibration: as
- a vibrating electrical apparatus used in massage or for sexual stimulation
- a vibrating device (as in an electric bell or buzzer)
vi·bra·to·ry ['vī-brə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- consisting of, capable of, or causing vibration or oscillation
- characterized by vibration
vib·rio ['vi-brē-,ō] -n, adj
- any of a genus ( Vibrio) of short rigid motile bacteria that are straight or curved rods and include pathogens esp. of gastrointestinal diseases (as cholera)
vib·ri·on ['vi-brē-,än] -n
- vibrio
- a motile bacterium
vib·ri·o·sis [,vi-brē-'ō-səs] -n
- an infectious disease of sheep and cattle caused by a bacterium ( Campylobacter fetussyn. Vibrio fetus) and marked by infertility and abortion
- infection with or disease caused by a vibrio
vi·bris·sa [vī-'bri-sə, və-] -n
- one of the stiff hairs that are located esp. about the nostrils or on other parts of the face in many mammals and that often serve as tactile organs
- one of the bristly feathers near the mouth of many and esp. insectivorous birds that may help to prevent the escape of insects
vi·bur·num [vī-'bər-nəm] -n
- any of a genus ( Viburnum) of widely distributed shrubs or small trees of the honeysuckle family with simple leaves and white or sometimes pink cymose flowers
vic -abbr
- vicinity
Vic -abbr
- Victoria
vic·ar ['vi-kər] -n
- one serving as a substitute or agent
- an administrative deputy
- : an ecclesiastical agent: as
- a Church of England incumbent receiving a stipend but not the tithes of a parish
- a member of the Episcopal clergy or laity who has charge of a mission or chapel
- a member of the clergy who exercises a broad pastoral responsibility as the representative of a prelate
vic·ar·age ['vi-k(ə-)rij] -n
- the benefice of a vicar
- the house of a vicar
- vicariate
vicar apostolic -n
- a Roman Catholic titular bishop who administers a territory not organized as a diocese
vic·ar·ate ['vi-kə-rət, -,rāt] -n
- vicariate
vicargeneral -n
- an administrative deputy of a Roman Catholic or Anglican bishop or of the head of a religious order
vi·car·i·al [vī-'ker-ē-əl, və-] -adj
- vicarious
- of or relating to a vicar
vi·car·i·ance [-ē-ən(t)s] -n
- fragmentation of the environment (as by splitting of a tectonic plate) in contrast to dispersal as a factor in promoting biological evolution by division of large populations into isolated subpopulations called also vicariance biogeography
vi·car·i·ant [-ē-ənt] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or being the process of vicariance or organisms that evolved through this process
- the possible vicariant origin of the Antillean arthropod fauna
vi·car·i·ate [-ē-ət] -n
- the office, jurisdiction, or tenure of a vicar
- the office or district of a governmental administrative deputy
vi·car·i·ous [vī-'ker-ē-əs, və-] -adj, adv, n
- serving instead of someone or something else
- that has been delegated
- performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another : substitutionary
- experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another
- occurring in an unexpected or abnormal part of the body instead of the usual one
- vicarious menstruation manifested by bleeding from the nose
Vicar of Christ
- pope
vice ['vīs] -n
- moral depravity or corruption : wickedness
- a moral fault or failing
- a habitual and usu. trivial defect or shortcoming : foible
- suffered from the vice of curiosity
- blemish, defect
- a physical imperfection, deformity, or taint
- a character representing one of the vices in an English morality play
- buffoon, jester
- an abnormal behavior pattern in a domestic animal detrimental to its health or usefulness
- sexual immorality
- prostitution
vice ['vīs] -n, adj
(variant of vise)
- any of various tools with two jaws for holding work that close usu. by a screw, lever, or cam
- something likened to a vise
- economic vise of slow growth and rampant price increases -- David Milne
- to hold, force, or squeeze with or as if with a vise
vice- ['vīs, ,vīs] -prefix
- one that takes the place of
vice admiral -n
- a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard who ranks above a rear admiral and whose insignia is three stars
vicechan·cel·lor ['vīs-'chan(t)-s(ə-)lər, ,vīs-] -n
- an officer ranking next below a chancellor and serving as deputy to the chancellor
- chief administrative officer in a British university
- a judge appointed to act for or to assist a chancellor
vicecon·sul [-'kän(t)-səl] -n
- a consular officer subordinate to a consul general or to a consul
vice·ge·ren·cy [-'jir-ən(t)-sē] -n
- the office or jurisdiction of a vicegerent
vice·ge·rent [-'jir-ənt] -n
- an administrative deputy of a king or magistrate
vi·cen·ni·al [vī-'se-nē-əl] -adj
- occurring once every 20 years
vice presidency -n
- the office of vice president
vice president -n, adj
- an officer next in rank to a president and usu. empowered to serve as president in that officer's absence or disability
- any of several officers serving as a president's deputies in charge of particular locations or functions
vice·re·gal ['vīs-'rē-gəl, ,vīs-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to a viceroy or viceroyalty
vicere·gent [-'rē-jənt] -n
- a regent's deputy
vice·reine ['vīs-,rān] -n
- the wife of a viceroy
- a woman who is a viceroy
vice·roy ['vīs-,rȯi] -n
- the governor of a country or province who rules as the representative of a king or sovereign
- a showy No. American nymphalid butterfly ( Limenitis archippus) closely mimicking the monarch in coloration but smaller
vice·roy·al·ty ['vīs-,rȯi(-ə)l-tē, ,vīs-'] -n
- the office, authority, or term of service of a viceroy
- the territory or jurisdiction of a viceroy
vice·roy·ship ['vīs-,rȯi-,ship] -n
- viceroyalty
vice squad -n
- a police squad charged with enforcement of laws concerning gambling, pornography, prostitution, and the illegal use of liquor and narcotics
vice ver·sa [,vī-si-'vər-sə, 'vīs-'vər-] -adv
- with the order changed : with the relations reversed : conversely
vi·chys·soise [,vi-shē-'swäz, ,vē-] -n
- a soup typically made of pureed leeks or onions and potatoes, cream, and chicken stock and usu. served cold
Vi·chy water ['vi-shē-] -n
- a natural sparkling mineral water from Vichy, France
- an imitation of or substitute for this
vic·i·nage ['vi-sə-nij, 'vis-nij] -n
- a neighboring or surrounding district : vicinity
vic·i·nal ['vi-sə-nəl, 'vis-nəl] -adj
- of or relating to a limited district : local
- of, relating to, or substituted in adjacent sites in a molecule
- a vicinal disulfide group
vi·cin·i·ty [və-'si-nə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being near : proximity
- a surrounding area or district : neighborhood
- neighborhood
vi·cious ['vi-shəs] -adj, adv, n
- having the nature or quality of vice or immorality : depraved
- defective, faulty
- invalid
- impure, noxious
- dangerously aggressive : savage
- marked by violence or ferocity : fierce
- malicious, spiteful
- worsened by internal causes that reciprocally augment each other
- a vicious wage-price spiral
vicious circle -n
- an argument or definition that begs the question
- a chain of events in which the response to one difficulty creates a new problem that aggravates the original difficulty called also vicious cycle
vi·cis·si·tude [və-'si-sə-,tüd, vī-, -,tyüd] -n
- the quality or state of being changeable : mutability
- natural change or mutation visible in nature or in human affairs
- a favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition
- the vicissitude s of daily life
- a difficulty or hardship attendant on a way of life, a career, or a course of action and usu. beyond one's control
- alternating change : succession
vi·cis·si·tu·di·nous [və-,si-sə-'tüd-nəs, (,)vī-, -'tyüd-; -'tü-də-nəs, -'tyü-] -adj
- marked by or filled with vicissitudes
vic·tim ['vik-təm] -n
- a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite
- : one that is acted on and usu. adversely affected by a force or agent
- the schools are victim s of the social system
: as - one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions
- a victim of the auto crash
- one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment
- a frequent victim of political attacks
- one that is tricked or duped
vic·tim·ise ['vik-tə-,mīz] -vt, n
(variant of victimize)
- to make a victim of
- to subject to deception or fraud : cheat
vic·tim·ize ['vik-tə-,mīz] -vt, n
- to make a victim of
- to subject to deception or fraud : cheat
vic·tim·less ['vik-təm-ləs] -adj
- having no victim : not of a nature that may produce a complainant
vic·tim·ol·o·gy [,vik-tə-'mä-lə-jē] -n
