Vireton Vir"e·ton noun [ French See Vire .] An arrow or bolt for a crossbow having feathers or brass placed at an angle with the shaft to make it spin in flying.

Virgalieu Vir"ga·lieu noun [ Confer Virgouleuse .] (Botany) A valuable kind of pear, of an obovate shape and with melting flesh of delicious flavor; -- more properly called White Doyenné . [ Written also virgaloo , vergalieu , vergaloo , etc.]

Virgate Vir"gate adjective [ Latin virgatus made of twigs, from virga a twig, rod. See Verge a rod.] (Botany) Having the form of a straight rod; wand-shaped; straight and slender.

Virgate Vir"gate noun [ Late Latin virgata , virgata terrae , so much land as virga terrae , a land measure, contains, from Latin virga a twig, rod.] A yardland, or measure of land varying from fifteen to forty acres. [ Obsolete] T. Warton.

Virgated Vir"ga·ted adjective [ Latin virgatus striped. See Virgate , adjective ] Striped; streaked. [ Obsolete]

Virge Virge noun A wand. See Verge . [ Obsolete]

Virger Vir"ger noun See Verger . [ Obsolete]

Virgilian Vir·gil"i·an adjective [ Latin Virgilianus , better Vergilianus .] Of or pertaining to Virgil, the Roman poet; resembling the style of Virgil. [ Spelt also Vergilian .]

The rich Virgilian rustic measure
Of Lari Maxume.

Tennyson.

Virgin Vir"gin noun [ Latin virgo , - inis : confer Old French virgine , virgene , virge , vierge , French vierge .] 1. A woman who has had no carnal knowledge of man; a maid.

2. A person of the male sex who has not known sexual indulgence. [ Archaic] Wyclif.

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins .

Rev. xiv. 4.

He his flesh hath overcome;
He was a virgin , as he said.

Gower.

3. (Astron.) See Virgo .

4. (Zoology) Any one of several species of gossamer-winged butterflies of the family Lycænidæ .

5. (Zoology) A female insect producing eggs from which young are hatched, though there has been no fecundation by a male; a parthenogenetic insect.

The Virgin , or The Blessed Virgin , the Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord. -- Virgin's bower (Botany) , a name given to several climbing plants of the genus Clematis , as C. Vitalba of Europe, and C. Virginiana of North America.

Virgin Vir"gin adjective 1. Being a virgin; chaste; of or pertaining to a virgin; becoming a virgin; maidenly; modest; indicating modesty; as, a virgin blush. " Virgin shame." Cowley.

Innocence and virgin modesty . . .
That would be wooed, and unsought be won.

Milton.

2. Pure; undefiled; unmixed; fresh; new; as, virgin soil; virgin gold. " Virgin Dutch." G. W. Cable.

The white cold virgin snow upon my heart.

Shak.

A few ounces of mutton, with a little virgin oil.

Landor.

3. Not yet pregnant; impregnant. Milton.

Virgin Vir"gin intransitive verb To act the virgin; to be or keep chaste; -- followed by it . See It , 5. [ Obsolete] "My true lip hath virgined it e'er since [ that kiss]." Shak.

Virginal Vir"gin·al adjective [ Latin virginalis : confer French virginal .] Of or pertaining to a virgin; becoming a virgin; maidenly. "Chastity and honor virginal ." Spenser.

Virginal generation (Biol.) , parthenogenesis. -- Virginal membrane (Anat.) , the hymen.

Virginal Vir"gin·al noun [ Confer French virginale ; -- probably so called from being used by young girls, or virgins .] (Mus.) An instrument somewhat resembling the spinet, but having a rectangular form, like the small piano. It had strings and keys, but only one wire to a note. The instrument was used in the sixteenth century, but is now wholly obsolete. It was sometimes called a pair of virginals .

Virginal Vir"gin·al intransitive verb To play with the fingers, as if on a virginal; to tap or pat. [ Obsolete] "Still virginaling upon his palm!" Shak.

Virginhood Vir"gin·hood noun Virginity; maidenhood.

Virginia Vir·gin"i·a noun One of the States of the United States of America. -- adjective Of or pertaining to the State of Virginia.

Virginia cowslip (Botany) , the American lungwort ( Mertensia Virginica ). -- Virginia creeper (Botany) , a common ornamental North American woody vine ( Ampelopsis quinquefolia ), climbing extensively by means of tendrils; -- called also woodbine , and American ivy . [ U. S.] -- Virginia fence . See Worm fence , under Fence . -- Virginia nightingale (Zoology) , the cardinal bird. See under Cardinal . -- Virginia quail (Zoology) , the bobwhite. -- Virginia reel , an old English contradance; -- so called in the United States. Bartlett. -- Virginia stock . (Botany) See Mahon stock .

Virginity Vir·gin"i·ty noun [ Middle English virgintee , French virginité , Latin virginitas .] 1. The quality or state of being a virgin; undefiled purity or chastity; maidenhood.

2. The unmarried life; celibacy. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Virgo Vir"go noun [ Latin virgo a virgin, the constellation Virgo in the zodiac. See Virgin .] (Astron.) (a) A sign of the zodiac which the sun enters about the 21st of August, marked thus [ &Virgo;] in almanacs. (b) A constellation of the zodiac, now occupying chiefly the sign Libra, and containing the bright star Spica.

Virgouleuse Vir"gou·leuse noun [ French virgouleuse , from the village of Virgoulée , near Limoges.] (Botany) An old French variety of pear, of little value.

Virgularian Vir`gu·la"ri·an noun [ From. Latin virgula a small rod.] (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of long, slender Alcyonaria belonging to Virgularia and allied genera of the family Virgularidæ . These corals are allied to the sea-pens, but have a long rodlike rhachis inclosing a slender, round or square, calcareous axis. The polyps are arranged in transverse rows or clusters along each side of the rhachis.

