Chapter V: Moth (1)

V" moth`. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A common gray European moth (Halia vauaria) having a V-shaped spot of dark brown on each of the fore wings.

VOCABLE Vo"ca*ble, n. Etym: [L. vocabulum an appellation, designation, name, fr. vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, a voice, a word: cf. F. vocable. See Voice.]

Defn: 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 Vo*cab"u*la*ry, n.; pl. Vocabularies. Etym: [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 Vo*cab"u*list, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vocabuliste.]

Defn: The writer or maker of a vocabulary; a lexicographer.

VOCAL Vo"cal, a. Etym: [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,

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 or chords. (Anat.) See Larynx, and the Note under Voice, n., 1. -- Vocal fremitus Etym: [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 Vo"cal, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vocal, LL. vocalis.]

1. (Phon.)

Defn: 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.)

Defn: A man who has a right to vote in certain elections.

VOCALIC Vo*cal"ic, a. Etym: [L. vocalis (sc. littera) a vowel. See Vocal, a.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to vowel sounds; consisting of the vowel sounds. Earle. The Gaelic language being uncommonly vocalic. Sir W. Scott.

VOCALISM Vo"cal*ism, n.

1. The exercise of the vocal organs; vocalization.

2. A vocalic sound. [R.]

VOCALIST Vo"cal*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. vocaliste.]

Defn: A singer, or vocal musician, as opposed to an instrumentalist.

VOCALITY Vo*cal"i*ty, n. Etym: [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 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 Vo"cal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vocalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Vocalizing.] Etym: [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 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 Vo"cal*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being vocal; vocality.

VOCATION Vo*ca"tion, n. Etym: [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.)

Defn: 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 Voc"a*tive, a. Etym: [L. vocativus, fr. vocare to call.]

Defn: 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 Voc"a*tive, n. Etym: [L. vocativus (sc. casus): cf. F. vocatif.] (Gram.)

Defn: The vocative case.

VOCIFERANCE Vo*cif"er*ance, n.

Defn: Vociferation; noise; clamor. [R.] R. Browning.

VOCIFERANT Vo*cif"er*ant, a. Etym: [L. vociferans, p. pr.]

Defn: Noisy; clamorous. Gauden. R. Browning.

VOCIFERATE Vo*cif"er*ate, v. i. Etym: [L. vociferatus, p. p. vociferari to vociferate; vox, vocis, voice + ferre to bear. See Voice, and Bear to carry.]

Defn: To cry out with vehemence; to exclaim; to bawl; to clamor. Cowper.

VOCIFERATE Vo*cif"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vociferated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vociferating.]

Defn: To utter with a loud voice; to shout out. Though he may vociferate the word liberty. V. Knox.

VOCIFERATION Vo*cif`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. vociferatio: cf. F. vocifération.]

Defn: 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 Vo*cif"er*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who vociferates, or is clamorous. [R.]

VOCIFEROUS Vo*cif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vocifère.]

Defn: Making a loud outcry; clamorous; noisy; as, vociferous heralds. -- Vo*cif"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Vo*cif"er*ous*ness, n.

VOCULE Voc"ule, n. Etym: [L. vocula, dim. of vox, vocis, voice.] (Phon.)

Defn: 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 Vo*da"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL.] (Old Chem.)

Defn: A supposed element, afterward found to be a mixture of several metals, as copper, iron, lead, nickel, etc.

VODKA Vod"ka, n. Etym: [Russ.]

Defn: A Russian drink distilled from rye.

VOE Voe, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel ver sea, vöar a fenced-in landing place.]

Defn: An inlet, bay, or creek; -- so called in the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Jamieson.

VOGLE Vo"gle, n. (Mining)

Defn: Same as Vugg.

VOGUE Vogue, n. Etym: [F. vogue a rowing, vogue, fashion, It. voga, fr. vogare to row, to sail; probably fr. OHG. wag 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 Burke. Use may revive the obsoletest words, And banish those that now are most in vogue. Roscommon.

2. Influence; power; sway. [Obs.] Strype.

VOICE Voice, n. Etym: [OE. vois, voys, OF. vois, voiz, F. voix, L. vox, vocis, akin to Gr. vac to say, to speak, G. erwähnen 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.)

Defn: 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.

Note: 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 aërial 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.)

Defn: 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 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.)

Defn: 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 Voice, v. i.

Defn: To clamor; to cry out. [Obs.] South.

VOICED Voiced, a.

1. Furnished with a voice; expressed by the voice.

2. (Phon.)

Defn: 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.

VOICEFUL Voice"ful, a.

Defn: 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 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.)

Defn: 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 Void, a. Etym: [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. I will make void the counsel of Judah. Jer. xix. 7.

5. Containing no immaterial quality; destitute of mind or soul. "Idol, void and vain." Pope.

6. (Law)

Defn: Of no legal force or effect, incapable of confirmation or ratification; null. Cf. Voidable, 2. Void space (Physics), a vacuum.

Syn. -- Empty; vacant; devoid; wanting; unfurnished; unsupplied; unoccupied.

VOID Void, n.

Defn: An empty space; a vacuum. Pride, where wit fails, steps in to our defense, And fills up all the mighty void of sense. Pope.

VOID Void, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Voided; p. pr. & vb. n. Voiding.] Etym: [OF. voidier, vuidier. See Void, a.]

1. To remove the contents of; to make or leave vacant or empty; to quit; to leave; as, to void a table. Void anon her place. Chaucer. If they will fight with us, bid them come down, Or void the field. Shak.

