Emily Dickinson Lexicon

venture (-d), v. [see venture, n.] (webplay: act, gains, know, made, presumption, sea, West Indies).

Vera Cruz, proper n. [Full Sp. name La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, The Rich Town of the True Cross.]

Sea port city in east Mexico; trade center of Mexico with Europe; city that commemorated Christ's crucifixion when founded during Holy Week in 1519; [fig.] tropical, exotic place.

verb, n. [OFr < L. verbum.] (webplay: ask, see, write).

verdict, n. [AFr. verdit, ver true + dit to say, speak.] (webplay: decide).

verdure, n. [OFr verd green + -ure < ONorw. øyrisland, land giving the rent of 1/8 of a mark.] (webplay: prepared).

Greenness; verdancy; lushness; flourishing vegetation.

verge, n. [OFr < L. virga, rod.] (webplay: part, period).

Threshold; limit; beginning.

verily, adv. [OFr voirement < L. vērus, true.]

vermillion, adj. [see vermillion, n.] (webplay: name, ruddy).

1. Beautiful bright red in color.
2. Blood colored.

vermillion, n. [ED's variant spelling of “vermilion”; AFr and OFr vermail < L. vermiculus, a worm.] (webplay: cochineal, color, name, red.).

1. Bright, beautiful red color.
2. Cochineal; small insect found on a particular plant; color associated with or produced from the cochineal.
3. Ruddy color of health.

vermin (-'s), n. [AFr. and OFr < L. vermi-s, worm.] (webplay: insects).

Pest; destructive creature; stealthy animal that preys upon crops or other animals; [fig.] annoying or contemptible being; [fig.] death.