22.1 vacancy...
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vacancy n. 1 emptiness, void, gap, lacuna, hiatus, blank, deficiency,
opening, breach, vacuum: Only after she left did Hubert sense
the vacancy in his life. 2 (job) opening, slot, position, post,
situation: Her promotion created a vacancy in the personnel
department. 3 blankness, emptiness, vacuity, absent-mindedness,
inanity, vacuousness, incomprehension, fatuity, unawareness: I
knew by the vacancy of his look that he hadn't any idea of what
I was talking about.
vacant adj. 1 empty, void, hollow, unoccupied, untenanted,
uninhabited, abandoned, deserted: The house remained vacant all
summer. 2 blank, expressionless, deadpan, empty, vacuous, dull,
absent-minded, inane, uncomprehending, fatuous, unaware: After
the accident, she would just sit, for hours on end, with a
vacant look on her face. 3 unoccupied, free, unused, unutilized,
spare, extra, idle, unfilled, unengaged, unspoken for: The
doctor has a vacant hour tomorrow at ten and could see you then.
vacate v. 1 leave, depart (from), withdraw from, quit, evacuate, get
or go out of; desert, abandon: In a fire drill, employees must
vacate the building in five minutes. 2 give up, relinquish,
sacrifice, renounce, let go, resign, abdicate, cede, give up
right or claim to, abandon: We vacated all claims to my aunt's
property. 3 annul, declare null and void, nullify, void,
repudiate, override, overrule, rescind, revoke, recall, quash,
set aside, invalidate: The judge vacated the defendant's plea
of diminished capacity.
vade-mecum
n. handbook, manual, ready reference, book, guide: She always
had with her a vade-mecum on rare poisons.
vagabond n. 1 gypsy, tramp, vagrant, wayfarer, rover, wanderer,
itinerant, migrant, bird of passage, rolling stone, beachcomber,
derelict, Chiefly US and Canadian hobo, Australian swagman,
Colloq US bum, Slang US bindle-stiff: The police interviewed
every vagabond they could find for a clue to the murder.
--adj. 2 vagrant, wayfaring, roving, wandering, itinerant,
migrant, derelict, nomadic, gypsy, rambling, roaming, drifting,
peripatetic, transient, peregrinating: When will he give up his
vagabond ways and settle down?
vague adj. 1 indefinite, indistinct, imprecise, inexact, unclear,
confused, unspecified or non-specified, general, generalized,
unspecific or non-specific, inexplicit or unexplicit,
ill-defined, hazy, fuzzy, ambiguous, obscure, amorphous;
shapeless, blurred, blurry, filmy, dim, shadowy, veiled, bleary,
foggy, misty, cloudy, clouded, hardly or barely distinguishable
or discernible: I have only a vague recollection of our having
met. She must have had a vague idea of your intentions. Leon
could almost make out the vague shape of an approaching figure.
2 undetermined, indeterminate, unfixed, indefinite, inexact,
unspecified or non-specified, unspecific or non-specific,
ambiguous, doubtful, in doubt, uncertain, equivocal, ambiguous:
For security reasons, her time of arrival was left vague. 3
veiled, concealed, hidden, shrouded, obscure, ill-defined,
unspecific or non-specific, inexplicit or unexplicit, ambiguous:
There had been a vague threat of kidnapping, which should not
have been ignored. 4 subliminal, subconscious, indefinable,
unexplained: I had a vague sensation of being followed. 5
indefinite, ambiguous, wishy-washy, undecided, indecisive,
irresolute, vacillating, wavering, inconstant, unsettled,
uncertain, nebulous, up in the air: Leonore is vague about her
plans to run for re-election. 6 vacant, empty, blank,
expressionless, empty, vacuous, dull; puzzled: By their vague
expressions I could see they hadn't understood a word.
vaguely adv. 1 distantly, remotely, indefinitely, dimly, subliminally,
subconsciously, inexplicably: I became vaguely aware of another
presence in the room. 2 ambiguously, imprecisely, inexactly,
unclearly, confusedly, confusingly, hazily, fuzzily, nebulously,
obscurely: Kenston claims that he expresses his theories
vaguely to allow for broad interpretation. 3 idly, vacantly,
detachedly, absent-mindedly, dreamily, absently, distractedly:
Manton listened only vaguely to the judge's words.
vain adj. 1 proud, conceited, haughty, arrogant, boastful,
egotistical, cocky, self-important, vainglorious, narcissistic,
Colloq big-headed, swell-headed, stuck-up, swollen-headed: They
are so vain that they have mirrors in every room. 2 worthless,
profitless, bootless, pointless, unsuccessful, empty, futile,
useless, unavailing, unproductive, fruitless, ineffective,
abortive: Peter sent Carol flowers every day in a vain attempt
to win her back. 3 in vain. a vainly, futilely, unsuccessfully,
fruitlessly, bootlessly: In vain, we sought the help of the
police. b irreverently, blasphemously, disrespectfully,
improperly: Despite his mother's admonitions, he continues to
take the Lord's name in vain.
valley n. glen, dale, dell, vale, dingle, hollow, coomb or coombe or
combe or comb, No. Brit and Welsh cirque or corrie or cwm, Scots
strath: Oh, to stroll once again the cool valleys and the
heathered hills of home!
vanity n. 1 conceit, conceitedness, egotism, narcissism, arrogance,
cockiness, self-importance, vainglory, haughtiness, pride,
self-admiration, self-worship, Colloq swell-headedness,
big-headedness: It is disgraceful what some people do to
satisfy their vanity. 2 vainness, emptiness, hollowness,
worthlessness, futility, unreality, bootlessness, pointlessness,
uselessness, folly, vapidity, silliness, vacuousness, vacuity,
foolishness, fatuity, frivolousness: The vanity of trying to
complete the book in a year must be obvious by now.
vapid adj. insipid, flavourless, tasteless, bland, watery, watered
down, wishy-washy, jejune, colourless, unpalatable, flat, tame,
lifeless, boring, tedious, tiresome, uninteresting, trite,
wearisome, wearying, humdrum, Colloq blah, ho-hum: The minister
attacked green politics as vapid romanticism.
vapour n. 1 mist, fog, steam, cloud, smoke, smog, exhalation: There
arose from the bog a suffocating, miasmic vapour. 2 the
vapours. morbidity, hypochondria, hysteria, nervousness,
depression, rheuminess, Archaic distemper, Colloq the pip:
Charlotte suffered an attack of the vapours and retired to her
room.
variable adj. changeable, protean, changing, inconstant, varying,
wavering, mercurial, fickle, capricious, unsteady, unfixed,
unstable, uncertain, undependable, unpredictable, fluctuating,
vacillating, mutable, chameleonic, chameleon-like: The weather
can be quite variable depending on the season.
variance n. 1 variation, difference, disparity, discrepancy,
disagreement, deviation, inconsistency, divergence, incongruity:
The monitor takes account of minute variance in blood pressure.