2. To throw or send out; to evacuate; to emit; to discharge; as, to void excrements. A watchful application of mind in voiding prejudices. Barrow. With shovel, like a fury, voided out The earth and scattered bones. J. Webster.

3. To render void; to make to be of no validity or effect; to vacate; to annul; to nullify. After they had voided the obligation of the oath he had taken. Bp. Burnet. It was become a practice . . . to void the security that was at any time given for money so borrowed. Clarendon.

VOID Void, v. i.

Defn: To be emitted or evacuated. Wiseman.

VOIDABLE Void"a*ble, a.

1. Capable of being voided, or evacuated.

2. (Law)

Defn: Capable of being avoided, or of being adjudged void, invalid, and of no force; capable of being either avoided or confirmed. If the metropolitan . . . grants letters of administration, such administration is not, but voidable by sentence. Ayliffe.

Note: A voidable contract may be ratified and confirmed; to render it null and of no effect, it must be avoided; a void contract can not be ratified.

VOIDANCE Void"ance, n.

1. The act of voiding, emptying, ejecting, or evacuating.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: A ejection from a benefice.

3. The state of being void; vacancy, as of a benefice which is without an incumbent.

4. Evasion; subterfuge. [Obs.] Bacon.

VOIDED Void"ed, a.

1. Emptied; evacuated.

2. Annulled; invalidated.

3. (Her.)

Defn: Having the inner part cut away, or left vacant, a narrow border being left at the sides, the tincture of the field being seen in the vacant space; -- said of a charge.

VOIDER Void"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, voids,

2. A tray, or basket, formerly used to receive or convey that which is voided or cleared away from a given place; especially, one for carrying off the remains of a meal, as fragments of food; sometimes, a basket for containing household articles, as clothes, etc. Piers Plowman laid the cloth, and Simplicity brought in the voider. Decker. The cloth whereon the earl dined was taken away, and the voider, wherein the plate was usually put, was set upon the cupboard's head. Hist. of Richard Hainam.

3. A servant whose business is to void, or clear away, a table after a meal. [R.] Decker.

4. (Her.)

Defn: One of the ordinaries, much like the flanch, but less rounded and therefore smaller.

VOIDING Void"ing, n.

1. The act of one who, or that which, v Bp. Hall.

2. That which is voided; that which is ejected or evacuated; a remnant; a fragment. [R.] Rowe. Voiding knife, a knife used for gathering up fragments of food to put them into a voider.

VOIDING Void"ing, a.

Defn: Receiving what is ejected or voided. "How in our voiding lobby hast thou stood" Shak.

VOIDNESS Void"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being void;

VOIR DIRE Voir dire. Etym: [OF., to say the truth, fr. L. verus true + dicere to say.] (Law)

Defn: An oath administered to a witness, usually before being sworn in chief, requiring him to speak the truth, or make true answers in reference to matters inquired of, to ascertain his competency to give evidence. Greenleaf. Ld. Abinger.

VOITURE Voi"ture, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. vectura a carrying, conveying. Cf. Vettura.]

Defn: A carriage. Arbuthnot.

VOIVODE Voi"vode, n.

Defn: See Waywode. Longfellow.

VOLACIOUS Vo*la"cious, a. Etym: [L. volare to fly.]

Defn: Apt or fit to fly. [R.]

VOLADOR Vo*la*dor", n. Etym: [Sp.] (Zoöl.) (a) A flying fish of California (Exocoetus Californicus): -- called also volator. (b) The Atlantic flying gurnard. See under Flying.

VOLAGE Vo*lage", a. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Light; giddy. [Obs.] They wroughten all their lust volage. Chaucer.

VOLANT Vo"lant, a. Etym: [L. volans, -antis, p. pr. of volare to fly: cf. F. volant.]

1. Passing through the air upon wings, or as if upon wings; flying; hence, passing from place to place; current. English silver now was current, and our gold volant in the pope's court. Fuller.

2. Nimble; light and quick; active; rapid. "His volant touch." Milton.

3. (Her.)

Defn: Represented as flying, or having the wings spread; as, an eagle volant. Volant piece (Anc. Armor), an adjustable piece of armor, for guarding the throat, etc., in a joust.

VOLANTE Vo*lan"te, n. Etym: [Sp., prop., flying.]

Defn: A cumbrous two-wheeled pleasure carriage used in Cuba.

VOLAPUK; VOLAPUEK Vol`a*pük", n

Defn: Literally, world's speech; the name of an artificial language invented by Johan Martin Schleyer, of Constance, Switzerland, about 1879.

VOLAPUKIST; VOLAPUEKIST Vol`a*pük"ist, n.

Defn: One who is conversant with, or who favors adoption of, Volapük.

VOLAR Vo"lar, a. Etym: [L. vola the palm of the hand, the sole of the foot.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot.

VOLARY Vol"a*ry, n.

Defn: See Volery. [Obs.]

VOLATILE Vol"a*tile, a. Etym: [F. volatil, L. volatilis, fr. volare to fly, perhaps akin to velox swift, E. velocity. Cf. Volley.]

1. Passing through the air on wings, or by the buoyant force of the atmosphere; flying; having the power to fly. [Obs.]

2. Capable of wasting away, or of easily passing into the aëriform state; subject to evaporation.

Note: Substances which affect the smell with pungent or fragrant odors, as musk, hartshorn, and essential oils, are called volatile substances, because they waste away on exposure to the atmosphere. Alcohol and ether are called volatile liquids for a similar reason, and because they easily pass into the state of vapor on the application of heat. On the contrary, gold is a fixed substance, because it does not suffer waste, even when exposed to the heat of a furnace; and oils are called fixed when they do not evaporate on simple exposure to the atmosphere.

