Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VER-NAC'U-LAR-ISM, n.

A vernacular idiom.

VER-NAC'U-LAR-LY, adv.

In agreement with the vernacular manner.

VER-NAC'U-LOUS, a. [supra.]

Vernacular; also, scoffing. [Obs.] – Brown. Spenser.

VER'NAL, a. [L. vernalis, from ver, spring.]

1. Belonging to the spring; appearing in spring; as, vernal bloom. Vernal flowers are preparatives to autumnal fruits. – Rambler.
2. Belonging to youth, the spring of life. Vernal signs, the signs in which the sun appears in the spring. Vernal equinox, the equinox in spring or March; opposed to the autumnal equinox, in September.

VER'NANT, a. [L. vernans; verno, to flourish.]

Flourishing, as in spring; as, vernant flowers. – Milton.

VER'NATE, v.i.

To become young again. [Not in use.]

VER-NA'TION, n. [L. verno.]

In botany, the disposition of the nascent leaves within the bud. It is called also foliation or leafing. – Martyn.

VER'NIER, n. [from the inventor.]

A graduated index which subdivides the smallest divisions on a straight or circular scale. – Cyc.

VER-NIL'I-TY, n. [L. vernilis, from verna, a slave.]

Servility; fawning behavior, like that of a slave. [Not in use.] – Bailey.

VE-RO-NI'CA, n. [vera-icon, true image.]

1. A portrait or representation of the lace of our Savior on handkerchiefs.
2. In botany, a genus of plants, Speedwell.

VER'RU-COUS, a. [L. verruca, a wart; verrucosus, full of warts.]

Warty; having little knobs or warts on the surface; as, a verrucous capsule. – Martyn.

VERS-A-BIL'I-TY, or VERS'A-BLE-NESS, n. [L. versabilis, from versor, to turn.]

Aptness to be turned round. [Not used.] – Dict.

VERS'A-BLE, a. [supra.]

That may be turned. [Not used.]

VERS'AL, a. [or n. for Universal. Not used or very vulgar.]

VERS'ANT, a.

Familiar.

VERS'A-TILE, a. [L. versatilis, from versor, to turn.]

1. That may be turned round; as, a versatile boat or spindle. – Harte.
2. Liable to be turned in opinion; changeable; variable; unsteady; as, a man of versatile disposition.
3. Turning with ease from one thing to another; readily applied to a new task, or to various subjects; as, a man of versatile genius.
4. In botany, a versatile anther is one fixed by the middle on the point of the filament, and so poised as to turn like the needle of a compass; fixed by its side, but freely movable. – Lee. Martyn.

VERS'A-TILE-LY, adv.

In a versatile manner.

VERS-A-TIL'I-TY, or VERS'A-TILE-NESS, n.

1. The quality of being versatile; aptness to change; readiness to be turned; variableness.
2. The faculty of easily turning one's mind to new tasks or subjects; as, the versatility of genius.

VERSE, n. [vers; L. versus; Fr. vers; from L. verto, to turn.]

1. In poetry, a line, consisting of a certain number of long and short syllables, disposed according to the rules of the species of poetry which the author intends to compose. Verses are of various kinds, as hexameter, pentameter, and tetrameter, &c. according to the number of feet in each. A verse of twelve syllables is called an Alexandrian or Alexandrine. Two or more verses form a stanza or strophe.
2. Poetry; metrical language. Virtue was taught in verse. – Prior. Verse embalms virtue. – Donne.
3. A short division of any composition, particularly of the chapters in the Scriptures. The author of the division of the Old Testament into verses, is not ascertained. The New Testament was divided into verses by Robert Stephens.
4. A piece of poetry. – Pope.
5. A portion of an anthem to be performed by a single voice to each part. Blank verse, poetry in which the lines do not end in rhymes. Heroic verse, usually consists of ten syllables, or in English, of five accented syllables, constituting five feet.

VERSE, v.t.

To tell in verse; to relate poetically. Playing on pipes of corn, and versing love. – Shak. To be versed, [L. versor,] to be well skilled; to be acquainted with; as, to be versed in history or in geometry.

VERS'ED, pp.

Skilled.

VERSE-HON'OR-ING, a.

Doing honor to poetry. – Lamb.

VERSE'-MAN, n. [verse and man.]

A writer of verses; in ludicrous language. – Prior.

VERS'ER, n.

A maker of verses; a versifier. – B. Jonson.

VERS'I-CLE, n. [L. versiculus.]

A little verse. [Not used.]