vi·olent /ˈvaɪələnt/ adj 1 (of a person) uncontrollably fierce and usually dangerous: The madman was violent and had to be locked up. 2 acting with or using great damaging physical force: a violent storm | a violent kick | a violent attack | greater penalties for both violent and non-violent crimes | the scene of violent clashes between police and demonstrators 3 forceful beyond what is usual or necessary: She was in a violent temper and began throwing things about. | a violent quarrel | violent language 4 produced by or being the effect of damaging physical force: He died a violent death at the hands of his brother. —~ly adv: The cart lurched violently to the left. | He violently objects to the proposal.
vi·o·let¹ /'varələt/ n a small plant with sweet-smelling dark purplish-blue flowers → see also SHRINKING VIOLET
violet² adj having a purplish-blue colour
vi·o·lin /,vaɪˈlɪn/ n a four-stringed wooden musical instrument, supported between the left shoulder and the chin and played by drawing a BOW across the strings → see INSTRUMENT (USAGE); see picture at STRINGED INSTRUMENT ︷ist n
vi•o•lon•cei•lo /,varalen'tfelau/ n.pl. -los fml for CELLO
VIP /,vi: AI 'pi:/ n abbrev. for Very Important Person; someone who is very famous or powerful, and is treated with special respect: They treated her like a VIP. | the VIP lounge at the airport
vi·per /'vaɪpər/ n 1 a small poisonous snake 2 especially lit a wicked or ungrateful person who does harm to others
vi·ra·go /vi'rɑːɡəʊ/ n pl. -goes or -gos 1 fml derog a fierce-tempered complaining woman with a loud voice 2 old use a woman of great strength and courage
Virago trademark a British company which publishes (PUBLISH) books, usually in PAPERBACK, written by women: feminist novels published by Virago
vi·ral /'vaɪərəl/ adj of or caused by a VIRUS: viral pneumonia
Vir·gil, Vergil /'vɜːdʒəl/vɜːr-/ (70-19 BC) an ancient Roman poet whose best-known poem is The AENEID, a long EPIC poem telling the story of how Aeneas left the city of Troy and eventually arrived in Italy
vir·gin¹ /'vɜːdʒən|'vɜːr-/ n a person, especially a woman or girl, who has never had sex → see also VIRGINITY ︷al adj: virginal purity
virgin² adj 1 [A] without sexual experience: his virgin bride 2 especially lit fresh; unspoiled; unchanged by human activity: no footmarks on the virgin snow | (fig.) America is virgin territory as far as our company is concerned.
Virgin trademark the name of several British companies started by Richard BRANSON, including Virgin Atlantic, an AIRLINE, Virgin Rail, a railway company, and Virgin Money, which provides financial services. Some of the companies Branson started, such as Virgin Records, are no longer owned by him.
vir·gin·als /'vɜːrdʒənəlzɪl'vɜːr-/ n [P] a small square musical instrument like a piano, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries
,virgin 'birth [the] (often caps.) the birth of Christ, which Christians believe to have been caused by God rather than by ordinary sexual union. Christians believe that Mary (the mother of Christ) was still a virgin when she gave birth to Christ.
Virgini·a /və'dʒiniə|vər-/ 1 written abbrev. VA a state on the east coast of the US, south of Washington, D.C., which is considered to be a southern state and is one of the 13 original states of the US → see also WEST VIRGINIA 2 [U] a type of tobacco grown originally in the US state of Virginia
vir,ginia 'creeper especially BrE || also woodbine AmE — n [U] a climbing garden plant often grown on walls, with large leaves that turn deep red in autumn
'Virgin ,Islands, the a group of about 100 small islands in the east Caribbean Sea, some of which are ruled by the US (the US Virgin Islands) and some by the UK (the British Virgin Islands)
vir·gin·i·ty /vɜː'dʒɪnʒiˈlɪvɜːr-/ n [U] the state of being a virgin: In many Western countries virginity is not as highly valued as it used to be. | She was 19 when she lost her virginity. (=had sex with a man for the first time) → compare CHASTITY
Virgin 'Mary, the in the Christian religion, the mother of Jesus Christ. According to the New Testament of the Bible, when Mary was a young woman an ANGEL came to her from God and told her that she was going to have a babr although she had never had sex, and that the baby would be the son of God. She is especially important to Romal Catholics, who have pictures and STATUES of her in their churches and homes, and who often pray to her for help.
