1. The quality or state of being violent; highly excited action, whether physical or moral; vehemence; impetuosity; force. That seal You ask with such a violence, the king, Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me. Shak. All the elements At least had gone to wrack, disturbed and torn With the violence of this conflict. Milton.
2. Injury done to that which is entitled to respect, reverence, or observance; profanation; infringement; unjust force; outrage; assault. Do violence to do man. Luke iii. 14. We can not, without offering violence to all records, divine and human, deny an universal deluge. T. Burnet. Looking down, he saw The whole earth filled with violence. Milton.
3. Ravishment; rape; constupration. To do violence on, to attack; to murder. "She . . . did violence on herself." Shak. — To do violence to, to outrage; to injure; as, he does violence to his own opinions.
Syn. — Vehemence; outrage; fierceness; eagerness; violation; infraction; infringement; transgression; oppression.
VIOLENCE
Vi"o*lence, v. t.
Defn: To assault; to injure; also, to bring by violence; to compel.
[Obs.] B. Jonson.
VIOLENT Vi"o*lent, a. Etym: [F., from L. violentus, from vis strength, force; probably akin to Gr.
1. Moving or acting with physical strength; urged or impelled with force; excited by strong feeling or passion; forcible; vehement; impetuous; fierce; furious; severe; as, a violent blow; the violent attack of a disease. Float upon a wild and violent sea. Shak. A violent cross wind from either coast. Milton.
2. Acting, characterized, or produced by unjust or improper force; outrageous; unauthorized; as, a violent attack on the right of free speech. To bring forth more violent deeds. Milton. Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey's life. Shak.
3. Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural; abnormal. These violent delights have violent ends. Shak. No violent state can be perpetual. T. Burnet. Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void. Milton. Violent presumption (Law), presumption of a fact that arises from proof of circumstances which necessarily attend such facts. — Violent profits (Scots Law), rents or profits of an estate obtained by a tenant wrongfully holding over after warning. They are recoverable in a process of removing.