Chapter 1820

Ux*o"ri*ous (?) , a. [L. uxorius , fr. uxor a wife.] Excessively fond of, or submissive to, a wife; being a dependent husband. " Uxorious magistrates."

Milton.

How wouldst thou insult, When I must live uxorious to thy will In perfect thraldom! Milton.

-- Uxo*o"ri*ous*ly , adv. -- Ux*o"ri*ous*ness , n .

Uzema <Xpage=1590>

U"ze*ma (?) , n. A Burman measure of twelve miles.

V.

V <Xpage=1590>

V (?) . 1. V, the twenty-second letter of the English alphabet, is a vocal consonant. V and U are only varieties of the same character, U being the cursive form, while V is better adapted for engraving, as in stone. The two letters were formerly used indiscriminately, and till a comparatively recent date words containing them were often classed together in dictionaries and other books of reference (see U ). The letter V is from the Latin alphabet, where it was used both as a consonant (about like English w ) and as a vowel. The Latin derives it from it from a form (V) of the Greek vowel UPSILON (see Y ), this Greek letter being either from the same Semitic letter as the digamma F (see F ), or else added by the Greeks to the alphabet which they took from the Semitic. Etymologically v is most nearly related to u , w , f , b , p ; as in v ine, w ine; a v oirdupois, ha b it, ha v e; sa f e, sa v e; tro v er, trou b adour, tro p e. See U, F, etc.

See Guide to Pronunciation , &sect; 265; also &sect;&sect; 155, 169, 178-179, etc.

2. As a numeral, V stands for five, in English and Latin.

Vaagmer <Xpage=1590>

Vaag"mer (?) , n. [Icel. v\'begmeri a kind of flounder, literally, wave mare.] (Zo\'94l.) The dealfish. [Written also vaagm\'91r , and vaagmar .]

Vacancy <Xpage=1590>

Va"can*cy (?) , n. ; pl. Vacancies (#) . [Cf. F. vacance .]

1. The quality or state of being vacant; emptiness; hence, freedom from employment; intermission; leisure; idleness; listlessness.

All dispositions to idleness or vacancy , even before they are habits, are dangerous. Sir H. Wotton.

2. That which is vacant. Specifically: --

(a) Empty space; vacuity; vacuum.

How is't with you, That you do bend your eye on vacancy ? Shak.

(b) An open or unoccupied space between bodies or things; an interruption of continuity; chasm; gap; as, a vacancy between buildings; a vacancy between sentences or thoughts .

(c) Unemployed time; interval of leisure; time of intermission; vacation.

Time lost partly in too oft idle vacancies given both to schools and universities. Milton.

No interim, not a minute's vacancy . Shak.

Those little vacancies from toil are sweet. Dryden.

(d) A place or post unfilled; an unoccupied office; as, a vacancy in the senate, in a school, etc. <-- an unrented apartment, room in a hotel, motel, etc. -->

Vacant <Xpage=1590>

Va"cant (?) , a. [F., fr. L. vacans , -antis , p. pr. of vacare to be empty, to be free or unoccupied, to have leisure, also vocare ; akin to vacuus empty, and probably to E. void . Cf. Evacuate , Void , a. ]

1. Deprived of contents; not filled; empty; as, a vacant room .

Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form. Shak.

Being of those virtues vacant . Shak.

There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended, But has one vacant chair. Longfellow.

2. Unengaged with business or care; unemployed; unoccupied; disengaged; free; as, vacant hours .

Religion is the interest of all; but philosophy of those . . . at leisure, and vacant from the affairs of the world. Dr. H. More.

There was not a minute of the day which he left vacant . Bp. Fell.

3. Not filled or occupied by an incumbent, possessor, or officer; as, a vacant throne; a vacant parish .

Special dignities which vacant lie For thy best use and wearing. Shak.

4. Empty of thought; thoughtless; not occupied with study or reflection; as, a vacant mind .

The duke had a pleasant and vacant face. Sir H. Wotton.

When on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood. Wordsworth.

5. (Law) Abandoned; having no heir, possessor, claimant, or occupier; as, a vacant estate .

Bouvier.

Vacant succession (Law) , one that is claimed by no person, or where all the heirs are unknown, or where all the known heirs to it have renounced it.

Burrill.