3. Fig.: Light-hearted; easily affected by circumstances; airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile temper. You are as giddy and volatile as ever. Swift. Volatile alkali. (Old Chem.) See under Alkali. -- Volatile liniment, a liniment composed of sweet oil and ammonia, so called from the readiness with which the latter evaporates. -- Volatile oils. (Chem.) See Essential oils, under Essential.

VOLATILE Vol"a*tile, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volatile.]

Defn: A winged animal; wild fowl; game. [Obs.] Chaucer. Sir T. Browne.

VOLATILENESS; VOLATILITY Vol"a*tile*ness, Vol`a*til"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volatilité.]

Defn: Quality or state of being volatile; disposition to evaporate; changeableness; fickleness.

Syn. -- See Levity.

VOLATILIZABLE Vol"a*til*i`za*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. volatisable.]

Defn: Capable of being volatilized.

VOLATILIZATION Vol`a*til*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volatilisation.]

Defn: The act or process of volatilizing, or rendering volatile; the state of being volatilized.

VOLATILIZE Vol"a*til*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volatilized; p. pr. & vb. n. Volatilizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. volatiliser.]

Defn: To render volatile; to cause to exhale or evaporate; to cause to pass off in vapor. The water . . . dissolving the oil, and volatilizing it by the action. Sir I. Newton.

VOLATOR Vo*la"tor, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Volador, 1.

VOL-AU-VENT Vol`-au`-vent", n. Etym: [F.] (Cookery)

Defn: A light puff paste, with a raised border, filled, after baking, usually with a ragout of fowl, game, or fish.

VOLBORTHITE Vol"borth*ite, n. Etym: [So named after Volborth, who first discovered it.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring in small six-sided tabular crystals of a green or yellow color. It is a hydrous vanadate of copper and lime.

VOLCANIAN Vol*ca"ni*an, a.

Defn: Volcanic. [R.] Keats.

VOLCANIC Vol*can"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. volcanique, It. vulcanico.]

1. Of or pertaining to a volcano or volcanoes; as, volcanic heat.

2. Produced by a volcano, or, more generally, by igneous agencies; as, volcanic tufa.

3. Changed or affected by the heat of a volcano. Volcanic bomb, a mass ejected from a volcano, often of molten lava having a rounded form. -- Volcanic cone, a hill, conical in form, built up of cinders, tufa, or lava, during volcanic eruptions. -- Volcanic foci, the subterranean centers of volcanic action; the points beneath volcanoes where the causes producing volcanic phenomena are most active. -- Volcanic glass, the vitreous form of lava, produced by sudden cooling; obsidian. See Obsidian. -- Volcanic mud, fetid, sulphurous mud discharged by a volcano. -- Volcanic rocks, rocks which have been produced from the discharges of volcanic matter, as the various kinds of basalt, trachyte, scoria, obsidian, etc., whether compact, scoriaceous, or vitreous.

VOLCANICALLY Vol*can"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Like a volcano.

VOLCANICITY Vol`can*ic"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volcanicité.]

Defn: Quality or state of being volcanic; volcanic power.

VOLCANIC NECK Vol*can"ic neck. (Geol.)

Defn: A column of igneous rock formed by congelation of lava in the conduit of a volcano and later exposed by the removal of surrounding rocks.

VOLCANIC WIND Volcanic wind. (Meteorol.)

Defn: A wind associated with a volcanic outburst and due to the eruption or to convection currents over hot lava.

VOLCANISM Vol"can*ism, n.

Defn: Volcanic power or action; volcanicity.

VOLCANIST Vol"can*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volcaniste, vulcaniste.]

1. One versed in the history and phenomena of volcanoes.

2. One who believes in the igneous, as opposed to the aqueous, origin of the rocks of the earth's crust; a vulcanist. Cf. Neptunist.

VOLCANITY Vol*can"i*ty, n. Etym: [See Volcanic, and Volcanicity.]

Defn: The quality or state of being volcanic, or volcanic origin; volcanicity. [R.]

VOLCANIZATION Vol`can*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of volcanizing, or the state of being volcanized; the process of undergoing volcanic heat, and being affected by it.

VOLCANIZE Vol"can*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volcanized; p. pr. & vb. n. Volcanizing.] Etym: [Cf. Vulcanize.]

Defn: To subject to, or cause to undergo, volcanic heat, and to be affected by its action.

VOLCANO Vol*ca"no, n.; pl. Volcanoes. Etym: [It. volcano, vulcano, fr. L. Vulcanus Vulkan, the god of fire. See Vulkan.] (Geol.)

Defn: A mountain or hill, usually more or less conical in form, from which lava, cinders, steam, sulphur gases, and the like, are ejected; -- often popularly called a burning mountain.

Note: Volcanoes include many of the most conspicuous and lofty mountains of the earth, as Mt. Vesuvius in Italy (4,000 ft. high), Mt. Loa in Hawaii (14,000 ft.), Cotopaxi in South America (nearly 20,000 ft.), which are examples of active volcanoes. The crater of a volcano is usually a pit-shaped cavity, often of great size. The summit crater of Mt. Loa has a maximum length of 13,000 ft., and a depth of nearly 800 feet. Beside the chief crater, a volcano may have a number of subordinate craters.

