Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VICE, n. [Fr. vice; It. vizio; Sp. vicio; L. vitium; W. gwyd.]

1. Properly, a spot or defect; a fault; a blemish; as, the vices of a political constitution. – Madison.
2. In ethics, any voluntary action or course of conduct which deviates from the rules of moral rectitude, or from the plain rules of propriety; any moral unfitness of conduct, either from defect of duty, or from the transgression of known principles of rectitude. Vice differs from crime, in being less enormous. We never call murder or robbery a vice; but every act of intemperance, all falsehood, duplicity, deception, lewdness and the like, is a vice. The excessive indulgence of passions and appetites which in themselves are innocent, is a vice. The smoking of tobacco and the taking of snuff, may in certain cases be innocent and even useful, but these practices may be carried to such an excess as to become vices. This word is also used to denote a habit of transgressing; as, a life of vice. Vice is rarely a solitary invader; it usually brings with it a frightful train of followers.
3. Depravity or corruption of manners; as, an age of vice. When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, / The post of honor is a private station. – Addison.
4. A fault or bad trick in a horse.
5. The fool or punchinello of old shows. His face made of brass, like a vice in a game. – Tusser.
6. An iron press. [This should be written vise.]
7. A gripe or grasp. [Not in use.] – Shak.

VICE, prep.

L. vice, in the turn or place, is used in composition to denote one qui vicem gerit, who acts in the place of another, or is second in authority.

VICE, v.t.

To draw by a kind of violence. [Not in use. See Vise.] – Shak.

VICE-AD'MI-RAL, n.

1. In the navy, the second officer in command. His flag is displayed at the fore top-gallant-mast head. Mar. Dict.
2. A civil officer in Great Britain, appointed by the lords commissioners of the admiralty, for exercising admiralty jurisdiction within their respective districts.

VICE-AD'MI-RAL-TY, n.

The office of a vice-admiralty, a vice-admiralty court.

VICE-A'GENT, n. [vice and agent.]

One who acts in the place of another. – Hooker.

VICE-CHAM'BER-LAIN, n.

An officer in court, next in command to the lord chamberlain. – England.

VICE-CHAN'CEL-LOR, n.

An officer in a university in England, a distinguished member, who is annually elected to manage the affairs in the absence of the chancellor. – Cyc.

VICE-CON'SUL, n.

One who acts in the place of a consul.

VI'CED, a.

Vitious; corrupt. [Not in use.] – Shak.

VICE-DOGE', n.

A counselor at Venice, who represents the doge when sick or absent. – Cyc.

VICE-GE'REN-CY, n. [See Vicegerent.]

The office of a vicegerent; agency under another; deputed power; lieutenancy. – South.

VICE-GE'RENT, a.

Having or exercising delegated power; acting by substitution, or in the place of another. – Milton.

VICE-GE'RENT, n. [L. vicem gerens, acting in the place of another.]

A lieutenant; a vicar; an officer who is deputed by a superior or by proper authority to exercise the powers of another. Kings are sometimes called God's vicegerents. It is to be wished they would always deserve the appellation.

VICE-LEG'ATE, n.

An officer employed by the pope to perform the office of spiritual and temporal governor in certain cities, when there is no legate or cardinal to command there. – Cyc.

VIC'E-NA-RY, a. [L. vicenarius.]

Belonging to twenty.

VICE-PRES'I-DEN-CY, n.

The office of vice-president . – Story.

VICE-PRES'I-DENT, n. [s as z.]

An officer next in rank below a president. – United States.

VICE-RE'GAL, a.

Being in the place of a king. – Kirby.

VICE-RE'GAL, a.

Pertaining to a viceroy, or viceroyalty.

VICE'ROY, n. [Fr. viceroi.]

The governor of a kingdom or country, who rules in the name of the king with regal authority, as the king's substitute. – Swift.

VICE-ROY'AL-TY, n.

The dignity, office or jurisdictional a viceroy.

VICE'ROY-SHIP, n.

The dignity, office or jurisdiction of a viceroy.

VICE-SUP-PRESS'ING, a.

Adapted to suppress vice.

VICE'TY, n.

Nicety; exactness. – B. Jonson. [Not in use; probably a mistake.]