Chapter CDLXXXVIII: Prologue (139)

VENTRICULUS Ven*tric"u*lus, n.; pl. Ventriculi. Etym: [L., belly, dim. fr. venter belly.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the stomachs of certain insects. (b) The body cavity of a sponge.

VENTRILOCUTION Ven`tri*lo*cu"tion, n. Etym: [See Ventriloquous.]

Defn: Ventriloquism.

VENTRILOQUIAL Ven`tri*lo"qui*al, a.

Defn: Ventriloquous.

VENTRILOQUISM Ven*tril"o*quism, n. Etym: [See Ventriloquous.]

Defn: The act, art, or practice of speaking in such a manner that the voice appears to come, not from the person speaking, but from some other source, as from the opposite side of the room, from the cellar, etc.

VENTRILOQUIST Ven*tril"o*quist, n.

Defn: One who practices, or is skilled in, ventriloquism. Ventriloquist monkey (Zoöl.), the onappo; -- so called from the character of its cry.

VENTRILOQUIZE Ven*tril"o*quize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ventriloquized; p. pr. & vb. n. Ventriloquizing .]

Defn: To practice ventriloquism; to speak like a ventriloquist.

VENTRILOQUOUS Ven*tril"o*quous, a. Etym: [L. ventriloquus a ventriloquist; venter the belly + loqui, p. p. locutus, to speak. See Ventral, and Loquacious.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a ventriloquist or ventriloquism.

VENTRILOQUY Ven*tril"o*quy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ventriloquie.]

Defn: Same as Ventriloquism.

VENTRIMESON Ven`tri*mes"on, n. Etym: [NL. See Venter, and Meson.] (Anat.)

Defn: See Meson.

VENTRO- Ven"tro- (. Etym: [L. venter belly.]

Defn: A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the abdomen; also, connection with, relation to, or direction toward, the ventral side; as, ventrolateral; ventro- inguinal.

VENTRO-INGUINAL Ven`tro-in"gui*nal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining both to the abdomen and groin, or to the abdomen and inguinal canal; as, ventro-inguinal hernia.

VENTURE Ven"ture, n. Etym: [Aphetic form of OE. aventure. See Adventure.]

1. An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen with certainty; a hazard; a risk; a speculation. I, in this venture, double gains pursue. Dryden.

2. An event that is not, or can not be, foreseen; an accident; chance; hap; contingency; luck. Bacon.

3. The thing put to hazard; a stake; a risk; especially, something sent to sea in trade. My ventures are not in one bottom trusted. Shak. At a venture, at hazard; without seeing the end or mark; without foreseeing the issue; at random. A certain man drew a bow at a venture. 1 Kings xxii. 34. A bargain at a venture made. Hudibras.

Note: The phrase at a venture was originally at aventure, that is, at adventure.

VENTURE Ven"ture, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ventured; p. pr. & vb. n. Venturing.]

1. To hazard one's self; to have the courage or presumption to do, undertake, or say something; to dare. Bunyan.

2. To make a venture; to run a hazard or risk; to take the chances. Who freights a ship to venture on the seas. J. Dryden, Jr. To venture at, or To venture on or upon, to dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success; as, it is rash to venture upon such a project. "When I venture at the comic style." Waller.

VENTURE Ven"ture, v. t.

1. To expose to hazard; to risk; to hazard; as, to venture one's person in a balloon. I am afraid; and yet I'll venture it. Shak.

2. To put or send on a venture or chance; as, to venture a horse to the West Indies.

3. To confide in; to rely on; to trust. [R.] A man would be well enough pleased to buy silks of one whom he would not venture to feel his pulse. Addison.

VENTURER Ven"tur*er, n.

1. One who ventures, or puts to hazard; an adventurer. Beau. & Fl.

2. A strumpet; a prostitute. [R.] J. Webster (1607).

VENTURESOME Ven"ture*some, a.

Defn: Inclined to venture; not loth to run risk or danger; venturous; bold; daring; adventurous; as, a venturesome boy or act. -- Ven"ture*some*ly, adv. -- Ven"ture*some*ness, n.

VENTURINE Ven"tur*ine, n. Etym: [Cf. Aventurine.] (Japanning)

Defn: Gold powder for covering varnished surfaces.

VENTUROUS Ven"tur*ous, a. Etym: [Aphetic form of OE. aventurous. See Adventurous, Venture, n.]

Defn: Daring; bold; hardy; fearless; venturesome; adveturous; as, a venturous soldier. Spenser. This said, he paused not, but with venturous arm He plucked, he tasted. Milton. -- Ven"tur*ous*ly, adv. -- Ven"tur*ous*ness, n.

VENTUSE Ven"tuse, v. t. & i.

Defn: See Ventouse. [Obs.]

VENUE Ven"ue, n. Etym: [F. venue a coming, arrival, fr. venir to come, L. venire; hence, in English, the place whither the jury are summoned to come. See Come, and cf. Venew, Veney.]

1. (Law)

Defn: A neighborhood or near place; the place or county in which anything is alleged to have happened; also, the place where an action is laid. The twelve men who are to try the cause must be of the same venue where the demand is made. Blackstone.

Note: In certain cases, the court has power to change the venue, which is to direct the trial to be had in a different county from that where the venue is laid.

2. A bout; a hit; a turn. See Venew. [R.] To lay a venue (Law), to allege a place.

VENULE Ven"ule, n. Etym: [L. venula, dim. from vena vein.]

Defn: A small vein; a veinlet; specifically (Zoöl.), one of the small branches of the veins of the wings in insects.

VENULOSE Ven"u*lose`, a.

Defn: Full of venules, or small veins.

VENUS Ve"nus, n. Etym: [L. Venus, -eris, the goddess of love, the planet Venus.]

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of beauty and love, that is, beauty or love deified.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the planets, the second in order from the sun, its orbit lying between that of Mercury and that of the Earth, at a mean distance from the sun of about 67,000,000 miles. Its diameter is 7,700 miles, and its sidereal period 224.7 days. As the morning star, it was called by the ancients Lucifer; as the evening star, Hesperus.

3. (Alchem.)