VOLE Vole, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A deal at cards that draws all the tricks. Swift.

VOLE Vole, v. i. (Card Playing)

Defn: To win all the tricks by a vole. Pope.

VOLE Vole, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of micelike rodents belonging to Arvicola and allied genera of the subfamily Arvicolinæ. They have a thick head, short ears, and a short hairy tail.

Note: The water vole, or water rat, of Europe (Arvicola amphibius) is a common large aquatic species. The short-tailed field vole (A. agrestis) of Northern and Central Europe, and Asia, the Southern field vole (A. arvalis), and the Siberian root vole (A. oeconomus), are important European species. The common species of the Eastern United States (A. riparius) (called also meadow mouse) and the prairie mouse (A. austerus) are abundant, and often injurious to vegetation. Other species are found in Canada.

VOLERY Vol"er*y, n. Etym: [F. volerie a flying, volière a large bird cage, fr. voler to fly, L. volare. See Volatile.]

1. A flight of birds. [R.] Locke.

2. A large bird cage; an aviary.

VOLGE Volge, n. Etym: [L. vulgus.]

Defn: The common sort of people; the crowd; the mob. [Obs.] Fuller.

VOLITABLE Vol"i*ta*ble, a.

Defn: Volatilizable. [Obs.]

VOLITATION Vol`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. volitare, volitatum, to fly to and fro, v. freq. from volare to fly.]

Defn: The act of flying; flight. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

VOLITIENT Vo*li"tient, a. Etym: [See Volition.]

Defn: Exercising the will; acting from choice; willing, or having power to will. "What I do, I do volitient, not obedient." Mrs. Browning.

VOLITION Vo*li"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. volo I will, velle to will, be willing. See Voluntary.]

1. The act of willing or choosing; the act of forming a purpose; the exercise of the will. Volition is the actual exercise of the power the mind has to order the consideration of any idea, or the forbearing to consider it. Locke. Volition is an act of the mind, knowingly exerting that dominion it takes itself to have over any part of the man, by employing it in, or withholding it from, any particular action. Locke.

2. The result of an act or exercise of choosing or willing; a state of choice.

3. The power of willing or determining; will.

Syn. -- Will; choice; preference; determination; purpose. -- Volition, Choice. Choice is the familiar, and volition the scientific, term for the same state of the will; viz., an "elective preference." When we have "made up our minds" (as we say) to a thing, i. e., have a settled state of choice respecting it, that state is called an immanent volition; when we put forth any particular act of choice, that act is called an emanent, or executive, or imperative, volition. When an immanent, or settled state of, choice, is one which controls or governs a series of actions, we call that state a predominant volition; while we give the name of subordinate volitions to those particular acts of choice which carry into effect the object sought for by the governing or "predominant volition." See Will.

VOLITIONAL Vo*li"tion*al, a.

Defn: Belonging or relating to volition. "The volitional impulse." Bacon.

VOLITIVE Vol"i*tive, a. Etym: [See Volition.]

1. Of or pertaining to the will; originating in the will; having the power to will. "They not only perfect the intellectual faculty, but the volitive." Sir M. Hale.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: Used in expressing a wish or permission as, volitive proposition.

VOLKSLIED Volks"lied, n.; pl. Volkslieder Etym: [G.] (Mus.)

Defn: A popular song, or national air.

VOLKSRAAD Volks"raad`, n. [D.]

Defn: A legislative assembly or parliament of any one of several countries colonized by the Dutch, esp. that of the South African Republic, or the Transvaal, and that of the Orange Free State.

VOLLEY Vol"ley, n.; pl. Volleys. Etym: [F. volée; flight, a volley, or discharge of several guns, fr. voler to fly, L. volare. See Volatile.]

1. A flight of missiles, as arrows, bullets, or the like; the simultaneous discharge of a number of small arms. Fiery darts in flaming volleys flew. Milton. Each volley tells that thousands cease to breathe. Byron.

2. A burst or emission of many things at once; as, a volley of words. "This volley of oaths." B. Jonson. Rattling nonsense in full volleys breaks. Pope.

3. (a) (Tennis) A return of the ball before it touches the ground. (b) (Cricket) A sending of the ball full to the top of the wicket.

Half volley. (a) (Tennis) A return of the ball immediately after is has touched the ground. (b) (Cricket) A sending of the ball so that after touching the ground it flies towards the top of the wicket. R. A. Proctor. -- On the volley, at random. [Obs.] "What we spake on the volley begins work." Massinger. -- Volley gun, a gun with several barrels for firing a number of shots simultaneously; a kind of mitrailleuse.

VOLLEY Vol"ley, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volleyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Volleying.]

Defn: To discharge with, or as with, a volley.

VOLLEY Vol"ley, v. i.

1. To be thrown out, or discharged, at once; to be discharged in a volley, or as if in a volley; to make a volley or volleys. Tennyson.

2. (a) (Tennis) To return the ball before it touches the ground. (b) (Cricket) To send the ball full to the top of the wicket. R. A. Proctor.

VOLLEY BALL Vol"ley ball.

Defn: A game played by volleying a large inflated ball with the hands over a net 7 ft. 6 in. high.

VOLLEYED Vol"leyed, a.

Defn: Discharged with a sudden burst, or as if in a volley; as, volleyed thunder.

VOLOST Vo"lost, n. [Russ. volost'.]

Defn: In the greater part of Russia, a division for local government consisting of a group of mirs, or village communities; a canton.

