The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1853
Vizierial <Xpage=1616>
Vi*zier"i*al (?) , a. [Cf. F. vizirial .] Of, pertaining to, or issued by, a vizier. [Written also vizirial .]
Vizir <Xpage=1616>
Vi*zir" (?) , n. See Vizier .
Vizor <Xpage=1616>
Viz"or (?) , n. See Visor .
Vlissmaki <Xpage=1616>
Vliss*ma"ki (?) , n. [From the native name.] (Zo\'94l.) The diadem indris. See Indris .
V moth <Xpage=1616>
V" moth` (?) . (Zo\'94l.) A common gray European moth ( Halia vauaria ) having a V -shaped spot of dark brown on each of the fore wings.
Vocable <Xpage=1616>
Vo"ca*ble (?) , n. [L. vocabulum an appellation, designation, name, fr. vocare to call, fr. vox , vocis , a voice, a word: cf. F. vocable . See Voice .] A word; a term; a name; specifically, a word considered as composed of certain sounds or letters, without regard to its meaning.
Swamped near to drowning in a tide of ingenious vocables . Carlyle.
Vocabulary <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cab"u*la*ry (?) , n. ; pl. Vocabularies (#) . [LL. vocabularium , vocabularius : cf. F. vocabulaire . See Vocable .] 1. A list or collection of words arranged in alphabetical order and explained; a dictionary or lexicon, either of a whole language, a single work or author, a branch of science, or the like; a word-book.
2. A sum or stock of words employed.
His vocabulary seems to have been no larger than was necessary for the transaction of business. Macaulay.
Vocabulist <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cab"u*list (?) , n. [Cf. F. vocabuliste .] The writer or maker of a vocabulary; a lexicographer.
Vocal <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal (?) , a. [L. vocalis , fr. vox , vocis , voice: cf. F. vocal . See Voice , and cf. Vowel .] 1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice; endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices.
To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song. Milton.
2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody; vocal prayer . " Vocal worship."
Milton.
3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, <?/poken with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; -- said of certain articulate sounds.
4. (Phon.) (a) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v , l , etc., or by both, as in the nasals m , n , ng ; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice , and Vowel , also Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 199-202. (b) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel.
Vocal cords ∨ chords . (Anat.) See Larynx , and the Note under Voice , n. , 1. -- Vocal fremitus [L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring] (Med.) , the perceptible vibration of the chest wall, produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations during the act of using the voice. -- Vocal music , music made by the voice, in distinction from instrumental music ; hence, music or tunes set to words, to be performed by the human voice. -- Vocal tube (Anat.) , the part of the air passages above the inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages through the nose and mouth.
Vocal <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal (?) , n. [Cf. F. vocal , LL. vocalis .]
1. (Phon.) A vocal sound; specifically, a purely vocal element of speech, unmodified except by resonance; a vowel or a diphthong; a tonic element; a tonic; -- distinguished from a subvocal , and a nonvocal .
2. (R. C. Ch.) A man who has a right to vote in certain elections.
Vocalic <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cal"ic (?) , a. [L. vocalis (sc. littera ) a vowel. See Vocal , a. ] Of or pertaining to vowel sounds; consisting of the vowel sounds.
Earle.
The Gaelic language being uncommonly vocalic . Sir W. Scott.
Vocalism <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal*ism (?) , n. 1. The exercise of the vocal organs; vocalization.
2. A vocalic sound. [R.]
Vocalist <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal*ist , n. [Cf. F. vocaliste .] A singer, or vocal musician, as opposed to an instrumentalist .
Vocality <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cal"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. L. vocalitas euphony.] 1. The quality or state of being vocal; utterableness; resonance; as, the vocality of the letters .
2. The quality of being a vowel; vocalic character.
Vocalization <Xpage=1616>
Vo`cal*i*za"tion (?) , n. 1. The act of vocalizing, or the state of being vocalized.
2. The formation and utterance of vocal sounds.
Vocalize <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vocalized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Vocalizing (?) .] [Cf. F. vocaliser .] 1. To form into voice; to make vocal or sonant; to give intonation or resonance to.