2 disagreement, misunderstanding, discord, difference (of
opinion), dissension, contention, dispute, dissent, controversy,
quarrel, conflict, argument, debate, lack of harmony, falling
out, schism, rift: There has never been any variance between us
about the disciplining of the children. 3 at variance. in
dispute, in disagreement, quarrelling, in contention, in
conflict: The workforce was at variance with management in the
matter of day care.
variant n. 1 alternative, modification, variation: 'Labor' is an
American spelling variant of 'labour'.
--adj. 2 varying, variable, changing, altering, unstable,
deviant, deviating, different, differing; separate, distinct:
It is claimed that the law is given variant interpretations
depending on the social standing of the suspect.
variation n. 1 change, changing, alteration, altering, variety, varying,
modification, modifying, difference, differing, diversification,
diversity, diversifying, modulation, modulating, conversion,
converting, permutation, permuting: We have to allow for
variation in the intensity of the light. 2 variety, choice,
novelty, diversity, departure (from the norm or usual), change
of pace, divergence, variegation, deviation (from the norm):
This restaurant offers considerable variation in its menu.
varied adj. 1 diverse, diversified, mixed, miscellaneous, assorted,
heterogeneous: An insufficiently varied diet may lead to
malnutrition. 2 See various, below 3 See variegated, below.
variegated
adj. multicolour(ed), particolour(ed), varicoloured,
many-coloured, motley, pied, piebald, brindled, mottled,
polychrome, polychromatic; nacreous, changeant, opalescent,
opaline: Plants with variegated foliage always add interest to
a garden.
variety n. 1 diversity, diversification, multifariousness,
multiplicity, number, range, assortment, medley, mixture, mix,
miscellany, heterogeneity, choice, selection, collection: Don't
you find that the variety of foods in supermarkets today is
astonishing? There was certainly a wide variety of people at
their party. 2 difference, heterogeneity, discrepancy,
diversity, disparity, variation, contrast: The flora and fauna
of Australia display great variety. 3 sort, brand, make, mark,
kind, class, category, breed, type, order, genre, species,
genus, classification, strain: Which variety of washing powder
do you prefer? Rex cultivated only the rarest varieties of
orchid.
various adj. 1 different, a number of, a variety of, diversified,
diverse, several, many, numerous, sundry, heterogeneous,
miscellaneous, Literary divers: We are considering various
offers for the painting. Catherine held various executive
positions in the company. 2 different, distinct, individual:
There are various ways of looking at the problem.
vary v. 1 change, alter, diversify, transform, reshape, remodel,
restyle, modify, reorganize: We vary the programme each month
to make it more interesting. 2 change, switch, alternate,
fluctuate, vacillate: The manager's attitude varies from
helpful to downright rude. 3 depart, deviate, differ, diverge,
shift, veer: These results do not vary from the average by more
than five per cent.
vast adj. infinite, unlimited, boundless, limitless, unbounded,
interminable, endless, never-ending, inexhaustible,
indeterminate, immeasurable, incalculable, measureless; immense,
enormous, huge, tremendous, great, prodigious, stupendous,
gigantic, massive, voluminous, capacious, colossal, monumental,
mammoth, jumbo, elephantine, behemoth, Cyclopean,
Brobdingnagian, titanic, Literary vasty, Colloq ginormous,
humongous: It is difficult to comprehend the vast distances of
space. There is a vast difference between the climates of
California and the Midwest.
vastly adv. immensely, greatly, hugely, enormously, considerably,
substantially, (almost) entirely, infinitely, exceedingly,
extremely, very much, Colloq worlds: Their new house was vastly
different from the way I had pictured it. Katy looks vastly
better since she lost two stone.
22.2 vehicle...
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vehicle n. 1 conveyance: The police report that two vehicles were
damaged in the crash. 2 means, channel, mechanism, carrier,
conduit, agency, instrument: Water is the vehicle used in many
sprays.
veil n. 1 covering, cover, screen, camouflage, cloak, curtain, mask,
shroud: A veil of silence has been drawn over the meetings. He
stole away under the veil of darkness.
--v. 2 cover, conceal, hide, camouflage, cloak, mask, disguise,
shroud, shield, obscure: The writer's identity was veiled from
us till recently.
veiled adj. concealed, hidden, masked, obscure, unrevealed, covert,
disguised, secret, sub rosa, subtle: There seemed to be a
veiled threat in the way he said goodbye.
vein n. 1 blood-vessel; nervure: He killed himself by opening a
vein in his wrist. 2 streak, seam, stripe, striation, stria,
thread, line: The reddish vein gives this marble a warm
feeling. 3 seam, lode, stratum, course, deposit, bed: The
prospector discovered a vein of almost pure gold in the old
mine. 4 thread, hint, suggestion, touch, trace, streak, line,
strain, mood, spirit, tone, note, tenor, feeling, attitude,
disposition, humour, temper; tendency or inclination or
proclivity toward(s): Underlying her apparent kindness is a
vein of bitter hatred. 5 way, manner, course, fashion, style,
mode, pattern: He would have continued in that same vein if the
chairman hadn't stopped him.
velocity n. speed, swiftness, rapidity, fleetness, quickness, briskness,
alacrity, celerity, pace, rate of speed, miles per hour, m.p.h.,
kilometres per hour, km/hr: Our velocity slowed as we neared
the outer atmosphere.
venal adj. corrupt, corruptible, bribable or bribeable, buyable,
purchasable, mercenary, unprincipled, dishonourable, rapacious,
avaricious, greedy, simoniacal, Colloq crooked, Slang bent: All
we had to do was to find a venal official, cross his palm with
silver, and they would release our son.
vendetta n. (blood) feud, quarrel, dispute, conflict, rivalry, enmity,
bitterness, hatred, ill will, bad blood: Fifty years after
leaving Palermo, the vendetta between their families still
persisted.
veneer n. gloss, fa‡ade, finish, pretence, (false) front, (outward)
show or display, appearance, mask, guise, aspect, superficies:
Beneath that veneer of elegance and refinement lie the heart and
soul of a monstrous criminal.
venerable adj. respectable, honourable, estimable, respected, honoured,
esteemed, august, sedate, impressive, revered, reverenced,
worshipped: Venerable old military men were called on for
advice.
venerate v. respect, honour, esteem, revere, reverence, worship, hallow,
adore, admire, look up to: Schweitzer was widely venerated for
his charitable works.
veneration
n. respect, honour, esteem, reverence, deference, homage,
devotion, worship, admiration, adoration, idolization, awe:
Their veneration for their hero turned to contempt when his past
was revealed.
venereal adj. sexual; genital; social, sexually transmitted, gonorrhoeal
or gonorrhoeic, syphilitic: Reports indicate that venereal
disease has been on the decline since the advent of AIDS.
vengeance n. 1 revenge, retaliation, retribution, requital, reprisal:
Her vengeance for what he had done was to disinherit him. 2
with a vengeance. a violently, fiercely, ferociously, wildly,
vehemently, furiously, forcefully: The wind blew with a
vengeance all night. b energetically, to the fullest extent, to
the utmost or the fullest or the limit, (with) no holds barred,
enthusiastically, wholeheartedly: Give Richard a job to do and
he goes at with a vengeance.
venial adj. forgivable, excusable, pardonable, tolerable, tolerated,
minor, petty, insignificant, unimportant, remittable or
remissible: That hypocrite considers even his most heinous
crimes to be venial.
