The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

Chapter 1836

Chapter 18362,630 wordsPublic domain

Veneer moth (Zo\'94l.) , any moth of the genus Chilo ; -- so called because the mottled colors resemble those of veneering.

Veneering <Xpage=1600>

Ve*neer"ing , n. 1. The act or art of one who veneers.

2. Thin wood or other material used as a veneer.

Venefical <Xpage=1600>

Ve*nef"ic*al (?) , a. [L. veneficus .] Veneficial. [Obs.] " Venefical instruments."

B. Jonson.

Venefice <Xpage=1600>

Ven"e*fice (?) , n. [L. veneficium , fr. veneficus poisoning; venenum poison + facere to make: cf. F. v\'82n\'82fice .] The act or practice of poisoning. [Obs.]

Veneficial, Veneficious <Xpage=1600>

Ven`e*fi"cial (?) , Ven`e*fi"cious (?) , a. Acting by poison; used in poisoning or in sorcery. [Obs.] "An old veneficious practice." Sir T. Browne . -- Ven`e*fi"cious*ly , adv. [Obs.]

Venemous <Xpage=1600>

Ven"e*mous (?) , a. Venomous. [Obs.]

Venenate <Xpage=1600>

Ven"e*nate (?) , v. t. [L. veneatus , p. p. venenare to poison, from venenum poison. Cf. Venom .] To poison; to infect with poison. [R.]

Harvey.

Venenate <Xpage=1600>

Ven"e*nate (?) , a. Poisoned.

Woodward.

Vennation <Xpage=1600>

Ven`*na"tion (?) , n. 1. The act of poisoning.

2. Poison; venom. [Obs.]

Sir T. Browne.

Venene <Xpage=1600>

Ve*nene" (?) , a. Poisonous; venomous. [Obs.]

Venenose <Xpage=1600>

Ven"e*nose` (?) , a. [L. venenosus , fr. venenum poison. Cf. Venomous .] Poisonous. [Obs.]

Venerability <Xpage=1600>

Ven`er*a*bil"i*ty (?) , n. The quality or state of being venerable; venerableness.

Dr. H. More.

Venerable <Xpage=1600>

Ven"er*a*ble (?) , a. [L. venerabilis : cf. F. v\'82n\'82rable .] 1. Capable of being venerated; worthy of veneration or reverence; deserving of honor and respect; -- generally implying an advanced age; as, a venerable magistrate; a venerable parent .

He was a man of eternal self-sacrifice, and that is always venerable . De Quincey.

Venerable men! you have come down to us from a former generation. D. Webster.

2. Rendered sacred by religious or other associations; that should be regarded with awe and treated with reverence; as, the venerable walls of a temple or a church .

&hand; This word is employed in the Church of England as a title for an archdeacon. In the Roman Catholic Church, venerable is applied to those who have attained to the lowest of the three recognized degrees of sanctity, but are not among the beatified , nor the canonized .

-- Ven"er*a*ble*ness , n. -- Ven"er*a*bly , adv.

Veneracea <Xpage=1600>

Ven`e*ra"ce*a (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Venus .] (Zo\'94l.) An extensive tribe of bivalve mollusks of which the genus Venus is the type. The shells are usually oval, or somewhat heartshaped, with a conspicuous lunule. See Venus .

Venerate <Xpage=1600>

Ven"er*ate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Venerated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Venerating .] [L. veneratus , p. p. of venerari to venerate; akin to Venus Venus, Skr. van to like, to wish, and E. win some. See Winsome .] To regard with reverential respect; to honor with mingled respect and awe; to reverence; to revere; as, we venerate parents and elders .

And seemed to venerate the sacred shade. Dryden.

I do not know a man more to be venerated for uprightness of heart and loftiness of genius. Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- To reverence; revere; adore; respect.

Veneration <Xpage=1600>

Ven`er*a"tion (?) , n. [L. veneratio : cf. F. v\'82n\'82ration .] The act of venerating, or the state of being venerated; the highest degree of respect and reverence; respect mingled with awe; a feeling or sentimental excited by the dignity, wisdom, or superiority of a person, by sacredness of character, by consecration to sacred services, or by hallowed associations.

We find a secret awe and veneration for one who moves about us in regular and illustrious course of virtue. Addison.