Defn: The metal copper; -- probably so designated from the ancient use of the metal in making mirrors, a mirror being still the astronomical symbol of the planet Venus. [Archaic]

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of marine bivalve shells of the genus Venus or family Veneridæ. Many of these shells are large, and ornamented with beautiful frills; others are smooth, glossy, and handsomely colored. Some of the larger species, as the round clam, or quahog, are valued for food. Venus's basin (Bot.), the wild teasel; - - so called because the connate leaf bases form a kind of receptacle for water, which was formerly gathered for use in the toilet. Also called Venus's bath. -- Venus's basket (Zoöl.), an elegant, cornucopia-shaped, hexactinellid sponge (Euplectella speciosa) native of the East Indies. It consists of glassy, transparent, siliceous fibers interwoven and soldered together so as to form a firm network, and has long, slender, divergent anchoring fibers at the base by means of which it stands erect in the soft mud at the bottom of the sea. Called also Venus's flower basket, and Venus's purse. -- Venus's comb. (a) (Bot.) Same as Lady's comb. (b) (Zoöl.) A species of Murex (M. tenuispinus). It has a long, tubular canal, with a row of long, slender spines along both of its borders, and rows of similar spines covering the body of the shell. Called also Venus's shell. -- Venus's fan (Zoöl.), a common reticulated, fanshaped gorgonia (Gorgonia flabellum) native of Florida and the West Indies. When fresh the color is purple or yellow, or a mixture of the two. -- Venus's flytrap. (Bot.) See Flytrap, 2. -- Venus's girdle (Zoöl.), a long, flat, ribbonlike, very delicate, transparent and iridescent ctenophore (Cestum Veneris) which swims in the open sea. Its form is due to the enormous development of two spheromeres. See Illust. in Appendix. -- Venus's hair (Bot.), a delicate and graceful fern (Adiantum Capillus-Veneris) having a slender, black and shining stem and branches. -- Venus's hair stone (Min.), quartz penetrated by acicular crystals of rutile. -- Venus's looking-glass (Bot.), an annual plant of the genus Specularia allied to the bellflower; -- also called lady's looking- glass. -- Venus's navelwort (Bot.), any one of several species of Omphalodes, low boraginaceous herbs with small blue or white flowers. -- Venus's pride (Bot.), an old name for Quaker ladies. See under Quaker. -- Venus's purse. (Zoöl.) Same as Venus's basket, above. -- Venus's shell. (Zoöl.) (a) Any species of Cypræa; a cowrie. (b) Same as Venus's comb, above. (c) Same as Venus, 4. -- Venus's slipper. (a) (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Cypripedium. See Lady's slipper. (b) (Zoöl.) Any heteropod shell of the genus Carinaria. See Carinaria.

VENUST Ve*nust", a. Etym: [L. venustus, from Venus the goddess of love.]

Defn: Beautiful. [R.] E. Waterhouse.

VERACIOUS Ve*ra"cious, a. Etym: [L. verax, -acis, fr. verus true. See Very.]

1. Observant of truth; habitually speaking truth; truthful; as, veracious historian. The Spirit is most perfectly and absolutely veracious. Barrow.

2. Characterized by truth; not false; as, a veracious account or narrative. The young, ardent soul that enters on this world with heroic purpose, with veracious insight, will find it a mad one. Carlyle.

VERACIOUSLY Ve*ra"cious*ly, adv.

Defn: In a veracious manner.

VERACITY Ve*rac"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. véracité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being veracious; habitual observance of truth; truthfulness; truth; as, a man of veracity.

VERANDA Ve*ran"da, n. Etym: [A word brought by the English from India; of uncertain origin; cf. Skr. vara, Pg. varanda, Sp. baranda, Malay baranda.] (Arch.)

Defn: An open, roofed gallery or portico, adjoining a dwelling house, forming an out-of-door sitting room. See Loggia. The house was of adobe, low, with a wide veranda on the three sides of the inner court. Mrs. H. H. Jackson.

VERATRALBINE Ver`a*tral"bine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A yellowish amorphous alkaloid extracted from the rootstock of Veratrum album.

VERATRATE Ve*ra"trate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of veratric acid.

VERATRIA Ve*ra"tri*a, n. Etym: [NL.] (Chem.)

Defn: Veratrine.

VERATRIC Ve*ra"tric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, plants of the genus Veratrum. Veratric acid (Chem.), an acid occurring, together with veratrine, in the root of white hellebore (Veratrum album), and in sabadilla seed; -- extracted as a white crystalline substance which is related to protocatechuic acid.

VERATRINA Ver`a*tri"na, n. Etym: [NL.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Veratrine.

VERATRINE Ve*ra"trine, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vératrine. See Veratrum.] (Chem.)

Defn: A poisonous alkaloid obtained from the root hellebore (Veratrum) and from sabadilla seeds as a white crystalline powder, having an acrid, burning taste. It is sometimes used externally, as in ointments, in the local treatment of neuralgia and rheumatism. Called also veratria, and veratrina.

VERATROL Ve*ra"trol, n. Etym: [Veratric + ol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon obtained by the decomposition of veratric acid, and constituting the dimethyl ether of pyrocatechin.

VERATRUM Ve*ra"trum, n. Etym: [L. veratrum hellebore.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of coarse liliaceous herbs having very poisonous qualities.

Note: Veratrum album of Europe, and Veratrum viride of America, are both called hellebore. They grow in wet land, have large, elliptical, plicate leaves in three vertical ranks, and bear panicles of greenish flowers.

VERB Verb, n. Etym: [F. verbe, L. verbum a word, verb. See Word.]

1. A word; a vocable. [Obs.] South.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A word which affirms or predicates something of some person or thing; a part of speech expressing being, action, or the suffering of action.

Note: A verb is a word whereby the chief action of the mind [the assertion or the denial of a proposition] finds expression. Earle. Active verb, Auxiliary verb, Neuter verb, etc. See Active, Auxiliary, Neuter, etc.

VERBAL Ver"bal, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. verbalis. See Verb.]

1. Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not written; as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony. Made she no verbal question Shak. We subjoin an engraving . . . which will give the reader a far better notion of the structure than any verbal description could convey to the mind. Mayhew.

2. Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing with words rather than with the ideas intended to be conveyed; as, a verbal critic; a verbal change. And loses, though but verbal, his reward. Milton. Mere verbal refinements, instead of substantial knowledge. Whewell.

3. Having word answering to word; word for word; literal; as, a verbal translation.

4. Abounding with words; verbose. [Obs.] Shak.

5. (Gram.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a verb; as, a verbal group; derived directly from a verb; as, a verbal noun; used in forming verbs; as, a verbal prefix. Verbal inspiration. See under Inspiration. -- Verbal noun (Gram.), a noun derived directly from a verb or verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter. See Gerund, and -ing, 2. See also, Infinitive mood, under Infinitive.

VERBAL Ver"bal, n. (Gram.)

Defn: A noun derived from a verb.

VERBALISM Ver"bal*ism, n.

Defn: Something expressed verbally; a verbal remark or expression.

VERBALIST Ver"bal*ist, n.

Defn: A literal adherent to, or a minute critic of, words; a literalist.

VERBALITY Ver*bal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being verbal; mere words; bare literal expression. [R.] "More verbality than matter." Bp. Hall.

VERBALIZATION Ver`bal*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of verbalizing, or the state of being verbalized.

VERBALIZE Ver"bal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Verbalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Verbalizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. verbaliser.]

Defn: To convert into a verb; to verbify.

VERBALIZE Ver"bal*ize, v. i.

Defn: To be verbose.

VERBALLY Ver"bal*ly, adv.

1. In a verbal manner; orally.

2. Word for word; verbatim. Dryden.

VERBARIAN Ver*ba"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to words; verbal. [R.] Coleridge.

VERBARIAN Ver*ba"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who coins words. [R.] Southey gives himself free scope as a verbarian. Fitzed. Hall.

VERBARIUM Ver*ba"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. verbum word.]

Defn: A game in word making. See Logomachy, 2.

VERBATIM Ver*ba"tim, adv. Etym: [LL., fr. L. verbum word.]