venom n. 1 poison, toxin: The snakes are 'milked' of their venom,
which is collected for research in antitoxins and
pharmaceuticals. 2 malice, maliciousness, malevolence, ill will,
malignity, animosity, hate, hatred, hostility, antagonism,
spite, spitefulness, spleen, rancour, bitterness,
embitteredness, gall, poison, poisonousness, virulence: Vinnie
was totally unprepared for the venom of the attack.
venomous adj. 1 poisonous, deadly, toxic, dangerous, life-threatening,
lethal: There are few venomous snakes in the British Isles. 2
poisonous, virulent, malicious, malevolent, malign, malignant,
savage, baleful, envenomed, hostile, antagonistic, spiteful,
splenetic, acerbic, rancorous, bitter, embittered, mean,
vicious: That venomous little man caused me to lose my job.
vent n. 1 opening, slit, slot, hole, aperture, air-hole, blow-hole,
spiracle, orifice, outlet, inlet, funnel, flue, duct, passage;
fumarole, fissure, pipe, mofette or moffette: The tepee has a
vent at the peak to let the smoke of the fire escape. 2 give
vent to. See 3, below.
--v. 3 give vent to, express, verbalize, air, articulate,
enunciate, declare, voice, announce, communicate, pronounce,
proclaim, reveal, release, let go, let loose, allow to become
known, make known, blurt out, make public, broadcast: Has
Margie ever vented her true feelings about your work as a bomb
disposal expert? Arnold vents his spleen on any unfortunate who
will stand for it. 4 discharge, release, emit, eject, issue,
empty, dump, expel, send or pour out or forth, throw out: It is
illegal to vent poisonous fumes into the atmosphere.
venture n. 1 risk, chance, hazardous undertaking, experiment,
speculation, gamble, plunge, fling: Their new publishing
venture turned out to be quite a success.
--v. 2 dare(say), make bold, hazard, volunteer, tender, offer,
broach, advance, proffer, put forward: Ambrose ventured some
nasty remark and was asked to leave. 3 jeopardize, risk,
endanger, hazard, imperil; gamble, bet, wager, plunge, put down:
Thomas ventured his last chip on the number four.
venturesome
adj. 1 daring, bold, intrepid, adventurous, courageous, plucky,
adventuresome, audacious, fearless, doughty, brave, spirited:
Henderson felt that he was being truly venturesome by sailing
single-handed round the Isle of Wight. 2 risky, rash, reckless,
sporting, game, daredevil: Taking one's family into the
American West was truly a venturesome undertaking - even in the
20th century.
verbal adj. 1 spoken, oral, vocal, said, uttered, expressed,
enunciated, articulated, colloquial, conversational, viva voce,
word-of-mouth, unwritten: We had a verbal agreement that you
would behave yourself. 2 word-for-word, verbatim, literal: We
have an accurate verbal transcript of the proceedings. 3 word,
lexical, vocabulary: She did very well on the verbal parts of
the examination but poorly on the mathematics.
verbatim adj. 1 word-for-word, verbatim et literatim (= 'word-for-word
and letter for letter'), literal, exact, precise, accurate,
faithful, strict: This verbatim translation may be accurate but
all the poetic expressiveness is lost.
--adv. 2 word for word, verbatim et literatim, literally,
exactly, precisely, accurately, faithfully, to the letter,
strictly: To make certain there would be no misunderstanding,
the speech was copied verbatim.
vergeāļ n. 1 edge, border, boundary, margin, brink, threshold, brim:
Frances is jealous of John to the verge of insanity. 2 on the
verge of. about to, ready to, on the (very) point of, preparing
to, soon to: Many smaller companies are on the verge of
bankruptcy.
--v. 3 Often, verge on. border (on), approach, come close or
near (to), Technical be asymptotic to: Cathy's idea of comfort
verges on what is more commonly thought of as luxury. Her
charitable contributions last year verged on zero.
verge v. incline, lean, tend, extend, stretch, turn; approach, draw,
move: The road verges southwards after the bridge.
verify v. affirm, confirm, testify to, attest (to), bear witness to,
vouch for, corroborate, support, substantiate, clinch or clench,
prove, demonstrate, show, bear out, authenticate, validate,
certify, guarantee, back up, warrant: Can you verify the
accuracy of his testimony?
veritable adj. real, true, virtual, genuine, actual, legitimate,
authentic: Frank becomes a veritable monster if denied his
daily doughnut.
vernacular
adj. 1 native, local, regional, indigenous, autochthonous: Old
Hebrew fell out of use, to be replaced by vernacular Aramaic. 2
popular, informal, colloquial, conversational, ordinary,
familiar, everyday, spoken, vulgar, vulgate; plain, simple,
straightforward, easy: We have both the vernacular and the
formal, literary, or clerical levels of language. Can you
translate this scientific gobbledegook into vernacular English
that we can understand?
--n. 3 jargon, patois, argot, cant, idiom, phraseology,
language, talk, speech: Alf occasionally slips into the
vernacular of a Billingsgate fishmonger (his former calling ) .
versatile adj. 1 adaptable, resourceful, all-round, all-purpose,
many-sided, multi-purpose, multifaceted, flexible, adjustable,
protean, dexterous, handy, facile: Everett is a versatile
painter who works in many media and styles. 2 variable,
changeable, protean, changing, flexible, fluctuating: Any
versatile organization should be able to accommodate staff
losses.
versed adj. Usually, well-versed in. well-read or (well-)informed in
or (well-)trained or (well-)grounded or (well-)schooled or
(well-)educated or (well-)tutored or learned or cultured or
lettered or cultivated or literate or competent or accomplished
or skilled in, (well) posted on, knowledgeable in or about,
proficient or experienced or practised or expert or good in or
at, conversant or familiar or (well-)acquainted with: The
applicant appears to be sufficiently well-versed in several
subjects to be qualified to teach them.
version n. 1 form, variant, variation, type, model, style, kind,
variety, manifestation, portrayal, adaptation, rendition,
interpretation, adaptation, construct, construction, conception,
idea: This is yet another modern designer's version of 1920s'
and 1930s' art deco. 2 story, account, rendering, rendition,
translation, interpretation, reading, understanding, view, side:
Simon's version of what happened is completely distorted.
vertex n. top, tip, extremity, zenith, meridian, apogee, peak, apex,
acme, summit, pinnacle, crest, crown, cap, height(s): The
building is surmounted by a pyramidal dome at the vertex of
which is a statue of Osiris.
vertigo n. dizziness, light-headedness, giddiness, instability, Colloq
wooziness: Vertigo suddenly overcame me, and I grabbed a rail
to steady myself.
verve n. spirit, vivacity, vivaciousness, vitality, life, liveliness,
animation, sparkle, energy, vigour, exuberance, briskness, brio,
esprit, ‚lan, dash, flair, panache, flourish, enthusiasm, zeal,
zest, gusto, Colloq pizazz, zip, vim, get-up-and-go, zing,
oomph: Helen's verve adds much to this production of Carmen .
very adv. 1 extremely, truly, really, to a great extent,
exceedingly, greatly, (very) much, profoundly, deeply, acutely,
unusually, extraordinarily, uncommonly, exceptionally,
remarkably, absolutely, completely, entirely, altogether,
totally, quite, rather, hugely, vastly, Dialect right, Brit
jolly, Colloq damn(ed), terribly, awfully, darned, US dialect
danged, plumb, Slang Brit bleeding , Chiefly Brit bloody: The
Bell Inn has a very fine wine list. Vicky was very attached to
her pony. I shall be there very soon. 2 most, extremely,
certainly, surely, definitely, decidedly, unequivocally,
unquestionably, quite, entirely, altogether: If you ask her
out, she is very likely to say no.
