Voodoo, Voudou, vōō-dōō, n. the name given in the southern United States to any practiser of witchcraft, or of any charm, incantation, &c., especially when tinctured with African rites or superstitions: the supreme evil spirit of the voodoos.—adj. pertaining to the rites or practices of the voodoo.—v.t. to affect by voodoo charms.—n. Voodoo′ism, voodoo superstitions. [Creole Fr. vaudoux, a negro sorcerer, prob. a form of Fr. Vaudois, a Waldensian—a heretic being capable of any kind of wickedness.]
Voracious, vō-rā′shus, adj. eager to devour: greedy: very hungry.—adv. Vorā′ciously.—ns. Vorac′ity, Vorā′ciousness, quality of being voracious. [L. vorax, voracis—vorāre, to devour.]
Voraginous, vō-raj′i-nus, adj. pertaining to a whirlpool.—n. Vorā′go (-gō), a gulf. [L. vorago.]
Vorant, vō′rant, adj. (her.) devouring. [L. vorans, pr.p. of vorare, to devour.]
Vortex, vor′teks, n. a whirling motion of a fluid forming a cavity in the centre: a whirlpool: an eddy having a rotational motion of the smallest visible portion in the centre:—pl. Vor′tices, Vor′texes.—ns. Vor′tex-ring (phys.), a vortical molecular filament or column forming a ring composed of a number of small rotating circles, placed side by side—e.g. the smoke-rings emitted by a skilful cigarette-smoker; Vor′tex-thē′ory, the theory that matter is ultimately composed of vortices in a fluid—a conception due to Lord Kelvin.—adj. Vor′tical, whirling.—adv. Vor′tically.—adjs. Vor′ticose, Vortic′ūlar, Vortiginal (-ij′-), Vortiginous (-ij′-). [L. vortex, vertex—vortĕre, vertĕre, to turn.]
Vorticella, vor-ti-sel′a, n. a genus of ciliated Infusorians belonging to the order Peritricha, in which the cilia are restricted to a fringe round the mouth. [From L. vortex, a whirl.]
Votary, vō′ta-ri, adj. bound or consecrated by a vow.—n. one devoted as by a vow to some service, worship, or way of life:—fem. Vō′taress.—n. Vō′tarist, a votary. [Low L. votarius—L. votum, to vow.]
Vote, vōt, n. expression of a wish or opinion, as to a matter in which one has interest: that by which a choice is expressed, as a ballot: decision by a majority: something granted by the will of the majority.—v.i. to express the choice by a vote.—v.t. to choose by a vote: to grant by a vote: (coll.) to declare by general consent.—adjs. Vō′table, capable of voting; Vote′less.—ns. Vō′ter; Vō′ting-pā′per, a balloting-paper, used in the election of members to Parliament.—Vote down, to put an end to by a vote, or otherwise; Vote straight, to give one's vote honestly.—Cumulative voting, that system of voting in which the voter has a right to as many votes as there are members to be elected, and may give all his votes or as many as he pleases to one candidate.—Split one's votes, to divide one's votes judiciously among several candidates so as to strengthen those one favours. [L. votum, a wish—vovēre, votum, to vow.]
Votive, vō′tiv, adj. given by vow: vowed.—adv. Vō′tively.—Votive offering, a tablet, picture, &c. dedicated in fulfilment of a vow. [L. votivus—votum, a vow.]
Vouch, vowch, v.t. to call upon to witness: to maintain by repeated affirmations: to warrant: to attest: to produce vouchers for: (Milt.) to second, support.—v.i. to bear witness: to give testimony.—n. confirmation, attestation.—ns. Vouchee′, the person vouched or summoned in a writ of right; Vouch′er, one who vouches or gives witness: a paper which vouches or confirms the truth of anything, as accounts: a mechanical contrivance used in shops for automatically registering the amount of money drawn; Vouch′ment, a solemn declaration. [O. Fr. voucher, vocher, to call to defend—L. vocāre, to call.]