- the study of the ways in which the behavior of crime victims may have led to or contributed to their victimization
- the claim that the problems of a person or group are the result of victimization
vic·tor ['vik-tər] -n, adj
- one that defeats an enemy or opponent : winner
Victor
- a communications code word for the letter v
vic·to·ria [vik-'tȯr-ē-ə] -n
- a low four-wheeled pleasure carriage for two with a folding top and a raised seat in front for the driver
Victoria Cross -n
- a bronze Maltese cross awarded to members of the British armed services for acts of remarkable valor
Victoria Day -n
- formerly May 24 and now the Monday preceding May 25 observed in Canada as a legal holiday
- commonwealth day
Vic·to·ri·an [vik-'tȯr-ē-ən] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of the reign of Queen Victoria of England or the art, letters, or tastes of her time
- typical of the moral standards, attitudes, or conduct of the age of Victoria esp. when considered stuffy, prudish, or hypocritical
Victorian -n
- a person living during Queen Victoria's reign
- a representative figure of that time
- a typically large and ornate house built during Queen Victoria's reign
Vic·to·ri·ana [(,)vik-,tȯr-ē-'a-nə, -'ä-, -'ā-] -n
- materials concerning or characteristic of the Victorian age
- a collection of such materials
Vic·to·ri·an·ism [vik-'tȯr-ē-ə-,ni-zəm] -n
- a typical instance or product of Victorian expression, taste, or conduct
- the quality or state of being Victorian esp. in taste or conduct
vic·to·ri·ous [vik-'tōr-ē-əs] -adj, adv, n
- having won a victory
- of, relating to, or characteristic of victory
- evincing moral harmony or a sense of fulfillment : fulfilled
vic·to·ry ['vik-t(ə-)rē] -n
- the overcoming of an enemy or antagonist
- achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties
Vic·tro·la [vik-'trō-lə] -trademark
- used for a phonograph
vict·ual ['vi-tᵊl] -n
- food usable by people
- supplies of food : provisions
victual -vb
- to supply with food
- eat
- to lay in provisions
vict·ual·ler ['vi-tᵊl-ər] -n
- one that provisions an army, a navy, or a ship with food
- the keeper of a restaurant or tavern
- an army or navy provision ship
vi·cu·a [vi-'kün-yə, vī-; vī-'kü-nə, və-, -'kyü-] -n
- a wild ruminant ( Vicugna vicugnasyn. Lama vicugna) of the Andes from Peru to Argentina that is related to the llama and alpaca
- the wool from the vicua's fine lustrous undercoat
- a fabric made of vicua wool
- a sheep's wool imitation of this
vid ['vid] -n
- video
Vi·da·lia [və-'dāl-yə] -certification mark
- used for certain mild sweet yellow onions grown in Georgia
vi·de ['vī-dē, 'vē-,dā] -vb imper
- see used to direct a reader to another item
vi·de·li·cet [və-'de-lə-,set, vī-; vi-'dā-li-,ket] -adv
- that is to say : namely
vid·eo ['vi-dē-,ō] -n
- television
- the visual portion of television
- : videotape: as
- a recording of a motion picture or television program for playing through a television set
- a videotaped performance of a song often featuring an interpretation of the lyrics through visual images
- a recording similar to a videotape but stored in digital form (as on an optical disk or a computer's hard drive)
video -adj
- being, relating to, or used in the transmission or reception of the television image
- being, relating to, or involving images on a television screen or computer display
video camera -n
- a camera that records video and usu. audio
- camcorder
video card -n
- a circuit board in a computer system designed to generate output for the system's video display screen
vid·eo·cas·sette [,vi-dē-ō-kə-'set, -ka-] -n
- a case containing videotape for use with a VCR
- a recording on a videocassette
videocassette recorder -n
- vcr
vid·eo·con·fer·enc·ing [-'kän-f(ə-)rən(t)-siŋ, -fərn(t)-] -n
- the holding of a conference among people at remote locations by means of transmitted audio and video signals
vid·eo·disc ['vi-dē-ō-,disk] -n
- a disc similar in appearance and use to a phonograph record on which programs have been recorded for playback on a television set
- optical disk
- a recording (as of a movie) on a videodisc
video game -n
- an electronic game played by means of images on a video screen and often emphasizing fast action
vid·e·o·gen·ic [,vi-dē-ō-'je-nik] -adj
- telegenic
vid·e·og·ra·phy [,vi-dē-'ä-grə-fē] -n
- the practice or art of recording images with a video camera
vid·eo·land [-,land] -n
- television as a medium or industry
vid·eo·phile ['vi-dē-ə-,fī(-ə)l] -n
- a person fond of video
- one interested in video equipment or in producing videos
vid·eo·phone ['vi-dē-ə-,fōn] -n
- a telephone that can transmit video as well as audio signals so that users can see each other
vid·eo·tape ['vi-dē-ō-,tāp] -n
- a recording of visual images and sound (as of a television production) made on magnetic tape
- the magnetic tape used for such a recording
videotape -vt
- to make a videotape of
videotape recorder -n
- a device for recording and playing back videotapes called also video recorder
vid·eo·tex [-,teks] -n
- an electronic data retrieval system in which usu. textual information is transmitted via telephone or cable-television lines and displayed on a television set or video display terminal
- such a system that is interactive
video ve·ri·te [-,ver-ə-'tā] -n
- the filming or videotaping of a television program (as a documentary) so as to convey candid realism
vidette [vi-'det] -n
(variant of vedette)
- a mounted sentinel stationed in advance of pickets
vid·icon ['vi-di-,kän] -n
- a camera tube using the principle of photoconductivity
vie ['vī] -vb, n
- wager, hazard
- to exchange in rivalry : match
- to strive for superiority : contend, compete
Vi·en·na sausage [vē-'e-nə-] -n
- a short slender frankfurter
Viet·cong [vē-'et-'käŋ, vyet-, ,vē-ət-, vēt-, -'kȯŋ] -n
- a guerrilla member of the Vietnamese Communist movement
Viet·minh [-'min] -n
- an adherent of the Vietnamese Communist movement from 1941 to 1951
Viet·nam·ese [vē-,et-nə-'mēz, ,vyet-, ,vē-ət-, ,vēt-, -na-, -nä-, -'mēs] -n, adj
- a native or inhabitant of Vietnam
- the language of the largest group in Vietnam and the official language of the country
Vietnamese potbellied pig -n
- potbellied pig
view ['vyü] -n
- extent or range of vision : sight
- tried to keep the ship in view
- sat high in the bleachers to get a good view
- the act of seeing or examining : inspection
- survey
- a view of English literature
- a mode or manner of looking at or regarding something
- an opinion or judgment colored by the feeling or bias of its holder
- in my view the plan will fail
- scene, prospect
- the lovely view from the balcony
- the foreseeable future
- a pictorial representation
- to look at attentively : scrutinize, observe
- see, watch
- to look on in a particular light : regard
- doesn't view himself as a rebel
- to survey or examine mentally : consider
- view all sides of a question
view·book ['vyü-,bu̇k] -n
- a promotional booklet with pictures that is published by a college or university and used esp. for recruiting students
- an online version of such a booklet
view·data ['vyü-,dā-tə also -,da-] -n
- a videotex system usu. employing telephone lines
view·er ['vyü-ər] -n
- : one that views: as
- a person legally appointed to inspect and report on property
- an optical device used in viewing
- a person who watches television
view·er·ship [-,ship] -n
- a television audience esp. with respect to size or makeup
view·find·er ['vyü-,fīn-dər] -n
- a device on a camera for showing the area of the subject to be included in the picture
view hal·loo [,vyü-hə-'lü] -interj
- used in fox hunting on seeing a fox break cover
view·ing ['vyü-iŋ] -n
- an act of seeing, watching, or taking a look
- an instance or the practice of watching television
view·less ['vyü-ləs] -adj, adv
- not perceivable : invisible
- affording no view
- expressing no views
view·point [-,pȯint] -n
- point of view, standpoint
view·shed ['vyü-,shed] -n
- the natural environment that is visible from one or more viewing points
viewy ['vyü-ē] -adj
- possessing visionary, impractical, or fantastic views
- spectacular or arresting in appearance : showy
vig ['vig] -n
- vigorish
vi·ga ['vē-gə] -n
- one of the heavy rafters and esp. a log supporting the roof in American Indian and Spanish architecture of the Southwest
vi·ges·i·mal [vī-'je-sə-məl] -adj
- based on the number 20
vig·il ['vi-jəl] -n
- a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions
- the day before a religious feast observed as a day of spiritual preparation
- evening or nocturnal devotions or prayers usu. used in pl.