--adj. 3 exact, precise, perfect; same, selfsame, identical,
particular: Her hopes were the very opposite of his. I arrived
the very day she left. He is the very model of a hard-working
student. 4 least, mere, merest, bare, barest, sheer, sheerest;
utter, pure, simple: The very thought of war makes me ill. The
very mention of her name strikes terror into the hearts of the
local residents.
vessel n. 1 container, receptacle, utensil, holder: Food was stored
in vessels neatly arrayed around the sarcophagus. 2 craft,
boat, ship, ark, Literary barque or US also bark: The vessel
docked gently at the airlock of the space station.
vestige n. trace, suggestion, soup‡on, hint, glimmer, inkling,
suspicion, sign, evidence, mark, token, scent, whiff, tinge,
taste; remnant, scrap, fragment, memorial, residue, relic,
remains: Vestiges of an ancient city have been found in the sea
off Cyprus.
vestigial adj. imperfect, undeveloped, underdeveloped, rudimentary,
incomplete: Anatomists regard the coccyx in man and apes as a
vestigial tail.
vet v. examine, review, investigate, scrutinize, inspect, check
(out), look over, scan; validate, authenticate; Colloq give
(something or someone) the once-over, size up: We engaged an
expert to vet the definitions of culinary terms for the new
dictionary.
veteran n. 1 old hand, past master, old-timer, trouper, Colloq
warhorse: Barlow was a veteran of twenty years' experience in
the service.
--adj. 2 experienced, practised, seasoned, mature,
long-serving, battle-scarred: Did it never occur to this
veteran politician that there are degrees of misconduct?
veto v. 1 stop, block, deny, ban, turn down, reject, disallow, rule
out, quash, prevent, prohibit, interdict, taboo, outlaw,
proscribe, preclude, Colloq put the kibosh on, kill, nix:
Father vetoed the idea that we go to Brighton for the holiday.
Any measure he proposed was summarily vetoed.
--n. 2 denial, ban, stoppage, block, embargo, turn-down,
rejection, disallowance, quashing, prevention, prohibition,
interdiction, taboo, proscription, preclusion, vetoing, Colloq
killing, nixing: The home secretary's veto of the abortion
measure greatly angered the women's groups.
22.3 viable...
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viable adj. sustainable, supportable, sensible, reasonable, practical,
practicable, applicable, workable, feasible, possible: We have
three days to come up with a viable plan for continuing the
research project.
vibes n.pl. vibrations, feelings, sensations, resonance(s), rapport,
empathy, sympathy: I felt the place had really good vibes the
minute I walked in.
vibrate v. quiver, shiver, shudder, fluctuate, quake, shake, tremble,
throb, pulsate, oscillate, pulse, reverberate, resonate, Brit
judder: The house began to vibrate, the windows rattled, and
the dishes danced off their shelves.
vicarious adj. surrogate, delegated, deputed, commissioned, assigned,
indirect, substituted: He derived vicarious pleasure from
seeing his children do the things that he no longer could.
vice n. 1 immorality, corruption, evil, badness, depravity,
degradation, degeneracy, iniquity, villainy, venality,
evil-doing, wickedness, profligacy, sin, sinfulness,
transgression: She described the town as a den of indecency,
exhibitionism, and vice. 2 flaw, defect, fault, imperfection,
blemish, shortcoming, failing, weakness, frailty, foible,
infirmity, deficiency: Rejection without due consideration is a
prejudicial vice of editors.
vice versa
adv. conversely, contrariwise, to or on the contrary, reversed,
the other way around: She made the facts fit her conclusions,
instead of vice versa.
vicinity n. area, neighbourhood, locale, vicinage, environs, locality,
precincts, purlieus, territory: All people living in the
vicinity of the nuclear plant were tested for radiation
poisoning.
vicious adj. 1 immoral, unprincipled, amoral, barbarous, corrupt, evil,
bad, base, depraved, vile, atrocious, execrable, degraded,
degrading, degenerate, venal, iniquitous, heinous, odious,
perverted, nefarious, wicked, flagitious, devilish,
diabolic(al), fiendish, monstrous, profligate, shameful,
shameless, abominable, sinful: The vicious, bloody dictatorship
on the island lasted only a dozen years. 2 malicious, spiteful,
mean, nasty, hateful, malevolent, malignant, bitter,
acrimonious, rancorous, venomous, vindictive, defamatory,
slanderous, scandalous, Slang rotten, bitchy: When they argued,
they said terribly vicious things to one another. 3 savage,
wild, untamed, ferocious, fearful, brutal, fierce, fiendish,
bestial, feral, brutish, ravening, Literary fell: The local
children were terrified of his vicious Rottweiler.
vicissitude
n. 1 change, mutation, alteration, changeability, mutability,
variation, variability, variety, alternation, flux, fluctuation,
unpredictability: Who seeks stability in life often encounters
its vicissitude. 2 vicissitudes. fluctuations, changes,
variations, contrasts, inconstancy, unpredictability,
uncertainties, Colloq ups and downs, flukiness: His success is
amazing in light of the vicissitudes he survived.
victim n. 1 sufferer, martyr, casualty, scapegoat, sacrificial lamb,
injured party: It is a pity that you had to be the victim of
her greed. 2 dupe, gull, fool, butt, fair game, Colloq chump,
fall guy, Slang sucker, sap, Chiefly US and Canadian patsy, US
schnook, schlemiel or schlemihl or shlemiel: She was an easy
victim for any confidence man.
victimize v. 1 prey on, pursue, go after, pick on, bully, take advantage
of, persecute, exploit, use: Increasingly, older people are
being victimized by unscrupulous relatives. 2 cheat, swindle,
bilk, defraud, dupe, hoodwink, deceive, gull, fool, trick,
outwit, outsmart, outfox, Colloq snooker, flimflam, Slang suck
or sucker in, screw, shaft, take (in), rook: The confidence
team used the old Spanish handkerchief trick to victimize
unsuspecting tourists.
victor n. winner, champion, conqueror, prizewinner: They came home
unchallenged victors by an overwhelming 11 point margin.
victorious
adj. triumphant, successful: Caesar was victorious over the
Gauls.
victory n. triumph, conquest, supremacy, superiority, success,
overcoming, mastery, winning, quelling, crushing: Alexander's
victory over Darius at Arbela was one of the decisive battles of
history.
vie v. compete, contend, struggle, strive: The brothers constantly
vied for their father's affection.
view n. 1 outlook, aspect, prospect, scene, perspective, vista,
panorama, spectacle, picture, tableau; landscape, seascape,
cityscape: From the tower we had a view of the devastation
below. 2 opinion, point of view, approach, position, judgement,
belief, way of thinking, conception, understanding, impression,
feeling, sentiment, notion: Denham's view is that the country's
defences are inadequate. 3 aspect, angle, position, prospect,
perspective, vision, representation, projection: Here is a
termite's-eye view of the timbers in your house. 4 inspection,
survey, vision, sight, observation, scrutiny, examination,
contemplation, study: The shroud was pulled away, exposing the
revolting object to our view. 5 aim, direction, intent,
intention, purpose, objective, object, expectation, prospect,
vision, hope, dream: We cultivated their friendship with a view
to being invited aboard their yacht. 6 in view of. in light of,
considering, in consideration of, because of, on account of: In
view of your failure to respond to our letters, we must refer
the matter to our lawyers.