Syn. -- Awe; reverence; respect. See Reverence .

Venerator <Xpage=1600>

Ven"er*a`tor (?) , n. [L.] One who venerates.

Jer. Taylor

Venereal <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ne"re*al (?) , a. [L. venereus , venerius , fr. Venus , Veneris , Venus, the goddess of love. See Venerate .] 1. Of or pertaining to venery, or sexual love; relating to sexual intercourse.

Into the snare I fell Of fair, fallacious looks, venereal trains, Softened with pleasure and voluptuous life. Milton.

2. (Med.) (a) Arising from sexual intercourse; as, a venereal disease; venereal virus or poison. (b) Adapted to the cure of venereal diseases; as, venereal medicines .

3. Adapted to excite venereal desire; aphrodisiac.

4. Consisting of, or pertaining to, copper, formerly called by chemists Venus . [Obs.]

Boyle.

Venereal <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ne"re*al , n. (Med.) The venereal disease; syphilis.

Venerean <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ne"re*an (?) , a. [Cf. F. v\'82n\'82rien .] Devoted to the offices of Venus, or love; venereal. [Obs.] "I am all venerean in feeling."

Chaucer.

Venereous <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ne"re*ous (?) , a. [L. venereus .] 1. Venereal; exciting lust; aphrodisiac. [Obs.]

2. Lustful; lascivious; libidinous. [R.]

Derham.

Venerous <Xpage=1600>

Ven"er*ous (?) , a. Venereous. [Obs.]

Burton.

Venery <Xpage=1600>

Ven"er*y (?) , n. [L. Venus , Veneris , the goddess of love.] Sexual love; sexual intercourse; coition.

Contentment, without the pleasure of lawful venery , is continence; of unlawful, chastity. Grew.

Venery <Xpage=1600>

Ven"er*y , n. [OE. venerie , F. v\'82nerie , fr. OF. vener to hunt, L. venari . See Venison .] The art, act, or practice of hunting; the sports of the chase. "Beasts of venery and fishes."

Sir T. Browne.

I love hunting and venery . Chaucer.

Venesection <Xpage=1600>

Ve`ne*sec"tion (?) , n. [NL. venaesectio ; L. vena vein + sectio section.] (Med.) The act or operation of opening a vein for letting blood; bloodletting; phlebotomy.

Venetian <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ne"tian (?) , a. [Cf. It. Veneziano , L. Venetianus .] Of or pertaining to Venice in Italy.

Venetian blind , a blind for windows, doors, etc., made of thin slats, either fixed at a certain angle in the shutter, or movable, and in the latter case so disposed as to overlap each other when close, and to show a series of open spaces for the admission of air and light when in other positions. -- Venetian carpet , an inexpensive carpet, used for passages and stairs, having a woolen warp which conceals the weft; the pattern is therefore commonly made up of simple stripes. -- Venetian chalk , a white compact or steatite, used for marking on cloth, etc. -- Venetian door (Arch.) , a door having long, narrow windows or panes of glass on the sides. -- Venetian glass , a kind of glass made by the Venetians, for decorative purposes, by the combination of pieces of glass of different colors fused together and wrought into various ornamental patterns. -- Venetian red , a brownish red color, prepared from sulphate of iron; -- called also scarlet ocher . -- Venetian soap . See Castile soap , under Soap . -- Venetian sumac (Bot.) , a South European tree ( Rhus Cotinus ) which yields the yellow dyewood called fustet ; -- also called smoke tree . -- Venetian window (Arch.) , a window consisting of a main window with an arched head, having on each side a long and narrow window with a square head.

Venetian <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ne"tian , n. A native or inhabitant of Venice.

Venew <Xpage=1600>

Ven"ew (?) , n. [F. venue , lit., an arrival, from venir , p. p. venu , venue , to come. See Venue .] A bout, or turn, as at fencing; a thrust; a hit; a veney. [Obs.]

Fuller.

Veney <Xpage=1600>

Ven"ey (?; 277) , n. [Cf. Venew or Visne .] A bout; a thrust; a venew. [Obs.]

Beau. & Fl.

Three veneys for a dish of stewed prunes. Shak.