- the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary
- a period of wakefulness
- an act or period of watching or surveillance : watch
- kept vigil at her bedside
vig·i·lance ['vi-jə-lən(t)s] -n
- the quality or state of being vigilant
vigilance committee -n
- a committee of vigilantes
vig·i·lant ['vi-jə-lənt] -adj, adv
- alertly watchful esp. to avoid danger
vig·i·lan·te [,vi-jə-'lan-tē] -n
- a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law are viewed as inadequate)
- a self-appointed doer of justice
vigil light -n
- a candle lighted devotionally (as in a Roman Catholic church) before a shrine or image called also vigil candle
vi·gne·ron [,vēn-yə-'rōn] -n
- winegrower
vi·gnette [vin-'yet, vēn-] -n
- a running ornament (as of vine leaves, tendrils, and grapes) put on or just before a title page or at the beginning or end of a chapter
- a small decorative design or picture so placed
- a picture (as an engraving or photograph) that shades off gradually into the surrounding paper
- the pictorial part of a postage stamp design as distinguished from the frame and lettering
- a short descriptive literary sketch
- a brief incident or scene (as in a play or movie)
vignette -vt, n
- to finish (as a photograph) like a vignette
- to describe briefly
vig·or ['vi-gər] -n
- active bodily or mental strength or force
- active healthy well-balanced growth esp. of plants
- intensity of action or effect : force
- effective legal status
vig·o·rish ['vi-gə-rish] -n
- a charge taken (as by a bookie or a gambling house) on bets
- the degree of such a charge
- a vigorish of five percent
- interest paid to a moneylender
vi·go·ro·so [,vi-gə-'rō-(,)sō, ,vē-, -(,)zō] -adj or adv
- energetic in style used as a direction in music
vig·or·ous ['vi-g(ə-)rəs] -adj, adv, n
- possessing vigor : full of physical or mental strength or active force : strong
- done with vigor : carried out forcefully and energetically
vig·our ['vi-gər] -n
(variant of vigor)
- active bodily or mental strength or force
- active healthy well-balanced growth esp. of plants
- intensity of action or effect : force
- effective legal status
Vi·king ['vī-kiŋ] -n
- one of the pirate Norsemen plundering the coasts of Europe in the 8th to 10th centuries
- sea rover
- scandinavian
vile ['vī(-ə)l] -adj, adv, n
- morally despicable or abhorrent
- nothing is so vile as intellectual dishonesty
- physically repulsive : foul
- of little worth or account : common
- mean
- tending to degrade
- disgustingly or utterly bad : obnoxious, contemptible
vil·i·fi·ca·tion [,vi-lə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- the act of vilifying : abuse
- an instance of vilifying : a defamatory utterance
vil·i·fy ['vi-lə-,fī] -vt, n
- to lower in estimation or importance
- to utter slanderous and abusive statements against : defame
vil·i·pend ['vi-lə-,pend] -vt
- to hold or treat as of little worth or account : contemn
- to express a low opinion of : disparage
vill ['vil] -n
- a division of a hundred : township
- village
vil·la ['vi-lə] -n
- a country estate
- the rural or suburban residence of a wealthy person
- a detached or semidetached urban residence with yard and garden space
vil·la·dom ['vi-lə-dəm] -n
- the world constituted by villas and their occupants
vil·lage ['vi-lij] -n
- a settlement usu. larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town
- an incorporated minor municipality
- the residents of a village
- something (as an aggregation of burrows or nests) suggesting a village
- a territorial area having the status of a village esp. as a unit of local government
vil·lag·er ['vi-li-jər] -n
- an inhabitant of a village
vil·lage·ry ['vi-lij-rē, -li-jə-] -n
- villages
vil·lain ['vi-lən] -n
- villein
- an uncouth person : boor
- a deliberate scoundrel or criminal
- a character in a story or play who opposes the hero
- one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty
- automation as the villain in job...displacement -- M. H. Goldberg
vil·lain·ess [-lə-nəs] -n
- a woman who is a villain
vil·lain·ous [-lə-nəs] -adj, adv, n
- befitting a villain (as in evil or depraved character)
- being or having the character of a villain : depraved
- highly objectionable : wretched
vil·lainy [-lə-nē] -n
- villainous conduct
- a villainous act
- the quality or state of being villainous : depravity
vil·la·nel·la [,vi-lə-'ne-lə] -n
- a 16th century Italian part-song in an intentionally unsophisticated style
- an instrumental piece in the style of a rustic dance
vil·la·nelle [,vi-lə-'nel] -n
- a chiefly French verse form running on two rhymes and consisting typically of five tercets and a quatrain in which the first and third lines of the opening tercet recur alternately at the end of the other tercets and together as the last two lines of the quatrain
vil·lat·ic [vi-'la-tik] -adj
- rural
vil·lein ['vi-lən, 'vi-,lān, vi-'lān] -n
- a free common villager or village peasant of any of the feudal classes lower in rank than the thane
- a free peasant of a feudal class higher in rank than a cotter
- an unfree peasant standing as the slave of a feudal lord but free in legal relations with respect to all others
vil·len·age ['vi-lə-nij] -n
- tenure at the will of a feudal lord by villein services
- the status of a villein
vil·li·form ['vi-lə-,fȯrm] -adj
- having the form or appearance of villi
vil·lous ['vi-ləs] -adj
- covered or furnished with villi
- having soft long hairs
- leaves villous underneath
vil·lus ['vi-ləs] -n
- : a small slender often vascular process: as
- one of the minute finger-shaped processes of the mucous membrane of the small intestine that serve in the absorption of nutriment
- one of the branching processes of the surface of the chorion of the developing embryo of most mammals that help to form the placenta
vim ['vim] -n
- robust energy and enthusiasm
VIN -abbr
- vehicle identification number
vi·na ['vē-nə] -n
- a stringed instrument of India having usu. four strings on a long bamboo fingerboard with movable frets and a gourd resonator at each end
vi·na·ceous [vī-'nā-shəs, vi-] -adj
- of the color of red wine
vin·ai·grette [,vi-ni-'gret] -n
- a small ornamental box or bottle with perforated top used for holding an aromatic preparation (as smelling salts)
- a sauce made typically of oil, vinegar, and seasonings and used esp. on salads, cold meats, or fish called also vinaigrette dressing
vi·nal ['vī-,nal] -n
- a synthetic textile fiber that is a long-chain polymer consisting largely of vinyl alcohol units
vin·blas·tine [(,)vin-'blas-,tēn] -n
- an alkaloid C 46H 58N 4O 9from the rosy periwinkle used esp. in the form of its sulfate to treat human neoplastic diseases (as Hodgkin's disease)
vin·ca ['viŋ-kə] -n
- periwinkle
Vin·cen·tian [vin-'sen(t)-shən] -n, adj
- a member of the Roman Catholic Congregation of the Mission founded by St. Vincent de Paul in Paris, France, in 1625 and devoted to missions and seminaries
- a native or inhabitant of the island of St. Vincent
Vin·cent's angina ['vin(t)-sən(t)s-, (,)vaⁿ-'säⁿz-] -n
- Vincent's infection in which the ulceration has spread to surrounding tissues (as of the pharynx and tonsils) called also trench mouth
Vincent's infection -n
- a progressive painful disease of the mouth that is marked esp. by dirty gray ulceration of the mucous membranes, bleeding of the gums, and a foul odor to the breath and that is associated with the presence of large numbers of a rod-shaped bacterium ( Fusobacterium fusiformesyn. F. nucleatum) and a spirochete ( Treponema vincentiisyn. Borrelia vincentii) in the lesions called also trench mouth
vin·ci·ble ['vin(t)-sə-bəl] -adj
- capable of being overcome or subdued
vin·cris·tine [(,)vin-'kris-,tēn] -n
- an alkaloid C 46H 56N 4O 10from the rosy periwinkle used esp. in the form of its sulfate to treat some human neoplastic diseases (as acute leukemia)
vin·cu·lum ['viŋ-kyə-ləm] -n
- a unifying bond : link, tie
- a straight horizontal mark placed over two or more members of a compound mathematical expression and equivalent to parentheses or brackets about them (as in a-b-c=a- b-c)
vin·da·loo ['vin-də-,lü] -n
- a curried dish of Indian origin made with meat or shellfish, garlic, and wine or vinegar
vin·di·ca·ble ['vin-di-kə-bəl] -adj
- capable of being vindicated
vin·di·cate ['vin-də-,kāt] -vt, n
- to set free : deliver
- avenge
- to free from allegation or blame
- confirm, substantiate
- to provide justification or defense for : justify
- to protect from attack or encroachment : defend
- to maintain a right to