--v. 7 look at or upon or over, see, take in, watch, observe,
scrutinize, examine, regard, behold: From this vantage point
one can view the entire valley. 8 witness, see, watch, observe,
take in: We viewed the entire robbery as it took place. 9
regard, consider, think of, look on or upon, judge, deem,
believe, hold, estimate, rate, gauge, assess: Control views
Craven as a threat.
viewpoint n. standpoint, (point of) view, attitude, angle, slant,
position, stance, vantage point, perspective, frame of
reference, way of thinking, context: From our viewpoint,
widening the road only encourages speeding.
vigilance n. watchfulness, alertness, observance, guardedness,
circumspection, attentiveness, caution: While the dog remains
loose, we must exercise vigilance.
vigilant adj. watchful, alert, sharp, observant, guarded, circumspect,
attentive, wakeful, cautious, careful, wary, chary, on one's
guard, on the alert, on the lookout, eagle-eyed, hawk-eyed,
Argus-eyed, on the qui vive, on one's toes, with one's eyes
open, Colloq with one's eyes skinned or peeled: As long as we
remain vigilant, they will never be able to take us by surprise.
vigorous adj. energetic, active, vivacious, dynamic, brisk, lively,
spirited, robust, strong, hardy, hale, hearty, vital, fit,
lusty, stalwart, in good or fine fettle, spry, sprightly,
resilient, Colloq peppy, full of pep, full of get-up-and-go,
full of beans: At 63, he is just as vigorous as he was at 40.
vigorously
adv. energetically, actively, vivaciously, dynamically,
briskly, spiritedly, robustly, strongly, hardily, heartily,
lustily, stalwartly, eagerly, with might and main, with a
vengeance, strenuously, Colloq like mad, like crazy, hammer and
tongs: It may not be good for you to exercise vigorously every
day.
vigour n. vitality, resilience, strength, power, energy, forcefulness,
force, stamina, endurance, mettle, mettlesomeness, pith,
dynamism, spirit, liveliness, animation, verve, vivacity,
exuberance, brio, briskness, zest, zealousness, enthusiasm,
gusto, eagerness, Colloq spunk, pep, pizazz, vim, oomph, zing,
get-up-and-go: When attacked, they defended themselves with
extraordinary vigour.
vile adj. 1 base, abject, contemptible, debased, degenerate,
depraved, bad, iniquitous, execrable, atrocious, sordid,
immoral, amoral, wicked, evil, sinful, hellish, fiendish,
ignoble, revolting, despicable, horrid, horrible, dreadful,
terrible, corrupt, mean, wretched, miserable, degrading,
ignominious, disgraceful, shameful, shameless: In every age,
the vilest specimens of human nature are to be found among
demagogues. 2 disgusting, nasty, sickening, nauseous,
nauseating, foul, loathsome, offensive, noxious, repulsive,
repellent, repugnant: It is, indeed, a vile disease, but at
least it is not contagious. She had prepared some vile cocktail
that I refused to drink.
vilify v. depreciate, devalue, deprecate, debase, disparage,
denigrate, diminish, traduce, defame, speak ill of, revile,
slander, libel, abuse, defile, sully, smear, tarnish, malign,
calumniate, asperse, run down, decry, Rare vilipend, Colloq US
bad-mouth: His political and religious views became notorious
and were often vilified.
villain n. wretch, evil-doer, criminal, miscreant, blackguard, rogue,
rascal, cad, scallywag or scalawag, malefactor, scoundrel, dog,
cur, viper, reptile, snake in the grass, rat, Archaic
rapscallion, Literary knave, caitiff, Colloq Brit bounder,
blighter, Slang bastard, son of a bitch, Brit rotter, US SOB or
s.o.b. (= 'son of a bitch'): The villain of the film is a
smooth-talking charmer who swindles old ladies out of their
savings.
villainous
adj. 1 treacherous, perfidious, dishonest, unscrupulous,
traitorous, corrupt, faithless, criminal, felonious, murderous,
Colloq crooked, bent: Few activities are more villainous than
being a double agent. 2 See vile, 1, above.
vindicate v. 1 clear, exonerate, absolve, acquit, exculpate, excuse: She
was vindicated of any complicity in the affair. 2 justify,
support, uphold, prove: Subsequent events vindicated his
actions.
vindictive
adj. avenging, vengeful, vindicatory, revengeful, retaliatory,
spiteful, unforgiving, splenetic, resentful, rancorous,
implacable: She later turned vindictive, attacking everyone for
real or imagined slights.
vintage n. 1 year, crop, harvest, origin, generation: Which vintage is
the better for Bordeaux, 1949 or 1954?
--adj. 2 quality, choice, superior, better, good, select, best,
classic; aged, seasoned, mature(d), mellow(ed): Mark has become
an expert in vintage wines. 3 antiquated, old-fashioned,
old-fogyish or old-fogeyish, antique, bygone, old-time,
collector or collector's, Colloq over the hill: Claud used to
drive his vintage car to work every day.
violate v. 1 break, breach, disobey, disregard, contravene, infringe,
ignore: He habitually violated the law by carrying a pistol. 2
dishonour, desecrate, profane, defile, degrade, debase, treat
irreverently: Vandals were found to have violated the sacred
shrine. 3 rape, debauch, ravish, ravage, molest, attack,
assault, outrage: The victim identified the man who had
violated her.
violation n. 1 infringement, breach, disregard, disobedience,
contravention, abuse; ignoring, infringing, breaching,
disregarding, disobeying, contravening, abusing, violating:
Parking here is a violation of the law. Violation of the rules
will be dealt with summarily. 2 profanation, profaning,
sacrilege, desecration, desecrating, defilement, defiling,
degradation, degrading, dishonour, dishonouring, debasement,
debasing, violating: The authorities take a serious view of the
violation of a place of worship or a cemetery. 3 rape,
ravishment, molestation, attack, outrage, assault, violating:
The defendant is charged with the violation of three women.