Venge <Xpage=1600>

Venge (?) , v. t. [F. venger . See Vengeance .] To avenge; to punish; to revenge. [Obs.] See Avenge , and Revenge . Chaucer . "To venge me, as I may."

Shak.

Vengeable <Xpage=1600>

Venge"a*ble (?) , a. Revengeful; deserving revenge. [Obs.] Spenser . -- Venge"a*bly , adv. [Obs.]

Vengeance <Xpage=1600>

Venge"ance (?) , n. [F. vengeance , fr. venger to avenge, L. vindicare to lay claim to, defend, avenge, fr. vindex a claimant, defender, avenger, the first part of which is of uncertain origin, and the last part akin to dicere to say. See Diction , and cf. Avenge , Revenge , Vindicate .] 1. Punishment inflicted in return for an injury or an offense; retribution; -- often, in a bad sense, passionate or unrestrained revenge.

To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Deut. xxxii. 35.

To execute fierce vengeance on his foes. Milton.

2. Harm; mischief. [Obs.]

Shak.

What a vengeance , &or; What the vengeance , what! -- emphatically. [Obs.] "But what a vengeance makes thee fly!" Hudibras . " What the vengeance ! Could he not speak 'em fair?" Shak . -- With a vengeance , with great violence; as, to strike with a vengeance . [Colloq.]

Vengeancely <Xpage=1600>

Venge"ance*ly , adv. Extremely; excessively. [Obs.] "He loves that vengeancely ."

Beau. & Fl.

Vengeful <Xpage=1600>

Venge"ful (?) , a. Vindictive; retributive; revengeful. " Vengeful ire." Milton . -- Venge"ful*ly , adv.

Vengement <Xpage=1600>

Venge"ment (?) , n. [OF. vengement .] Avengement; penal retribution; vengeance. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Venger <Xpage=1600>

Ven"ger (?) , n. An avenger. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Veniable <Xpage=1600>

Ve"ni*a*ble (?) , a. [L. veniabilis , fr. venia forgiveness, pardon.] Venial; pardonable. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne . -- Ve"ni*a*bly , adv. [Obs.]

Sir T. Browne.

Venial <Xpage=1600>

Ve"ni*al (?) , a. [OF. venial , F. v\'82niel , L. venialis , from venia forgiveness, pardon, grace, favor, kindness; akin to venerari to venerate. See Venerate .] 1. Capable of being forgiven; not heinous; excusable; pardonable; as, a venial fault or transgression .

So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip. Shak.

2. Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while venial discourse unblamed."

Milton.

Venial sin (R. C. Theol.) , a sin which weakens, but does not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or deadly, sins.

-- Ve"ni*al*ly , adv. -- Ve"ni*al*ness , n.

Bp. Hall.

Veniality <Xpage=1600>

Ve`ni*al"i*ty (?) , n. The quality or state of being venial; venialness.

Jer. Taylor.

Venire facias <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ni"re fa"ci*as (?) . [L., make, or cause, to come.] (Law) (a) A judicial writ or precept directed to the sheriff, requiring him to cause a certain number of qualified persons to appear in court at a specified time, to serve as jurors in said court. (b) A writ in the nature of a summons to cause the party indicted on a penal statute to appear. Called also venire .

Venison <Xpage=1600>

Ven"i*son (?; 277) , n. [OE. veneison , veneson , venison , OF. veneison , F. venaison , L. venatio hunting, the chase, game, fr. venari , p. p. venatus , to hunt; perhaps akin to OHG. weidin<?/n , weidenen , to pasture, to hunt, G. weide pasturage. Cf. Gain to acquire, Venation .] 1. Beasts of the chase. [Obs.]

Fabyan.

2. Formerly, the flesh of any of the edible beasts of the chase, also of game birds; now, the flesh of animals of the deer kind exclusively.

Venite <Xpage=1600>

Ve*ni"te (?) , n. [L., come, imperative 2d person pl. So called from its opening word in the Latin version.] (Eccl.) The 95th Psalm, which is said or sung regularly in the public worship of many churches. Also, a musical composition adapted to this Psalm.

Venom <Xpage=1600>

Ven"om (?) , n. [OE. venim , OF. venim , F. venin , L. veneum . Cf. Venenate .] 1. Matter fatal or injurious to life; poison; particularly, the poisonous, the poisonous matter which certain animals, such as serpents, scorpions, bees, etc., secrete in a state of health, and communicate by thing or stinging.

