Chapter 1826

Va"ri*ous (?) , a. [L. varius . Cf. Vair .]

1. Different; diverse; several; manifold; as, men of various names; various occupations; various colors .

So many and so various laws are given. Milton.

A wit as various , gay, grave, sage, or wild. Byron.

2. Changeable; uncertain; inconstant; variable.

A man so various , that he seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's epitome. Dryden.

The names of mixed modes . . . are very various . Locke.

3. Variegated; diversified; not monotonous.

A happy rural seat of various view. Milton.

Variously <Xpage=1595>

Va"ri*ous*ly , adv. In various or different ways.

Variscite <Xpage=1595>

Var"is*cite (?) , n. [So called from Variscia in Germany.] (Min.) An apple-green mineral occurring in reniform masses. It is a hydrous phosphate of alumina.

Varisse <Xpage=1595>

Va*risse" (?) , n. [Cf. F. varice varix. Cf. Varix .] (Far.) An imperfection on the inside of the hind leg in horses, different from a curb, but at the same height, and frequently injuring the sale of the animal by growing to an unsightly size.

Craig.

Varix <Xpage=1595>

Va"rix (?) , n. ; pl. Varices (#) . [L.]

1. (Med.) A uneven, permanent dilatation of a vein.

&hand; Varices are owing to local retardation of the venous circulation, and in some cases to relaxation of the parietes of the veins. They are very common in the superficial veins of the lower limbs.

Dunglison.

<page="1596"> Page 1596

2. (Zo\'94l.) One of the prominent ridges or ribs extending across each of the whorls of certain univalve shells.

&hand; The varices usually indicate stages of growth, each one showing a former position of the outer lip of the aperture.

Vark <Xpage=1596>

Vark (?) , n. [D. varken a pig.] (Zo\'94l.) The bush hog, or boshvark.

Varlet <Xpage=1596>

Var"let (?) , n. [OF. varlet , vaslet , vallet , servant, young man, young noble, dim of vassal . See Vassal , and cf. Valet .]

1. A servant, especially to a knight; an attendant; a valet; a footman. [Obs.]

Spenser. Tusser.

2. Hence, a low fellow; a scoundrel; a rascal; as, an impudent varlet .

What a brazen-faced varlet art thou ! Shak.

3. In a pack of playing cards, the court card now called the knave , or jack . [Obs.]

Varletry <Xpage=1596>

Var"let*ry (?) , n. [Cf. OF. valeterie the young unmarried nobles.] The rabble; the crowd; the mob.

Shall they hoist me up, And show me to the shouting varletry Of censuring Rome. Shak.

Varnish <Xpage=1596>

Var"nish (?) , n. [OE. vernish , F. vernis , LL. vernicium ; akin to F. vernir to varnish, fr. (assumed) LL. vitrinire to glaze, from LL. vitrinus glassy, fr. L. vitrum glass. See Vitreous .]

1. A viscid liquid, consisting of a solution of resinous matter in an oil or a volatile liquid, laid on work with a brush, or otherwise. When applied the varnish soon dries, either by evaporation or chemical action, and the resinous part forms thus a smooth, hard surface, with a beautiful gloss, capable of resisting, to a greater or less degree, the influences of air and moisture.

&hand; According to the sorts of solvents employed, the ordinary kinds of varnish are divided into three classes: spirit , turpentine , and oil varnishes.

Encyc. Brit

2. That which resembles varnish, either naturally or artificially; a glossy appearance.

The varnish of the holly and ivy. Macaulay.

3. An artificial covering to give a fair appearance to any act or conduct; outside show; gloss.

And set a double varnish on the fame The Frenchman gave you. Shak.

Varnish tree (Bot.) , a tree or shrub from the juice or resin of which varnish is made, as some species of the genus Rhus , especially R. vernicifera of Japan. The black varnish of Burmah is obtained from the Melanorrh&oe;a usitatissima , a tall East Indian tree of the Cashew family. See Copal , and Mastic .

Varnish <Xpage=1596>

Var"nish , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Varnished (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Varnishing .] [Cf. F. vernir , vernisser . See Varnish , n. ]

1. To lay varnish on; to cover with a liquid which produces, when dry, a hard, glossy surface; as, to varnish a table; to varnish a painting .