Defn: Word for word; in the same words; verbally; as, to tell a story verbatim as another has related it. Verbatim et literatim Etym: [LL.], word for word, and letter for letter.

VERBENA Ver*be"na, n. Etym: [L. See Vervain.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbaceous plants of which several species are extensively cultivated for the great beauty of their flowers; vervain.

Note: Verbena, or vervain, was used by the Greeks, the Romans, and the Druids, in their sacred rites. Brewer. Essence of verbena, Oil of verbena, a perfume prepared from the lemon verbena; also, a similar perfume properly called grass oil. See Grass oil, under Grass. -- Lemon, or Sweet, verbena, a shrubby verbenaceous plant (Lippia citriodora), with narrow leaves which exhale a pleasant, lemonlike fragrance when crushed.

VERBENACEOUS Ver`be*na"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order (Verbenaceæ) of gamopetalous plants of which Verbena is the type. The order includes also the black and white mangroves, and many plants noted for medicinal use or for beauty of bloom.

VERBENATE Ver"be*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Verbenated; p. pr. & vb. n. Verbenating.] Etym: [L. verbenatus crowned with a wreath of sacred boughs. See Verbena.]

Defn: To strew with verbena, or vervain, as in ancient sacrifices and rites.

VERBERATE Ver"ber*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. verberatus, p. p. of verberare to beat, from verber a lash, a whip.]

Defn: To beat; to strike. [Obs.] "The sound . . . rebounds again and verberates the skies." Mir. for Mag.

VERBERATION Ver`ber*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. verberatio: cf. F. verbération.]

1. The act of verberating; a beating or striking. Arbuthnot.

2. The impulse of a body; which causes sound. [R.]

VERBIAGE Ver"bi*age (; 48), n. Etym: [F. verbiage, from OF. verbe a word. See Verb.]

Defn: The use of many words without necessity, or with little sense; a superabundance of words; verbosity; wordiness. Verbiage may indicate observation, but not thinking. W. Irving. This barren verbiage current among men. Tennyson.

VERBIFY Ver"bi*fy, v. t. Etym: [Verb + -fy.]

Defn: To make into a verb; to use as a verb; to verbalize. [R.] Earle.

VERBIGERATE Ver*big"er*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. -ated; p. pr. & vb. n. -ating.] [L. verbigerate, -atum, to talk.]

1. To talk; chat. [Obs.]

2. (Med.) To repeat a word or sentence, in speaking or writing, without wishing to do so or in spite of efforts to cease. -- Ver*big`er*a"tion (#), n.

VERBOSE Ver*bose", a. Etym: [L. verbosus, from verbum a word. See Verb.]

Defn: Abounding in words; using or containing more words than are necessary; tedious by a multiplicity of words; prolix; wordy; as, a verbose speaker; a verbose argument. Too verbose in their way of speaking. Ayliffe. -- Ver*bose"ly, adv. -- Ver*bose"ness, n.

VERBOSITY Ver*bos"i*ty n.; pl. Verbosities. Etym: [L. verbositas: cf. F. verbosité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being verbose; the use of more words than are necessary; prolixity; wordiness; verbiage. The worst fault, by far, is the extreme diffuseness and verbosity of his style. Jeffrey.

VERD Verd, n. Etym: [See Vert, Verdant.]

1. (Eng. Forest Law) (a) The privilege of cutting green wood within a forest for fuel. (b) The right of pasturing animals in a forest. Burrill.

2. Greenness; freshness. [Obs.] Nares.

VERDANCY Ver"dan*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being verdant.

VERDANT Ver"dant, a. Etym: [F. verdoyant, p. pr. of verdoyer to be verdant, to grow green, OF. verdoier, verdeier, fr. verd, vert, green, fr. L. viridis green, fr. virere to be green: cf. OF. verdant verdant, L. viridans, p. pr. of viridare to make green. Cf. Farthingale, Verjuice, Vert.]

1. Covered with growing plants or grass; green; fresh; flourishing; as, verdant fields; a verdant lawn. Let the earth Put forth the verdant grass. Milton.

2. Unripe in knowledge or judgment; unsophisticated; raw; green; as, a verdant youth. [Colloq.]

VERD ANTIQUE Verd` an*tique". Etym: [F. vert antique a kind of marble; verd, vert, green + antique ancient: cf. It. verde antico.] (Min.) (a) A mottled-green serpentine marble. (b) A green porphyry called oriental verd antique.

VERDANTLY Ver"dant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a verdant manner.

VERDERER; VERDEROR Ver"der*er, Ver"der*or, n. Etym: [F. verdier, LL. viridarius, fr. L. viridis green.] (Eng. Forest Law)

Defn: An officer who has the charge of the king's forest, to preserve the vert and venison, keep the assizes, view, receive, and enroll attachments and presentments of all manner of trespasses. Blackstone.

VERDICT Ver"dict, n. Etym: [OE. verdit, OF. verdit, veirdit, LL. verdictum, veredictum; L. vere truly (fr. verus true) + dictum a saying, a word, fr. dicere, dictum, to say. See Very, and Dictum.]

1. (Law)

Defn: The answer of a jury given to the court concerning any matter of fact in any cause, civil or criminal, committed to their examination and determination; the finding or decision of a jury on the matter legally submitted to them in the course of the trial of a cause.

Note: The decision of a judge or referee, upon an issue of fact, is not called a verdict, but a finding, or a finding of fact. Abbott.

2. Decision; judgment; opinion pronounced; as, to be condemned by the verdict of the public. These were enormities condemned by the most natural verdict of common humanity. South. Two generations have since confirmed the verdict which was pronounced on that night. Macaulay.

VERDIGRIS Ver"di*gris, n. Etym: [F. vert-de-gris, apparently from verd, vert, green + de of + gris gray, but really a corruption of LL. viride aeris (equivalent to L. aerugo), from L. viridis green + aes, aeris, brass. See Verdant, and 2d Ore.]

1. (Chem.)

Defn: A green poisonous substance used as a pigment and drug, obtained by the action of acetic acid on copper, and consisting essentially of a complex mixture of several basic copper acetates.

2. The green rust formed on copper. [Colloq.]

Note: This rust is a carbonate of copper, and should not be confounded with true verdigris. U. S. Disp. Blue verdigris (Chem.), a verdigris having a blue color, used a pigment, etc. -- Distilled verdigris (Old Chem.), an acid copper acetate; -- so called because the acetic acid used in making it was obtained from distilled vinegar. -- Verdigris green, clear bluish green, the color of verdigris.

VERDIGRIS Ver"di*gris, v. t.

Defn: To cover, or coat, with verdigris. [R.] "An old verdigrised brass bugle." Hawthorne.

VERDIN Ver"din, n. Etym: [Cf. Sp. verdino bright green, F. verdin the yellow-hammer.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small yellow-headed bird (Auriparus flaviceps) of Lower California, allied to the titmice; -- called also goldtit.

VERDINE Ver"dine, n. Etym: [F. verd, vert, green.] (Chem.)

Defn: A commercial name for green aniline dye.

VERDINGALE Ver"din*gale, n.