violence n. 1 (brute or physical) force, might, mightiness, power,
strength, severity, intensity, energy, vehemence, ferocity,
ferociousness, fierceness, fury, vigour; destructiveness,
virulence: The violence of the storm continued unabated
throughout the night. The violence of the seizures diminished
after she was given the medication. 2 bestiality, brutality,
barbarity, savagery, cruelty, bloodthirstiness, wildness,
ferocity, frenzy, fury, passion, fierceness, vehemence,
murderousness: The marauders attacked with a violence that
terrified the villagers. 3 do violence to. a harm, damage,
injure: The scandal did violence to her reputation. Humphrey's
singing could do violence to any melody. b warp, twist, distort:
In reporting that her views are antifeminist, the newspaper did
violence to the import of her speech.
violent adj. 1 wild, physical, destructive, vehement, brutal, brutish,
beastly, nasty, cruel, mean, barbarous, inhuman, savage, fierce,
ferocious, furious, frenzied, uncontrollable, untamed,
ungovernable, raging, raving, irrational, insane, crazed, Colloq
fit to be tied: Tony turned into a violent maniac when he
suspected her of seeing another man. 2 harmful, injurious,
damaging, detrimental, destructive, deleterious, catastrophic,
cataclysmic, ruinous, devastating: This was the most violent
earthquake to hit Mexico in recorded history. 3 acute, serious,
severe, extreme, harsh, trenchant, virulent, intense, energetic,
forceful, vehement, passionate, impetuous,tempestuous: The
proceedings were interrupted by an outburst of violent abuse
from the public gallery.
virtual adj. effective, essential; practical, understood, accepted: In
rush hours, the motorway traffic comes to a virtual standstill.
virtually adv. essentially, effectively, practically, almost, to all
intents and purposes, for all practical purposes, more or less,
nearly, as good as, substantially, in effect, in essence: He
had virtually won the Brisbane-London sailing race when he
passed the Lizard, but then he hit a rock.
virtue n. 1 morality, high-mindedness, honour, goodness, justness,
righteousness, fairness, integrity, right-mindedness, honesty,
probity, uprightness, rectitude, decency, worth, worthiness,
nobility, character, respectability: You will find the
Billingses to be people of unassailable virtue. 2 virginity,
chastity, chasteness, honour, innocence, purity: As Healey had
six daughters, he was kept quite busy protecting their virtue. 3
quality, credit, strength, good point, asset: Opposing the
seven deadly sins are the three theological virtues, faith,
hope, and charity, and the four cardinal virtues, fortitude,
justice, prudence, and temperance. 4 by virtue of. by dint of,
owing to, thanks to, by reason of, because of, on account of:
Gerry was a part owner by virtue of his investment in the
company.
virtuosity
n. (technical) skill, technique, ability, expertise, mastery,
excellence, brilliance, craftsmanship, craft, flair, dash, ‚lan,
‚clat, panache, pyrotechnics, showmanship, show, staginess,
Colloq razzle-dazzle: The concerto was performed with signal
virtuosity but little imagination or understanding.
virtuoso n. 1 master, maestro, expert, genius, talent, prodigy, old
hand, Colloq wizard, whiz or whizz or wiz, whiz-kid or
whizz-kid, Chiefly Brit dab hand, US maven or mavin: Walter is
a veritable virtuoso on the harmonica.
--adj. 2 masterful, masterly, expert, talented, brilliant,
dazzling, bravura, prodigious, excellent, superb, extraordinary,
exceptional, superior, first-rate, superlative, matchless,
peerless, sterling, marvellous, remarkable: His virtuoso
performance of the B minor sonata won him a standing ovation.
virtuous adj. 1 moral, honourable, ethical, honest, good, upstanding,
high-principled, upright, righteous, pure, uncorrupted,
incorruptible, just, fair, right-minded, fair-minded,
high-minded, scrupulous, trustworthy: Thomas has proved himself
a virtuous young man. 2 chaste, innocent, virginal, virgin;
decent, proper, unsullied, faithful, true, uncorrupted: A
virtuous woman makes a virtuous wife.
virulence n. 1 virulency, poisonousness, venomousness, toxicity,
noxiousness, deadliness, perniciousness, injuriousness,
destructiveness, malignity, malignancy, violence, balefulness:
The virulence of his affliction was not recognized till it was
too late. 2 virulency, acrimony, acrimoniousness, bitterness,
acerbity, rancour, spleen, poison, poisonousness, venom,
venomousness, malignity, malevolence, maliciousness, malice,
spite, hostility, resentment, antagonism, hatred: We were taken
aback by the virulence of the priest's attack on Miss Thompson's
morals.
virulent adj. 1 lethal, life-threatening, deadly, fatal, pernicious,
septic, poisonous, toxic, baleful, noxious, dangerous, harmful,
injurious, detrimental, deleterious, destructive, unhealthy,
unwholesome: He died from a virulent form of dysentery that he
caught in the tropics. 2 vicious, venomous, bitter, spiteful,
malignant, malign, malicious, malevolent, poisonous, splenetic,
acrimonious, acerbic, acid, mordant, sarcastic, nasty,
trenchant, caustic, antagonistic, hateful, hostile: What did I
do to the reviewer of The Herald to merit such a virulent
review?
visible adj. 1 seeable, perceivable, perceptible, discernible,
detectable, discoverable, noticeable, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, clear, obvious, observable; visual: The visible
part of the energy spectrum is relatively small. The entrance
holes to their burrows were clearly visible. 2 obvious,
conspicuous, evident, apparent, prominent, manifest, distinct,
patent, well-defined, identifiable: The consequences of the Act
of Union of 1707 are still visible in Scotland today.
vision n. 1 eyesight, perception, sight: The optician said there is
nothing wrong with MacKenzie's vision. 2 far-sightedness,
understanding, imagination, foresight, foresightedness, insight:
MacKenzie has brought great vision to this scheme for developing
the Australian outback. 3 view, perspective, perception,
envisioning, envisaging, dream, idea, plan, scheme: MacKenzie's
vision of making the desert bloom seemed impossibly remote. 4
phantom, apparition, chimera, delusion, hallucination, mirage,
spectre, shade, eidolon, revenant, phantasm, materialization,
illusion, ghost, wraith: A vision appeared to MacKenzie as he
slept, telling him that her name was Alice Springs. 5 sight for
sore eyes, (welcome) sight, dream, epitome: To MacKenzie Alice
was a vision of great beauty, and he proposed marriage.
visionary adj. 1 dreamy, speculative, unpractical, impractical, fanciful,
imaginary, unrealistic, unreal, romantic, idealistic,
unworkable, Utopian: It is a pity that none of MacKenzie's
visionary plans ever came to pass.
--n. 2 dreamer, idealist, romantic, fantast, wishful thinker,
Don Quixote: The world needs more visionaries like MacKenzie.
visit v. 1 (go or come to) see, call (in or on or upon), look in on,
stop in or by, Colloq pop in or by, drop in (on), take in: I
plan to visit Leslie. Did you visit the Smithsonian Institution?
2 afflict, attack, befall, fall upon, assail, seize, smite,
scourge, descend upon, inflict, affect: Horrible diseases and
tortures were said to visit those who denied God.
