Vesalian, vē-sā′li-an, adj. connected with the name of the anatomist Andreas Vesalius (1514-64).
Vesania, vē-sā′ni-a, n. insanity.
Vesica, vē-sī′ka, n. (anat.) a bladder, sac, esp. the urinary bladder:—pl. Vesicæ (vē-sī′sē).—adjs. Ves′ical, of or pertaining to a vesica; Ves′icant, blistering.—n. a substance that vesicates or raises blisters.—v.t. Ves′icāte, to raise blisters on:—pr.p. ves′icāting; pa.p. ves′icāted.—ns. Vesicā′tion, the act or process of raising blisters on the skin; Ves′icātory (same as Vesicant); Ves′icle, a small bladder or blister: a small cavity in an animal body; (bot.) a bladder-like cell; Vēsic′ūla, a vesicle.—adj. Vēsic′ular.—adv. Vēsic′ūlarly.—n. Vēsicūlā′tion, formation of vesicles.—adjs. Vēsicūlif′erous, bearing vesicles; Vēsic′ūliform; Vēsic′ūlose, Vēsic′ūlous, Vēsic′ūlāte, pertaining to or full of vesicles: full of interstices: having little glands on the surface.—Vesica piscis (a fish's bladder), a symbol of Christ, an oval aureole surrounding the entire upright figure, supposed to contain an allusion to the sacred Christian emblem, the ichthys. [L., bladder.]
Vesper, ves′pėr, n. the evening star, Venus: the evening: (pl.) the last but one of the seven canonical hours: evensong, evening service generally.—adj. Ves′peral, pertaining to the evening or to vespers.—n. Ves′per-bell, the bell that summons to vespers.—adjs. Ves′pertine, Ves′pertinal, of or pertaining to the evening: (bot.) opening in the evening: (zool.) active in the evening.—Sicilian vespers (see Sicilian). [Fr.,—L.; Gr. hesperos.]
Vespertilio, ves-pėr-til′i-ō, n. a Linnæan genus of mammals, of order Primates—the modern order Chiroptera.—adj. Vespertil′ionine.
Vespiary, ves′pi-a-ri, n. a hornet's nest.—adj. Ves′piform, Ves′pine, wasp-like.
Vessel, ves′el, n. a vase or utensil for holding something: a hollow structure made to float on water, used for conveyance, &c.: a tube in which fluids, as blood, &c., are contained: a person considered as an agent of God.—The weaker vessel, a phrase colloquially applied to a woman, in allusion to 1 Pet. iii. 7. [O. Fr. vessel (Fr. vaisseau)—L. vascellum, dim. of vas, a vase.]
Vest, vest, n. that which is put on as dress: a garment: a waistcoat: formerly a cassock-like garment: a kind of close jacket worn by women, an extra piece or trimming on the front of the bodice of a woman's gown, often V-shaped: a knitted or woven undergarment: (arch.) a vestment.—v.t. to clothe: to invest: (law) to give fixed right of possession.-v.i. to descend or to take effect, as a right.—adj. Ves′ted, clothed, wearing robes of ceremony: not contingent or suspended, hence (law) already acquired: denoting a present absolute right.—n. Ves′tiary (obs.), a wardrobe: (rare) garb, clothing:—pl. Ves′tiaries.—n. Ves′ting, cloth for men's waistcoats.—Vest in interest, to devolve as matter of right without reference to immediate right of possession. [Fr. veste—L. vestis.]
Vesta, ves′ta, n. among the Romans, the chaste goddess that presided over the family, in whose temple the sacred fire was continually kept burning: the fourth planetoid discovered in 1807: a match or waxlight:—pl. Ves′tas.—adj. Ves′tal, pertaining to or consecrated to the service of Vesta: chaste: pure.—n. in the ancient Roman religion, one of the six patrician virgins consecrated to Vesta: a virgin, a nun, a woman of spotless chastity.
Vestibule, ves′ti-būl, n. an open court or porch before a house: a hall next the entrance to a house: (anat.) a small bony cavity forming part of the ear—also Vestib′-ūlum.—v.t. to furnish with a vestibule.—adjs. Vestib′ūlar, Vestib′ūlāte. [Fr.,—L. vestibulum—traced by some to ve, apart, stabulum, abode; by others to vestis, garment, as being the place where the outer clothing is put on or off in entering or leaving a house.]