vin·di·ca·tion [,vin-də-'kā-shən] -n
- an act of vindicating : the state of being vindicated
- justification against denial or censure : defense
vin·dic·a·tive [vin-'di-kə-tiv] -adj
- vindictive, vengeful
- punitive
vin·di·ca·to·ry -adj
- providing vindication : justificatory
- punitive, retributive
vin·dic·tive [vin-'dik-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- disposed to seek revenge : vengeful
- intended for or involving revenge
- intended to cause anguish or hurt : spiteful
vine ['vīn] -n
- grape
- a plant whose stem requires support and which climbs by tendrils or twining or creeps along the ground
- the stem of such a plant
- any of various sprawling herbaceous plants (as a tomato or potato) that lack specialized adaptations for climbing
- to form or grow in the manner of a vine
vine·dress·er ['vīn-,dre-sər] -n
- a person who cultivates and prunes grapevines
vin·e·gar ['vi-ni-gər] -n
- a sour liquid obtained by fermentation of dilute alcoholic liquids and used as a condiment or preservative
- ill humor : sourness
- vim
vin·e·gared [-gərd] -adj
- flavored or marinated with vinegar
vinegar eel -n
- a minute free-living nematode worm ( Turbatrix aceti) often found in great numbers in acidic vegetable or vegetable-derived fermenting matter (as unpasteurized vinegar)
vinegar fly -n
- drosophila
vin·e·gar·ish ['vi-ni-g(ə-)rish] -adj
- vinegary
vin·e·gary ['vi-ni-g(ə-)rē] -adj
- resembling vinegar : sour
- flavored with vinegar
- disagreeable, bitter, or irascible in character or manner
- two vinegary fellows bickering
vine maple -n
- a small maple ( Acer circinatum) found from British Columbia to California that has spreading twisted branches that may form dense thickets
vin·ery ['vīn-rē, 'vī-nə-] -n
- an area or building in which vines are grown
vine·yard ['vin-yərd] -n
- a planting of grapevines
- a sphere of activity : field of endeavor
- toilers in the vineyard of diplomacy -- Daniel Schorr
vine·yard·ist [-yər-dist] -n
- a person who owns or cultivates a vineyard
vingtetun [,van-,tā-'ən] -n
- blackjack
vi·ni·cul·ture ['vi-nə-,kəl-chər, 'vī-] -n
- viticulture
vi·nif·era [vī-'ni-f(ə-)rə] -n, adj
- a common European grape ( Vitis vinifera) that is the chief source of Old World wine and table grape varieties
vi·ni·fi·ca·tion [,vi-nə-fə-'kā-shən, ,vī-] -n
- the conversion of fruit juices (as grape juice) into wine by fermentation
vin·i·fy ['vi-nə-,fī, 'vī-] -vt
- to make wine from (grapes often of a specified kind)
- to make (wine) from grapes
vi·no ['vē-(,)nō] -n
- wine
vi·nos·i·ty [vī-'nä-sə-tē] -n
- the characteristic body, flavor, and color of a wine
vi·nous ['vī-nəs] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or made with wine
- showing the effects of the use of wine
- vinaceous
vin·tage ['vin-tij] -n
- a season's yield of grapes or wine from a vineyard
- wine
- a usu. superior wine all or most of which comes from a single year
- a collection of contemporaneous and similar persons or things : crop
- the act or time of harvesting grapes or making wine
- a period of origin or manufacture
- length of existence : age
vintage -adj
- of, relating to, or produced in a particular vintage
- of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality : classic
- dating from the past : old
- outmoded, old-fashioned
- of the best and most characteristic used with a proper noun
- vintage Shaw: a wise and winning comedy -- Time
vin·tag·er ['vin-ti-jər] -n
- a person concerned with the production of grapes and wine
vintage year -n
- a year in which a vintage wine is produced
- a year of outstanding distinction or success
vint·ner ['vint-nər] -n
- a wine merchant
- a person who makes wine
viny ['vī-nē] -adj
- of, relating to, or resembling vines
- covered with or abounding in vines
vi·nyl ['vī-nᵊl] -n, adj
- a monovalent radical CH 2CH derived from ethylene by removal of one hydrogen atom
- a polymer of a vinyl compound or a product (as a resin or a textile fiber) made from such a polymer
vinyl alcohol -n
- an unstable compound CH 2CHOH isolated only in the form of its polymers or derivatives
vinyl chloride -n
- a flammable gaseous carcinogenic compound C 2H 3Cl that is used esp. to make vinyl resins
vi·nyl·i·dene [vī-'ni-lə-,dēn] -n
- a divalent radical CH 2C derived from ethylene by removal of two hydrogen atoms from one carbon atom
vinyl resin -n
- any of various thermoplastic resinous materials that are essentially polymers of vinyl compounds
vi·ol ['vī(-ə)l, 'vī-(,)ōl] -n
- a bowed stringed instrument chiefly of the 16th and 17th centuries made in treble, alto, tenor, and bass sizes and distinguished from members of the violin family esp. in having a deep body, a flat back, sloping shoulders, usu. six strings, a fretted fingerboard, and a low-arched bridge
vi·o·la [vī-'ō-lə, vē-; 'vī-ə-] -n
- violet
- any of various garden hybrids with solitary white, yellow, or purple often variegated flowers resembling but smaller than typical pansies
- a musical instrument of the violin family that is intermediate in size and compass between the violin and cello and is tuned a fifth below the violin
vi·o·la·ble ['vī-ə-lə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of being or likely to be violated
vi·o·la·ceous [,vī-ə-'lā-shəs] -adj
- of the color violet
vi·o·la da gam·ba [vē-,ō-lə-də-'gäm-bə, -'gam-] -n
- a bass member of the viol family having a range approximating the cello
viola d'a·mo·re [-də-'mȯr-ē, -(,)ā] -n
- a tenor viol having usu. seven gut and seven wire strings
vi·o·late ['vī-ə-,lāt] -vt, adj, n
- break, disregard
- to do harm to the person or esp. the chastity of
- rape
- to fail to show proper respect for : profane
- interrupt, disturb
- violate the peace of a spring evening -- Nancy Larter
- subjected to violation
vi·o·la·tion [,vī-ə-'lā-shən] -n
- : the act of violating : the state of being violated: as
- infringement, transgression
- an infringement of the rules in sports that is less serious than a foul and usu. involves technicalities of play
- an act of irreverence or desecration : profanation
- disturbance, interruption
- rape , ravishment
vi·o·lence ['vī-lən(t)s, 'vī-ə-] -n
- exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse (as in warfare effecting illegal entry into a house)
- an instance of violent treatment or procedure
- injury by or as if by distortion, infringement, or profanation : outrage
- intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force
- the violence of the storm
- vehement feeling or expression : fervor
- an instance of such action or feeling
- a clashing or jarring quality : discordance
- undue alteration (as of wording or sense in editing a text)
vi·o·lent [-lənt] -adj, adv
- marked by extreme force or sudden intense activity
- notably furious or vehement
- extreme, intense
- caused by force : not natural
- emotionally agitated to the point of loss of self-control
- became violent after an insult
- prone to commit acts of violence
violent storm -n
- storm
vi·o·let ['vī-(ə-)lət] -n
- any of a genus ( Violaof the family Violaceae, the violet family) of chiefly herbs with alternate stipulate leaves and showy flowers in spring and often cleistogamous flowers in summer
- one with smaller usu. solid-colored flowers as distinguished from the usu. larger-flowered violas and pansies
- any of several plants of genera other than that of the violet
- any of a group of colors of reddish-blue hue, low lightness, and medium saturation
vi·o·lin [,vī-ə-'lin] -n, adj
- a bowed stringed instrument having four strings tuned at intervals of a fifth and a usual range from G below middle C upward for more than 4 octaves and having a shallow body, shoulders at right angles to the neck, a fingerboard without frets, and a curved bridge
vi·o·lon·cel·lo [,vī-ə-lən-'che-(,)lō, ,vē-] -n
- cello
vio·my·cin [,vī-ə-'mī-sᵊn] -n
- a polypeptide antibiotic C 25H 43N 13O 10that is produced by several soil actinomycetes (genus Streptomyces) and is administered in the form of its sulfate in the treatment of tuberculosis
VIP [,vē-,ī-'pē] -n
- a person of great influence or prestige
- a high official with special privileges
vi·per ['vī-pər] -n
- a common Eurasian venomous snake ( Vipera berus) that attains a length of about two feet (0.6 meter), varies in color from red, brown, or gray with dark markings to black, and is usu. not fatal to humans
- any of a family (Viperidae) of venomous snakes that includes Old World snakes (subfamily Viperinae) and the pit vipers
- a venomous or reputedly venomous snake