2. To cover or conceal with something that gives a fair appearance; to give a fair coloring to by words; to gloss over; to palliate; as, to varnish guilt . "Beauty doth varnish age."

Shak.

Close ambition, varnished o'er with zeal. Milton.

Cato's voice was ne'er employed To clear the guilty and to varnish crimes. Addison.

Varnisher <Xpage=1596>

Var"nish*er (?) , n. 1. One who varnishes; one whose occupation is to varnish.

2. One who disguises or palliates; one who gives a fair external appearance.

Pope.

Varnishing <Xpage=1596>

Var"nish*ing , n. The act of laying on varnish; also, materials for varnish.

Vartabed <Xpage=1596>

Var"ta*bed (?) , n. [Armen., a doctor, master, preceptor.] (Eccl.) A doctor or teacher in the Armenian church. Members of this order of ecclesiastics frequently have charge of dioceses, with episcopal functions.

Varuna <Xpage=1596>

Va*ru"na (?) , n. [Skr. Varu <?/ a. ] (Hindoo Myth.) The god of the waters; the Indian Neptune. He is regarded as regent of the west, and lord of punishment, and is represented as riding on a sea monster, holding in his hand a snaky cord or noose with which to bind offenders, under water.

Varvel <Xpage=1596>

Var"vel (?) , n. [F. vervelle .] In falconry, one of the rings secured to the ends of the jesses. [Written also vervel .]

Varveled <Xpage=1596>

Var"veled (?) , a. Having varvels, or rings. [Written also varvelled , and vervelled .]

&hand; In heraldry, when the jesses attached to the legs of hawks hang loose, or have pendent ends with rings at the tips, the blazon is a hawk ( or a hawk's leg ) jessed and varveled .

Vary <Xpage=1596>

Va"ry (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Varied (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Varying .] [OE. varien , F. varier , L. variare , fr. varius various. See Various , and cf. Variate .]

1. To change the aspect of; to alter in form, appearance, substance, position, or the like; to make different by a partial change; to modify; as, to vary the properties, proportions, or nature of a thing; to vary a posture or an attitude; to vary one's dress or opinions.

Shall we vary our device at will, Even as new occasion appears? Spenser.

2. To change to something else; to transmute; to exchange; to alternate.

Gods, that never change their state, Vary oft their love and hate. Waller.

We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies. Dryden.

3. To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversity; to variegate.

God hath varied their inclinations. Sir T. Browne.

God hath here Varied his bounty so with new delights. Milton.

4. (Mus.) To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See Variation , 4.

Vary <Xpage=1596>

Va"ry (?) , v. i. 1. To alter, or be altered, in any manner; to suffer a partial change; to become different; to be modified; as, colors vary in different lights .

That each from other differs, first confess; Next, that he varies from himself no less. Pope.

2. To differ, or be different; to be unlike or diverse; as, the laws of France vary from those of England .

3. To alter or change in succession; to alternate; as, one mathematical quantity varies inversely as another .

While fear and anger, with alternate grace, Pant in her breast, and vary in her face. Addison.

4. To deviate; to depart; to swerve; -- followed by from ; as, to vary from the law, or from reason .

Locke.

5. To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension; as, men vary in opinion .

The rich jewel which we vary for. Webster (1623).

Vary <Xpage=1596>

Va"ry , n. Alteration; change. [Obs.]

Shak.

Varying <Xpage=1596>

Va"ry*ing , a. & n. from Vary .

Varying hare (Zo\'94l.) , any hare or rabbit which becomes white in winter, especially the common hare of the Northern United States and Canada.

Vas <Xpage=1596>

Vas (?) , n. ; pl. Vasa (#) . [L., a vessel. See Vase .] (Anat.) A vessel; a duct.

Vas deferens ; pl. Vasa deferentia . [L. vas vessel + deferens carrying down.] (Anat.) The excretory duct of a testicle; a spermatic duct.

Vascular <Xpage=1596>

Vas"cu*lar (?) , a. [L. vasculum a small vessel, dim. of vas vessel: cf. F. vasculaire . See Vase , and cf. Vessel .]

1. (Biol.) (a) Consisting of, or containing, vessels as an essential part of a structure; full of vessels; specifically (Bot.) , pertaining to, or containing, special ducts, or tubes, for the circulation of sap. (b) Operating by means of, or made up of an arrangement of, vessels; as, the vascular system in animals, including the arteries, veins, capillaries, lacteals, etc. (c) Of or pertaining to the vessels of animal and vegetable bodies; as, the vascular functions .

2. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the higher division of plants, that is, the ph\'91nogamous plants, all of which are vascular, in distinction from the cryptogams, which to a large extent are cellular only.

Vascular plants (Bot.) , plants composed in part of vascular tissue, as all flowering plants and the higher cryptogamous plants, or those of the class Pteridophyta . Cf. Cellular plants , Cellular . -- Vascular system (Bot.) , the body of associated ducts and woody fiber; the fibrovascular part of plants. -- Vascular tissue (Bot.) , vegetable tissue composed partly of ducts, or sap tubes. -- Water vascular system (Zo\'94l.) , a system of vessels in annelids, nemerteans, and many other invertebrates, containing a circulating fluid analogous to blood, but not of the same composition. In annelids the fluid which they contain is usually red, but in some it is green, in others yellow, or whitish.

Vascularity <Xpage=1596>

Vas`cu*lar"i*ty (?) , n. ; pl. Vascularities (<?/) . (Biol.) The quality or state of being vascular.

Vasculose <Xpage=1596>

Vas"cu*lose` (?) , n. (Bot.) One of the substances of which vegetable tissue is composed, differing from cellulose in its solubility in certain media.

Vasculum <Xpage=1596>

Vas"cu*lum (?) , n. ; pl. Vascula (#) . [L., a small vessel.] 1. (Bot.) Same as Ascidium , n. , 1.

2. A tin box, commonly cylindrical or flattened, used in collecting plants.

Vase <Xpage=1596>

Vase (?) , n. [F. vase ; cf. Sp. & It. vaso ; fr. L. vas , vasum . Cf. Vascular , Vessel .]

1. A vessel adapted for various domestic purposes, and anciently for sacrificial used; especially, a vessel of antique or elegant pattern used for ornament; as, a porcelain vase ; a gold vase ; a Grecian vase . See Illust . of Portland vase , under Portland .

No chargers then were wrought in burnished gold, Nor silver vases took the forming mold. Pope.

2. (Arch.) (a) A vessel similar to that described in the first definition above, or the representation of one in a solid block of stone, or the like, used for an ornament, as on a terrace or in a garden. See Illust . of Niche . (b) The body, or naked ground, of the Corinthian and Composite capital; -- called also tambour , and drum .

&hand; Until the time of Walker (1791), vase was made to rhyme with base ,, case , etc., and it is still commonly so pronounced in the United States. Walker made it to rhyme with phrase , maze , etc. Of modern English practice, Mr. A. J. Ellis (1874) says: " Vase has four pronunciations in English: v&asdd;z , which I most commonly say, is going out of use v\'84z I hear most frequently, v\'bez very rarely, and v\'bes I only know from Cull's marking. On the analogy of case , however, it should be the regular sound."

3. (Bot.) The calyx of a plant.

Vaseline <Xpage=1596>

Vas"e*line (?) , n. [Said by the manufacturer to be derived from G. wasser water + Gr. 'e`laion olive oil.] A yellowish translucent substance, almost odorless and tasteless, obtained as a residue in the purification of crude petroleum, and consisting essentially of a mixture of several of the higher members of the paraffin series. It is used as an unguent, and for various purposes in the arts. See the Note under Petrolatum . [Written also vaselin .]

Vase-shaped <Xpage=1596>

Vase"-shaped` (?) , a. Formed like a vase, or like a common flowerpot.

Vasiform <Xpage=1596>

Vas"i*form (?) , a. [L. vas a vessel + -form .] (Biol.) Having the form of a vessel, or duct.

Vasiform tissue (Bot.) , tissue containing vessels, or ducts.

Vasoconstrictor <Xpage=1596>

Vas`o*con*strict"or (?) , a. (Physiol.) Causing constriction of the blood vessels; as, the vasoconstrictor nerves, stimulation of which causes constriction of the blood vessels to which they go. These nerves are also called vasohypertonic .

<-- n. A substance which causes constriction of the blood vessels. Such substances are used in medicine to raise blood pressure. -->

Vasodentine <Xpage=1596>

Vas`o*den"tine (?) , n. [L. vas a vessel + E. dentine .] (Anat.) A modified form of dentine, which is permeated by blood capillaries; vascular dentine.

