vertical
vertical: adj. & n. --adj.
1 at right angles to a horizontal plane, perpendicular.
2 in a direction from top to bottom of a picture etc.
3 of or at the vertex or highest point.
4 at, or passing through, the zenith.
5 Anat. of or relating to the crown of the head.
6 involving all the levels in an organizational hierarchy or stages in the production of a class of goods (vertical integration). --n. a vertical line or plane. out of the vertical not vertical. vertical angles Math. each pair of opposite angles made by two intersecting lines. vertical fin Zool. a dorsal, anal, or caudal fin. vertical plane a plane at right angles to the horizontal. vertical take-off the take-off of an aircraft directly upwards. verticality n. verticalize v.tr. (also -ise). vertically adv. [F vertical or LL verticalis (as VERTEX)]

veteran
veteran: n.
1 a person who has grown old in or had long experience of esp. military service or an occupation (a war veteran; a veteran of the theatre; a veteran marksman).
2 US an ex-serviceman or servicewoman.
3 (attrib.) of or for veterans. veteran car Brit. a car made before 1916, or (strictly) before 1905. [F vtran or L veteranus (adj. & n.) f. vetus -eris old]

vegetable
vegetable: n. & adj. --n.
1 Bot. any of various plants, esp. a herbaceous plant used wholly or partly for food, e.g. a cabbage, potato, turnip, or bean.
2 colloq. a a person who is incapable of normal intellectual activity, esp. through brain injury etc. b a person lacking in animation or living a monotonous life. --adj.
1 of, derived from, relating to, or comprising plants or plant life, esp. as distinct from animal life or mineral substances.
2 of or relating to vegetables as food.
3 a unresponsive to stimulus (vegetable behaviour). b uneventful, monotonous (a vegetable existence). vegetable butter a vegetable fat with the consistency of butter. vegetable ivory see IVORY . vegetable marrow see MARROW 1. vegetable oyster = SALSIFY. vegetable parchment see PARCHMENT 2. vegetable spaghett.
1 a variety of marrow with flesh resembling spaghetti.
2 its flesh. vegetable sponge = LOOFAH. vegetable tallow see TALLOW . vegetable wax an exudation of certain plants such as sumac. [ME f. OF vegetable or LL vegetabilis animating (as VEGETATE)]

variolarvacuous
vacuous: adj.
1 lacking expression (a vacuous stare).
2 unintelligent (a vacuous remark).
3 empty. vacuity n. vacuously adv. vacuousness n. [L vacuus empty (as VACATE)]

vanilla
vanilla: n.
1 a any tropical climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, esp. V. planifolia, with fragrant flowers. b (in full vanilla-pod) the fruit of these.
2 a substance obtained from the vanilla-pod or synthesized and used to flavour ice-cream, chocolate, etc. [Sp. vainilla pod, dimin. of vaina sheath, pod, f. L VAGINA]

valiant
valiant: adj. (of a person or conduct) brave, courageous. valiantly adv. [ME f. AF valiaunt, OF vailant ult. f. L valere be strong]

vaccine
vaccine: n. & adj. --n.
1 an antigenic preparation used to stimulate the production of antibodies and procure immunity from one or several diseases.
2 hist. the cowpox virus used in vaccination against smallpox. --adj. of or relating to cowpox or vaccination. vaccinal adj. [L vaccinus f. vacca cow]

variation
variation: n.
1 the act or an instance of varying.
2 departure from a former or normal condition, action, or amount, or from a standard or type (prices are subject to variation).
3 the extent of this.
4 a thing that varies from a type.
5 Mus. a repetition (usu. one of several) of a theme in a changed or elaborated form.
6 Astron. a deviation of a heavenly body from its mean orbit or motion.
7 Math. a change in a function etc. due to small changes in the values of constants etc.
8 Ballet a solo dance. variational adj. [ME f. OF variation or L variatio (as VARY)]

variola
variola: n. Med. smallpox. variolar adj. varioloid adj. variolous adj. [med.L, = pustule, pock (as VARIOUS)]

vibrator
vibrator: n.
1 a device that vibrates or causes vibration, esp. an electric or other instrument used in massage or for sexual stimulation.
2 Mus. a reed in a reed-organ.