- a vicious or treacherous person
vi·per·ine [-pə-,rīn] -adj
- of, relating to, or resembling a viper : venomous
vi·per·ish [-p(ə-)rish] -adj
- spitefully vituperative : venomous
vi·per·ous [-p(ə-)rəs] -adj, adv
- viperine
- having the qualities attributed to a viper : malignant, venomous
- the backstabbing of a viperous family
viper's bugloss -n
- a coarse Old World herb ( Echium vulgare) of the borage family that is naturalized in No. America and has showy blue tubular flowers with exserted stamens called also blueweed
vi·ra·go [və-'rä-(,)gō, -'rā-; 'vir-ə-,gō] -n, adj
- a loud overbearing woman : termagant
- a woman of great stature, strength, and courage
vi·ral ['vī-rəl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or caused by a virus
vir·e·lay ['vir-ə-,lā] -n
- a chiefly French verse form consisting of stanzas of indeterminate length and number with alternating long and short lines and interlaced rhyme (as abab bcbc cdcd dada)
vi·re·mia [vī-'rē-mē-ə] -n, adj
- the presence of viruses in the blood
vir·eo ['vir-ē-,ō] -n
- any of various small insectivorous American oscine birds (family Vireonidae, esp. genus Vireo) that are chiefly olivaceous and grayish in color
vires ['vis] -n
(variant of vis)
- force, power
- visibility; visible
- visual
vi·res·cence [və-'re-sᵊn(t)s, vī-] -n
- the state or condition of becoming green
- such a condition due to the development of chloroplasts in plant organs (as petals) normally white or colored
vi·res·cent [-sᵊnt] -adj
- beginning to be green : greenish
- developing or displaying virescence
vir·ga ['vər-gə] -n
- wisps of precipitation evaporating before reaching the ground
vir·gate ['vər-,gāt] -n
- an old English unit of land area equal to one quarter of a hide or one quarter of an acre
virgate -adj
- shaped like a rod or wand
- a virgate one-flowered branch
vir·gin ['vər-jən] -n
- an unmarried woman devoted to religion
- virgo
- an absolutely chaste young woman
- an unmarried girl or woman
- virgin mary
- a person who has not had sexual intercourse
- a person who is inexperienced in a usu. specified sphere of activity
- a female animal that has never copulated
virgin -adj
- free of impurity or stain : unsullied
- chaste
- characteristic of or befitting a virgin : modest
- fresh, unspoiled
- not altered by human activity
- being used or worked for the first time
- produced directly from ore by primary smelting
- initial, first
- obtained from the first light pressing and without heating
- containing no alcohol
vir·gin·al ['vər-jə-nᵊl, 'vərj-nəl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a virgin or virginity
- pure, chaste
- pristine, unsullied
virginal ['vər-jə-nᵊl-ist, 'vərj-nə-list] -n
- a small rectangular spinet having no legs and only one wire to a note and popular in the 16th and 17th centuries often used in pl. called also pair of virginals
virgin birth -n
- birth from a virgin
- the theological doctrine that Jesus was miraculously begotten of God and born of a virgin mother
Vir·gin·ia bluebells [vər-'jin-yə-, -'ji-nē-ə-] -n pl
- bluebell
Virginia creeper -n
- a common No. American tendril-climbing vine ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia) of the grape family with palmately compound leaves and bluish-black berries called also woodbine
Virginia fence -n
- worm fence called also Virginia rail fence
Virginia ham -n
- a dry-cured, smoked, and aged ham esp. from a peanut-fed hog
Virginia pine -n
- a pine ( Pinus virginiana) of the eastern U.S. that has short needles occurring in pairs called also Jersey pine
Virginia rail -n
- an American long-billed rail ( Rallus limicola) that has gray cheeks
Virginia reel -n
- an American dance in which two lines of couples face each other and all couples in turn participate in a series of figures
Virginia snakeroot -n
- a birthwort ( Aristolochia serpentaria) of the eastern U.S. with oblong leaves usu. cordate at the base and pointed at the tip and a solitary basal brownish-purple flower
vir·gin·i·ty [(,)vər-'ji-nə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being virgin
- maidenhood
- the unmarried life : celibacy, spinsterhood
Virgin Mary -n
- the mother of Jesus
virgin's bower -n
- any of several usu. small-flowered and climbing clematises (esp. Clematis virginiana)
virgin wool -n
- wool not used before in manufacture
Vir·go ['vər-(,)gō, 'vir-] -n
- a zodiacal constellation on the celestial equator that lies due south of the handle of the Big Dipper and is pictured as a woman holding a spike of grain
- the sixth sign of the zodiac in astrology
- one born under the sign of Virgo
vir·gule ['vər-(,)gyül] -n
- slash
vi·ri·ci·dal [,vī-rə-'sī-dᵊl] -adj, n
- virucidal
vir·id ['vir-əd] -adj
- vividly green : verdant
vir·i·des·cent [,vir-ə-'de-sᵊnt] -adj
- slightly green : greenish
vi·rid·i·an [və-'ri-dē-ən] -n
- a chrome green pigment that is a hydrated oxide of chromium
vi·rid·i·ty [və-'ri-də-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being green
- the color of grass or foliage
- naive innocence
vir·ile ['vir-əl, 'vir-,ī(-ə)l, Brit also 'vī(-ə)r-,ī(-ə)l] -adj, adv
- having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male
- capable of functioning as a male in copulation
- energetic, vigorous
- characteristic of or associated with men : masculine
- having traditionally masculine traits esp. to a marked degree
- masterful, forceful
vir·il·ism ['vir-ə-,li-zəm] -n
- the appearance of secondary male characteristics (as facial hair) in the female
vi·ril·i·ty [və-'ri-lə-tē, Brit also vī-] -n
- : the quality or state of being virile:
- manhood
- manly vigor : masculinity
vi·ri·on ['vī-rē-,än, 'vir-ē-] -n
- a complete virus particle that consists of an RNA or DNA core with a protein coat sometimes with external envelopes and that is the extracellular infective form of a virus
virl ['vər(-ə)l] -n
- ferrule
vi·roid ['vī-,rȯid] -n
- any of two families ( Pospiviroidaeand Avsunviroidae) of subviral particles that consist of a small single-stranded RNA arranged in a closed loop without a protein shell and that replicate in their host plants where they may or may not be pathogenic
vi·rol·o·gy [vī-'rä-lə-jē] -n, adj, adv
- a branch of science that deals with viruses and viral diseases
vir·tu [,vər-'tü, ,vir-] -n
- a love of or taste for curios or objets d'art
- productions of art esp. of a curious or antique nature : objets d'art
vir·tu·al ['vər-chə-wəl, -chəl; 'vərch-wəl] -adj
- being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted
- of, relating to, or using virtual memory
- of, relating to, or being a hypothetical particle whose existence is inferred from indirect evidence
- : being on or simulated on a computer or computer network: as
- occurring or existing primarily online
- of, relating to, or existing within a virtual reality
virtual image -n
- an image (as seen in a plane mirror) formed of points from which divergent rays (as of light) seem to emanate without actually doing so
vir·tu·al·i·ty [,vər-chə-'wa-lə-tē] -n
- essence
- potential existence : potentiality
vir·tu·al·ly ['vər-chə-wə-lē, -chə-lē; 'vərch-wə-lē] -adv
- almost entirely : nearly
- for all practical purposes
virtual memory -n
- a section of a hard drive that can be used as if it were an extension of a computer's random-access memory called also virtual storage
virtual reality -n
- an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one's actions partially determine what happens in the environment
- the technology used to create or access a virtual reality
vir·tue ['vər-(,)chü] -n, adj
- conformity to a standard of right : morality
- a particular moral excellence
- an order of angels
- a beneficial quality or power of a thing
- manly strength or courage : valor
- a commendable quality or trait : merit
- a capacity to act : potency
- chastity esp. in a woman
vir·tu·o·sa [,vər-chü-'ō-sə, -zə] -n
- a girl or woman who is a virtuoso
vir·tu·os·i·ty [-'ä-sə-tē] -n
- a taste for or interest in virtu
- great technical skill (as in the practice of a fine art)
vir·tu·o·so [-'ō-(,)sō, -(,)zō] -n, adj
- an experimenter or investigator esp. in the arts and sciences : savant
- one skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts
- one who excels in the technique of an art
- a highly skilled musical performer (as on the violin)
- a person who has great skill at some endeavor
- a virtuoso at public relations
vir·tu·ous ['vər-chə-wəs, 'vərch-wəs] -adj, adv, n
- potent, efficacious
- having or exhibiting virtue
- morally excellent : righteous