Defn: See Farthingale. [Spelled also verdingall.] [Obs.]

VERDIT Ver"dit, n.

Defn: Verdict. Chaucer.

VERDITER Ver"di*ter, n. Etym: [F. vert-de-terre, literally, green of earth.] (Chem.) (a) Verdigris. [Obs.] (b) Either one of two pigments (called blue verditer, and green verditer) which are made by treating copper nitrate with calcium carbonate (in the form of lime, whiting, chalk, etc.) They consist of hydrated copper carbonates analogous to the minerals azurite and malachite. Verditer blue, a pale greenish blue color, like that of the pigment verditer.

VERDITURE Ver"di*ture, n. Etym: [Cf. Verditer.]

Defn: The faintest and palest green.

VERDOY Ver"doy, a. Etym: [F. verdoyer to become green. See Verdant.] (Her.)

Defn: Charged with leaves, fruits, flowers, etc.; -- said of a border.

VERDURE Ver"dure, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. viridis green. See Verdant.]

Defn: Green; greenness; freshness of vegetation; as, the verdure of the meadows in June. A wide expanse of living verdure, cultivated gardens, shady groves, fertile cornfields, flowed round it like a sea. Motley.

VERDURED Ver"dured, a.

Defn: Covered with verdure. Poe.

VERDURELESS Ver"dure*less, a.

Defn: Destitute of verdure.

VERDUROUS Ver"dur*ous, a.

Defn: Covered with verdure; clothed with the fresh green of vegetation; verdured; verdant; as, verdurous pastures. Milton.

VERECUND Ver"e*cund, a. Etym: [L. verecundus, fr. vereri to feel awe.]

Defn: Rashful; modest. [Obs.]

VERECUNDIOUS Ver`e*cun"di*ous, a.

Defn: Verecund. [Obs.] "Verecundious generosity." Sir H. Wotton.

VERECUNDITY Ver`e*cun"di*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being verecund; modesty. [Obs.]

VEREIN Ver*ein", n. [G.]

Defn: A union, association, or society; -- used in names of German organizations.

VERETILLUM Ver`e*til"lum, n. Etym: [L., dim. of veretrum the private parts.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of club-shaped, compound Alcyonaria belonging to Veretillum and allied genera, of the tribe Pennatulacea. The whole colony can move about as if it were a simple animal.

VERGALIEN; VERGALOO Ver"ga*lien, Ver"ga*loo, n. Etym: [Cf. Virgouleuse.] (Bot.)

Defn: See Virgalieu.

VERGE Verge, n. Etym: [F. verge, L. virga; perhaps akin to E. wisp.]

1. A rod or staff, carried as an emblem of authority; as, the verge, carried before a dean.

2. The stick or wand with which persons were formerly admitted tenants, they holding it in the hand, and swearing fealty to the lord. Such tenants were called tenants by the verge. [Eng.]

3. (Eng. Law)

Defn: The compass of the court of Marshalsea and the Palace court, within which the lord steward and the marshal of the king's household had special jurisdiction; -- so called from the verge, or staff, which the marshal bore.

4. A virgate; a yardland. [Obs.]

5. A border, limit, or boundary of a space; an edge, margin, or brink of something definite in extent. Even though we go to the extreme verge of possibility to invent a supposition favorable to it, the theory . . . implies an absurdity. J. S. Mill. But on the horizon's verge descried, Hangs, touched with light, one snowy sail. M. Arnold.

6. A circumference; a circle; a ring. The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow. Shak.

7. (Arch.) (a) The shaft of a column, or a small ornamental shaft. Oxf. Gloss. (b) The edge of the tiling projecting over the gable of a roof. Encyc. Brit.

8. (Horol.)

Defn: The spindle of a watch balance, especially one with pallets, as in the old vertical escapement. See under Escapement.

9. (Hort.) (a) The edge or outside of a bed or border. (b) A slip of grass adjoining gravel walks, and dividing them from the borders in a parterre.

10. The penis.

11. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The external male organ of certain mollusks, worms, etc. See Illustration in Appendix.

Syn. -- Border; edge; rim; brim; margin; brink.

VERGE Verge, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Verged; p. pr. & vb. n. Verging.] Etym: [L. vergere to bend, turn, incline; cf. Skr. v to turn.]

1. To border upon; to tend; to incline; to come near; to approach.

2. To tend downward; to bend; to slope; as, a hill verges to the north. Our soul, from original instinct, vergeth towards him as its center. Barrow. I find myself verging to that period of life which is to be labor and sorrow. Swift.

VERGEBOARD Verge"board`, n. Etym: [Verge + board. Cf. Bargeboard.] (Arch.)

Defn: The ornament of woodwork upon the gable of a house, used extensively in the 15th century. It was generally suspended from the edge of the projecting roof (see Verge, n., 4), and in position parallel to the gable wall. Called also bargeboard.

VERGENCY Ver"gen*cy, n.

1. The act of verging or approaching; tendency; approach. [R.]

2. (Opt.)

Defn: The reciprocal of the focal distance of a lens, used as measure of the divergence or convergence of a pencil of rays. [R.] Humphrey Lloyd.

VERGER Ver"ger, n. Etym: [F. verger, from verge a rod. See 1st Verge.]

Defn: One who carries a verge, or emblem of office. Specifically: -- (a) An attendant upon a dignitary, as on a bishop, a dean, a justice, etc. [Eng.] Strype. (b) The official who takes care of the interior of a church building.

VERGER Ver"ger, n.

Defn: A garden or orchard. [Obs.]

VERGETTE Ver`get`té", a. Etym: [Cf. F. vergeté.]

Defn: Divided by pallets, or pales; paly. W. Berry.

VERGETTE Ver*gette", n. (Her.)

Defn: A small pale.

VERIDICAL Ve*rid"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. veridicus; verus true + dicere to say, tell.]

Defn: Truth-telling; truthful; veracious. [R.] Carlyle.

VERIFIABLE Ver"i*fi`a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being verified; confirmable. Bp. Hall.

VERIFICATION Ver`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vérification.]

1. The act of verifying, or the state of being verified; confirmation; authentication.

2. (Law) (a) Confirmation by evidence. (b) A formal phrase used in concluding a plea. Verification of an equation (Math.), the operation of testing the equation of a problem, to see whether it expresses truly the conditions of the problem. Davies & Peck. (Math. Dict.)

VERIFICATIVE Ver"i*fi*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Serving to verify; verifying; authenciating; confirming.

VERIFIER Ver"i*fi`er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, verifies.

VERIFY Ver"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Verified; p. pr. & vb. n. Verifying.] Etym: [F. vérifier, LL. verificare, from L. verus true + -ficare to make. See Very, and -fy.]

1. To prove to be true or correct; to establish the truth of; to confirm; to substantiate. This is verified by a number of examples. Bacon. So shalt thou best fulfill, best verify. The prophets old, who sung thy endless reign. Milton.

2. To confirm or establish the authenticity of by examination or competent evidence; to authenciate; as, to verify a written statement; to verify an account, a pleading, or the like. To verify our title with their lives. Shak.