VOLOW Vol"ow, v. t. Etym: [From the answer, Volo I will, in the baptismal service. Richardson (Dict.).]

Defn: To baptize; -- used in contempt by the Reformers. [Obs.] Tyndale.

VOLPLANE Vol"plane`, v. i. [F. vol plané act of volplaning; vol flight + plané, p.p.; cf. planer to hover.] (Aëronautics)

Defn: To glide in a flying machine.

VOLT Volt, n. Etym: [F. volte; cf. It. volta. See Vault.]

1. (Man.)

Defn: A circular tread; a gait by which a horse going sideways round a center makes two concentric tracks.

2. (Fencing)

Defn: A sudden movement to avoid a thrust.

VOLT Volt, n. Etym: [After Alessandro Volta, the Italian electrician.] (Elec.)

Defn: The unit of electro-motive force; -- defined by the International Electrical Congress in 1893 and by United States Statute as, that electro-motive force which steadily applied to a conductor whose resistance is one ohm will produce a current of one ampère. It is practically equivalent to

VOLTA Vol"ta, n.; pl. Volte. Etym: [It. volta a turn, turning, a time. See Volt a tread.] (Mus.)

Defn: A turning; a time; -- chiefly used in phrases signifying that the part is to be repeated one, two, or more times; as, una volta, once. Seconda volta, second time, points to certain modifications in the close of a repeated strain.

VOLTA-ELECTRIC Vol"ta-e*lec"tric, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to voltaic electricity, or voltaism.

VOLTA-ELECTROMETER Vol`ta-e`lec*trom"e*ter, n.

Defn: An instrument for the exact measurement of electric currents.

VOLTAGE Vol"tage, n. (Elec.)

Defn: Electric potential or potential difference, expressed in volts.

VOLTAGRAPHY Vol*tag"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Voltaic + -graphy.]

Defn: In electrotypy, the act or art of copying, in metals deposited by electrolytic action, a form or pattern which is made the negative electrode. [R.]

VOLTAIC Vol*ta"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. voltaïque, It. voltaico.]

1. Of or pertaining to Alessandro Volta, who first devised apparatus for developing electric currents by chemical action, and established this branch of electric science; discovered by Volta; as, voltaic electricity.

2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as, voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.

Note: See the Note under Galvanism. Voltaic arc, a luminous arc, of intense brilliancy, formed between carbon points as electrodes by the passage of a powerful voltaic current. -- Voltaic battery, an apparatus variously constructed, consisting of a series of plates or pieces of dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, arranged in pairs, and subjected to the action of a saline or acid solution, by which a current of electricity is generated whenever the two poles, or ends of the series, are connected by a conductor; a galvanic battery. See Battery, 4. (b), and Note. -- Voltaic circuit. See under Circuit. -- Voltaic couple or element, a single pair of the connected plates of a battery. -- Voltaic electricity. See the Note under Electricity. -- Voltaic pile, a kind of voltaic battery consisting of alternate disks of dissimilar metals, separated by moistened cloth or paper. See 5th Pile. -- Voltaic protection of metals, the protection of a metal exposed to the corrosive action of sea water, saline or acid liquids, or the like, by associating it with a metal which is positive to it, as when iron is galvanized, or coated with zinc.

VOLTAIREAN Vol*tair"e*an, a. Etym: [Cf. F. voltairien.]

Defn: Of or relating to Voltaire, the French author. J. Morley.

VOLTAIRISM Vol*tair"ism, n.

Defn: The theories or practice of Voltaire. J. Morley.

VOLTAISM Vol"ta*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. voltaïsme.] (Physics)

Defn: That form of electricity which is developed by the chemical action between metals and different liquids; voltaic electricity; also, the science which treats of this form of electricity; -- called also galvanism, from Galvani, on account of his experiments showing the remarkable influence of this agent on animals.

VOLTAMETER Vol*tam"e*ter, n. Etym: [Voltaic + -meter.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the voltaic electricity passing through it, by its effect in decomposing water or some other chemical compound acting as an electrolyte.

VOLTAMMETER Volt*am"me`ter, n.

Defn: A wattmeter.

VOLT AMPERE Volt ampère. (Elec.)

Defn: A unit of electric measurement equal to the product of a volt and an ampere. For direct current it is a measure of power and is the same as a watt; for alternating current it is a measure of apparent power.

VOLTAPLAST Vol"ta*plast, n. Etym: [Voltaic + Gr.

Defn: A form of voltaic, or galvanic, battery suitable for use electrotyping. G. Francis.

VOLTATYPE Vol"ta*type, n. Etym: [Voltaic + type.]

Defn: An electrotype. [R.]

VOLTI Vol"ti, imperative. Etym: [It., fr. voltare to turn. See Volt a tread.] (Mus.)

Defn: Turn, that is, turn over the leaf. Volti subito Etym: [It.] (Mus.), turn over quickly.

VOLTIGEUR Vol`ti*geur, n. Etym: [F., fr. voltiger to vault, It. volteggiare. See Volt a tread.]

1. A tumbler; a leaper or vaulter.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: One of a picked company of irregular riflemen in each regiment of the French infantry.

VOLTMETER Volt"me`ter, n. Etym: [2d volt + -meter.] (elec.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring in volts the differences of potential between different points of an electrical circuit.

VOLTZITE Voltz"ite, n. Etym: [So named in honor of Voltz, a French engineer.] (Min.)