- chaste
vi·ru·cid·al [,vī-rə-'sī-dᵊl] -adj, n
- having the capacity to or tending to destroy or inactivate viruses
vir·u·lence ['vir-ə-lən(t)s, 'vir-yə-] -n
- : the quality or state of being virulent: as
- extreme bitterness or malignity of temper : rancor
- malignancy, venomousness
- ameliorate the virulence of a disease
- the relative capacity of a pathogen to overcome body defenses
vir·u·len·cy [-lən(t)-sē] -n
- virulence
vir·u·lent ['vir-ə-lənt, 'vir-yə-] -adj, adv
- marked by a rapid, severe, and destructive course
- able to overcome bodily defensive mechanisms : markedly pathogenic
- extremely poisonous or venomous
- full of malice : malignant
- objectionably harsh or strong
vir·u·lif·er·ous [,vir-ə-'li-f(ə-)rəs, ,vir-yə-] -adj
- containing, producing, or conveying an agent of infection and esp. a virus
vi·rus ['vī-rəs] -n
- venom
- the causative agent of an infectious disease
- any of a large group of submicroscopic infective agents that are regarded either as extremely simple microorganisms or as extremely complex molecules, that typically contain a protein coat surrounding an RNA or DNA core of genetic material but no semipermeable membrane, that are capable of growth and multiplication only in living cells, and that cause various important diseases in humans, lower animals, or plants
- filterable virus
- a disease or illness caused by a virus
- something that poisons the mind or soul
- the force of this virus of prejudice -- V. S. Waters
- a computer program that is usu. hidden within another seemingly innocuous program and that produces copies of itself and inserts them into other programs and usu. performs a malicious action (as destroying data)
vis ['vis] -n
- force, power
- visibility; visible
- visual
vi·sa ['vē-zə also -sə] -n
- an endorsement made on a passport by the proper authorities denoting that it has been examined and that the bearer may proceed
- a signature of formal approval by a superior upon a document
visa [-zəd, -səd] -vt
- to give a visa to (a passport)
vis·age ['vi-zij] -n
- the face, countenance, or appearance of a person or sometimes an animal
- aspect, appearance
- the grimy visage of a mining town
vis·aged ['vi-zijd] -adj
- having a visage of a specified kind usu. used in combination
visavis ['vēz-ə-'vē, ,vēs- also -ä-'vē] -prep
- face-to-face with
- in relation to
- as compared with
- one that is face-to-face with another
- escort, date
- counterpart
- tete-a-tete
- in company : together
Vi·sa·yan [və-'sī-ən] -n
- a member of any of several peoples in the Visayan Islands, Philippines
- the group of Austronesian languages of the Bisayans
vis·ca·cha [vis-'kä-chə] -n
- any of several So. American burrowing rodents (genera Lagostomusand Lagidium) closely related to the chinchilla
viscera ['vis-kəs] -n
(variant of viscus)
- an internal organ of the body
- one (as the heart, liver, or intestine) located in the great cavity of the trunk proper
- heart
vis·cer·al ['vi-sə-rəl, 'vis-rəl] -adj, adv
- felt in or as if in the viscera : deep
- not intellectual : instinctive, unreasoning
- dealing with crude or elemental emotions : earthy
- of, relating to, or located on or among the viscera : splanchnic
vis·cid ['vi-səd] -adj, n, adv
- having an adhesive quality : sticky
- having a glutinous consistency : viscous
- covered with a sticky layer
vis·co·elas·tic [,vis-kō-ə-'las-tik] -adj, n
- having appreciable and conjoint viscous and elastic properties
- such viscoelastic materials as asphalt
- constituting or relating to the state of viscoelastic materials
vis·com·e·ter [vis-'kä-mə-tər] -n, adj
- an instrument with which to measure viscosity
vis·cose ['vis-,kōs, -,kōz] -n
- a viscous golden-brown solution made by treating cellulose with caustic alkali solution and carbon disulfide and used in making rayon and films of regenerated cellulose
- viscose rayon
viscose -adj
- of, relating to, or made from viscose
vis·co·sim·e·ter [,vis-kə-'si-mə-tər] -n, adj
- viscometer
vis·cos·i·ty [vis-'kä-sə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being viscous
- the property of resistance to flow in a fluid or semifluid
- the ratio of the tangential frictional force per unit area to the velocity gradient perpendicular to the direction of flow of a liquid called also coefficient of viscosity
viscosity index -n
- an arbitrary number assigned as a measure of the constancy of the viscosity of a lubricating oil with change of temperature with higher numbers indicating viscosities that change little with temperature
vis·count ['vī-,kau̇nt] -n
- a member of the peerage in Great Britain ranking below an earl and above a baron
vis·count·ess [-,kau̇n-təs] -n
- the wife or widow of a viscount
- a woman who holds the rank of viscount in her own right
vis·cous ['vis-kəs] -adj, adv, n
- viscid
- having or characterized by viscosity
vis·cus ['vis-kəs] -n
- an internal organ of the body
- one (as the heart, liver, or intestine) located in the great cavity of the trunk proper
- heart
vise ['vīs] -n, adj
- any of various tools with two jaws for holding work that close usu. by a screw, lever, or cam
- something likened to a vise
- economic vise of slow growth and rampant price increases -- David Milne
- to hold, force, or squeeze with or as if with a vise
vi·se ['vē-,zā, vē-'] -vt
- visa
vise -n
- visa
Vish·nu ['vish-(,)nü] -n
- the preserver god of the Hindu sacred triad
vis·i·bil·i·ty [,vi-zə-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being visible
- the degree of clearness (as of the atmosphere or ocean)
- the greatest distance through the atmosphere toward the horizon at which prominent objects can be identified with the naked eye
- capability of being readily noticed
- capability of affording an unobstructed view
- publicity
- a measure of the ability of radiant energy to evoke visual sensation
vis·i·ble ['vi-zə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of being seen
- stars visible to the naked eye
- situated in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum perceptible to human vision used of radiation having a wavelength between about 400 nanometers and 700 nanometers
- exposed to view
- conspicuous
- has played a highly visible role in the negotiations
- well-known
- a highly visible politician
- capable of being discovered or perceived : recognizable
- no visible means of support
- accessible
- devised to keep a particular part or item always in full view or readily seen or referred to
visible speech -n
- a set of phonetic symbols based on symbols for articulatory position
- speech reproduced spectrographically
Vis·i·goth ['vi-zə-,gäth] -n, adj
- a member of the western division of the Goths
vi·sion ['vi-zhən] -n, adj, adv
- something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy
- a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation
- a thought, concept, or object formed by the imagination
- a manifestation to the senses of something immaterial
- look, not at vision s, but at realities -- Edith Wharton
- the act or power of imagination
- mode of seeing or conceiving
- unusual discernment or foresight
- direct mystical awareness of the supernatural usu. in visible form
- the act or power of seeing : sight
- the special sense by which the qualities of an object (as color, luminosity, shape, and size) constituting its appearance are perceived through a process in which light rays entering the eye are transformed by the retina into electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve
- something seen
- a lovely or charming sight
vision ['vi-zhə-niŋ, 'vizh-niŋ] -vt
- envision
vi·sion·ary ['vi-zhə-,ner-ē] -adj, n
- of the nature of a vision : illusory
- incapable of being realized or achieved : utopian
- existing only in imagination : unreal
- able or likely to see visions
- disposed to reverie or imagining : dreamy
- of, relating to, or characterized by visions or the power of vision
- having or marked by foresight and imagination
visionary -n
- one whose ideas or projects are impractical : dreamer
- one who sees visions : seer
- one having unusual foresight and imagination
- a visionary in the computer industry
vi·sioned ['vi-zhənd] -adj
- seen in a vision
- produced by or experienced in a vision
- endowed with vision : inspired
vi·sion·less ['vi-zhən-ləs] -adj
- sightless, blind
- lacking vision or inspiration
vision quest -n
- a solitary vigil by an adolescent American Indian boy to seek spiritual power and learn through a vision the identity of his usu. animal or bird guardian spirit
