Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VAN-FOSS, n.

A ditch on the outside of the counterscarp. – Cyc.

VANG, n.

1. The vangs of a ship are a sort of braces to steady the mizen-gaff. – Cyc.
2. The thin membranous part or web of a feather. – Derham.

VAN'-GUARD, n. [van and guard.]

The troops who march in front of an army; the first line.

VA-NIL'LA, n.

A genus of orchidaceous plants, natives of a tropical America. The capsule of Vanilla aromatica is remarkable for its fragrant odor, and for the volatile odoriferous oil extracted from it. As a medicine, it is supposed to possess powers analogous to valerian, while, at the same time, it is far more grateful. – Cyc.

VAN'ISH, n.

A sound that gradually becomes weaker till it ceases. – Rush.

VAN'ISH, v.i. [L. vanesco; Fr. evanouir; It. svanire; from L. vanus, vain, or its root; Eng. to wane. The primary sense is to withdraw or depart.]

1. To disappear; to pass from a visible to an invisible state; as, vapor vanishes from the sight by being dissipated. Light vanishes when the rays of the illuminating body are intercepted; darkness vanishes before the rising sun.
2. To disappear; to pass beyond the limit of vision; as, ship vanishes from the sight of spectators on land.
3. To disappear; to pass away; to be annihilated or lost. How cheering is the well founded hope of enjoying delights which can never vanish!

VAN'ISH-ED, a.

Having no perceptible existence. – Pope.

VAN'ISH-ING, ppr.

Disappearing; passing from the sight or possession; departing forever.

VAN'ISH-MENT, n.

A vanishing. – Quincy.

VAN'I-TY, n. [Fr. vanité; L. vanitas, from vanus, vain.]

1. Emptiness; want of substance to satisfy desire; uncertainty; inanity. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. Eccles. i.
2. Fruitless desire or endeavor. Vanity possesseth many who are desirous to know the certainty of things to come. – Sidney.
3. Trifling labor that produces no good. – Ralegh.
4. Emptiness; untruth. Here I may well show the vanity of what is reported in the story of Walsingham. – Davies.
5. Empty pleasure; vain pursuit; idle show; unsubstantial enjoyment. Sin with vanity had fill'd the works of men. – Milton. Think not when woman's transient breath is fled, / That all her vanities at once are dead; / Succeeding vanities she still regards. – Pope.
6. Ostentation; arrogance. – Ralegh.
7. Inflation of mind upon slight grounds; empty pride, inspired by an overweening conceit of one's personal attainments or decorations. Fops can not be cured of their vanity. Vanity is the food of fools. – Swift. No man sympathizes with the sorrows of vanity. – Johnson.

VAN'QUISH, n.

A disease in sheep, in which they pine away.

VAN'QUISH, v.t. [Fr. vaincre; L. vinco; It. vincere; Sp. vincer; probably allied to L. vincio, to bind.]

1. To conquer; to overcome; to subdue in battle; as an enemy. They vanquished the rebels in all encounters. – Clarendon.
2. To defeat in any contest; to refute in argument. – Atterbury.

VAN'QUISH-A-BLE, a.

That may be conquered. – Gayton.

VAN'QUISH-ED, pp.

Overcome in battle; subdued; defeated.

VAN'QUISH-ER, n.

A conqueror; a victor.

VAN'QUISH-ING, ppr.

Conquering; subduing; defeating; refuting.

VAN'SIRE, n.

In zoology, the Mangusta galera, a digitigrade, carnivorous mammal; a small quadruped, somewhat resembling a weasel, of a deep brown color, speckled with yellow, the tail of equal size its whole length; inhabiting Madagascar and the Isle of France.

VANT, v.i. [Fr. vanter.]

To boast. [This is the more correct orthography. See Vaunt.]

VANT'AGE, n. [Sp. ventaja; from the root of L. venio. See Advantage and Van.]

1. Gain; profit. [Obs.]
2. Superiority; state in which one has better means of action or defense than another. [This, I believe, is used only in the compound, vantage-ground.]
3. Opportunity; convenience. [Obs.] – Shak.

VANT'AGE, v.t.

To profit. [Not in use.]

VANT'AGE-GROUND, n.

Superiority of state or place; the place or condition which gives one an advantage over another.

VANT'BRASS, n. [Fr. avant-bras.]

Armor for the arm. [Obs.] – Milton.

VAP'ID, a. [L. vapidus. The radical verb is not in the Latin, but the sense must be to pass or fly off, to escape; or to strike down, L. vapulo. It is probably allied to vapor.]

1. Having lost its life and spirit; dead; spiritless; flat; as, vapid beer; a vapid state of the blood.
2. Dull; unanimated.

VAP'ID-LY, adv.

In a vapid manner.

VAP'ID-NESS, n.

1. The state of having lost its life or spirit; deadness; flatness; as, the vapidness of ale or cider.
2. Dullness; want of life or spirit.