Or hurtful worm with cankered venom bites. Milton.

2. Spite; malice; malignity; evil quality. Chaucer . "The venom of such looks."

Shak.

Syn. -- Venom; virus; bane. See Poison .

Venom <Xpage=1600>

Ven"om , v. t. [OE. venimen , OF. venimer , L. venenare . See Venom , n. ] To infect with venom; to envenom; to poison. [R.] " Venomed vengeance."

Shak.

Venomous <Xpage=1600>

Ven"om*ous (?) , a. [OE. venemous , venimous , F. venimeux , L. venenosus , fr. venenum poison. See Venom , and cf. Venenose .] 1. Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous .

2. (Zo\'94l.) Having a poison gland or glands for the secretion of venom, as certain serpents and insects.

3. Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer .

Venomous snake (Zo\'94l.) , any serpent which has poison glands and fangs, whether dangerous to man or not. These serpents constitute two tribes, the viperine serpents, or Solenoglypha, and the cobralike serpents, or Proteroglypha. The former have perforated, erectile fangs situated in the front part of the upper jaw, and are without ordinary teeth behind the fangs; the latter have permanently erect and grooved fangs, with ordinary maxillary teeth behind them.

-- Ven"om*ous*ly , adv. -- Ven"om*ous*ness , n.

Venose <Xpage=1600>

Ve*nose" (?) , a. [See Venous .] Having numerous or conspicuous veins; veiny; as, a venose frond .

Venosity <Xpage=1600>

Ve*nos"i*ty (?) , n. 1. The quality or state of being venous.

2. (Med.) A condition in which the circulation is retarded, and the entire mass of blood is less oxygenated than it normally is.

Venous <Xpage=1600>

Ven"ous (?) , a. [L. venosus , from vena a vein. See Vein .] 1. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to a vein or veins; as, the venous circulation of the blood .

2. Contained in the veins, or having the same qualities as if contained in the veins, that is, having a dark bluish color and containing an insufficient amount of oxygen so as no longer to be fit for oxygenating the tissues; -- said of the blood, and opposed to arterial .

3. Marked with veins; veined; as, a venous leaf .

Venous leaf (Bot.) , a leaf having vessels branching, or variously divided, over its surface. -- Venous hum (Med.) , a humming sound, or bruit, heard during auscultation of the veins of the neck in an\'91mia. -- Venous pulse (Physiol.) , the pulse, or rhythmic contraction, sometimes seen in a vein, as in the neck, when there is an obstruction to the passage of blood from the auricles to the ventricles, or when there is an abnormal rigidity in the walls of the greater vessels. There is normally no pulse in a vein.

Vent <Xpage=1600>

Vent (?) , n. [F. vente , fr. L. vendere , -itum , to sell; perh. confused with E. vent an opening. See Vend .] Sale; opportunity to sell; market. [Obs.]

Shelton.

There is no vent for any commodity but of wool. Sir W. Temple.

Vent <Xpage=1600>

Vent , v. t. To sell; to vend. [Obs.]

Therefore did those nations vent such spice. Sir W. Raleigh.

Vent <Xpage=1600>

Vent , n. [Sp. venta a poor inn, sale, market. See Vent sale.] A baiting place; an inn. [Obs.]

Vent <Xpage=1600>

Vent , v. i. [Cf. F. venter to blow, vent wind (see Ventilate ); but prob influenced by E. vent an opening.] To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Vent <Xpage=1600>

Vent (?) , n. [OE. fent , fente , a slit, F. fente a slit, cleft, fissure, from fendre to split, L. findere ; but probably confused with F. vent wind, L. ventus . See Fissure , and cf. Vent to snuff.] 1. A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask; the vent of a mold; a volcanic vent .

Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents . Shak.

Long't was doubtful, both so closely pent, Which first should issue from the narrow vent . Pope.

2. Specifically: --

(a) (Zo\'94l.) The anal opening of certain invertebrates and fishes; also, the external cloacal opening of reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes.

(b) (Gun.) The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge; touchhole.

(c) (Steam Boilers) Sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet.

3. Fig.: Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet.

4. Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication; utterance.

Without the vent of words. Milton.

Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel. Shak.