Virgin 'Queen, the a name sometimes given to the English queen, ELIZABETH I, because she never married
Vir·go /'vɜːɡəʊll'vɜːr-/ n pl. Virgos 1 [U] the sixth sign of the ZODIAC, represented by a young woman, which some people believe affects the character and life of people born between August 24 and September 23 2 [C] someone who was born between August 24 and September 23
virile /ˈviraɪlɪˈvirəl/ adj usually apprec 1 (of a man) having th
full amount of strength and forceful qualities expected of
man, especially in matters of sex: She admired the viril
young swimmer: 2 sometimes euph forceful; manly; full c
active strength: His style of singing is very virile, but h
doesn't have much feeling for the expressiveness of the words
vi·ril·i·ty /vʒ'rilʒti/ n [U] usually apprec male sexual power manly qualities
vi·rol·o·gy /vaiə'rrolədʒill-'raɪ-/ n [U] the scientific study c
(diseases caused by) viruses (VIRUS)
vir·tu·al /'vɜːtʃuəlɪl'vɜːr-/ adj [A no comp.] almost what stated; in fact though not officially: The president was much under the influence of his wife that she was the virtual ruler of the country. | a virtual certainty
vir·tu·al·ly /'vɜːtʃuəli/vɜːr-/ adv almost; very nearly; M book's virtually finished; I've only a few last-minute change to make to it. | Virtually all the members were in agreement with the proposal.
virtual reality n an environment in which computer
CREATE the effect of a world which seems almost complete
real to the people who are experiencing it
virtue /ˈvɜːrtʃuːˈvɜːrt-/ n 1 [U] film goodness, nobleness, an worth of character as shown in right behaviour: a man of the highest virtue → opposite VICE 2 [C] a good quality character or behaviour: Among her many virtues are loyal courage, and truthfulness. → opposite VICE 3 [C;U] (an advantage: He said his plan had the virtue of being the easier to implement. | a speech extolling the virtues of adult education 4 by virtue of also in virtue of fml — as a result of; b means of: Though she isn't British by birth, she's a British citizen by virtue of her marriage to an Englishman. 5 make a virtue of necessity to accept responsibility for or cheerfully and with interest something that one cannot avoid → see also EASY VIRTUE, VIRTUOUS
vir·tu·os·i·ty /,v3:rtfu'os:til,v3:rtfu'ɑː-/ n [U] fml a vei high degree of skill in performing: the violinist's incredibly virtuosity
vir·tu·o·so /,v3:tfu'əuzəu\|,v3:rtfu'əuzəu/ n pl. -sos or -/zi\|si/ a person who has a very high degree of skill as/performer in one of the ARTS, especially music: a piar/virtuoso | a virtuoso performance
vir·tu·ous /'vɜːtʃuəs|'vɜːr-/ adj 1 fml having or showing virtue 2 derog (too) satisfied with one's own good behaviour and expressing this in one's manner towards those who have done wrong ︷ly adv
vir·u·lent /'virʌlent/ adj 1 (of a poison, a disease caused by bacteria etc) very powerful, quick-acting, and dangerous life or health 2 fml (of a feeling or its expression) very bitter full of hatred: virulent abuse —~ly adv —-lence, -lency [U]
vi.rus /'vaɪərəs/ n a living thing even smaller than bacteria which causes infectious disease in the body, in plants et the common cold virus | the spread of virus infections compare MICROBE; see also COMPUTER VIRUS, VIRAL
vi·sa¹ /'vi:zə/ n an official mark put onto a PASSPORT by representative of a country, giving a foreigner permission enter, pass through, or leave that country: He has applied for an entry visa. | She was eventually granted an exit visa. Their visas have run out/expired.
visa² v visaed /-zəd/, present participle visaing [T] to provide visa for (a PASSPORT); You'll need to get your passport visa if you want to go to America.
'Visa card also Visa trademark a type of CREDIT CARD (=plast)