--n. 3 stay, call, sojourn, stop, stopover: The minister will
be here for only a brief visit.
visitation
n. 1 staying, calling, visiting, sojourning, stopping (over):
The father has visitation rights to his children on weekends. 2
affliction, ordeal, trial, punishment, disaster, catastrophe,
cataclysm, calamity, tragedy, curse, scourge, blight, plague,
pestilence: In the story, the tyrant succumbed finally to a
visitation from the Almighty.
visitor n. caller, guest, company; visitant: May I phone you back
after my visitors have gone?
vital adj. 1 imperative, essential, necessary, needed, requisite,
required, indispensable, mandatory, compulsory, cardinal,
fundamental, basic, critical, crucial, central, pivotal: Air
and water are vital for the existence of most known organisms.
2 important, key, central, critical, crucial, life-and-death or
life-or-death, pivotal, paramount, main: In an emergency, the
captain must make the vital decision whether to abandon ship.
This is a matter of vital concern for us all. 3 lively, full of
life, vivacious, spirited, vigorous, dynamic, alive, animated,
brisk, energetic: We have lost a vital member of the community.
She took a vital interest in community affairs. 4 invigorating,
quickening, life-giving, animating, vitalizing, reviving,
vivifying, enlivening, rejuvenating: I could feel the vital
energies returning to my limbs.
vitality n. 1 energy, life, life-force, vigour, power, intensity, force,
liveliness,, vivacity, vivaciousness, animation, sparkle,
spiritedness, exuberance, Colloq zing, pep, pizazz, oomph,
get-up-and-go, zip, vim: My great-grandfather has the vitality
of a forty-year-old. 2 stamina, hardiness, endurance, energy,
strength, robustness: Does this society have the vitality
needed to take it into the next decade?
vitalize v. stimulate, activate, arouse, vivify, animate, awaken,
inspirit, invigorate, enliven, inspire, revive, rejuvenate,
innervate, energize, fortify, reinvigorate, renew, refresh,
charge (up): The tonic vitalized him to the point where he felt
young again.
vitiate v. 1 spoil, ruin, harm, impair, mar, sully, corrupt, pervert,
contaminate, adulterate, weaken, degrade, downgrade, depreciate,
diminish, depress, vulgarize, lower, reduce, undermine: Words
appropriated from other languages tend to enrich rather than
vitiate modern English. 2 debase, deprave, pervert, corrupt,
demoralize, defile: Despite other strengths his entire
character was vitiated by overriding avarice. 3 invalidate,
destroy, delete, cancel, nullify, annul, revoke, void, abrogate,
abolish, withdraw, quash, suppress: The invoice was effectively
vitiated by the plaintiff's failure to deliver the goods.
vituperate
v. berate, rate, reproach, revile, vilify, execrate, abuse,
denounce, decry, deprecate, disparage, devalue, diminish, put
down, run down, devaluate, depreciate, blame, inculpate,
censure, find fault with, attack, assail, castigate, scold,
reprimand, upbraid, rebuke, chide, chasten: From the pulpit he
continued to vituperate the vices of the court.
vituperative
adj. abusive, calumniatory, calumnious, scurrilous, derogatory,
belittling, depreciatory, depreciative, detractory,
contemptuous, damning, denunciatory, denigrating, deprecatory,
censorious, aspersive, defamatory, slanderous, libellous,
castigatory, condemnatory, malign, scornful, withering, harsh,
sardonic, sarcastic, biting, acid, contumelious, opprobrious,
insulting, Formal vilipenditory, Colloq down-putting: Why
should he have directed this vituperative speech at the very
person whom he loves?
vivacious adj. lively, spirited, sprightly, energetic, animated, brisk,
ebullient, effervescent, bubbly, gay, cheerful, happy, blithe,
jaunty, light-hearted, sunny, merry, high-spirited, buoyant,
chipper, Colloq up, peppy, full of pep, full of beans, zippy:
Had he not gone on the cruise, Michael would never have met the
vivacious redhead who became his bride.
vivid adj. 1 intense, strong, brilliant, fresh, bright, dazzling,
lucid, rich, clear, colourful, glowing: Michel looked splendid
in a silk dress of vivid yellow. 2 clear, detailed, sharp,
realistic, graphic, true to life, lifelike, distinct, powerful,
strong, memorable, dramatic, striking: It brought back to me
vivid memories of our first meeting in 1985. 3 prolific,
fruitful, fertile, fecund, inventive, creative: That kiss,
which never took place, is a figment of Bagley's vivid
imagination.
22.4 vocalist...
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
vocalist n. singer, soloist, choirboy, choir girl, choir member,
chorus-boy, chorus girl, chorus-member, chorister, caroller;
diva, prima donna, chanteuse; cantor, crooner; Colloq songbird,
canary, thrush, nightingale: It was sung by a female vocalist
with a high-pitched girlish voice.
vocation n. calling, trade, m‚tier, business, profession, occupation,
career, employment, job, pursuit, life's-work, life-work, line
(of work), Slang bag, thing: I left university with no
particular vocation in mind.
vogue n. 1 fashion, mode, style, look, taste, trend, rage, craze,
last word, dernier cri, (latest) thing, Colloq fad, the latest:
Black leather boots were in vogue once again. 2 popularity,
favour, preference, acceptance, currency, prevalence,
fashionableness: They are capitalizing on the vogue for torn
jeans.
voice n. 1 speech, utterance, articulation, words, expression: Keith
found it difficult to give voice to his innermost thoughts. 2
share, part, vote, participation, say, decision, option, turn,
chance: As a junior member of the board, Nicholas had no voice
in major decisions. 3 spokesman, spokeswoman, spokesperson,
representative, agent, agency, instrument; organ, medium,
vehicle, forum, publication: Throughout his time in government,
Logan had served as the voice of the miners. The Clarion views
itself as the voice of all the people, though it actually
represents only a few.
--v. 4 express, utter, articulate, enunciate, present,
verbalize, put into words, give utterance or voice or expression
or vent to, communicate, convey, declare, assert, make known,
reveal, disclose, raise, bring up, air: I must voice my
misgivings about the step you are planning to take.
void adj. 1 null and void, invalid, not (legally) binding,
inoperative, unenforceable, ineffectual, futile, ineffective,
vain, unavailing, idle, useless, pointless, bootless: Owing to
irregularities, the election was declared void. If a card is
turned face-up, the deal is void. 2 empty, vacant, unoccupied,
unused, unutilized, unfilled, blank, clear; deserted: It is up
to the council to appoint new members as places become void. 3
void of. devoid of, without, lacking, destitute of: The man was
utterly void of imagination. In a minute, the room was void of
people.
--n. 4 emptiness, vacantness, vacuum, blankness, nothingness:
Without a word, he leaped off the edge and plunged into the
void. 5 space, niche, slot, opening, place, vacancy, gap,
emptiness: Who will fill the void left by Edgar's departure?