It is one thing to give an impulse to breath alone, another thing to vocalize that breath. Holder.
2. To practice singing on the vowel sounds.
Vocally <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal*ly , adv. 1. In a vocal manner; with voice; orally; with audible sound.
2. In words; verbally; as, to express desires vocally .
Vocalness <Xpage=1616>
Vo"cal*ness , n. The quality of being vocal; vocality.
Vocation <Xpage=1616>
Vo*ca"tion (?) , n. [L. vocatio a bidding, invitation, fr. vocare to call, fr. vox , vocis , voice: cf. F. vocation . See Vocal .] 1. A call; a summons; a citation; especially, a designation or appointment to a particular state, business, or profession.
What can be urged for them who not having the vocation of poverty to scribble, out of mere wantonness make themselves ridiculous? Dryden.
2. Destined or appropriate employment; calling; occupation; trade; business; profession.
He would think his service greatly rewarded, if he might obtain by that means to live in the sight of his prince, and yet practice his own chosen vocation . Sir. P. Sidney.
3. (Theol.) A calling by the will of God. Specifically: --
(a) The bestowment of God's distinguishing grace upon a person or nation, by which that person or nation is put in the way of salvation; as, the vocation of the Jews under the old dispensation, and of the Gentiles under the gospel . "The golden chain of vocation , election, and justification."
Jer. Taylor.
(b) A call to special religious work, as to the ministry.
Every member of the same [the Church], in his vocation and ministry. Bk. of Com. Prayer.
Vocative <Xpage=1616>
Voc"a*tive (?) , a. [L. vocativus , fr. vocare to call.] Of or pertaining to calling; used in calling; specifically (Gram.) , used in address; appellative; -- said of that case or form of the noun, pronoun, or adjective, in which a person or thing is addressed; as, Domine , O Lord .
Vocative <Xpage=1616>
Voc"a*tive , n. [L. vocativus (sc. casus ): cf. F. vocatif .] (Gram.) The vocative case.
Vociferance <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif"er*ance (?) , n. Vociferation; noise; clamor. [R.]
R. Browning.
Vociferant <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif"er*ant (?) , a. [L. vociferans , p. pr.] Noisy; clamorous.
Gauden. R. Browning.
Vociferate <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif"er*ate (?) , v. i. [L. vociferatus , p. p. vociferari to vociferate; vox , vocis , voice + ferre to bear. See Voice , and Bear to carry.] To cry out with vehemence; to exclaim; to bawl; to clamor.
Cowper.
Vociferate <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif"er*ate , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vociferated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Vociferating .] To utter with a loud voice; to shout out.
Though he may vociferate the word liberty. V. Knox.
Vociferation <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif`er*a"tion (?) , n. [L. vociferatio : cf. F. vocif\'82ration .] The act of vociferating; violent outcry; vehement utterance of the voice.
Violent gesture and vociferation naturally shake the hearts of the ignorant. Spectator.
Plaintive strains succeeding the vociferations of emotion or of pain. Byron.
Vociferator <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif"er*a`tor (?) , n. One who vociferates, or is clamorous. [R.]
Vociferous <Xpage=1616>
Vo*cif"er*ous (?) , a. [Cf. F. vocif\'8are .] Making a loud outcry; clamorous; noisy; as, vociferous heralds . -- Vo*cif"er*ous*ly , adv. -- Vo*cif"er*ous*ness , n.
Vocule <Xpage=1616>
Voc"ule (?) , n. [L. vocula , dim. of vox , vocis , voice.] (Phon.) A short or weak utterance; a faint or feeble sound, as that heard on separating the lips in pronouncing p or b . Rush . -- Voc"u*lar (#) , a.
Vodanium <Xpage=1616>
Vo*da"ni*um (?) , n. [NL.] (Old Chem.) A supposed element, afterward found to be a mixture of several metals, as copper, iron, lead, nickel, etc.
Vodka <Xpage=1616>
Vod"ka (?) , n. [Russ.] A Russian drink distilled from rye.
