Vermicide Ver"mi·cide noun [ Latin vermis a worm + caedere to kill.] A medicine which destroys intestinal worms; a worm killer. Pereira.

Vermicious Ver·mi"cious adjective [ Latin vermis a worm.] Of or pertaining to worms; wormy.

Vermicular Ver·mic"u·lar adjective [ Latin vermiculus a little worm, dim. of vermis a worm: confer French vermiculaire . See Vermicelli .] Of or pertaining to a worm or worms; resembling a worm; shaped like a worm; especially, resembling the motion or track of a worm; as, the vermicular , or peristaltic, motion of the intestines. See Peristaltic . "A twisted form vermicular ." Cowper.

Vermiculate Ver·mic"u·late transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Vermiculated ; present participle & verbal noun Vermiculating .] [ Latin vermiculatus inlaid so as to resemble the tracks of worms, past participle of vermiculari to be full of worms, vermiculus a little worm. See Vermicular .] To form or work, as by inlaying, with irregular lines or impressions resembling the tracks of worms, or appearing as if formed by the motion of worms.

Vermiculate Ver·mic"u·late adjective 1. Wormlike in shape; covered with wormlike elevations; marked with irregular fine lines of color, or with irregular wavy impressed lines like worm tracks; as, a vermiculate nut.

2. Crawling or creeping like a worm; hence, insinuating; sophistical. " Vermiculate questions." Bacon. " Vermiculate logic." R. Choate.

Vermiculated Ver·mic"u·la`ted adjective Made or marked with irregular wavy lines or impressions; vermiculate.

Vermiculated work , or Vermicular work (Architecture) , rustic work so wrought as to have the appearance of convoluted worms, or of having been eaten into by, or covered with tracks of, worms. Gwilt.

Vermiculation Ver·mic`u·la"tion noun [ Latin vermiculatio a being worm-eaten.] 1. The act or operation of moving in the manner of a worm; continuation of motion from one part to another; as, the vermiculation , or peristaltic motion, of the intestines.

2. The act of vermiculating, or forming or inlaying so as to resemble the motion, track, or work of a worm.

3. Penetration by worms; the state of being wormeaten.

4. (Zoology) A very fine wavy crosswise color marking, or a patch of such markings, as on the feathers of birds.

Vermicule Ver"mi·cule noun [ Latin vermiculus , dim. of vermis a worm. See Vermicular .] A small worm or insect larva; also, a wormlike body. [ R.] Derham.

Vermiculite Ver·mic"u·lite noun [ Latin vermiculus , dim. of vermis worm.] (Min.) A group of minerals having, a micaceous structure. They are hydrous silicates, derived generally from the alteration of some kind of mica. So called because the scales, when heated, open out into wormlike forms.

Vermiculose, Vermiculous Ver·mic"u·lose`, Ver·mic"u·lous adjective [ Latin vermiculosus . See Vermicule .] Containing, or full of, worms; resembling worms.

Vermiform Ver"mi·form adjective [ Latin vermis a worm + -form .] Resembling a worm in form or motions; vermicular; as, the vermiform process of the cerebellum.

Vermiform appendix (Anat.) , a slender blind process of the cĉcum in man and some other animals; -- called also vermiform appendage , and vermiform process . Small solid bodies, such as grape seeds or cherry stones, sometimes lodge in it, causing serious, or even fatal, inflammation. See Illust. under Digestion .

Vermiformia Ver`mi·for"mi·a noun plural [ New Latin ] (Zoology) A tribe of worms including Phoronis. See Phoronis .

Vermifugal Ver·mif"u·gal adjective [ Latin vermis a worm + fugare to drive away, from fugere to flee. See Worm , and Fugitive .] (Medicine) Tending to prevent, destroy, or expel, worms or vermin; anthelmintic.

Vermifuge Ver"mi·fuge noun [ Confer French vermifuge . See Vermifugal .] (Medicine) A medicine or substance that expels worms from animal bodies; an anthelmintic.

Vermil Ver"mil noun See Vermeil . [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Vermilinguia Ver`mi·lin"gui·a noun plural [ New Latin , from Latin vermis worm + lingua tongue.] [ Called also Vermilingues .] (Zoology) (a) A tribe of edentates comprising the South American ant-eaters. The tongue is long, slender, exsertile, and very flexible, whence the name. (b) A tribe of Old World lizards which comprises the chameleon. They have long, flexible tongues.

