volup.tu.ous /vəˈlʌptʃuəs/ adj 1 apprec (especially connected with women) of a kind that suggests or expresses sexual pleasure or enjoyment: The dancer's movements were slow and voluptuous. | She had a full voluptuous mouth. | her voluptuous curves 2 (of a woman) having a beautiful soft rounded body that excites sexual feeling 3 a) giving a fine delight to the senses: the voluptuous feeling of pure soft silk b) giving a satisfying feeling of rest and enjoyment: voluptuous comfort 4 fml derog too much concerned with the enjoyment of physical (especially sexual) pleasures: the voluptuous life of the Romans in ancient times —~ly adv —~ness n [U]
Vol-vo /'vɒlvəʊll'vɑːl-/ trademark a type of car made by the Swedish company Volvo. Volvos are considered to be very safe, strongly-built cars. Their large ESTATE CAR (=a car with a door at the back and a lot of space for carrying things) is especially popular with MIDDLE-CLASS families.
vom·it† /'vɒmɪtˈvaː-/ v [|;T] to throw up (the contents of the stomach) through the mouth; be sick: The unpleasant smell made her feel so sick that she began to vomit. | He was vomiting blood. | (fig.) The volcano vomited out great black clouds of smoke. (=sent them out with great force and in great quantity) → see SICK (USAGE)
vomit² n [U] food or other matter that has been vomited
Von Braun, Wern·her /von 'braunlvaan-, 'veaner ll'vear-/ (1912-77) a ROCKET engineer who was born in Germany and developed the V-2 flying bomb for the Nazis. After World War II he went to the US and worked for NASA on the APOLLO PROGRAM to send spacecraft to the moon.
von Bü-low, Claus /von 'bju:læullva:n-, klaus/ (1926-) an American man, born in Denmark, who married a rich American woman called Martha 'Sunny' Crawford. In 1982 he was found guilty of trying to murder her. But his lawyers succeeded in persuading the High Court that a new trial was necessary, and at the end of the second trial he was found not guilty.
V-1 /,vi: 'wʌn/ also doodlebug n a flying bomb used by the Germans in World War II
Von·ne·gut, Kurt /'vɒnɪɡʌt/ 'vɑːn-, kɜːt/kɜːrt/ (1922-) a US writer known for his SCIENCE FICTION writing and for his style of BLACK HUMOUR (=jokes that deal with the unpleasant parts of life). His NOVELS include Slaughterhouse Five (1969) and Cat's Cradle (1963).
voo•doo /'vuːduː/ n [U] 1 (often cap.) a set of magical beliefs and practices used as a form of religion, particularly by the people of Haiti 2 magic; the practice of achieving something by means that are not usual or realistic: How do you think you're going to pass that test without studying? Voodoo?
--ism n [U]
voodoo eco,nomics n [U] AmE economic ideas which look attractive but will not work properly over time
vo·ra·cious /və'reɪʃəs, və-‖vɔː-, və-/ adj 1 eating or wanting large quantities of food: Pigs are voracious feeders. | a voracious appetite 2 having or showing a limitless eagerness, like a hunger, for something: She's a voracious reader of biographies. ︷y adv ︸ness, -racity /-ˈræsəti/ n [U]
Vor-der-man, Carol /'vɔːdəmənl/vɔːrdər-/ (1960-) a British television PRESENTER, known especially for presenting the QUIZ show Countdown with Richard Whiteley. She is very quick at getting the answers to the MATHEMATICAL problems which are part of the show, and she is thought of as being very clever. She has also presented television programmes which show people how they can make their houses more attractive.
vor·tex /'vɔːteks/ vɔːr-/ n pl. -texes or -tices /tʃsɪz/ 1 [C] a powerful circular moving mass of especially water or wind that can draw objects into its hollow centre, as in a WHIRL-POOL or WHIRLWIND 2 [the+S(of)] lit or pomp a situation so powerful that one is helpless against it: Against their will they were drawn into the vortex of war.
vo·ta·ry /'vəʊtəri/ n [(of)] fmi or tech a regular worshipper:
Roman soldiers were often votaries of Mars, the god of war.