Voe <Xpage=1616>
Voe (?) , n. [Cf. Icel ver sea, v\'94ar a fenced-in landing place.] An inlet, bay, or creek; -- so called in the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
Jamieson.
Vogle <Xpage=1616>
Vo"gle (?) , n. (Mining) Same as Vugg .
Vogue <Xpage=1616>
Vogue (?) , n. [F. vogue a rowing, vogue, fashion, It. voga , fr. vogare to row, to sail; probably fr. OHG. wag<?/n to move, akin to E. way . Cf. Way .] 1. The way or fashion of people at any particular time; temporary mode, custom, or practice; popular reception for the time; -- used now generally in the phrase in vogue .
One vogue , one vein, One air of thoughts usurps my brain. Herbert.
Whatsoever its vogue may be, I still flatter myself that the parents of the growing generation will be satisfied with what <?/<?/ to be taught to their children in Westminster, in Eton, or in Winchester. Burke.
Use may revive the obsoletest words, And banish those that now are most in vogue . Roscommon.
2. Influence; power; sway. [Obs.]
Strype.
Voice <Xpage=1616>
Voice (?) , n. [OE. vois , voys , OF. vois , voiz , F. voix , L. vox , vocis , akin to Gr. <?/ a word, <?/ a voice, Skr. vac to say, to speak, G. er w\'84hnen to mention. Cf. Advocate , Advowson , Avouch , Convoke , Epic , Vocal , Vouch , Vowel .] 1. Sound uttered by the mouth, especially that uttered by human beings in speech or song; sound thus uttered considered as possessing some special quality or character; as, the human voice ; a pleasant voice ; a low voice .
He with a manly voice saith his message. Chaucer.
Her voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman. Shak.
Thy voice is music. Shak.
Join thy voice unto the angel choir. Milton.
2. (Phon.) Sound of the kind or quality heard in speech or song in the consonants b , v , d , etc., and in the vowels; sonant, or intonated, utterance; tone; -- distinguished from mere breath sound as heard in f , s , sh , etc., and also whisper .
&hand; Voice, in this sense, is produced by vibration of the so-called vocal cords in the larynx (see Illust . of Larynx ) which act upon the air, not in the manner of the strings of a stringed instrument, but as a pair of membranous tongues, or reeds, which, being continually forced apart by the outgoing current of breath, and continually brought together again by their own elasticity and muscular tension, break the breath current into a series of puffs, or pulses, sufficiently rapid to cause the sensation of tone. The power , or loudness, of such a tone depends on the force of the separate pulses, and this is determined by the pressure of the expired air, together with the resistance on the part of the vocal cords which is continually overcome. Its pitch depends on the number of a\'89rial pulses within a given time, that is, on the rapidity of their succession. See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 5, 146, 155.
3. The tone or sound emitted by anything.
After the fire a still small voice . 1 Kings xix. 12.
Canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Job xl. 9.
The floods have lifted up their voice . Ps. xciii. 3.
O Marcus, I am warm'd; my heart Leaps at the trumpet's voice . Addison.
4. The faculty or power of utterance; as, to cultivate the voice .
5. Language; words; speech; expression; signification of feeling or opinion.
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice ; for I stand in doubt of you. Gal. iv. 20.
My voice is in my sword. Shak.
Let us call on God in the voice of his church. Bp. Fell.
6. Opinion or choice expressed; judgment; a vote.
Sic . How now, my masters! have you chose this man? 1 Cit . He has our voices , sir. Shak.
Some laws ordain, and some attend the choice Of holy senates, and elect by voice . Dryden.
7. Command; precept; -- now chiefly used in scriptural language.
So shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. Deut. viii. 20.
8. One who speaks; a speaker. "A potent voice of Parliament."
Tennyson.
9. (Gram.) A particular mode of inflecting or conjugating verbs, or a particular form of a verb, by means of which is indicated the relation of the subject of the verb to the action which the verb expresses.
