<B>vesturer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person who is in charge of the vestments worn in church. <DD><B> 2. </B>a person who assists the treasurer of a collegiate church or cathedral. </DL>
<A NAME="vesuvian">
<B>Vesuvian, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> of, having to do with, or resembling Mount Vesuvius, a volcano southeast of Naples, Italy; volcanic. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>Sometimes, <B>vesuvian.</B> (formerly) a kind of match with a sputtering flame used especially for lighting cigars and pipe tobacco. <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=vesuvianite.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="vesuvianite">
<B>vesuvianite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a mineral, a silicate of aluminum, calcium, iron, and magnesium, sometimes with other elements, occurring in massive or, more frequently, in square crystals of various colors; idocrase. </DL>
<A NAME="vet">
<B>vet</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>vetted,</B> <B>vetting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) <DD><I>noun </I> <B>=veterinarian.</B> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to submit to examination or treatment by a veterinarian. <BR> <I>Ex. to vet a sick calf. I'd as soon vet a hippopotamus for nerves as you (John Buchan).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to subject to careful examination; scrutinize; check; test. <BR> <I>Ex. Every application for membership is carefully vetted, in such a way as to make it nearly impossible for anyone with no experience of fair business to enter it (Economist).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to practice veterinary medicine. </DL>
<A NAME="vet">
<B>vet</B> (2), noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) a veteran. </DL>
<B>vetanda, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> things to be forbidden. </DL>
<A NAME="vetch">
<B>vetch, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>any one of a group of climbing herbs, species of which are much grown as food for cattle and sheep; tare. Vetches belong to the pea family. <DD><B> 2. </B>any one of several related plants, such as the milk vetch. <DD><B> 3. </B>the beanlike fruit of certain of these plants. </DL>
<A NAME="vetchbruchid">
<B>vetch bruchid,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a small weevil that lives in and destroys the green seed of some vetches. </DL>
<A NAME="vetchling">
<B>vetchling, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a group of vetchlike herbs of the pea family, especially a common meadow weed. </DL>
<A NAME="veter">
<B>veter.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> veterinary. </DL>
<A NAME="veteran">
<B>veteran, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person who has been in one of the armed services for a long time and who has had much experience in war; old soldier, sailor, or airman. <DD><B> 2a. </B>a person who has served in the armed forces. <BR> <I>Ex. There are millions of American veterans from the second World War and the Korean and Vietnam wars.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>(U.S. Law.) a former member of any branch of the military service who meets the requirements for the extension of some benefit or privilege provided by law to honorably discharged servicemen. <DD><B> 3. </B>a person who has had much experience in some position or occupation. <BR> <I>Ex. He is a veteran in the printing trade.</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>having had much experience in war. <BR> <I>Ex. Veteran troops fought side by side with new recruits.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>grown old in service; having had much experience. <BR> <I>Ex. a veteran farmer.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>old; long-continued. <BR> <I>Ex. veteran wines.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="veteransday">
<B>Veterans Day,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S.) a legal holiday observed on November 11, the anniversary of the end of World War I, to honor all United States veterans. From 1971 to 1978 it was celebrated on the fourth Monday in October. Until 1954 it was called <I>Armistice Day.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="veterinarian">
<B>veterinarian, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a doctor or surgeon who treats animals; doctor of veterinary medicine. </DL>
<A NAME="veterinary">
<B>veterinary, </B>adjective, noun, pl. <B>-naries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> of or having something to do with the medical or surgical treatment of animals. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>=veterinarian.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="veterinarymedicine">
<B>veterinary medicine,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and medical or surgical treatment of diseases and injuries in animals, especially in domestic animals. </DL>
<A NAME="veth">
<B>veth, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a fricative form of <I>beth,</I> the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. </DL>
<A NAME="vetiver">
<B>vetiver, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the fibrous aromatic roots of an East Indian grass grown in the tropics and the southern United States. They are made into mats and screens and yield vetiver oil; cuscus. <DD><B> 2. </B>the plant itself. </DL>
<A NAME="vetiveroil">
<B>vetiver oil,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a fragrant oil derived from vetiver, used in making perfumes and soaps. </DL>
<A NAME="veto">