vis·it ['vi-zət] -vb
- comfort used of the Deity
- visit us with Thy salvation -- Charles Wesley
- afflict
- visit ed his people with distempers -- Tobias Smollett
- inflict, impose
- visit ed his wrath upon them
- avenge
- visit ed the sins of the fathers upon the children
- to present itself to or come over momentarily
- was visit ed by a strange notion
- to go to see in order to comfort or help
- to pay a call on as an act of friendship or courtesy
- to reside with temporarily as a guest
- to go to see or stay at (a place) for a particular purpose (as business or sightseeing)
- to go or come officially to inspect or oversee
- a bishop visit ing his parishes
- to make a visit
- to make frequent or regular visits
- chat, converse
- enjoys visit ing with the neighbors
visit -n
- a short stay : call
- a brief residence as a guest
- an extended stay : sojourn
- a journey to and stay or short sojourn at a place
- an official or professional call or tour : visitation
- the act of a naval officer in boarding a merchant ship on the high seas in exercise of the right of search
vis·it·able ['vi-zə-tə-bəl, 'viz-tə-] -adj
- subject to or allowing visitation or inspection
- socially eligible to receive visits
vis·i·tant ['vi-zə-tənt, 'viz-tənt] -n, adj
- visitor
- one thought to come from a spirit world
- a migratory bird that appears at intervals for a limited period
vis·i·ta·tion [,vi-zə-'tā-shən] -n
- : an instance of visiting: as
- an official visit (as for inspection)
- wake
- temporary custody of a child granted to a noncustodial parent
- a special dispensation of divine favor or wrath
- a severe trial : affliction
- the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth recounted in Luke and celebrated July 2 by a Christian feast
vis·i·ta·to·ri·al [,vi-zə-tə-'tȯr-ē-əl, ,viz-tə-] -adj
- of or relating to visitation or to a judicial visitor or superintendent
visiting -adj
- invited to join or attend an institution (as a university) for a limited time
- playing on an opponent's grounds
visiting card -n
- a small card presented when visiting that bears the name and sometimes the address of the visitor
visiting fireman -n
- a usu. important or influential visitor whom it is desirable or expedient to entertain impressively
visiting nurse -n
- a nurse employed by a hospital or social-service agency to perform public health services and esp. to visit and provide care for sick persons in a community
vis·i·tor ['vi-zə-tər, 'viz-tər] -n
- one that visits
- one that makes formal visits of inspection
vi·sor ['vī-zər] -n, adj
- the front piece of a helmet
- a movable upper piece
- a face mask
- disguise
- a projecting front on a cap or headband for shading the eyes
- a usu. movable flat sunshade attached at the top of an automobile windshield
vis·ta ['vis-tə] -n
- a distant view through or along an avenue or opening : prospect
- an extensive mental view (as over a stretch of time or a series of events)
VISTA -abbr
- Volunteers in Service to America
vis·taed ['vis-təd] -adj
- affording or made to form a vista
- seen in or as if in a vista
vi·su·al ['vi-zhə-wəl, -zhəl; 'vizh-wəl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or used in vision
- attained or maintained by sight
- visible
- producing mental images : vivid
- done or executed by sight only
- of, relating to, or employing visual aids
visual -n
- something (as a graphic) that appeals to the sight and is used for effect or illustration usu. used in pl.
visual acuity -n
- the relative ability of the visual organ to resolve detail that is usu. expressed as the reciprocal of the minimum angular separation in minutes of two lines just resolvable as separate and that forms in the average human eye an angle of one minute
visual aid -n
- an instructional device (as a chart, map, or model) that appeals chiefly to vision
- an educational motion picture or filmstrip
visual cortex -n
- a sensory area of the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex receiving afferent nerve fibers concerned with vision called also visual area
visual field -n
- the entire expanse of space visible at a given instant without moving the eyes called also field of vision
vi·su·al·i·sa·tion [,vi-zhə-wə-lə-'zā-shən, ,vi-zhə-lə-, ,vizh-wə-lə-] -n
(variant of visualization)
- formation of mental visual images
- the act or process of interpreting in visual terms or of putting into visible form
- the process of making an internal organ or part visible by the introduction (as by swallowing) of a radiopaque substance followed by radiography
vi·su·al·i·za·tion [,vi-zhə-wə-lə-'zā-shən, ,vi-zhə-lə-, ,vizh-wə-lə-] -n
- formation of mental visual images
- the act or process of interpreting in visual terms or of putting into visible form
- the process of making an internal organ or part visible by the introduction (as by swallowing) of a radiopaque substance followed by radiography
vi·su·al·ize ['vi-zhə-wə-,līz, 'vi-zhə-,līz, 'vizh-wə-,līz] -vb
- : to make visible: as
- to see or form a mental image of : envisage
- trying to visualize the problem
- to make (an internal organ or part) visible by radiographic visualization
- to form a mental visual image
vi·su·al·iz·er [-,lī-zər] -n
- one that visualizes
- a person whose mental imagery is prevailingly visual
visual literacy -n
- the ability to recognize and understand ideas conveyed through visible actions or images (as pictures)
visual purple -n
- a photosensitive red or purple pigment in the retinal rods of various vertebrates
- rhodopsin
vi·suo·spa·tial [,vi-zhə-wō-'spā-shəl] -adj
- of, relating to, or being thought processes that involve visual and spatial awareness
- visuospatial problem solving
vi·ta ['vē-tə, 'vī-tə] -n
- a brief biographical sketch
- curriculum vitae
vi·tal ['vī-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- existing as a manifestation of life
- concerned with or necessary to the maintenance of life
- blood and other vital fluids
- full of life and vigor : animated
- characteristic of life or living beings
- : fundamentally concerned with or affecting life or living beings: as
- tending to renew or refresh the living : invigorating
- destructive to life : mortal
- of the utmost importance
- recording data relating to lives
- of, relating to, or constituting the staining of living tissues
vital capacity -n
- the breathing capacity of the lungs expressed as the number of cubic inches or cubic centimeters of air that can be forcibly exhaled after a full inspiration
vi·tal·ism ['vī-tə-,li-zəm] -n, n or adj, adj
- a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from physicochemical forces
- a doctrine that the processes of life are not explicable by the laws of physics and chemistry alone and that life is in some part self-determining
vi·tal·i·ty [vī-'ta-lə-tē] -n
- the peculiarity distinguishing the living from the nonliving
- capacity to live and develop
- physical or mental vigor esp. when highly developed
- power of enduring
- lively and animated character
vi·tal·ize ['vī-tə-,līz] -vt, n
- to endow with vitality : animate
vi·tals ['vī-tᵊlz] -n pl
- vital organs (as the heart, liver, lungs, and brain)
- essential parts
vital signs -n pl
- signs of life
- the pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and often blood pressure of a person
vital statistics -n pl
- statistics relating to births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease
- facts (as physical dimensions or quantities) considered to be interesting or important
- a woman's bust, waist, and hip measurements
vi·ta·min ['vī-tə-mən, Brit usu 'vi-] -n
- any of various organic substances that are essential in minute quantities to the nutrition of most animals and some plants, act esp. as coenzymes and precursors of coenzymes in the regulation of metabolic processes but do not provide energy or serve as building units, and are present in natural foodstuffs or sometimes produced within the body
vitamin A -n
- any of several fat-soluble vitamins (as retinol) found esp. in animal products (as egg yolk, milk, or fish-liver oils) or a mixture of them whose lack in the animal body causes epithelial tissues to become keratinous (as in the eye with resulting visual defects)
vitamin B [-'bē-'wən] -n
- vitamin b complex
- thiamine
vitamin B complex -n
- a group of water-soluble vitamins that are found esp. in yeast, seed germs, eggs, liver and flesh, and vegetables and that have varied metabolic functions and include coenzymes and growth factors called also B complex
