Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VENT, v.t.

1. To let out at a small aperture.
2. To let out; to suffer to escape from confinement; to utter; to pour forth; as, to vent passion or complaint. The queen of heav'n did thus her fury vent. – Dryden.
3. To utter; to report. [Not in use.] – Stephens.
4. To publish. The senators did greatly enrich their inventions by venting the stolen treasures of divine letters. [Not used.] Ralegh.
5. To sell. Therefore did those nations vent such spice. [Not in use.] Ralegh. [Instead of vent, in the latter sense, we use vend.]

VENT'AGE, n.

A small hole. [Not in use.] – Shak.

VENT'AIL, n. [Fr. a folding door.]

That part of a helmet made to be lifted up; the part intended for the admission of air, or for breathing.

VEN-TAN'NA, or VEN-TAN'A, n. [Sp. ventana.]

A window. [Not English.] – Dryden.

VENT'ER, n.

One who utters, reports or publishes. – Barrow.

VENT'ER, n. [L.]

1. In anatomy, the abdomen, or lower belly; formerly applied to any large cavity containing viscera, as the head, thorax and abdomen, called the three venters. – Parr.
2. The womb; and hence, mother. A. has a son B. by one venter, and a daughter C. by another venter; children by different venters. – Law Language.
3. The belly of a muscle.

VEN'TI-DUCT, n. [L. ventus, wind, and ductus, a canal; It. ventidotti.]

In building, a passage for wind or air; a subterraneous passage or spiracle for ventilating apartments. – Cyc.

VEN'TI-LATE, v.t. [L. ventilo, from ventus, wind; Fr. ventiler.]

1. To fan with wind; to open and expose to the free passage of air or wind; as, to ventilate a room; to ventilate a cellar.
2. To cause the air to pass through; as, to ventilate a mine.
3. To winnow; to fan; as, to ventilate wheat.
4. To examine; to discuss; that is, to agitate; as, to ventilate questions of policy. [Not now in use.]

VEN'TI-LA-TED, pp.

Exposed to the action of the air; fanned; winnowed; discussed.

VEN'TI-LA-TING, ppr.

Exposing to the action of wind; fanning; discussing.

VEN-TI-LA'TION, n. [Fr. from L. ventilatio.]

1. The act of ventilating; the act or operation of exposing to the free passage of air, or of causing the air to pass through any place, for the purpose of expelling impure air and dissipating any thing noxious.
2. The act of fanning or winnowing, for the purpose of separating chaff and dust.
3. Vent; utterance. [Not in use.] – Wotton.
4. Refrigeration. [Not in use.] – Harvey.

VEN'TI-LA-TOR, n.

An instrument or machine for expelling foul or stagnant air from any close place or apartment, and introducing that which is fresh and pure. Ventilators are of very different constructions and sizes.

VENT'ING, ppr.

Letting out; uttering.

VEN-TOS'I-TY, n. [Fr. ventosité; from L. ventosus.]

Windiness; flatulence. – Bacon.

VEN'TRAL, a. [from L. venter, belly.]

Belonging to the belly. The ventral fins, in fishes, are placed between the anus and the throat. – Ed. Encyc.

VEN'TRI-CLE, n. [L. ventriculus, from venter, belly.]

In a general sense, a small cavity in an animal body. It is applied to the stomach. It is also applied to two cavities of the heart, which propel the blood into the arteries. The word is also applied to cavities in different parts of the brain. – Cyc.

VEN'TRI-COUS, a. [L. ventricosus, from venter, belly.]

In botany, bellied; distended; swelling out in the middle; as, a ventricous perianth. – Martyn.

VEN-TRIC'U-LOUS, a. [supra.]

Somewhat distended in the middle.

VEN-TRI-LO-CU'TION, n.

A speaking after the manner of a ventriloquist.

VEN-TRI-LO'QUI-AL, a.

Pertaining to ventriloquism.

VEN-TRIL'O-QUISM, or VEN-TRIL'O-QUY, n. [L. venter, belly, and loquor, to speak.]

The act, art or practice of speaking in such a manner that the voice appears to come, not from the person, but from some distant place, as from the opposite side of the room, from the cellar, &c.

VEN-TRIL'O-QUIST, n.

One who speaks in such a manner that his voice appears to come from some distant place. The ancient ventriloquists seemed to speak from their bellies. – Encyc.

VEN-TRIL'O-QUOUS, a.

Speaking in such a manner as to make the sound appear to come from a place remote from the speaker.

VEN'TURE, n. [Fr. aventure; It. and Sp. ventura; from L. venio, ventus, venturus, to come.]

1. A hazard; an undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen, with tolerable certainty. I‚ in this venture, double gains pursue. – Dryden.
2. Chance; hap; contingency; luck; an event that is not or can not be foreseen. – Bacon.
3. The thing put to hazard; particularly, something sent to sea in trade. My ventures are not in one bottom trusted. At a venture, at hazard; without seeing the end or mark; or without foreseeing the issue. A bargain at a venture made. – Hudibras. A certain man drew a bow at a venture – 1 Kings xxii.

VEN'TURE, v.i.

1. To dare; to have courage or presumption to do, undertake or say. A man ventures to mount a ladder; he ventures into battle; he ventures to assert things which he does not know.
2. To run a hazard or risk. Who freights a ship to venture on the seas. – Dryden. To venture at, or To venture on or upon, to dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success. It is rash to venture upon such a project. And when I venture at the comic style. – Waller.