<B>veto, </B>noun, pl. <B>-toes,</B> adjective, verb, <B>-toed,</B> <B>-toing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>the right or power of a president or governor to reject bills passed by a lawmaking body. <BR> <I>Ex. The President has the power of veto over bills passed in Congress.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the right or power of one branch or part of a government to forbid or prevent an action of another branch or part. <DD><B> 3. </B>the right or power of any one member of an official body to prevent some action proposed by that body, especially in the United Nations Security Council. <BR> <I>Ex. a categorical demand for a veto-ridden three-man administrative control council (Manchester Guardian).</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>the use of any such rights or powers. <BR> <I>Ex. The governor's veto kept the bill from becoming a law.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>a statement of the reasons for disapproval of a bill passed by the legislature. <DD><B> 6. </B>any power or right to prevent action through prohibition. <DD><B> 7. </B>a refusal of consent; prohibition. <BR> <I>Ex. Our plan met with three vetoes--from Father, Mother, and our teacher.</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> having to do with a veto. <BR> <I>Ex. veto power.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to reject (a legislative measure) by a veto. <BR> <I>Ex. The President has vetoed two bills during this session of Congress.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to inhibit or prevent some action proposed by a group or council. <DD><B> 3. </B>to refuse to consent to. <BR> <I>Ex. My parents vetoed my plan to buy a motorcycle.</I> noun <B>vetoer.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="vettura">
<B>vettura, </B>noun, pl. <B>-re.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a kind of four-wheeled carriage used in Italy. </DL>
<A NAME="vetturino">
<B>vetturino, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ni.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> in Italy: <DD><B> 1. </B>a person who lets out or drives a vettura. <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=vettura.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="vex">
<B>vex, </B>transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to anger by trifles; annoy; provoke. <BR> <I>Ex. The child's rude remarks vexed his father.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to harass by aggression or interference with peace or quiet. <BR> <I>Ex. With such compelling cause to grieve As vexes the household peace (Tennyson).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to worry; distress deeply; trouble. <BR> <I>Ex. Uncertainty as to the justice of his decision vexed the judge.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>to disturb by causing movement or commotion; agitate. <BR> <I>Ex. Cape Hatteras is much vexed by storms.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>to discuss or debate at excessive length. <DD><B> 6. </B>to subject to or affect with pain or suffering. <BR> <I>Ex. to vex the slave with torture.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to feel annoyed, unhappy, or distressed. </DL>
<A NAME="vexation">
<B>vexation, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the action of vexing or fact of being vexed. <BR> <I>Ex. His face showed his vexation at the delay.</I> (SYN) irritation, exasperation, annoyance, chagrin. <DD><B> 2. </B>a thing that vexes. <BR> <I>Ex. Rain on Saturday was a vexation to the children.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="vexatious">
<B>vexatious, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>vexing; annoying. <BR> <I>Ex. a vexatious interruption of an interesting conversation.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Law.) brought with insufficient grounds for the purpose of causing trouble to the defendant. <BR> <I>Ex. a vexatious action.</I> adv. <B>vexatiously.</B> noun <B>vexatiousness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="vexed">
<B>vexed, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>annoyed; irritated; distressed. <DD><B> 2. </B>kept in a disturbed or unquiet state; troubled; harassed. <BR> <I>Ex. the vexed affair of Northern Ireland.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>subjected to physical force or strain; tossed about; agitated. <BR> <I>Ex. the vexed waters of the lake.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="vexedly">
<B>vexedly, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> with vexation; with a sense of annoyance or vexation. </DL>
<B>vexed question,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a question causing difficulty and debate. <BR> <I>Ex. The situation of little magazines is so bound up with vexed questions of cultural economics and with wider questions about writing in modern societies that little can be said about it (Peter Levi).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="vexil">
<B>vexil, </B>noun. =vexillum.</DL>
<A NAME="vexilla">
<B>vexilla, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> plural of <B>vexillum.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="vexillar">
<B>vexillar, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Botany, Zoology.) of or having to do with the vexillum. <DD><B> 2. </B>(in ancient Rome) of or having to do with an ensign or standard. </DL>
<A NAME="vexillary">
<B>vexillary, </B>adjective, noun, pl. <B>-laries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>(Biology.) of or having to do with a vexillum. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with an ensign or standard. <DD><I>noun </I> in ancient Rome: <DD><B> a. </B>one of the oldest class of army veterans serving under a special standard. <DD><B> b. </B>a standardbearer. </DL>
<A NAME="vexillaryestivation">
<B>vexillary estivation,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Botany.) a mode of estivation in which the exterior petal, as in the case of the vexillum, is largest and encloses and folds over the other petals. </DL>
<A NAME="vexillate">
<B>vexillate, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Biology.) having a vexillum or vexilla. </DL>
<A NAME="vexillologist">
<B>vexillologist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who studies flags. </DL>