vitamin B6 [-'bē-'siks] -n
- pyridoxine or a closely related compound found widely in combined form and considered essential to vertebrate nutrition
vitamin B12 [-'bē-'twelv] -n
- a complex cobalt-containing compound C 63H 88CoN 14O 14P that occurs esp. in liver, is essential to normal blood formation, neural function, and growth, and is used esp. in treating pernicious and related anemias and in animal feed as a growth factor called also cyanocobalamin
- any of several compounds similar to vitamin B 12in action but having different chemistry
vitamin B2 [-'bē-'tü] -n
- riboflavin
vitamin C -n
- a water-soluble vitamin C 6H 8O 6found in plants and esp. in fruits and leafy vegetables or made synthetically and used in the prevention and treatment of scurvy and as an antioxidant for foods called also ascorbic acid
vitamin D [-'dē-'tü] -n
- : any or all of several fat-soluble vitamins chemically related to steroids, essential for normal bone and tooth structure, and found esp. in fish-liver oils, egg yolk, and milk or produced by activation (as by ultraviolet irradiation) of sterols: as
- calciferol
- cholecalciferol
vitamin E -n
- any of several fat-soluble vitamins that are chemically tocopherols, are essential in the nutrition of various vertebrates in which their absence is associated with infertility, degenerative changes in muscle, or vascular abnormalities, are found esp. in leaves and in seed germ oils, and are used chiefly in animal feeds and as antioxidants
vitamin H -n
- biotin
vitamin K -n
- either of two naturally occurring fat-soluble vitamins C 31H 46O 2and C 41H 56O 2essential for the clotting of blood because of their role in the production of prothrombin called also respectively vitamin K 1 vitamin K 2
- any of several synthetic compounds closely related chemically to natural vitamins K 1and K 2and of similar biological activity
vi·tel·line [vī-'te-lən, -,lēn, -,līn] -adj
- resembling the yolk of an egg esp. in yellow color
- of, relating to, or producing yolk
vitelline membrane -n
- a membrane enclosing an egg that comprises the zona pellucida in mammals and that upon fertilization splits off from the surface of the egg forming a fertilization membrane in many invertebrates and amphibians and in some fish
vi·tel·lo·gen·e·sis [vī-,te-lō-'je-nə-səs, və-] -n
- yolk formation
vi·tel·lo·gen·in [vī-,te-lō-'je-nən] -n
- a precursor protein of egg yolk normally in the blood or hemolymph only of females that is used as a biomarker in vertebrates of exposure to environmental estrogens which stimulate elevated levels in males as well as females
vi·ti·ate ['vi-shē-,āt] -vt, n
- to make faulty or defective : impair
- the comic impact is vitiated by obvious haste -- William Styron
- to debase in moral or aesthetic status
- a mind vitiated by prejudice
- to make ineffective
- fraud vitiate s a contract
vi·ti·cul·ture ['vi-tə-,kəl-chər, 'vī-] -n, adj, adv
- the cultivation or culture of grapes esp. for wine making
vit·i·li·go [,vi-tə-'lī-(,)gō, -'lē-] -n
- a skin disorder manifested by smooth white spots on various parts of the body
vit·rec·to·my [və-'trek-tə-mē] -n
- surgical removal of all or part of the vitreous humor
vit·re·ous ['vi-trē-əs] -adj
- resembling glass (as in color, composition, brittleness, or luster) : glassy
- characterized by low porosity and usu. translucence due to the presence of a glassy phase
- of, relating to, derived from, or consisting of glass
- of, relating to, or constituting the vitreous humor
vitreous -n
- vitreous humor
vitreous humor -n
- the clear colorless transparent jelly that fills the eyeball posterior to the lens
vitreous silica -n
- a chemically stable and refractory glass made from silica alone
vit·ri·fy ['vi-trə-,fī] -vb, adj, n
- to convert into glass or a glassy substance by heat and fusion
- to become vitrified
vi·trine [və-'trēn] -n
- a glass showcase or cabinet esp. for displaying fine wares or specimens
vit·ri·ol ['vi-trē-əl] -n, adj
- a sulfate of any of various metals (as copper, iron, or zinc)
- a glassy hydrate of such a sulfate
- oil of vitriol
- something felt to resemble vitriol esp. in caustic quality
- virulence of feeling or of speech
vit·ta ['vi-tə] -n
- stripe, streak
- one of the oil tubes in the fruits of plants of the carrot family
vit·tles ['vi-tᵊlz] -n pl
- victuals
vi·tu·per·ate [vī-'tü-pə-,rāt, və-, -'tyü-] -vb, n
- to abuse or censure severely or abusively : berate
- to use harsh condemnatory language
vi·tu·per·a·tion [(,)vī-,tü-pə-'rā-shən, və-, -'tyü-] -n
- sustained and bitter railing and condemnation : vituperative utterance
- an act or instance of vituperating
vi·tu·per·a·tive [vī-'tü-p(ə-)rə-tiv, -pə-,rā-] -adj, adv
- uttering or given to censure : containing or characterized by verbal abuse
vi·tu·per·a·to·ry [-p(ə-)rə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- vituperative
vi·va ['vē-və, -,vä] -interj
- used to express goodwill or approval
vi·va·ce [vē-'vä-(,)chā, -chē] -n
- a musical composition or movement in vivace tempo
vivace -adv or adj
- in a brisk spirited manner used as a direction in music
vi·va·cious [və-'vā-shəs also vī-] -adj, adv, n
- lively in temper, conduct, or spirit : sprightly
vi·vac·i·ty [-'va-sə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being vivacious
vi·van·diere [,vē-,väⁿ-'dyer] -n
- a woman who is a sutler
vi·var·i·um [vī-'ver-ē-əm] -n
- a terrarium used esp. for small animals
vi·va vo·ce [,vī-və-'vō-(,)sē or ,vē-və-'vō-(,)chā] -adv
- by word of mouth : orally
viva voce -adj
- expressed or conducted by word of mouth
- an examination conducted viva voce called also viva
vi·vax malaria ['vī-,vaks-] -n
- malaria caused by a plasmodium ( Plasmodium vivax) that induces paroxysms at 48-hour intervals
vi·ver·rid [vī-'ver-əd] -n, adj
- any of a family (Viverridae) of carnivorous mammals that include the civets, genets, linsangs, and in some classifications the mongooses and that are rarely larger than a domestic cat but are long, slender, and like a weasel in build with short more or less retractile claws and rounded feet
vi·vers ['vē-vərz, 'vī-] -n pl
- victuals, food
Viv·i·an ['vi-vē-ən] -n
- the mistress of Merlin in Arthurian legend called also Lady of the Lake
viv·id ['vi-vəd] -adj, adv, n
- very strong : very high in chroma
- having the appearance of vigorous life or freshness : lively
- producing a strong or clear impression on the senses : sharp, intense
- producing distinct mental images
- acting clearly and vigorously
vi·vif·ic [vī-'vi-fik] -adj
- imparting spirit or vivacity
viv·i·fy ['vi-və-,fī] -vt, n
- to endow with life or renewed life : animate
- rains that vivify the barren hills
- to impart vitality or vividness to
- concentrating this union of quality and meaning in a way which vivifies both -- John Dewey
vi·vi·par·i·ty [,vī-və-'pa-rət-ē, ,vi-] -n
- the quality or state of being viviparous
vi·vip·a·rous [vī-'vi-p(ə-)rəs, və-] -adj, adv
- producing living young instead of eggs from within the body in the manner of nearly all mammals, many reptiles, and a few fishes
- germinating while still attached to the parent plant
- the viviparous seed of the mangrove
viv·i·sect ['vi-və-,sekt] -vb, n
- to perform vivisection on : subject to vivisection
- to practice vivisection
viv·i·sec·tion [,vi-və-'sek-shən, 'vi-və-,] -n, adj
- the cutting of or operation on a living animal usu. for physiological or pathological investigation
- animal experimentation esp. if considered to cause distress to the subject
- minute or pitiless examination or criticism
vix·en ['vik-sən] -n, adj
- a shrewish ill-tempered woman
- a female fox
- a sexually attractive woman
viz -abbr
- videlicet
viz·ard ['vi-zərd, -,zärd] -n
- a mask for disguise or protection
- disguise, guise
vizcacha [vis-'kä-chə] -n
(variant of viscacha)
- any of several So. American burrowing rodents (genera Lagostomusand Lagidium) closely related to the chinchilla
vi·zier [və-'zir] -n, adj
- a high executive officer of various Muslim countries and esp. of the Ottoman Empire
- a civil officer in ancient Egypt having viceregal powers
vizor ['vī-zər] -n, adj
(variant of visor)
- the front piece of a helmet
- a movable upper piece
- a face mask
- disguise
- a projecting front on a cap or headband for shading the eyes
- a usu. movable flat sunshade attached at the top of an automobile windshield
vizs·la ['vēz-lə, 'vēs-, 'vizh-] -n
- any of a breed of hunting dogs of Hungarian origin that resemble the Weimaraner but have a rich deep red coat and brown eyes