Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VICE-VERSA, adv. [Vice versa; L.]

The terms or the case being reversed.

VI'CI-ATE, v.t. [L. vitio. This verb is usually written vitiate; but as vice, from L. vitium, is established, it would be well to write the verb viciate, as we write appreciate and depreciate, from L. pretium.]

1. To injure the substance or properties of a thing so as to impair its value, and lessen or destroy its use; to make less pure, or wholly impure; to deprave, in a physical or moral sense; as, to viciate the blood; to viciate taste or style; to viciate morals.
2. To render defective and thus destroy the validity of; to invalidate by defect; as, to viciate a deed or bond.

VI'CIA-TED, pp.

Depraved; impaired in substance or quality; rendered defective and void.

VI'CIA-TING, ppr.

Injuring in substance or properties; rendering defective making void.

VIC-I-A'TION, n.

Depravation; corruption.

VIC'IN-AGE, n. [from L. vicinia, neighborhood; vicinus, near.]

Neighborhood; the place or places adjoining or near. A jury must be of the vicinage, or body of the county. In law, common because of vicinage, is where the inhabitants of two townships contiguous to each other, have usually intercommoned with one another; the beasts of one straying into the other's fields without molestation from either . – Blackstone.

VIC'IN-AL, or VIC'INE, a.

Near; neighboring. [Little used.] – Glanville.

VI-CIN'I-TY, n. [L. vicinitas.]

1. Nearness in place; as, the vicinity of two country seats.
2. Neighborhood; as, a seat in the vicinity of the metropolis.
3. Neighboring country. Vegetables produced in the vicinity of the city, are daily brought to market. The vicinity is fall of gardens.

VIC-I-OS'I-TY, n.

Depravity; corruption of manners. [But viciousness is generally used.]

VI'CIOUS, a. [Fr. vicieux; L. vitiosus.]

1. Defective; imperfect; as, a system of government vicious and unsound. – Harte.
2. Addicted to vice; corrupt in principles or conduct; depraved; wicked; habitually transgressing the moral law; as, a vicious race of men; vicious parents; vicious children.
3. Corrupt; contrary to moral principles or to rectitude; as, vicious examples; vicious conduct.
4. Corrupt, in a physical sense; foul; impure; insalubrious; as, vicious air.
5. Corrupt; not genuine or pure; as, vicious language; vicious idioms.
6. Unruly; refractory; not well tamed or broken; as, a vicious horse. New England.

VI'CIOUS-LY, adv.

1. Corruptly; in a manner contrary to rectitude, moral principles, propriety or purity.
2. Faultily; not correctly. – Burnet.

VI'CIOUS-NESS, n.

1. Addictedness to vice; corruptness of moral principles or practice; habitual violation of the moral law, or of moral duties; depravity in principles or in manners. What makes a governor justly despised, is viciousness and ill morals. – South.
2. Unruliness; refractoriness; as of a beast. New England.

VI-CIS'SI-TUDE, n. [L. vicissitudo; from vicis, a turn.]

1. Regular change or succession of one thing to another; as the vicissitudes of day and night, and of winter and summer; the vicissitudes of the seasons.
2. Change; revolution; as in human affairs. We are exposed to continual vicissitudes of fortune.

VI-CIS-SI-TU'DIN-A-RY, a.

Changing in succession. – Donne.

VI-CON'TIEL, a. [L. vice-comitalia. See Viscount.]

In old law books, pertaining to the sherif. Vicontiel rents, are certain rents for which the sherif pays a rent to the king. Vicontiel writs, are such as are triable in the county or sherif court. – Cyc.

VI-CON'TIELS, n.

Things belonging to the sherif; particularly, farms for which the sherif pays rent to the king. – Cyc.

VI'COUNT, n. [L. vice-comes.]

1. In law books, the sherif.
2. A degree of nobility next below a count or earl. [See Viscount.] Cyc.

VIC'TIM, n. [L. victima; Fr. victime.]

1. A living being sacrificed to some deity, or in the perform once of a religious rite; usually, some beast slain in sacrifice; but human beings have been slain by some nations for the purpose of appeasing the wrath or conciliating the favor of some deity.
2. Something destroyed; something sacrificed in the pursuit of an object. How many persons have fallen victims to jealousy, to lust, to ambition!

VIC'TIM-ATE, v.t.

To sacrifice. [Not in use.] Bullokar.

VIC'TOR, n. [L. from vinco, victus, to conquer, or the same root. N not being radical, the root is vico or vigo; Sax. wig, wigg, war; wiga, a warrior, a hero, a victor; wigan, to war, to fight. The primary sense is to urge, drive or strive; hence to subdue.]

1. One who conquers in war; a vanquisher; one who defeats an enemy in battle. Victor differs from conqueror. We apply conqueror to one who subdues countries, kingdoms or nations; as, Alexander was the conqueror of Asia or India, or of many nations, or of the world. In such phrases, we can not substitute victor. But we use victor when we speak of one who overcomes a particular enemy, or in a particular battle; as, Cesar was victor at Pharsalia. The duke of Wellington was victor at Waterloo. Victor then is not followed by the possessive case; for we do not say, Alexander was the victor of Darius, though we say, he was victor at Arbela. – Johnson.
2. One who vanquishes another in private combat or contest; as, a victor in the Olympic games.
3. One who wins or gains the advantage. In love, the victors from the vanquish'd fly; / They fly that wound, and they pursue that die. – Waller.
4. Master; lord. These, victor of his health, his fortune, friends. – Pope. [Not usual nor legitimate.]

VIC'TOR-ESS, n.

A female who vanquishes. – Spenser.

VIC-TO'RI-OUS, a. [Fr. victorieux.]

1. Having conquered in battle or contest; having overcome an enemy or antagonist; conquering; vanquishing; as, a victorious general; victorious troops; a victorious admiral or navy.
2. That produces conquest; as, a victorious day. – Pope.
3. Emblematic of conquest; indicating victory; as, brows bound with victorious wreaths. – Shak.

VIC-TO'RI-OUS-LY, adv.

With conquest; with defeat of an enemy or antagonist; triumphantly; as, grace will carry us victoriously through all difficulties. – Hammond.

VI-C-TO'RI-OUS-NESS, n.

The state of being victorious.

VIC'TO-RY, n. [L. victoria, from vinco, victus, to conquer; Fr. victoire.]

1. Conquest; the defeat of an enemy in battle, or of an antagonist in contest; a gaining of the superiority in war or combat. Victory supposes the power of an enemy or an antagonist to prove inferior to that of the victor. Victory however depends not always on superior skill or valor; it is often gained by the fault or mistake of the vanquished. Victory may he honorable to the arms, but shameful to the counsels of a nation. – Bolingbroke.
2. The advantage or superiority gained over spiritual enemies, over passions and appetites, or over temptations, or in any struggle or competition. Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Cor. xv.