Vermilion Ver·mil"ion noun [ French vermillon . See Vermeil .] 1. (Chemistry) A bright red pigment consisting of mercuric sulphide, obtained either from the mineral cinnabar or artificially. It has a fine red color, and is much used in coloring sealing wax, in printing, etc.

» The kermes insect has long been used for dyeing red or scarlet. It was formerly known as the worm dye , vermiculus , or vermiculum , and the cloth was called vermiculatia . Hence came the French vermeil for any red dye, and hence the modern name vermilion , although the substance it denotes is very different from the kermes, being a compound of mercury and sulphur. R. Hunt.

2. Hence, a red color like the pigment; a lively and brilliant red; as, cheeks of vermilion .

Vermilion Ver·mil"ion transitive verb To color with vermilion, or as if with vermilion; to dye red; to cover with a delicate red.

Vermily Ver"mi·ly noun Vermeil. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Vermin Ver"min noun sing. & plural ; used chiefly as plural. [ Middle English vermine , French vermine , from Latin vermis a worm; confer Late Latin vermen a worm, Latin verminosus full of worms. See Vermicular , Worm .] 1. An animal, in general. [ Obsolete]

Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and vermin , and worms, and fowls.

Acts x. 12. (Geneva Bible).

This crocodile is a mischievous fourfooted beast, a dangerous vermin , used to both elements.

Holland.

2. A noxious or mischievous animal; especially, noxious little animals or insects, collectively, as squirrels, rats, mice, flies, lice, bugs, etc. "Cruel hounds or some foul vermin ." Chaucer.

Great injuries these vermin , mice and rats, do in the field.

Mortimer.

They disdain such vermin when the mighty boar of the forest . . . is before them.

Burke.

3. Hence, in contempt, noxious human beings.

You are my prisoners, base vermin .

Hudibras.

Verminate Ver"mi·nate intransitive verb [ Latin verminare to have worms, from vermis a worm.] To breed vermin.

Vermination Ver`mi·na"tion noun [ Latin verminatio the worms, a disease of animals, a crawling, itching pain.] 1. The generation or breeding of vermin. Derham.

2. A griping of the bowels.

Verminly Ver"min·ly adjective & adverb Resembling vermin; in the manner of vermin. [ Obsolete] Gauden.

Verminous Ver"min·ous adjective [ Latin verminosus , from vermis a worm: confer French vermineux .] 1. Tending to breed vermin; infested by vermin.

Some . . . verminous disposition of the body.

Harvey.

2. Caused by, or arising from the presence of, vermin; as, verminous disease.

Verminously Ver"min·ous·ly adverb In a verminous manner.

Vermiparous Ver·mip"a·rous adjective [ Latin vermis a worm + parere to bring forth.] Producing or breeding worms. " Vermiparous animals." Sir T. Browne.

Vermivorous Ver·miv"o·rous adjective [ Latin vermis a worm + vorare to devour: confer French vermivore .] (Zoology) Devouring worms; feeding on worms; as, vermivorous birds.

Vermuth Ver"muth noun [ French vermout .] A liqueur made of white wine, absinthe, and various aromatic drugs, used to excite the appetite. [ Written also vermouth .]

Vernacle Ver"na·cle noun See Veronica , 1. [ Obsolete]

Vernacular Ver·nac"u·lar adjective [ Latin vernaculus born in one's house, native, from verna a slave born in his master's house, a native, probably akin to Sanskrit vas to dwell, English was .] Belonging to the country of one's birth; one's own by birth or nature; native; indigenous; -- now used chiefly of language; as, English is our vernacular language. "A vernacular disease." Harvey.

His skill the vernacular dialect of the Celtic tongue.

Fuller.

Which in our vernacular idiom may be thus interpreted.

Pope.

Vernacular Ver·nac"u·lar noun The vernacular language; one's mother tongue; often, the common forms of expression in a particular locality.

Vernacularism Ver·nac"u·lar·ism noun A vernacular idiom.

Vernacularization Ver·nac"u·lar·i·za"tion noun The act or process of making vernacular, or the state of being made vernacular. Fitzed. Hall.

Vernacularly Ver·nac"u·lar·ly adverb In a vernacular manner; in the vernacular. Earle.