3. To maintain; to affirm; to support. [Obs.] Shak.

VERILOQUENT Ve*ril"o*quent, a. Etym: [L. verus true + speaking.]

Defn: Speaking truth; truthful. [Obs.]

VERILY Ver"i*ly, adv. Etym: [From Very.]

Defn: In very truth; beyond doubt or question; in fact; certainly. Bacon. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the verily thou shalt be fed. Ps. xxxvii. 3.

VERINE Ver"ine, n. Etym: [Contr. from veratrine.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alkaloid obtained as a yellow amorphous substance by the decomposition of veratrine.

VERISIMILAR Ver`i*sim"i*lar, a. Etym: [L. verisimilis; verus true + similis like, similar. See Very, and Similar.]

Defn: Having the appearance of truth; probable; likely. "How verisimilar it looks." Carlyle.

VERISIMILITUDE Ver`i*si*mil"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. verisimilitudo: cf. OF. verisimilitude. See Verisimilar.]

Defn: The quality or state of being verisimilar; the appearance of truth; probability; likelihood. Verisimilitude and opinion are an easy purchase; but true knowledge is dear and difficult. Glanvill. All that gives verisimilitude to a narrative. Sir. W. Scott.

VERISIMILITY Ver`i*si*mil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Verisimilitude. [Obs.] The verisimility or probable truth. Sir T. Browne.

VERISIMILOUS Ver`i*sim"i*lous, a.

Defn: Verisimilar. [Obs.]

VERITABLE Ver"i*ta*ble, a. Etym: [F. véritable. See Verity.]

Defn: Agreeable to truth or to fact; actual; real; true; genuine. "The veritable Deity." Sir W. Hamilton. -- Ver"i*ta*bly, adv.

VERITAS Ver"i*tas, n. Etym: [Cf. F. véritas. See Verity.]

Defn: The Bureau Veritas. See under Bureau.

VERITY Ver"i*ty, n.; pl. Verities. Etym: [F. vérité, L. veritas, fr. verus true. See Very.]

1. The quality or state of being true, or real; consonance of a statement, proposition, or other thing, with fact; truth; reality. "The verity of certain words." Shak. It is a proposition of eternal verity, that none can govern while he is despised. South.

2. That which is true; a true assertion or tenet; a truth; a reality. Mark what I say, which you shall find By every syllable a faithful verity. Shak.

VERJUICE Ver"juice`, n. Etym: [OE. vergeous, F. verjus, that is, the juice of green fruits; verd, vert, green + jus juice. See Verdant, and Juice.]

1. The sour juice of crab apples, of green or unripe grapes, apples, etc.; also, an acid liquor made from such juice.

2. Tartness; sourness, as of disposition.

VERMEIL Ver"meil, n. Etym: [F., vermilion, fr. LL. vermiculus, fr. L. vermiculus a little worm, the coccus Indicus, from vermis a worm. See Worm, and cf. Vermicule.]

1. Vermilion; also, the color of vermilion, a bright, beautiful red. [Poetic & R.] In her cheeks the vermeil red did show Like roses in a bed of lilies shed. Spenser.

2. Silver gilt or gilt bronze.

3. A liquid composition applied to a gilded surface to give luster to the gold. Knight.

VERMEOLOGIST Ver`me*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One who treats of vermes, or worms; a helminthologist.

VERMEOLOGY Ver`me*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. vermes worms + -logy.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A discourse or treatise on worms; that part of zoölogy which treats of worms; helminthology. [R.]

VERMES Ver"mes, n. pl. Etym: [L. vermes, pl. of vermis a worm.] (Zoöl.) (a) An extensive artificial division of the animal kingdom, including the parasitic worms, or helminths, together with the nemerteans, annelids, and allied groups. By some writers the branchiopods, the bryzoans, and the tunicates are also included. The name was used in a still wider sense by Linnæus and his followers. (b) A more restricted group, comprising only the helminths and closely allied orders.

VERMETID Ver"me*tid, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of vermetus.

VERMETUS Ver*me"tus, n. Etym: [NL., from L. vermis worm.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of many species of marine gastropods belonging to Vermetus and allied genera, of the family Vermetidæ. Their shells are regularly spiral when young, but later in life the whorls become separate, and the shell is often irregularly bent and contorted like a worm tube.

VERMICELLI Ver`mi*cel"li, n. Etym: [It., pl. of vermicello, literally, a little worm, dim. of verme a worm, L. vermis. See Worm, and cf. Vermicule, Vermeil.]

Defn: The flour of a hard and small-grained wheat made into dough, and forced through small cylinders or pipes till it takes a slender, wormlike form, whence the Italian name. When the paste is made in larger tubes, it is called macaroni.

VERMICIDE Ver"mi*cide, n. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + caedere to kill.]

Defn: A medicine which destroys intestinal worms; a worm killer. Pereira.

VERMICIOUS Ver*mi"cious, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to worms; wormy.

VERMICULAR Ver*mic"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. vermiculus a little worm, dim. of vermis a worm: cf. F. vermiculaire. See Vermicelli.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a worm or worms; resembling a worm; shaped like a worm; especially, resembling the motion or track of a worm; as, the vermicular, or peristaltic, motion of the intestines. See Peristaltic. "A twisted form vermicular." Cowper.

VERMICULATE Ver*mic"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vermiculated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vermiculating.] Etym: [L. vermiculatus inlaid so as to resemble the tracks of worms, p. p. of vermiculari to be full of worms, vermiculus a little worm. See Vermicular.]

Defn: To form or work, as by inlaying, with irregular lines or impressions resembling the tracks of worms, or appearing as if formed by the motion of worms.

VERMICULATE Ver*mic"u*late, a.

1. Wormlike in shape; covered with wormlike elevations; marked with irregular fine lines of color, or with irregular wavy impressed lines like worm tracks; as, a vermiculate nut.

2. Crawling or creeping like a worm; hence, insinuating; sophistical. "Vermiculate questions." Bacon. "Vermiculate logic." R. Choate.

VERMICULATED Ver*mic"u*la`ted, a.

Defn: Made or marked with irregular wavy lines or impressions; vermiculate. Vermiculated work, or Vermicular work (Arch.), rustic work so wrought as to have the appearance of convoluted worms, or of having been eaten into by, or covered with tracks of, worms. Gwilt.

VERMICULATION Ver*mic`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. vermiculatio a being worm-eaten.]

1. The act or operation of moving in the manner of a worm; continuation of motion from one part to another; as, the vermiculation, or peristaltic motion, of the intestines.

2. The act of vermiculating, or forming or inlaying so as to resemble the motion, track, or work of a worm.

3. Penetration by worms; the state of being wormeaten.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A very fine wavy crosswise color marking, or a patch of such markings, as on the feathers of birds.

VERMICULE Ver"mi*cule, n. Etym: [L. vermiculus, dim. of vermis a worm. See Vermicular.]

Defn: A small worm or insect larva; also, a wormlike body. [R.] Derham.

VERMICULITE Ver*mic"u*lite, n. Etym: [L. vermiculus, dim. of vermis worm.] (Min.)

Defn: A group of minerals having, a micaceous structure. They are hydrous silicates, derived generally from the alteration of some kind of mica. So called because the scales, when heated, open out into wormlike forms.