vote¹ /vəʊt/ n 1 [C(on, about)] an act of making a choice or decision on a matter by means of voting: At the end of the meeting, a vote was taken on the motion. | We will have to put the matter to the vote. | to hold a free vote (=in which one's party etc, does not guide one's vote) | a voice vote → see also BLOCK VOTE 2 [C(for, against)] a (particular person's) choice or decision made by voting: At the election I shall give my vote to/ cast my vote for Tom Smith. | I know we can rely on your vote. | Announcing the tax cuts just before the election was the most blatant piece of vote-seeking I've ever seen. | vote-catching policies | an attempt to pull in votes → see also CASTING VOTE 3 [S] a decision made by voting: The vote yesterday went in his favour. | The vote was 215 to 84 against the motion, with 12 abstentions. | a very close vote 4 [C] the piece of paper on which a choice is expressed: Members were asked to place their votes in the ballot box. | He spoilt his vote (=wrote on it or tore it etc, so that it could not be officially counted) in protest against the choice of candidates. | to count the votes 5 [the+S] a) the whole number of such choices: The opposition vote seems to be growing. (=more people are voting for them) b) the opinion represented by such choices: The women's vote will certainly be in favour of spending more on schools. 6 [the+S] also votes pl. —the right to vote in political elections: In Britain, young people are given the vote at the age of 18. | In the early part of the century they campaigned for votes for women. → see Cultural Note at SUFFRAGE
vote² v 1 [(for, against, on)] to express one's choice officially from among the possibilities offered or suggested, usually by marking a piece of paper (a BALLOT) secretly, or by calling out or raising one's hand at a meeting: You're only 16; you're too young to vote. (=to vote in an election to choose a parliament) | They registered to vote. | I shall vote for Benn because I think he's the better man. | As we can't agree on this matter, let's vote on it. | Vote Cunningham (=vote for Cunningham), the man you can trust! | [+to-v] We voted unanimously to refer the matter back to the committee. | [+that] They voted that the meeting should be adjourned. | tactical voting 2 [T+obj+adv/prep] to appoint or dismiss by means of a vote or election: The government is afraid it will be voted out of office at the next election. 3 [T] to agree, as the result of a vote, to provide (something): [+obj+obj(d)] Parliament has voted the town a large sum of money for a new road. 4 [T+obj+n; often pass.] infml to agree or state as the general opinion: The dinner was voted a great success. 5 vote with your feet to show that you do not like a situation by leaving it or taking away your support: If people didn't like our services, they would be voting with their feet and putting their money in other banks. | Lawrence is urging fans to vote with their feet and boycott the games - starting tonight in the game against Manchester.
vote sbdy./sthng. ⇔ down phr v [T] to defeat by voting
vote sthg. ⇔ through phr v [T] to accept by voting
vote of 'censure n pl. votes of censure a formal declaration of blame against someone, expressed by voting
vote of 'confidence n pl. votes of confidence a formal declaration of support for the actions of someone, usually expressed by voting: The chairman was given a vote of confidence by the other members of the committee.
vote of no 'confidence n pl. votes of no confidence a formal vote to express one's support or lack of it for the actions of a person or group of people, especially the government: The government face a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons this week.
, vote of 'thanks n pl. votes of thanks [C usually sing.] a formal expression of thanks usually made on a public occasion: I'd like to propose a vote of thanks to Mrs Jarvis for all her hard work.
voter /'vəʊtər/ n a person who votes or has the right to vote, especially in a political election: This policy will not appeal to the voters. | Labour voters | intimidation of voters → see also FLOATING VOTER
'voting booth n → see POLLING BOOTH
'voting machine n a machine which records votes as they are made
v·tive /ˈvəʊtɪv/ adj [A] tech given or done to fulfil a solemn promise made to God or a SAINT, usually as thanks for a favour prayed for and received: The church was full of votive candles. | a votive offering
vouch /vautʃ/ v
vouch for sbdy./sthg. /phr v [T] 1 to declare one's firm belief in, from one's own personal experience or knowledge: I've