Vernaculous Ver·nac"u·lous adjective [ Latin vernaculus . See Vernacular .] 1. Vernacular. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

2. [ Latin vernaculi , plural, buffoons, jesters.] Scoffing; scurrilous. [ A Latinism. Obsolete] "Subject to the petulancy of every vernaculous orator." B. Jonson.

Vernage Ver"nage noun [ Italian vernaccia .] A kind of sweet wine from Italy. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Vernal Ver"nal adjective [ Latin vernalis , from vernus vernal, ver spring; akin to Greek ..., Sanskrit vasanta , Icelandic vār , and English Easter , east .] 1. Of or pertaining to the spring; appearing in the spring; as, vernal bloom.

2. Fig.: Belonging to youth, the spring of life.

When after the long vernal day of life.

Thomson.

And seems it hard thy vernal years
Few vernal joys can show?

Keble.

Vernal equinox (Astron.) , the time when the sun crosses the equator when proceeding northward. -- Vernal grass (Botany) , a low, soft grass ( Anthoxanthum odoratum ), producing in the spring narrow spikelike panicles, and noted for the delicious fragrance which it gives to new-mown hay; -- also called sweet vernal grass . See Illust. in Appendix. -- Vernal signs (Astron.) , the signs, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, in which the sun appears between the vernal equinox and summer solstice.

Vernant Ver"nant adjective [ Latin vernans , present participle vernare to flourish, from ver spring.] Flourishing, as in spring; vernal. [ Obsolete] " Vernant flowers." Milton.

Vernate Ver"nate intransitive verb [ See Vernant .] To become young again. [ Obsolete]

Vernation Ver·na"tion noun [ French vernation : confer Latin vernatio the sloughing of the skin of snakes.] (Botany) The arrangement of the leaves within the leaf bud, as regards their folding, coiling, rolling, etc.; prefoliation.

Verner's law Ver"ner's law (Philol.) A statement, propounded by the Danish philologist Karl Verner in 1875, which explains certain apparent exceptions to Grimm's law by the original position of the accent. Primitive Indo-European k , t , p , became first in Teutonic h , th , f , and appear without further change in old Teutonic, if the accent rested on the preceding syllable; but these sounds became voiced and produced g , d , b , if the accent was originally on a different syllable. Similarly s either remained unchanged, or it became z and later r . Example: Skt. sa p tā (accent on ultima), Greek 'e`pta , Gothic si b un (seven). Examples in English are dead by the side of death , to rise and to rear .

Vernicle Ver"ni·cle noun A Veronica. See Veronica , 1. [ Obsolete] Piers Plowman.

A vernicle had he sowed upon his cap.

Chaucer.

Vernicose Ver"ni·cose` adjective [ See Varnish .] (Botany) Having a brilliantly polished surface, as some leaves.

Vernier Ver"ni·er noun [ So named after the inventor, Pierre Vernier .] A short scale made to slide along the divisions of a graduated instrument, as the limb of a sextant, or the scale of a barometer, for indicating parts of divisions. It is so graduated that a certain convenient number of its divisions are just equal to a certain number, either one less or one more, of the divisions of the instrument, so that parts of a division are determined by observing what line on the vernier coincides with a line on the instrument.

Vernier calipers , Vernier gauge , a gauge with a graduated bar and a sliding jaw bearing a vernier, used for accurate measurements. -- Vernier compass , a surveyor's compass with a vernier for the accurate adjustment of the zero point in accordance with magnetic variation. -- Vernier transit , a surveyor's transit instrument with a vernier compass.

Vernile Ver"nile adjective [ Latin vernilis servile. See Vernacular .] Suiting a salve; servile; obsequious. [ R.]

The example . . . of vernile scurrility.

De Quincey.

Vernility Ver·nil"i·ty noun [ Latin vernilitas .] Fawning or obsequious behavior; servility. [ R.] Bailey.

Vernine Ver"nine noun [ Vern al + - ine .] (Chemistry) An alkaloid extracted from the shoots of the vetch, red clover, etc., as a white crystalline substance.

Vernish Ver"nish noun & v. Varnish. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Vernonin Ver"no·nin noun (Chemistry) A glucoside extracted from the root of a South African plant of the genus Vernonia , as a deliquescent powder, and used as a mild heart tonic.

Veronese Ver`o·nese" adjective [ Italian Veronese .] Of or pertaining to Verona, in Italy. -- noun sing. & plural A native of Verona; collectively, the people of Verona.

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