VERMICULOSE; VERMICULOUS Ver*mic"u*lose`, Ver*mic"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. vermiculosus. See Vermicule.]

Defn: Containing, or full of, worms; resembling worms.

VERMIFORM Ver"mi*form, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + -form.]

Defn: Resembling a worm in form or motions; vermicular; as, the vermiform process of the cerebellum. Vermiform appendix (Anat.), a slender blind process of the cæcum in man and some other animals; -- called also vermiform appendage, and vermiform process. Small solid bodies, such as grape seeds or cherry stones, sometimes lodge in it, causing serious, or even fatal, inflammation. See Illust. under Digestion.

VERMIFORMIA Ver`mi*for"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tribe of worms including Phoronis. See Phoronis.

VERMIFUGAL Ver*mif"u*gal, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + fugare to drive away, fr. fugere to flee. See Worm, and Fugitive.] (Med.)

Defn: Tending to prevent, destroy, or expel, worms or vermin; anthelmintic.

VERMIFUGE Ver"mi*fuge, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vermifuge. See Vermifugal.] (Med.)

Defn: A medicine or substance that expels worms from animal bodies; an anthelmintic.

VERMIL Ver"mil, n.

Defn: See Vermeil. [Obs.] Spenser.

VERMILINGUIA Ver`mi*lin"gui*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. vermis worm + lingua tongue.] [Called also Vermilingues.] (Zoöl.) (a) A tribe of edentates comprising the South American ant-eaters. The tongue is long, slender, exsertile, and very flexible, whence the name. (b) A tribe of Old World lizards which comprises the chameleon. They have long, flexible tongues.

VERMILION Ver*mil"ion, n. Etym: [F. vermillon. See Vermeil.]

1. (Chem.)

Defn: A bright red pigment consisting of mercuric sulphide, obtained either from the mineral cinnabar or artificially. It has a fine red color, and is much used in coloring sealing wax, in printing, etc.

Note: The kermes insect has long been used for dyeing red or scarlet. It was formerly known as the worm dye, vermiculus, or vermiculum, and the cloth was called vermiculatia. Hence came the French vermeil for any red dye, and hence the modern name vermilion, although the substance it denotes is very different from the kermes, being a compound of mercury and sulphur. R. Hunt.

2. Hence, a red color like the pigment; a lively and brilliant red; as, cheeks of vermilion.

VERMILION Ver*mil"ion, v. t.

Defn: To color with vermilion, or as if with vermilion; to dye red; to cover with a delicate red.

VERMILY Ver"mi*ly, n.

Defn: Vermeil. [Obs.] Spenser.

VERMIN Ver"min, n. sing. & pl.; used chiefly as plural. Etym: [OE. vermine, F. vermine, from L. vermis a worm; cf. LL. vermen a worm, L. verminosus full of worms. See Vermicular, Worm.]

1. An animal, in general. [Obs.] Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and vermin, and worms, and fowls. Acts x. 12. (Geneva Bible). This crocodile is a mischievous fourfooted beast, a dangerous vermin, used to both elements. Holland.

2. A noxious or mischievous animal; especially, noxious little animals or insects, collectively, as squirrels, rats, mice, flies, lice, bugs, etc. "Cruel hounds or some foul vermin." Chaucer. Great injuries these vermin, mice and rats, do in the field. Mortimer. They disdain such vermin when the mighty boar of the forest . . . is before them. Burke.

3. Hence, in contempt, noxious human beings. You are my prisoners, base vermin. Hudibras.

VERMINATE Ver"mi*nate, v. i. Etym: [L. verminare to have worms, fr. vermis a worm.]

Defn: To breed vermin.

VERMINATION Ver`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. verminatio the worms, a disease of animals, a crawling, itching pain.]

1. The generation or breeding of vermin. Derham.

2. A griping of the bowels.

VERMINLY Ver"min*ly, a. & adv.

Defn: Resembling vermin; in the manner of vermin. [Obs.] Gauden.

VERMINOUS Ver"min*ous, a. Etym: [L. verminosus, fr. vermis a worm: cf. F. vermineux.]

1. Tending to breed vermin; infested by vermin. Some . . . verminous disposition of the body. Harvey.

2. Caused by, or arising from the presence of, vermin; as, verminous disease.

VERMINOUSLY Ver"min*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a verminous manner.

VERMIPAROUS Ver*mip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + parere to bring forth.]

Defn: Producing or breeding worms. "Vermiparous animals." Sir T. Browne.

VERMIVOROUS Ver*miv"o*rous, a. Etym: [L. vermis a worm + vorare to devour: cf. F. vermivore.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Devouring worms; feeding on worms; as, vermivorous birds.

VERMUTH Ver"muth, n. Etym: [F. vermout.]

Defn: A liqueur made of white wine, absinthe, and various aromatic drugs, used to excite the appetite. [Written also vermouth.]

VERNACLE Ver"na*cle, n.

Defn: See Veronica, 1. [Obs.]

VERNACULAR Ver*nac"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. vernaculus born in one's house, native, fr. verna a slave born in his master's house, a native, probably akin to Skr. vas to dwell, E. was.]

Defn: Belonging to the country of one's birth; one's own by birth or nature; native; indigenous; -- now used chiefly of language; as, English is our vernacular language. "A vernacular disease." Harvey. His skill the vernacular dialect of the Celtic tongue. Fuller. Which in our vernacular idiom may be thus interpreted. Pope.

VERNACULAR Ver*nac"u*lar, n.

Defn: The vernacular language; one's mother tongue; often, the common forms of expression in a particular locality.

VERNACULARISM Ver*nac"u*lar*ism, n.

Defn: A vernacular idiom.

VERNACULARIZATION Ver*nac"u*lar*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of making vernacular, or the state of being made vernacular. Fitzed. Hall.

VERNACULARLY Ver*nac"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a vernacular manner; in the vernacular. Earle.

VERNACULOUS Ver*nac"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. vernaculus. See Vernacular.]

1. Vernacular. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

2. Etym: [L. vernaculi, pl., buffoons, jesters.]

Defn: Scoffing; scurrilous. [A Latinism. Obs.] "Subject to the petulancy of every vernaculous orator." B. Jonson.

VERNAGE Ver"nage, n. Etym: [It. vernaccia.]

Defn: A kind of sweet wine from Italy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERNAL Ver"nal, a. Etym: [L. vernalis, fr. vernus vernal, ver spring; akin to Gr. vasanta, Icel. var, and E. Easter, east.]

1. Of or pertaining to the spring; appearing in the spring; as, vernal bloom.

2. Fig.: Belonging to youth, the spring of life. When after the long vernal day of life. Thomson. And seems it hard thy vernal years Few vernal joys can show Keble.

Vernal equinox (Astron.), the time when the sun crosses the equator when proceeding northward. -- Vernal grass (Bot.), a low, soft grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), producing in the spring narrow spikelike panicles, and noted for the delicious fragrance which it gives to new-mown hay; -- also called sweet vernal grass. See Illust. in Appendix. -- Vernal signs (Astron.), the signs, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, in which the sun appears between the vernal equinox and summer solstice.