Defn: An oxysulphide of lead occurring in implanted spherical globules of a yellowish or brownish color; -- called also voltzine.

VOLUBILATE; VOLUBILE Vo*lu"bi*late, Vol"u*bile}, a. Etym: [See Voluble.]

Defn: Turning, or whirling; winding; twining; voluble.

VOLUBILITY Vol`u*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. volubilitas: cf. F. volubilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being voluble (in any of the senses of the adjective).

VOLUBLE Vol"u*ble, a. Etym: [L. volubilis, fr. volvere, volutum, to roll, to turn round; akin to Gr. welle a wave: cf. F. voluble. Cf. F. Well of water, Convolvulus, Devolve, Involve, Revolt, Vault an arch, Volume, Volute.]

1. Easily rolling or turning; easily set in motion; apt to roll; rotating; as, voluble particles of matter.

2. Moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; of rapid speech; nimble in speaking; glib; as, a flippant, voluble, tongue. [Cassio,] a knave very voluble. Shak.

Note: Voluble was used formerly to indicate readiness of speech merely, without any derogatory suggestion. "A grave and voluble eloquence." Bp. Hacket.

3. Changeable; unstable; fickle. [Obs.]

4. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the power or habit of turning or twining; as, the voluble stem of hop plants. Voluble stem (Bot.), a stem that climbs by winding, or twining, round another body. -- Vol"u*ble*ness, n. -- Vol"u*bly, adv.

VOLUME Vol"ume, n. Etym: [F., from L. volumen a roll of writing, a book, volume, from volvere, volutum, to roll. See Voluble.]

1. A roll; a scroll; a written document rolled up for keeping or for use, after the manner of the ancients. [Obs.] The papyrus, and afterward the parchment, was joined together [by the ancients] to form one sheet, and then rolled upon a staff into a volume (volumen). Encyc. Brit.

2. Hence, a collection of printed sheets bound together, whether containing a single work, or a part of a work, or more than one work; a book; a tome; especially, that part of an extended work which is bound up together in one cover; as, a work in four volumes. An odd volume of a set of books bears not the value of its proportion to the set. Franklin.

4. Anything of a rounded or swelling form resembling a roll; a turn; a convolution; a coil. So glides some trodden serpent on the grass, And long behind wounded volume trails. Dryden. Undulating billows rolling their silver volumes. W. Irving.

4. Dimensions; compass; space occupied, as measured by cubic units, that is, cubic inches, feet, yards, etc.; mass; bulk; as, the volume of an elephant's body; a volume of gas.

5. (Mus.)

Defn: Amount, fullness, quantity, or caliber of voice or tone. Atomic volume, Molecular volume (Chem.), the ratio of the atomic and molecular weights divided respectively by the specific gravity of the substance in question. -- Specific volume (Physics & Chem.), the quotient obtained by dividing unity by the specific gravity; the reciprocal of the specific gravity. It is equal (when the specific gravity is referred to water at 4º C. as a standard) to the number of cubic centimeters occupied by one gram of the substance.

VOLUMED Vol"umed, a.

1. Having the form of a volume, or roil; as, volumed mist. The distant torrent's rushing sound Tells where the volumed cataract doth roll. Byron.

2. Having volume, or bulk; massive; great.

VOLUMENOMETER Vol`u*me*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. volumen volume + -meter.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the volume of a body, especially a solid, by means of the difference in tension caused by its presence and absence in a confined portion of air.

VOLUMENOMETRY Vol`u*me*nom"e*try, n. (Chem. & Physics)

Defn: The method or process of measuring volumes by means of the volumenometer.

VOLUMESCOPE Vol*u"me*scope, n. Etym: [Volume + -scope.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument consisting essentially of a glass tube provided with a graduated scale, for exhibiting to the eye the changes of volume of a gas or gaseous mixture resulting from chemical action, and the like.

VOLUMESCOPE Vo*lu"me*scope, n. [Volume + -scope.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument consisting essentially of a glass tube provided with a graduated scale, for exhibiting to the eye the changes of volume of a gas or gaseous mixture resulting from chemical action, etc.

VOLUMETER Vol*u"me*ter, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volumètre. See Volumetric.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the volumes of gases or liquids by introducing them into a vessel of known capacity.

VOLUMETRIC Vol`u*met"ric, a. Etym: [Volume + -metric.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the measurement of volume. Volumetric analysis (Chem.), that system of the quantitative analysis of solutions which employs definite volumes of standardized solutions of reagents, as measured by burettes, pipettes, etc.; also, the analysis of gases by volume, as by the eudiometer.

VOLUMETRICAL Vol`u*met"ric*al, a.

Defn: Volumetric. -- Vol`u*met"ric*al*ly, adv.

VOLUMINOUS Vo*lu"mi*nous, a. Etym: [L. voluminosus: cf. F. volumineux.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to volume or volumes. Specifically: -- (a) Consisting of many folds, coils, or convolutions. But ended foul in many a scaly fold, Voluminous and vast. Milton. Over which dusky draperies are hanging, and voluminous curtains have long since fallen. De Quincey.

(b) Of great volume, or bulk; large. B. Jonson. (c) Consisting of many volumes or books; as, the collections of Muratori are voluminous. (d) Having written much, or produced many volumes; copious; diffuse; as, a voluminous writer. -- Vo*lu"mi*nous*ly, adv. -- Vo*lu"mi*nous*ness, n.

VOLUMIST Vol"u*mist, n.

Defn: One who writes a volume; an author. [Obs.] Milton.

