Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VANE, n. [D. vaan. The primary sense is extended.]

A plate placed on a spindle, at the top of a spire, for the purpose of showing by its turning and direction, which way the wind blows. In ships, a piece of bunting is used for the same purpose.

VAN-FOSS, n.

A ditch on the outside of the counterscarp. Cyc.

VANG, n.

1. The vangs of a ship are a sort of braces to steady the mizen-gaff.
2. The thin membranous part or web of a feather. Derham

VAN'-GUARD, n. [van and guard.]

The troops who march in front of an army; the first line.

VA-NIL'LA, n.

A. genus of orchidaceous plants, natives of a tropical America. The capsule of Vanilla aromatics is remarkable for its fragrant odor, and for the volatile odoriferous oil extracted from it. As a medicine, it is supposed to possess powers analogous to valerian, while, at the same time, it is far more grateful. Cyc.

VAN'ISH, n.

A sound that gradually becomes weaker till it ceases. Rush.

VAN'ISH, v.i. [L. vanesco; Fr. evanouir; It. svanire; from L. vanus, vain, or its root; Eng. to wane. The primary sense is to withdraw or depart.]

1. To disappear; to pass from a visible to an invisible state; as, vapor vanishes from the sight by being dissipated. Light vanishes when the rays of the illuminating body are intercepted; darkness vanishes before the rising sun.
2. To disappear; to pass beyond the limit of vision; as, ship vanishes from the sight of spectators on land.
3. To disappear; to pass away; to be annihilated or lost. How cheering is the well founded hope of enjoying delights which can never vanish!

VAN'ISH-ED, a.

Having no perceptible existence. Pope.

VAN'ISH-ING, ppr.

Disappearing; passing from the sight or possession; departing forever.

VAN'ISH-MENT, n.

A vanishing. Quincy.

VAN'I-TY, n. [Fr. vanite; L. vanitas, from venus, vain.]

1. Emptiness; want of substance to satisfy desire; uncertainty; inanity. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. Eccles. i
2. Fruitless desire or endeavor. Vanity possesseth many who are desirous to know the certainty of things to come. Sidney.
3. Trifling labor that produces no good. Ralegh.
4. Emptiness; untruth. Here I may well show the Vanity of what is reported in the story of Walsingham. Davies.
5. Empty pleasure; vain pursuit; idle show; unsubstantial enjoyment. Sin with vanity had fill'd the works of men. Milton. Think not when woman's transient breath is fled, That all her vanities at once are dead; Succeeding vanities she still regards. Pope.
6. Ostentation; arrogance. Ralegh.
7. Inflation of mind upon slight grounds; empty pride, inspired by an overweening conceit of one's personal attainments or decorations. Fops can not be cured of their vanity. Vanity is the food of fools. Swift. No man sympathizes with the sorrows of vanity. Johnson.

VAN'QUISH, n.

A disease in sheep, in which they pine away.

VAN'QUISH, v.t. [Fr. vaincre; L. vinco; It. vincere; Sp. vincer; probably allied to L. vincio, to bind.]

1. To conquer; to overcome; to subdue in battle; as an enemy. They vanquished the rebels in all encounters. Clarendon.
2. To defeat in any contest; to refute in argument. Atterbury.

VAN'QUISH-A-BLE, a.

That may be conquered. Gayton.

VAN'QUISH-ED, pp.

Overcome in battle; subdued; defeated.

VAN'QUISH-ER, n.

A conqueror; a victor.

VAN'QUISH-ING, ppr.

Conquering; subduing; defeating; refuting.

VAN'SIRE, n.

In zoology, the Mangusta galera, a digitigrade, carnivorous mammal; a small quadruped, somewhat resembling a weasel, of a deep brown color, speckled with yellow, the tail of equal size its whole length; inhabiting Madagascar and the Isle of France.

VANT, v.i. [Fr. canter.]

To boast. [This is the more correct orthography. See Vaunt.]

VANT'AGE, n. [Sp. ventaja; from the root of L. venio. See Advantage and Van.]

1. Gain; profit. [Obs.]
2. Superiority; state in which one has better means of action or defense than another. [This, I believe, is used only in the compound, vantage-ground.]
3. Opportunity; convenience. [Obs.] Shak.

VANT'AGE, v.t.

To profit. [Not in use.]

VANT'AGE-GROUND, n.

Superiority of state or place; the place or condition which gives one an advantage over another.

VANT'BRASS, n. [Fr. avant-bras.]

Armor for the arm. [Obs.] Milton.

VAP'ID, a. [L. vapidusidus. The radical verb is not in the Latin, but the sense must be to pass or fly off, to escape; or to strike down, L. vapulo. It is probably allied to vapor.]

1. Having lost its life and spirit; dead; spiritless; flat; as, vapid beer; a vapid state of the blood.
2. Dull; unanimated.

VAP'ID-LY, adv.

In a vapid manner.