vein
vein: n. & v. --n.
1 a any of the tubes by which blood is conveyed to the heart (cf. ARTERY). b (in general use) any blood-vessel (has royal blood in his veins).
2 a nervure of an insect's wing.
3 a slender bundle of tissue forming a rib in the framework of a leaf.
4 a streak or stripe of a different colour in wood, marble, cheese, etc.
5 a fissure in rock filled with ore or other deposited material.
6 a source of a particular characteristic (a rich vein of humour).
7 a distinctive character or tendency; a cast of mind or disposition; a mood (spoke in a sarcastic vein). --v.tr. fill or cover with or as with veins. veinless n. veinlet n. veinlike adj. veiny adj. (veinier, veiniest). [ME f. OF veine f. L vena]

vise
vise: US var. of VICE(2).

vamoose
vamoose: v.intr. US (esp. as int.) sl. depart hurriedly. [Sp. vamos let us go]

vittatevoicedvacillate
vacillate: v.intr.
1 fluctuate in opinion or resolution.
2 move from side to side; oscillate, waver. vacillation n. vacillator n. [L vacillare vacillat- sway]

veil
veil: n. & v. --n.
1 a piece of usu. more or less transparent fabric attached to a woman's hat etc., esp. to conceal the face or protect against the sun, dust, etc.
2 a piece of linen etc. as part of a nun's head-dress, resting on the head and shoulders.
3 a curtain, esp. that separating the sanctuary in the Jewish Temple.
4 a disguise; a pretext; a thing that conceals (under the veil of friendship; a veil of mist).
5 Photog. slight fogging.
6 huskiness of the voice.
7 = VELUM. --v.tr.
1 cover with a veil.
2 (esp. as veiled adj.) partly conceal (veiled threats). beyond the veil in the unknown state of life after death. draw a veil over avoid discussing or calling attention to. take the veil become a nun. veilless adj. [ME f. AF veil(e), OF voil(e) f. L vela pl. of VELUM]

vitamin
vitamin: n. any of a group of organic compounds essential in small amounts for many living organisms to maintain normal health and development. vitamin A = RETINOL. vitamin B complex (or B vitamins) any of a group of vitamins which, although not chemically related, are often found together in the same foods. vitamin B[1] = THIAMINE. vitamin B[2] = RIBOFLAVIN. vitamin B[6] = PYRIDOXINE. vitamin B[12] = CYANOCOBALAMIN. vitamin C = ASCORBIC ACID. vitamin D any of a group of vitamins found in liver and fish oils, essential for the absorption of calcium and the prevention of rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. vitamin D[2] = CALCIFEROL. vitamin D[3] = CHOLECALCIFEROL. vitamin E = TOCOPHEROL. vitamin K any of a group of vitamins found mainly in green leaves and essential for the blood-clotting process. vitamin K[1] = PHYLLOQUINONE. vitamin K[2] = MENAQUINONE. vitamin M esp. US = FOLIC ACID. [orig. vitamine f. L vita life + AMINE, because orig. thought to contain an amino acid]

vessel
vessel: n.
1 a hollow receptacle esp. for liquid, e.g. a cask, cup, pot, bottle, or dish.
2 a ship or boat, esp. a large one.
3 a Anat. a duct or canal etc. holding or conveying blood or other fluid, esp. = blood-vessel. b Bot. a woody duct carrying or containing sap etc.
4 Bibl. or joc. a person regarded as the recipient or exponent of a quality (a weak vessel). [ME f. AF vessel(e), OF vaissel(le) f. LL vascellum dimin. of vas vessel]

violent
violent: adj.
1 involving or using great physical force (a violent person; a violent storm; came into violent collision).
2 a intense, vehement, passionate, furious (a violent contrast; violent dislike). b vivid (violent colours).
3 (of death) resulting from external force or from poison (cf. NATURAL adj. 2).
4 involving an unlawful exercise of force (laid violent hands on him). violently adv. [ME f. OF f. L violentus]

virus
virus: n.
1 a microscopic organism consisting mainly of nucleic acid in a protein coat, multiplying only in living cells and often causing diseases.
2 Computing = computer virus.
3 archaic a poison, a source of disease.
4 a harmful or corrupting influence. [L, = slimy liquid, poison]

violence
violence: n.
1 the quality of being violent.
2 violent conduct or treatment, outrage, injury.
3 Law a the unlawful exercise of physical force. b intimidation by the exhibition of this. do violence to act contrary to; outrage. [ME f. OF f. L violentia (as VIOLENT)]

vernicle
vernicle: n. = VERONICA 2. [ME f. OF (earlier ver(o)nique), f. med.L VERONICA]

vair
vair: n.
1 archaic or hist. a squirrel-fur widely used for medieval linings and trimmings.
2 Heraldry fur represented by small shield-shaped or bell-shaped figures usu. alternately azure and argent. [ME f. OF f. L (as VARIOUS)]