VERNANT Ver"nant, a. Etym: [L. vernans, p. pr. vernare to flourish, from ver spring.]

Defn: Flourishing, as in spring; vernal. [Obs.] "Vernant flowers." Milton.

VERNATE Ver"nate, v. i. Etym: [See Vernant.]

Defn: To become young again. [Obs.]

VERNATION Ver*na"tion, n. Etym: [F. vernation: cf. L. vernatio the sloughing of the skin of snakes.] (Bot.)

Defn: The arrangement of the leaves within the leaf bud, as regards their folding, coiling, rolling, etc.; prefoliation.

VERNER'S LAW Ver"ner's law. (Philol.)

Defn: A statement, propounded by the Danish philologist Karl Verner in 1875, which explains certain apparent exceptions to Grimm's law by the original position of the accent. Primitive Indo-European k, t, p, became first in Teutonic h, th, f, and appear without further change in old Teutonic, if the accent rested on the preceding syllable; but these sounds became voiced and produced g, d, b, if the accent was originally on a different syllable. Similarly s either remained unchanged, or it became z and later r. Example: Skt. sapta (accent on ultima), Gr. 'e`pta, Gothic sibun (seven). Examples in English are dead by the side of death, to rise and to rear.

VERNICLE Ver"ni*cle, n.

Defn: A Veronica. See Veronica, 1. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. A vernicle had he sowed upon his cap. Chaucer.

VERNICOSE Ver"ni*cose`, a. Etym: [See Varnish.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having a brilliantly polished surface, as some leaves.

VERNIER Ver"ni*er, n. Etym: [So named after the inventor, Pierre Vernier.]

Defn: A short scale made to slide along the divisions of a graduated instrument, as the limb of a sextant, or the scale of a barometer, for indicating parts of divisions. It is so graduated that a certain convenient number of its divisions are just equal to a certain number, either one less or one more, of the divisions of the instrument, so that parts of a division are determined by observing what line on the vernier coincides with a line on the instrument. Vernier calipers, Vernier gauge, a gauge with a graduated bar and a sliding jaw bearing a vernier, used for accurate measurements. -- Vernier compass, a surveyor's compass with a vernier for the accurate adjustment of the zero point in accordance with magnetic variation. -- Vernier transit, a surveyor's transit instrument with a vernier compass.

VERNILE Ver"nile, a. Etym: [L. vernilis servile. See Vernacular.]

Defn: Suiting a salve; servile; obsequious. [R.] The example . . . of vernile scurrility. De Quincey.

VERNILITY Ver*nil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. vernilitas.]

Defn: Fawning or obsequious behavior; servility. [R.] Bailey.

VERNINE Ver"nine, n. Etym: [Vernal + -ine.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alkaloid extracted from the shoots of the vetch, red clover, etc., as a white crystalline substance.

VERNISH Ver"nish, n. & v.

Defn: Varnish. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERNONIN Ver"no*nin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A glucoside extracted from the root of a South African plant of the genus Vernonia, as a deliquescent powder, and used as a mild heart tonic.

VERONESE Ver`o*nese", a. Etym: [It. Veronese.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Verona, in Italy. -- n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A native of Verona; collectively, the people of Verona.

VERONICA Ve*ron"i*ca, n. Etym: [LL.; -- so called from Veronica, a woman who, according to an old legend, as Christ was carrying the cross, wiped his face with a cloth, which received an impression of his countenance; Veronica is fr. MGr.

1. A portrait or representation of the face of our Savior on the alleged handkerchief of Saint Veronica, preserved at Rome; hence, a representation of this portrait, or any similar representation of the face of the Savior. Formerly called also Vernacle, and Vernicle.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus scrophulariaceous plants; the speedwell. See Speedwell.

Note: Several herbaceous species are common in both Europe and America, most of which have small blue flowers. A few shrubby species from New Zealand are sometimes found in cultivation.

VERRAY Ver"ray, a.

Defn: Very; true. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERRAYMENT Ver"ray*ment, adv. Etym: [OF. veraiement. See Very.]

Defn: Verily; truly. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VERREL Ver"rel, n.

Defn: See Ferrule. [Obs.]

VERRICULATE Ver*ric"u*late, a. Etym: [L. verriculum a net, seine.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having thickset tufts of parallel hairs, bristles, or branches.

VERRUCA Ver*ru"ca, n.; pl. Verrucæ (#). [L. Cf. Verrugas.]

1. (Med.) A wart.

2. (Zoöl.) A wartlike elevation or roughness.

VERRUCIFORM Ver*ru"ci*form, a. Etym: [L. verruca wart + -form.]

Defn: Shaped like a wart or warts.

VERRUCOSE Ver"ru*cose`, a. Etym: [L. verrucosus, fr. verruca a wart.]

Defn: Covered with wartlike elevations; tuberculate; warty; verrucous; as, a verrucose capsule.

VERRUCOUS Ver"ru*cous, a.

Defn: Verrucose.

VERRUCULOSE Ver*ru"cu*lose`, a. Etym: [L. verrucula, dim. of verruca a wart.]

Defn: Minutely verrucose; as, a verruculose leaf or stalk.

VERRUGAS Ver*ru"gas, n. [Sp., warts. Cf. Verruca.] (Med.)

Defn: An endemic disease occurring in the Andes in Peru, characterized by warty tumors which ulcerate and bleed. It is probably due to a special bacillus, and is often fatal.

VERS Vers, n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A verse or verses. See Verse. [Obs.] "Ten vers or twelve." Chaucer.

VERSABILITY Ver`sa*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being versable. [R.] Sterne

VERSABLE Ver"sa*ble, a. Etym: [L. versabilis: cf. F. versable. See Versatile.]

Defn: Capable of being turned. [R.]

VERSABLENESS Ver"sa*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Versability. [R.]

VERSAL Ver"sal, a.

Defn: Universal. [Obs. or Colloq.] Shak.

VERSANT Ver"sant, a. Etym: [L. versans, p. pr. versare to turn abound frequently, to turn over in the mind, to meditate. See Versatile.]

Defn: Familiar; conversant. [R.] Men not versant with courts of justice. Sydney Smith.

VERSANT Ver"sant, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: The slope of a side of a mountain chain; hence, the general slope of a country; aspect.

VERSATILE Ver"sa*tile, a. Etym: [L. versatilis, fr. versare to turn around, v. freq. of vertere: cf. F. versatile. See Verse.]

1. Capable of being turned round. Harte.

2. Liable to be turned in opinion; changeable; variable; unsteady; inconstant; as versatile disposition.

3. Turning with ease from one thing to another; readily applied to a new task, or to various subjects; many-sided; as, versatile genius; a versatile politician. Conspicuous among the youths of high promise . . . was the quick and versatile [Charles] Montagu. Macaulay.

4. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Capable of turning; freely movable; as, a versatile anther, which is fixed at one point to the filament, and hence is very easily turned around; a versatile toe of a bird. -- Ver"sa*tile*ly, adv. -- -- Ver"sa*tile*ness, n.