Vasodilator <Xpage=1596>

Vas`o*di*lat"or (?) , a. [L. vas a vessel + dilator .] (Physiol.) Causing dilation or relaxation of the blood vessels; as, the vasodilator nerves, stimulation of which causes dilation of the blood vessels to which they go . These nerves are also called vaso-inhibitory , and vasohypotonic nerves, since their stimulation causes relaxation and rest.

Vasoformative <Xpage=1596>

Vas`o*form"a*tive (?) , a. [L. vas a vessel + formative ] (Physiol.) Concerned in the development and formation of blood vessels and blood corpuscles; as, the vasoformative cells .

Vaso-inhibitory <Xpage=1596>

Vas`o-in*hib"i*to*ry (?) , a. (Physiol.) See Vasodilator .

Vasomotor <Xpage=1596>

Vas`o*mo"tor (?) , a. [L. vas a vessel + motor that which moves fr. movere to move.] (Physiol.) Causing movement in the walls of vessels; as, the vasomotor mechanisms; the vasomotor nerves, a system of nerves distributed over the muscular coats of the blood vessels.

Vasomotor center , the chief dominating or general center which supplies all the unstriped muscles of the arterial system with motor nerves, situated in a part of the medulla oblongata; a center of reflex action by the working of which afferent impulses are changed into efferent, -- vasomotor impulses leading either to dilation or constriction of the blood vessels.

Vassal <Xpage=1596>

Vas"sal (?) , n. [F., fr. LL. vassallus , vassus ; of Celtic origin; cf. W. & Corn. gwas a youth, page, servant, Arm. gwaz a man, a male. Cf. Valet , Varlet , Vavasor .]

1. (Feud. Law) The grantee of a fief, feud, or fee; one who holds land of superior, and who vows fidelity and homage to him; a feudatory; a feudal tenant.

Burrill.

2. A subject; a dependent; a servant; a slave. "The vassals of his anger."

Milton.

Rear vassal , the vassal of a vassal; an arriere vassal.

Vassal <Xpage=1596>

Vas"sal , a. Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile.

The sun and every vassal star. Keble.

Vassal <Xpage=1596>

Vas"sal , v. t. To treat as a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave. [Obs.]

Beau. & Fl.

Vassalage <Xpage=1596>

Vas"sal*age (?) , n. [OE. vassalage , F. vasselage , LL. vassallaticum .]

1. The state of being a vassal, or feudatory.

2. Political servitude; dependence; subjection; slavery; as, the Greeks were held in vassalage by the Turks .

3. A territory held in vassalage. "The Countship of Foix, with six territorial vassalages ."

Milman.

4. Vassals, collectively; vassalry. [R.]

Shak.

5. Valorous service, such as that performed by a vassal; valor; prowess; courage. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Vassaless <Xpage=1596>

Vas"sal*ess , n. A female vassal. [R.]

Spenser.

Vassalry <Xpage=1596>

Vas"sal*ry (?) , n. The body of vassals. [R.]

Vast <Xpage=1596>

Vast (?) , a. [ Compar. Vaster (?) ; superl. Vastest .] [L. vastus empty, waste, enormous, immense: cf. F. vaste . See Waste , and cf. Devastate .]

1. Waste; desert; desolate; lonely. [Obs.]

The empty, vast , and wandering air. Shak.

2. Of great extent; very spacious or large; also, huge in bulk; immense; enormous; as, the vast ocean; vast mountains; the vast empire of Russia .

Through the vast and boundless deep. Milton.

3. Very great in numbers, quantity, or amount; as, a vast army; a vast sum of money .

4. Very great in importance; as, a subject of vast concern .

Syn. -- Enormous; huge; immense; mighty.

Vast <Xpage=1596>

Vast , n. A waste region; boundless space; immensity. "The watery vast ."

Pope.

Michael bid sound The archangel trumpet. Through the vast of heaven It sounded. Milton.

Vastation <Xpage=1596>

Vas*ta"tion (?) , n. [L. vastatio , fr. vastare to lay waste, fr. vastus empty, waste.] A laying waste; waste; depopulation; devastation. [Obs.]

Bp. Hall.

Vastel <Xpage=1596>

Vas"tel (?) , n. See Wastel . [Obs.]

Fuller.

Vastidity <Xpage=1596>