Active voice (Gram.) , that form of the verb by which its subject is represented as the agent or doer of the action expressed by it. -- Chest voice (Phon.) , a kind of voice of a medium or low pitch and of a sonorous quality ascribed to resonance in the chest, or thorax; voice of the thick register. It is produced by vibration of the vocal cords through their entire width and thickness, and with convex surfaces presented to each other. -- Head voice (Phon.) , a kind of voice of high pitch and of a thin quality ascribed to resonance in the head; voice of the thin register; falsetto. In producing it, the vibration of the cords is limited to their thin edges in the upper part, which are then presented to each other. -- Middle voice (Gram.) , that form of the verb by which its subject is represented as both the agent, or doer, and the object of the action, that is, as performing some act to or upon himself, or for his own advantage. -- Passive voice . (Gram.) See under Passive , a. -- Voice glide (Pron.) , the brief and obscure neutral vowel sound that sometimes occurs between two consonants in an unaccented syllable (represented by the apostrophe), as in able (a"b'l) . See Glide , n. , 2. -- Voice stop . See Voiced stop , under Voiced , a. -- With one voice , unanimously. "All with one voice . . . cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Acts xix. 34 .
Voice <Xpage=1616>
Voice , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Voiced (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Voicing (?) .] 1. To give utterance or expression to; to utter; to publish; to announce; to divulge; as, to voice the sentiments of the nation . "Rather assume thy right in silence and . . . then voice it with claims and challenges."
Bacon.
It was voiced that the king purposed to put to death Edward Plantagenet. Bacon.
2. (Phon.) To utter with sonant or vocal tone; to pronounce with a narrowed glottis and rapid vibrations of the vocal cords; to speak above a whisper.
3. To fit for producing the proper sounds; to regulate the tone of; as, to voice the pipes of an organ .
4. To vote; to elect; to appoint. [Obs.]
Shak.
Voice <Xpage=1616>
Voice , v. i. To clamor; to cry out. [Obs.]
South.
Voiced <Xpage=1616>
Voiced (?) , a. 1. Furnished with a voice; expressed by the voice.
2. (Phon.) Uttered with voice; pronounced with vibrations of the vocal cords; sonant; -- said of a sound uttered with the glottis narrowed.
Voiced stop , Voice stop (Phon.) , a stopped consonant made with tone from the larynx while the mouth organs are closed at some point; a sonant mute, as b , d , g hard.
<page="1617"> Page 1617
Voiceful <Xpage=1617>
Voice"ful (?) , a. Having a voice or vocal quality; having a loud voice or many voices; vocal; sounding.
Beheld the Iliad and the Odyssey Rise to the swelling of the voiceful sea. Coleridge.
Voiceless <Xpage=1617>
Voice"less , a. 1. Having no voice, utterance, or vote; silent; mute; dumb.
I live and die unheard, With a most voiceless thought, sheathing it as a sword. Byron.
2. (Phon.) Not sounded with voice; as, a voiceless consonant ; surd.
Voiceless stop (Phon.) , a consonant made with no audible sound except in the transition to or from another sound; a surd mute, as p , t , k .
-- Voice"less*ly , adv. -- Voice"less*ness , n.
Void <Xpage=1617>
Void (?) , a. [OE. voide , OF. voit , voide , vuit , vuide , F. vide , fr. (assumed) LL. vocitus , fr. L. vocare , an old form of vacare to be empty, or a kindred word. Cf. Vacant , Avoid .] 1. Containing nothing; empty; vacant; not occupied; not filled.
The earth was without form, and void . Gen. i. 2.
I 'll get me to a place more void . Shak.
I 'll chain him in my study, that, at void hours, I may run over the story of his country. Massinger.
2. Having no incumbent; unoccupied; -- said of offices and the like.
Divers great offices that had been long void . Camden.
3. Being without; destitute; free; wanting; devoid; as, void of learning, or of common use .
Milton.
A conscience void of offense toward God. Acts xxiv. 16.
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor. Prov. xi. 12.
4. Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain.
[My word] shall not return to me void , but it shall accomplish that which I please. Isa. lv. 11.