VERSATILITY Ver`sa*til"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. versatilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being versatile; versatileness.

VERS DE SOCIETE Vers` de so`cié`té". Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Society verses, under Society.

VERSE Verse, n. Etym: [OE. vers, AS. fers, L. versus a line in writing, and, in poetry, a verse, from vertere, versum, to turn, to turn round; akin to E. worth to become: cf. F. vers. See Worth to become, and cf. Advertise, Averse, Controversy, Convert, Divers, Invert, Obverse, Prose, Suzerain, Vortex.]

1. A line consisting of a certain number of metrical feet (see Foot, n., 9) disposed according to metrical rules.

Note: Verses are of various kinds, as hexameter, pentameter, tetrameter, etc., according to the number of feet in each. A verse of twelve syllables is called an Alexandrine. Two or more verses form a stanza or strophe.

2. Metrical arrangement and language; that which is composed in metrical form; versification; poetry. Such prompt eloquence Flowed from their lips in prose or numerous verse. Milton. Virtue was taught in verse. Prior. Verse embalms virtue. Donne.

3. A short division of any composition. Specifically: -- (a) A stanza; a stave; as, a hymn of four verses.

Note: Although this use of verse is common, it is objectionable, because not always distinguishable from the stricter use in the sense of a line. (b) (Script.) One of the short divisions of the chapters in the Old and New Testaments.

Note: The author of the division of the Old Testament into verses is not ascertained. The New Testament was divided into verses by Robert Stephens [or Estienne], a French printer. This arrangement appeared for the first time in an edition printed at Geneva, in 1551. (c) (Mus.) A portion of an anthem to be performed by a single voice to each part.

4. A piece of poetry. "This verse be thine." Pope. Blank verse, poetry in which the lines do not end in rhymes. -- Heroic verse. See under Heroic.

VERSE Verse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Versed; p. pr. & vb. n. Versing.]

Defn: To tell in verse, or poetry. [Obs.] Playing on pipes of corn and versing love. Shak.

VERSE Verse, v. i.

Defn: To make verses; to versify. [Obs.] It is not rhyming and versing that maketh a poet. Sir P. Sidney.

VERSED Versed, a. Etym: [Cf. F. versé, L. versatus, p. p. of versari to turn about frequently, to turn over, to be engaged in a thing, passive of versare. See Versant, a.]

Defn: Acquainted or familiar, as the result of experience, study, practice, etc.; skilled; practiced. Deep versed in books and shallow in himself. Milton. Opinions . . . derived from studying the Scriptures, wherein he was versed beyond any person of his age. Southey. These men were versed in the details of business. Macaulay.

VERSED Versed, a. Etym: [L. versus turned, p. p. vertere. See 1st Versed.] (Math.)

Defn: Turned. Versed sine. See under Sine, and Illust. of Functions.

VERSEMAN Verse"man, n.

Defn: Same as Versemonger. Prior.

VERSEMONGER Verse"mon`ger, n.

Defn: A writer of verses; especially, a writer of commonplace poetry; a poetaster; a rhymer; -- used humorously or in contempt.

VERSER Vers"er, n.

Defn: A versifier. B. Jonson.

VERSET Vers"et, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A verse. [Obs.] Milton.

VERSICLE Ver"si*cle, n. Etym: [L. versiculus, dim. of versus. See Verse.]

Defn: A little verse; especially, a short verse or text said or sung in public worship by the priest or minister, and followed by a response from the people. The psalms were in number fifteen, . . . being digested into versicles. Strype.

VERSICOLOR; VERSICOLORED Ver"si*col`or, Ver"si*col`ored, a. Etym: [L. versicolor; versare to change + color color.]

Defn: Having various colors; changeable in color. "Versicolor, sweet- smelling flowers." Burton.

VERSICULAR Ver*sic"u*lar, a. Etym: [See Versicle.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to verses; designating distinct divisions of a writing.

VERSIFICATION Ver`si*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. versificatio: cf. F. versification.]

Defn: The act, art, or practice, of versifying, or making verses; the construction of poetry; metrical composition.

VERSIFICATOR Ver"si*fi*ca`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A versifier. [R.] "The best versificator next Virgil." Dryden.

VERSIFIER Ver"si*fi`er, n.

1. One who versifies, or makes verses; as, not every versifier is a poet. Dryden.

2. One who converts into verse; one who expresses in verse the ideas of another written in prose; as, Dr. Watts was a versifier of the Psalms.

VERSIFY Ver"si*fy, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Versified; p. pr. & vb. n. Versifying.] Etym: [OE. versifien, F. versifier, L. versificare; versus a verse + -ficare to make. See Verse, and -fy.]

Defn: To make verses. I'll versify in spite, and do my best. Dryden.

VERSIFY Ver"si*fy, v. t.

1. To relate or describe in verse; to compose in verse. I'll versify the truth, not poetize. Daniel.

2. To turn into verse; to render into metrical form; as, to versify the Psalms. Chaucer.

VERSION Ver"sion, n. Etym: [F., from L. vertere, versum, to turn, to change, to translate. See Verse.]

1. A change of form, direction, or the like; transformation; conversion; turning. The version of air into water. Bacon.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A condition of the uterus in which its axis is deflected from its normal position without being bent upon itself. See Anteversion, and Retroversion.

3. The act of translating, or rendering, from one language into another language.

4. A translation; that which is rendered from another language; as, the Common, or Authorized, Version of the Scriptures (see under Authorized); the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament.

5. An account or description from a particular point of view, especially as contrasted with another account; as, he gave another version of the affair.

VERSIONIST Ver"sion*ist, n.

Defn: One who makes or favors a version; a translator. [R.]

VERSO Ver"so, n. Etym: [L. versus, p. p. of vertere to turn: cf. F. verso.] (Print.)

Defn: The reverse, or left-hand, page of a book or a folded sheet of paper; -- opposed to recto.

VERSOR Ver"sor, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. vertere, versus, to turn. See Version.] (Geom.)

Defn: The turning factor of a quaternion.

Note: The change of one vector into another is considered in quaternions as made up of two operations; 1st, the rotation of the first vector so that it shall be parallel to the second; 2d, the change of length so that the first vector shall be equal to the second. That which expresses in amount and kind the first operation is a versor, and is denoted geometrically by a line at right angles to the plane in which the rotation takes place, the length of this line being proportioned to the amount of rotation. That which expresses the second operation is a tensor. The product of the versor and tensor expresses the total operation, and is called a quaternion. See Quaternion. Quadrantal versor. See under Quadrantal.

VERST Verst, n. Etym: [Russ. versta: cf. F. verste.]

Defn: A Russian measure of length containing 3,500 English feet. [Written also werst.]

VERSUAL Ver"su*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a verse.

VERSUS Ver"sus, prep. Etym: [L., toward, turned in the direction of, from vertere, versum, to turn. See Verse.]

Defn: Against; as, John Doe versus Richard Roe; -- chiefly used in legal language, and abbreviated to v. or vs.

VERSUTE Ver*sute", a. Etym: [L. versutus, fr. vertere, versum, to turn.]

Defn: Crafty; wily; cunning; artful. [R.]