Syn. -- Empty; void; devoid; free; unemployed; disengaged; unincumbered; uncrowded; idle. -- Vacant , Empty . A thing is empty when there is nothing in it; as, an empty room, or an empty noddle . Vacant adds the idea of having been previously filled, or intended to be filled or occupied; as, a vacant seat at table; a vacant office; vacant hours . When we speak of a vacant look or a vacant mind, we imply the absence of the intelligence naturally to be expected there.

Vacantly <Xpage=1590>

Va"cant*ly (?) , adv. In a vacant manner; inanely.

Vacate <Xpage=1590>

Va"cate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vacated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Vacating .] [L. vacare , vacatum , to be empty. See Vacant .] 1. To make vacant; to leave empty; to cease from filling or occupying; as, it was resolved by Parliament that James had vacated the throne of England; the tenant vacated the house.

2. To annul; to make void; to deprive of force; to make of no authority or validity; as, to vacate a commission or a charter; to vacate proceedings in a cause.

That after act vacating the authority of the precedent. Eikon Basilike.

The necessity of observing the Jewish Sabbath was Vacated by the apostolical institution of the Lord's Day. R. Nelson.

3. To defeat; to put an end to. [R.]

He vacates my revenge. Dryden.

Vacation <Xpage=1590>

Va*ca"tion (?) , n. [F., fr. L. vacatio a being free from a duty, service, etc., fr. vacare . See Vacate .]

1. The act of vacating; a making void or of no force; as, the vacation of an office or a charter .

2. Intermission of a stated employment, procedure, or office; a period of intermission; rest; leisure.

It was not in his nature, however, at least till years had chastened it, to take any vacation from controversy. Palfrey.

Hence, specifically: -

(a) (Law) Intermission of judicial proceedings; the space of time between the end of one term and the beginning of the next; nonterm; recess. "With lawyers in the vacation ."

Shak.

(b) The intermission of the regular studies and exercises of an educational institution between terms; holidays; as, the spring vacation .

(c) The time when an office is vacant; esp. (Eccl.) , the time when a see, or other spiritual dignity, is vacant.

Vaccary <Xpage=1590>

Vac"ca*ry (?) , n. [LL. vaccarium , from L. vacca cow. Cf. Vachery .] A cow house, dairy house, or cow pasture. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Wright.

Vaccina <Xpage=1590>

Vac*ci"na (?) , n. [NL.] (Med.) Vaccinia.

Vaccinal <Xpage=1590>

Vac"ci*nal (?) , a. (Med.) Of or pertaining to vaccinia or vaccination.

Vaccinate <Xpage=1590>

Vac"ci*nate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vaccinated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaccinating .] [See Vaccine .] To inoculate with the cowpox by means of a virus, called vaccine , taken either directly or indirectly from cows. <-- now, generally, to administer (by injection or otherwise) any vaccine with the objective of rendering the recipient immune to an infectious disease. -->

Vaccination <Xpage=1590>

Vac`ci*na"tion (?) , n. The act, art, or practice of vaccinating, or inoculating with the cowpox, in order to prevent or mitigate an attack of smallpox. Cf. Inoculation . <-- 2. any inoculation intended to raise immunity to a disease. -->

&hand; In recent use, vaccination sometimes includes inoculation with any virus as a preventive measure; as, vaccination of cholera.

Vaccinator <Xpage=1590>

Vac"ci*na`tor (?) , n. One who, or that which, vaccinates.

Vaccine <Xpage=1590>

Vac"cine (?) , a. [L. vaccinus , fr. vacca a cow; cf. Skr. v\'bec to bellow, to groan.] Of or pertaining to cows; pertaining to, derived from, or caused by, vaccinia; as, vaccine virus; the vaccine disease . -- n. The virus of vaccinia used in vaccination.

<-- n. any preparation used to render an organism immune to some disease, by inducing or increasing the natural immunity mechanisms. Prior to 1995, such preparations usually contained killed organisms of the type for which immunity was desired, and sometimes used live organisms having attenuated virulence. Now, preparations contining only specific antigenic portions of the pathogenic organism are also used, some of which are prepared by genetic engineering techniques. -->

Vaccinia <Xpage=1590>

Vac*cin"i*a (?) , n. [NL. See Vaccine .] (Med.) Cowpox; vaccina. See Cowpox .

Vaccinist <Xpage=1590>

Vac"ci*nist (?) , n. A vaccinator.

Vaccinium <Xpage=1590>

Vac*cin"i*um (?) , n. [L., the blueberry, or whortleberry.] (Bot.) A genus of ericaceous shrubs including the various kinds of blueberries and the true cranberries.

