Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VIR'TU-OUS-LY, adv.

In a virtuous manner; in conformity with the moral law or with duty; as, a life virtuously spent. – Denham. A child virtuously educated. – Addison.

VIR'TU-OUS-NESS, n.

The state or character of being virtuous. – Spenser.

VIR'U-LENCE, or VIR'U-LEN-CY, n. [from virulent.]

1. That quality of a thing which renders it extremely active in doing injury; acrimony; malignancy; as, the virulence of poison.
2. Acrimony of temper; extreme bitterness or malignity; as, the virulence of enmity or malice; the virulence of satire; to attack a man with virulence. – Addison.

VIR'U-LENT, a. [L. virulentus, from virus, poison, that is, strength, from the same root as vir, vireo. See Venom.]

1. Extremely active in doing injury; very poisonous or venomous. No poison is more virulent than that of some species of serpents.
2. Very bitter in enmity; malignant; as, a virulent invective.

VIR'U-LENT-LY, adv.

With malignant activity; with bitter spite or severity.

VI'RUS, n. [L. See Virulent.]

Active or contagious matter of an ulcer, pustule, &c.; poison.

VIS, n. [L.]

Force; power. Used chiefly in mechanics.

VIS'AGE, n. [s as z; Fr.; from It. visaggio; from L. visus, video.]

The face; the countenance or look of a person, or of other animal; chiefly applied to human beings; as, a wolfish visage. – Shak. Love and beauty still that visage grace. – Waller. His visage was so marred, more than any man. – Is. lii.

VIS'A-GED, a.

Having a visage or countenance. – Milton.

VIS'ARD, n.

A mask. [See Visor.]

VIS'ARD, v.t.

To mask.

VIS-A-VIS', n. [Fr. opposite, face to face.]

A carriage in which two persons sit face to face.

VIS'CE-RA, n. [L. plur. of viscus.]

The bowels; the contents of the abdomen, thorax, and cranium. In its most general sense, the organs contained in any cavity of the body, particularly in the three venters, the head, thorax, and abdomen. – Cyc. Parr.

VIS'CE-RAL, a. [L. viscera.]

1. Pertaining to the viscera.
2. Feeling; having sensibility. [Unusual.] – Reynolds.

VIS'CER-ATE, v.t. [supra.]

To exenterate; to embowel; to deprive of the entrails or viscera. [Eviscerate is generally used.]

VIS'CID, a. [L. viscudus; viscus, birdlime.]

Glutinous; sticky; tenacious; not readily separating; as, turpentine, tar, gums, &c. are more or less viscid.

VIS-CID'I-TY, n.

1. Glutinousness; tenacity; stickiness.
2. Glutinous concretion. – Floyer.

VIS-COS'I-TY, or VIS'COUS-NESS, n.

Glutinousness; tenacity; viscidity; that quality of soft substances which makes them adhere so as not to be easily parted.

VIS'COUNT, n. [vi'count; L. vice-comes; Fr. vicomte.]

1. An officer who formerly supplied the place of the count or earl; the sherif of the county. – England.
2. A degree or title of nobility next in rank to an earl. – Cowel. England.

VIS'COUNT-ESS, n. [vi'countess.]

The lady of a viscount; a peeress of the fourth order. – Johnson.

VIS'COUNT-SHIP, or VIS'COUNT-Y, n. [vi'countship, vi'county.]

The quality and office of a viscount. – Williams.

VIS'COUS, a. [Fr. visqueux; from L. viscus, birdlime.]

Glutinous; clammy; sticky; adhesive; tenacious; as, a viscous juice.

VIS'CUS, n. [L. plur. viscera.]

An entrail, one of the contents of the cranium, thorax, or abdomen.

VISE, a. [Fr. vis, a screw.]

An engine or instrument for griping and holding things, closed by a screw; used by artificers.

VISH'NU, n.

In the Hindoo mythology, the name of one of the chief deities of the trimurti or triad. He is the second person of this unity, and a personification of the preserving powers. – Cyc. Encyc.