--v. 6 nullify, annul, cancel, delete, disannul, declare or
render null and void, invalidate, quash, vacate, discharge,
abandon, disestablish, neutralize, disenact, set or put aside,
rescind, reverse, abnegate, abrogate: They had to void the
accusation for lack of evidence. 7 evacuate, discharge, expel,
emit, purge, clear, empty, drain, eject; pass, excrete, urinate,
defecate: The tanker went far out to sea before voiding its
tanks. This medication will help in voiding the patient's
bowels.
volatile adj. 1 vaporizing, evaporable, evaporative: A volatile
solvent, which evaporates quickly, is the vehicle for
thermosetting plastics. 2 changeable, fickle, flighty,
inconstant, erratic, restless, unstable, variable, mercurial,
capricious: She was so volatile that one could never predict
what she would do next. 3 explosive, hair-trigger, sensitive,
charged, eruptive, tense, tension-ridden: Be careful of
Christine's volatile temper.
volition n. (free) will, choice, option, choosing, choice, discretion,
preference: She pursued a course of her own volition.
volley n. 1 salvo, bombardment, barrage, cannonade, fusillade,
discharge, hail, shower: A volley of shot struck the tower,
which collapsed. 2 outpouring, torrent, flood, deluge,
inundation, burst, storm, outbreak: The cracks of the
muleteer's whip were accompanied by a volley of abuse. 3 give
and take, to-and-fro, interaction, reciprocity, exchange,
volleying, crossfire, badinage, bantering: Samuel enjoyed the
volley of haggling that accompanied every sale.
voluble adj. talkative, glib, fluent, loquacious, garrulous, chatty,
profuse, gossipy, exuberant, long-winded, bombastic, windy,
wordy, Colloq blessed with the gift of the gab: He is the House
of Commons' most voluble advocate of capital punishment.
volume n. 1 amount, quantity, supply, mass, bulk, abundance, sum
total, aggregate: The volume of ore from the mine created a
pile hundreds of feet high. Her volume of output is greater than
yours and mine together. 2 capacity, size, measure: The volume
of this bottle is not more than a litre. 3 loudness: Turn down
the volume on that ghetto-blaster. 4 book, tome: I bought a
twenty-volume set of Dickens.
voluminous
adj. 1 large, extensive, great, spacious, capacious, expansive,
roomy, loose, ample, big, ample, bulky, cavernous, copious,
massive, huge, substantial, tremendous, enormous, gigantic,
mammoth, vast: Rose's voluminous skirt was supported by a
farthingale. 2 oversized, out-sized, ample, billowing: The
voluminous spinnaker filled and we wafted down the estuary at
hull speed.
voluntarily
adv. freely, willingly, spontaneously, of (one's) own free
will, on (one's) own (initiative or recognizance or
responsibility), without prompting, without being prompted or
asked, gratis, gratuitously; by choice, intentionally,
purposely, on purpose, deliberately: Some of the students spent
their summer vacation voluntarily helping the needy.
voluntary adj. 1 free, elective, willing, spontaneous, unsolicited,
unbidden, unasked, gratuitous, contributed: All work done on
behalf of the cause is voluntary. 2 discretionary or
discretional, unconstrained, intentional, wilful, deliberate,
intended, premeditated, planned, volitional, optional: His
confession was entirely voluntary, and he was not coerced in any
way.
voluptuous
adj. 1 sensual, sensualistic, sensuous, luxurious, voluptuary,
sybaritic(al), hedonist(ic), pleasure-seeking, pleasure-loving,
luxury-loving, (self-)indulgent: He longed to taste once again
the voluptuous delights of the Corinthian court. 2 seductive,
attractive, desirable, beautiful, tempting, inviting, appealing,
enticing, alluring, ravishing, luscious, delicious, gorgeous,
shapely, buxom, well-proportioned, well-endowed, well-built,
Colloq curvaceous, sexy, eye-filling, Slang (well-)stacked,
busty, US built: As he lolled on silken cushions, voluptuous
houris danced round him in tightening circles.
vomit v. spew out or up, spit up, belch forth; regurgitate, throw up,
gag, retch, heave, US keck, Colloq puke, return (food), Brit
sick up, Slang chiefly Australian chunder, US barf, upchuck,
toss (one's) cookies, spiff (one's) biscuits: The ancient steam
engine vomited smoke and cinders from its huge stack. The very
thought of going on a sea voyage almost made me vomit.
voracious adj. 1 insatiable, gluttonous, ravenous, ravening, rapacious,
piggish, hoggish, cormorant, predacious, edacious, devouring,
greedy, avaricious, esurient, uncontrollable, uncontrolled,
unquenchable, enormous, prodigious, US cormorant: Is there no
satisfying the man's voracious appetite? 2 thirsty, hungry,
desirous, avid, eager, zealous, enthusiastic, fervent, fervid,
ardent, earnest, passionate, devoted: It was becoming difficult
to satisfy the public's voracious demand for gossip.
vote n. 1 ballot, ticket, show of hands; referendum, plebiscite: We
must have a vote on the issue. 2 suffrage, franchise: Women
did not have the vote in those days. 3 opinion; voter, elector:
Do you think your platform can win over the liberal vote?
--v. 4 opt, choose, come out (for or against), express or
signify (one's) opinion or preference or desire: Many people
vote for a party rather than an individual.
vouch v. Usually, vouch for. support, guarantee, back (up), endorse,
certify; uphold, sponsor, bear witness, attest to: My neighbour
will vouch for me. Can she vouch for your not leaving the house
all evening?
vouchsafe v. 1 offer, give (up), yield, accord, supply, grant, impart,
bestow, deign or condescend to give: The minister vouchsafed no
information regarding interest rates. 2 permit, allow, suffer:
The government vouchsafed the hostages safe passage out of the
country.
vow v. 1 swear, pledge, promise, assure, state, declare, give
(one's) (solemn) word (of honour): I vowed to return after the
war to care for those who had helped me escape.
--n. 2 oath, pledge, promise, agreement; (solemn) word (of
honour): She will keep her vow, you may be certain.
22.5 vulgar...
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vulgar adj. 1 indelicate, boorish, uncultured, uncultivated, low,
unrefined, common, plebeian, inelegant, unladylike,
ungentlemanly, gauche, uncouth, coarse, tasteless, ostentatious,
ignoble, low-class, Colloq flash: The boss's wife was known for
her vulgar behaviour at the dinner table. 2 tasteless,
indelicate, indecent, rude, crude, naughty, dirty, improper, off
colour, risqu‚, ribald, blue, indecorous, nasty, offensive,
gross, lustful, obscene, lewd, lascivious, licentious, smutty,
salacious, scatological, filthy, pornographic, Slang US raunchy:
He made a lot of money through publishing vulgar magazines and
videos. 3 popular, vernacular, ordinary, everyday, general,
homespun, commonplace, household, average: Dictionaries should
record the vulgar language as well as the literary.
vulgarity n. 1 coarseness, lack of refinement or sophistication,
crudeness, rudeness, indelicacy, tawdriness, baseness,
humbleness, unsophistication, gaucherie, gaucheness, ignobility:
When you consider his upbringing you can scarcely blame him for
his vulgarity. 2 impropriety, lewdness, grossness, foulness,
vileness, filthiness, obscenity, Slang US raunchiness: The
magazine was refused an import licence because of its vulgarity.
vulnerable
adj. exposed, defenceless, weak, sensitive, unprotected,
unguarded, unshielded, helpless, powerless: She felt vulnerable
to those who prey on the elderly.
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