VOLUNTARILY Vol"un*ta*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a voluntary manner; of one's own will; spontaneously.

VOLUNTARINESS Vol"un*ta*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being voluntary; spontaneousness; specifically, the quality or state of being free in the exercise of one's will.

VOLUNTARISM Vol"un*ta*rism, n.

Defn: Any theory which conceives will to be the dominant factor in experience or in the constitution of the world; -- contrasted with intellectualism. Schopenhauer and Fichte are typical exponents of the two types of metaphysical voluntarism, Schopenhauer teaching that the evolution of the universe is the activity of a blind and irrational will, Fichte holding that the intelligent activity of the ego is the fundamental fact of reality.

VOLUNTARY Vol"un*ta*ry, a. Etym: [L. voluntarius, fr. voluntas will, choice, from the root of velle to will, p. pr. volens; akin to E. will: cf. F. volontaire, Of. also voluntaire. See Will, v. t., and cf. Benevolent, Volition, Volunteer.]

1. Proceeding from the will; produced in or by an act of choice. That sin or guilt pertains exclusively to voluntary action is the true principle of orthodoxy. N. W. Taylor.

2. Unconstrained by the interference of another; unimpelled by the influence of another; not prompted or persuaded by another; done of his or its own accord; spontaneous; acting of one's self, or of itself; free. Our voluntary service he requires. Milton. She fell to lust a voluntary prey. Pope.

3. Done by design or intention; intentional; purposed; intended; not accidental; as, if a man kills another by lopping a tree, it is not voluntary manslaughter.

4. (Physiol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the will; subject to, or regulated by, the will; as, the voluntary motions of an animal, such as the movements of the leg or arm (in distinction from involuntary motions, such as the movements of the heart); the voluntary muscle fibers, which are the agents in voluntary motion.

5. Endowed with the power of willing; as, man is a voluntary agent. God did not work as a necessary, but a voluntary, agent, intending beforehand, and decreeing with himself, that which did outwardly proceed from him. Hooker.

6. (Law)

Defn: Free; without compulsion; according to the will, consent, or agreement, of a party; without consideration; gratuitous; without valuable consideration.

7. (Eccl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to voluntaryism; as, a voluntary church, in distinction from an established or state church. Voluntary affidavit or oath (Law), an affidavit or oath made in extrajudicial matter. -- Voluntary conveyance (Law), a conveyance without valuable consideration. -- Voluntary escape (Law), the escape of a prisoner by the express consent of the sheriff. -- Voluntary jurisdiction. (Eng. Eccl. Law) See Contentious jurisdiction, under Contentious. -- Voluntary waste. (Law) See Waste, n., 4.

Syn. -- See Spontaneous.

VOLUNTARY Vol"un*ta*ry, n.; pl. Voluntaries (.

1. One who engages in any affair of his own free will; a volunteer. [R.] Shak.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: A piece played by a musician, often extemporarily, according to his fancy; specifically, an organ solo played before, during, or after divine service.

3. (Eccl.)

Defn: One who advocates voluntaryism.

VOLUNTARYISM Vol"un*ta*ry*ism, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: The principle of supporting a religious system and its institutions by voluntary association and effort, rather than by the aid or patronage of the state.

VOLUNTEER Vol`un*teer", n. Etym: [F. volontaire. See Voluntary, a.]

1. One who enters into, or offers for, any service of his own free will.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: One who enters into service voluntarily, but who, when in service, is subject to discipline and regulations like other soldiers; -- opposed to conscript; specifically, a voluntary member of the organized militia of a country as distinguished from the standing army.

3. (Law)

Defn: A grantee in a voluntary conveyance; one to whom a conveyance is made without valuable consideration; a party, other than a wife or child of the grantor, to whom, or for whose benefit, a voluntary conveyance is made. Burrill.

VOLUNTEER Vol`un*teer", a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a volunteer or volunteers; consisting of volunteers; voluntary; as, volunteer companies; volunteer advice.

VOLUNTEER Vol`un*teer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volunteered; p. pr. & vb. n. Volunteering.]

Defn: To offer or bestow voluntarily, or without solicitation or compulsion; as, to volunteer one's services.

VOLUNTEER Vol`un*teer", v. i.

Defn: To enter into, or offer for, any service of one's own free will, without solicitation or compulsion; as, he volunteered in that undertaking.

VOLUNTEER NAVY Vol`un*teer" na"vy.

Defn: A navy of vessels fitted out and manned by volunteers who sail under the flag of the regular navy and subject to naval discipline. Prussia in 1870, in the Franco-German war, organized such a navy, which was commanded by merchant seamen with temporary commissions, with the claim (in which England acquiesced) that it did not come within the meaning of the term privateer.

VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA Vol`un*teers" of America.

Defn: A religious and philanthropic organization, similar to the Salvation Army, founded (1896) by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth.

VOLUNTEER STATE Volunteer State.

Defn: Tennessee; -- a nickname.

VOLUPERE Vol"u*pere, n. Etym: [Cf. Envelop.]

Defn: A woman's cap. [Obs.] Chaucer.

VOLUPTUARY Vo*lup"tu*a*ry, n.; pl. Voluptuaries. Etym: [L. voluptuarius or voluptarius, fr. voluptas pleasure.]

Defn: A voluptuous person; one who makes his physical enjoyment his chief care; one addicted to luxury, and the gratification of sensual appetites. A good-humored, but hard-hearted, voluptuary. Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- Sensualist; epicure.