Vacher <Xpage=1590>

Va`cher" (?) , n. [F., from vache a cow. Cf. Vaquero .] A keeper of stock or cattle; a herdsman. [Southwestern U. S.] <-- a cowboy -->

Bartlett.

Vachery <Xpage=1590>

Vach"er*y (?) , n. [F. vacherie , from vache a cow, L. vacca . Cf. Vaccary .]

1. An inclosure for cows.

2. A dairy. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Prompt. Parv.

Vacillancy <Xpage=1590>

Vac"il*lan*cy (?) , n. The quality or state of being vacillant, or wavering. [R.]

Dr. H. More.

Vacillant <Xpage=1590>

Vac"il*lant (?) , a. [L. vacillans , p. pr. of vacillare : cf. F. vacillant . See Vacillate .] Vacillating; wavering; fluctuating; irresolute.

Vacillate <Xpage=1590>

Vac"il*late (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vacillated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Vacillating .] [L. vacillare , vacillatum ; cf. Skr. va&ntil;c .]

1. To move one way and the other; to reel or stagger; to waver.

[A spheroid] is always liable to shift and vacillate from one axis to another. Paley.

2. To fluctuate in mind or opinion; to be unsteady or inconstant; to waver.

Syn. -- See Fluctuate .

Vacillating <Xpage=1590>

Vac"il*la`ting (?) , a. Inclined to fluctuate; wavering. Tennyson . -- Vac"il*la`ting*ly , adv.

Vacillation <Xpage=1590>

Vac`il*la"tion (?) , n. [L. vacillatio : cf. F. vacillation .]

1. The act of vacillating; a moving one way and the other; a wavering.

His vacillations , or an alternation of knowledge and doubt. Jer. Taylor.

Vacillatory <Xpage=1590>

Vac"il*la*to*ry (?) , a. Inclined to vacillate; wavering; irresolute.

Hawthorne.

Vacuate <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*ate (?) , v. t. [L. vacuatus , p. p. of vacuare to empty, from vacuus empty. See Vacant .] To make void, or empty. [R.]

Vacuation <Xpage=1590>

Vac`u*a"tion (?) , n. The act of emptying; evacuation. [R.]

Vacuist <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*ist (?) , n. [Cf. F. vacuiste .] One who holds the doctrine that the space between the bodies of the universe, or the molecules and atoms of matter., is a vacuum; -- opposed to plenist .

Vacuity <Xpage=1590>

Va*cu"i*ty (?) , n. [L. vacuitas . See Vacuous .]

1. The quality or state of being vacuous, or not filled; emptiness; vacancy; as, vacuity of mind; vacuity of countenance .

Hunger is such a state of vacuity as to require a fresh supply of aliment. Arbuthnot.

2. Space unfilled or unoccupied, or occupied with an invisible fluid only; emptiness; void; vacuum.

A vacuity is interspersed among the particles of matter. Bentley.

God . . . alone can answer all our longings and fill every vacuity of our soul. Rogers.

3. Want of reality; inanity; nihility. [R.]

Their expectations will meet with vacuity . Glanvill.

Vacuna <Xpage=1590>

Va*cu"na (?) , n. [L. vacuus unoccupied.] (Rom. Myth.) The goddess of rural leisure, to whom the husbandmen sacrificed at the close of the harvest. She was especially honored by the Sabines.

Vacuolated <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*o*la`ted (?) , a. (Biol.) Full of vacuoles, or small air cavities; as, vacuolated cells .

Vacuolation <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*o*la"tion (?) , n. (Biol.) Formation into, or multiplication of, vacuoles.

Vacuole <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*ole (?) , n. [L. vacuus empty: cf. F. vacuole .] (Biol.) A small air cell, or globular space, in the interior of organic cells, either containing air, or a pellucid watery liquid, or some special chemical secretions of the cell protoplasm.

Contractile vacuole . (Zo\'94l.) See under Contractile , and see Illusts . of Infusoria , and Lobosa . -- Food vacuole . (Zo\'94l.) See under Food , and see Illust . of Infusoria .

Vacuous <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*ous (?) , a. [L. vacuus . See Vacant .] Empty; unfilled; void; vacant.

Boundless the deep, because I am who fill Infinitude; nor vacuous the space. Milton.

That the few may lead selfish and vacuous days. J. Morley.

Vacuousness <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*ous*ness , n. The quality or state of being vacuous; emptiness; vacuity.

W. Montagu.

Vacuum <Xpage=1590>

Vac"u*um (?) , n. ; pl. E. Vacuums (#) , L. Vacua (#) . [L., fr. vacuus empty. See Vacuous .] 1. (Physics) A space entirely devoid of matter (called also, by way of distinction, absolute vacuum ); hence, in a more general sense, a space, as the interior of a closed vessel, which has been exhausted to a high or the highest degree by an air pump or other artificial means; as, water boils at a reduced temperature in a vacuum .

<page="1591"> Page 1591

2. The condition of rarefaction, or reduction of pressure below that of the atmosphere, in a vessel, as the condenser of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.; as, a vacuum of 26 inches of mercury, or 13 pounds per square inch .

Vacuum brake , a kind of continuous brake operated by exhausting the air from some appliance under each car, and so causing the pressure of the atmosphere to apply the brakes. -- Vacuum pan (Technol.) , a kind of large closed metallic retort used in sugar making for boiling down sirup. It is so connected with an exhausting apparatus that a partial vacuum is formed within. This allows the evaporation and concentration to take place at a lower atmospheric pressure and hence also at a lower temperature, which largely obviates the danger of burning the sugar, and shortens the process. -- Vacuum pump . Same as Pulsometer , 1. -- Vacuum tube (Phys.) , a glass tube provided with platinum electrodes and exhausted, for the passage of the electrical discharge; a Geissler tube. <-- any tube used in electronic devices, containing a vacuum and used to control the flow of electrons in a circuit, as a vacuum diode, triode, or pentode, or a . --> -- Vacuum valve , a safety valve opening inward to admit air to a vessel in which the pressure is less than that of the atmosphere, in order to prevent collapse. -- Torricellian vacuum . See under Torricellian .

Vadantes <Xpage=1591>

Va*dan"tes (?) , n. pl. [NL., from L. vadans , p. pr. of vadare to wade, to ford.] (Zo\'94l.) An extensive artificial group of birds including the wading, swimming, and cursorial birds.

Vade <Xpage=1591>

Vade (?) , v. i. [For fade .] To fade; hence, to vanish. [Obs.] " Summer leaves all vaded ."

Shak.

They into dust shall vade . Spenser.

Vade mecum <Xpage=1591>

Va`de me"cum (?) . [L., go with me.] A book or other thing that a person carries with him as a constant companion; a manual; a handbook.

Vadimony <Xpage=1591>

Vad"i*mo*ny (?) , n. [L. vadimonium .] (Law) A bond or pledge for appearance before a judge on a certain day. [Obs.]

Vadium <Xpage=1591>

Va"di*um (?) , n. [LL., from L. vas , vadis , bail.] (Law) Pledge; security; bail. See Mortgage .

Vadium vivum [LL.] (Law) , a living pledge, which exists where an estate is granted until a debt is paid out of its proceeds.

Vae <Xpage=1591>

Vae (?) , n. See Voe . [Scot.]

Vafrous <Xpage=1591>

Va"frous (?) , a. [L. vafer .] Crafty; cunning; sly; as, vafrous tricks . [Obs.]

Feltham.

Vagabond <Xpage=1591>

Vag"a*bond (?) , a. [F., fr. L. vagabundus , from vagari to stroll about, from vagus strolling. See Vague .] 1. Moving from place to place without a settled habitation; wandering. " Vagabond exile."

Shak.

2. Floating about without any certain direction; driven to and fro.

To heaven their prayers Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds Blown vagabond or frustrate. Milton.

3. Being a vagabond; strolling and idle or vicious.

Vagabond <Xpage=1591>

Vag"a*bond , n. One who wanders from place to place, having no fixed dwelling, or not abiding in it, and usually without the means of honest livelihood; a vagrant; a tramp; hence, a worthless person; a rascal.

A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be. Gen. iv. 12.

&hand; In English and American law, vagabond is used in bad sense, denoting one who is without a home; a strolling, idle, worthless person. Vagabonds are described in old English statutes as "such as wake on the night and sleep on the day, and haunt customable taverns and alehouses, and routs about; and no man wot from whence they came, nor whither they go." In American law, the term vagrant is employed in the same sense. Cf Rogue , n. , 1.

Burrill. Bouvier.

Vagabond <Xpage=1591>

Vag"a*bond , v. i. To play the vagabond; to wander like a vagabond; to stroll.

On every part my vagabonding sight Did cast, and drown mine eyes in sweet delight. Drummond.

Vagabondage <Xpage=1591>