VOLUPTUARY Vo*lup"tu*a*ry, a.

Defn: Voluptuous; luxurious.

VOLUPTUOUS Vo*lup"tu*ous, a. Etym: [F. voluptueux, L. voluptuosus, fr. voluptas pleasure, volup agreeably, delightfully; probably akin to Gr. velle to wish. See Voluntary.]

1. Full of delight or pleasure, especially that of the senses; ministering to sensuous or sensual gratification; exciting sensual desires; luxurious; sensual. Music arose with its voluptuous swell. Byron. Sink back into your voluptuous repose. De Quincey.

2. Given to the enjoyments of luxury and pleasure; indulging to excess in sensual gratifications. "The jolly and voluptuous livers." Atterbury. Softened with pleasure and voluptuous life. Milton. -- Vo*lup"tu*ous*ly, adv. -- , n.

VOLUPTY Vo*lup"ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. volupté pleasure. See Voluptuous.]

Defn: Voluptuousness. [Obs.]

VOLUTA Vo*lu"ta, n.; pl. E. Volutas, L. Volutæ. Etym: [L., a spiral scroll. See Volute.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of large, handsome marine gastropods belonging to Voluta and allied genera.

VOLUTATION Vol`u*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. volutatio, from volutare to roll, wallow, verb freq. volvere, volutum, to roll.]

Defn: A rolling of a body; a wallowing. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

VOLUTE Vo*lute", n. Etym: [F. volute (cf. It. voluta), L. voluta, from volvere, volutum, to roll. See Voluble.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: A spiral scroll which forms the chief feature of the Ionic capital, and which, on a much smaller scale, is a feature in the Corinthian and Composite capitals. See Illust. of Capital, also Helix, and Stale.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A spiral turn, as in certain shells.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any voluta. Volute spiring, a spring formed of a spiral scroll of plate, rod, or wire, extended or extensible in the direction of the axis of the coil, in which direction its elastic force is exerted and employed.

VOLUTED Vo*lut"ed, a.

Defn: Having a volute, or spiral scroll.

VOLUTION Vo*lu"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. volutio an arch, vault.]

1. A spiral turn or wreath.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A whorl of a spiral shell.

VOLVA Vol"va, n. Etym: [L. volva, vulva, covering.] (Bot.)

Defn: A saclike envelope of certain fungi, which bursts open as the plant develops.

VOLVOX Vol"vox, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one fiftieth of an inch in diameter, found rolling through water, the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but is now referred to the vegetable kingdom, and each globule is considered a colony of many individuals. The commonest species is Volvox globator, often called globe animalcule.

VOLVULUS Vol"vu*lus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. volvere to turn about, to roll.] (Med.) (a) The spasmodic contraction of the intestines which causes colic. (b) Any twisting or displacement of the intestines causing obstruction; ileus. See Ileus.

VOLYER Vol"yer, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A lurcher. [Prov. Eng.]

VOMER Vo"mer, n. Etym: [L., a plowshare.] (Anat.) (a) A bone, or one of a pair of bones, beneath the ethmoid region of the skull, forming a part a part of the partition between the nostrils in man and other mammals. (b) The pygostyle.

VOMERINE Vo"mer*ine, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the vomer.

VOMICA Vom"i*ca, n. Etym: [L., fr. vomere to throw up, vomit.] (Med.) (a) An abscess cavity in the lungs. (b) An abscess in any other parenchymatous organ.

VOMICINE Vom"i*cine, n. Etym: [From nux vomica.] (Chem.)

Defn: See Brucine.

VOMIC NUT Vom"ic nut`. Etym: [Cf. F. noix vomique.]

Defn: Same as Nux vomica.

VOMIT Vom"it, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Vomited; p. pr. & vb. n. Vomiting.] Etym: [Cf. L. vomere, vomitum, and v. freq. vomitare. See Vomit, n.]

Defn: To eject the contents of the stomach by the mouth; to puke; to spew.

VOMIT Vom"it, v. t.

1. To throw up; to eject from the stomach through the mouth; to disgorge; to puke; to spew out; -- often followed by up or out. The fish . . . vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Jonah ii. 10.

2. Hence, to eject from any hollow place; to belch forth; to emit; to throw forth; as, volcanoes vomit flame, stones, etc. Like the sons of Vulcan, vomit smoke. Milton.

VOMIT Vom"it, n. Etym: [L. vomitus, from vomere, vomitum, to vomit; akin to Gr. vam, Lith. vemiti. Cf. Emetic, Vomito.]

1. Matter that is vomited; esp., matter ejected from the stomach through the mouth. Like vomit from his yawning entrails poured. Sandys.

2. (Med.)

Defn: That which excites vomiting; an emetic. He gives your Hollander a vomit. Shak. Black vomit. (Med.) See in the Vocabulary. -- Vomit nut, nux vomica.

VOMITING Vom"it*ing, n.

Defn: The spasmodic ejection of matter from the stomach through the mouth.

VOMITION Vo*mi"tion, n. Etym: [L. vomitio.]

Defn: The act or power of vomiting. Grew.

VOMITIVE Vom"i*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. vomitif.]

Defn: Causing the ejection of matter from the stomach; emetic.

VOMITO Vo*mi"to, n. Etym: [Sp. vómito, fr. L. vomitus. See Vomit, n.] (Med.)

Defn: The yellow fever in its worst form, when it is usually attended with black vomit. See Black vomit.

VOMITORY Vom"i*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. vomitorious.]