Virgulate Vir"gu·late adjective Shaped like a little twig or rod.

Virgule Vir"gule noun [ French virgule , from Latin virgula , dim. of virga . See Verge a rod.] A comma. [ R.]

In the MSS. of Chaucer, the line is always broken by a cæsura in the middle, which is pointed by a virgule .

Hallam.

Virial Vir"i·al noun [ Latin vis , viris , force.] (Physics) A certain function relating to a system of forces and their points of application, -- first used by Clausius in the investigation of problems in molecular physics.

Virid Vir"id adjective [ Latin viridis green. See Verdant .] Green. [ Obsolete]

The virid marjoram
Her sparkling beauty did but see.

Crompton.

Viridescence Vir`i·des"cence noun Quality or state of being viridescent.

Viridescent Vir`i·des"cent adjective [ Latin viridescens , present participle of viridescere to grow green.] Slightly green; greenish.

Viridine Vir"i·dine noun [ Latin viridis green.] (Chemistry) A greenish, oily, nitrogenous hydrocarbon, C ₁₂ H ₁₉ N ₇ , obtained from coal tar, and probably consisting of a mixture of several metameric compounds which are higher derivatives of the base pyridine.

Viridite Vir"i·dite noun [ Latin viridis green.] (Min.) A greenish chloritic mineral common in certain igneous rocks, as diabase, as a result of alternation.

Viridity Vi·rid"i·ty noun [ Latin viriditas , from viridis green: confer French viridité . See Verdant .] 1. Greenness; verdure; the color of grass and foliage.

2. Freshness; soundness. [ Obsolete] Evelyn.

Viridness Vir"id·ness noun Viridity; greenness.

Virile Vi"rile adjective [ Latin virilis , from vir a man; akin to Anglo-Saxon wer : confer French viril . See Werewolf , World , and confer Decemvir , Virago , Virtue .] Having the nature, properties, or qualities, of an adult man; characteristic of developed manhood; hence, masterful; forceful; specifically, capable of begetting; -- opposed to womanly , feminine , and puerile ; as, virile age, virile power, virile organs.

Virility Vi·ril"i·ty noun [ Latin virilitas : confer French virilité .] The quality or state of being virile; developed manhood; manliness; specif., the power of procreation; as, exhaustion. " Virility of visage." Holland.

Viripotent Vi·rip"o·tent adjective [ Latin vir man + potens fit for.] Developed in manhood; hence, able to beget; marriageable. [ Obsolete]

Being not of ripe years, not viripotent .

Holinshed.

Virmilion Vir·mil"ion noun See Vermilion . [ R.]

Virole Vi·role" noun [ French, a ferrule. See Ferrule .] (Her.) A ring surrounding a bugle or hunting horn.

Viroled Vi·roled" adjective (Her.) Furnished with a virole or viroles; -- said of a horn or a bugle when the rings are of different tincture from the rest of the horn.

Virose Vi·rose" adjective [ Latin virosus . See Virus .] Having a nauseous odor; fetid; poisonous. [ R.]

Virtu Vir·tu" noun [ Italian virtü virtue, excellence, from Latin virtus . See Virtue .] A love of the fine arts; a taste for curiosities. J. Spence.

An article , or piece , of virtu , an object of art or antiquity; a curiosity, such as those found in museums or private collections.

I had thoughts, in my chambers to place it in view,
To be shown to my friends as a piece of virtü .

Goldsmith.

Virtual Vir"tu·al adjective [ Confer French virtuel . See Virtue .] 1. Having the power of acting or of invisible efficacy without the agency of the material or sensible part; potential; energizing.

Heat and cold have a virtual transition, without communication of substance.

Bacon.

Every kind that lives,
Fomented by his virtual power, and warmed.

Milton.

2. Being in essence or effect, not in fact; as, the virtual presence of a man in his agent or substitute.

A thing has a virtual existence when it has all the conditions necessary to its actual existence.

Fleming.

To mask by slight differences in the manners a virtual identity in the substance.

De Quincey.

Principle of virtual velocities (Mech.) , the law that when several forces are in equilibrium, the algebraic sum of their virtual moments is equal to zero. -- Virtual focus (Opt.) , the point from which rays, having been rendered divergent by reflection of refraction, appear to issue; the point at which converging rays would meet if not reflected or refracted before they reach it. -- Virtual image . (Optics) See under Image . -- Virtual moment (of a force) (Mech.) , the product of the intensity of the force multiplied by the virtual velocity of its point of application; -- sometimes called virtual work . -- Virtual velocity (Mech.) , a minute hypothetical displacement, assumed in analysis to facilitate the investigation of statical problems. With respect to any given force of a number of forces holding a material system in equilibrium, it is the projection, upon the direction of the force, of a line joining its point of application with a new position of that point indefinitely near to the first, to which the point is conceived to have been moved, without disturbing the equilibrium of the system, or the connections of its parts with each other. Strictly speaking, it is not a velocity but a length. -- Virtual work . (Mech.) See Virtual moment , above.

Virtuality Vir`tu·al"i·ty noun [ Confer French virtualité .] 1. The quality or state of being virtual.

2. Potentiality; efficacy; potential existence. [ Obsolete]

In one grain of corn, there lieth dormant a virtuality of many other.

Sir T. Browne.

Virtually Vir"tu·al·ly adverb In a virtual manner; in efficacy or effect only, and not actually; to all intents and purposes; practically.

Virtuate Vir"tu·ate transitive verb To make efficacious; to give virtue of efficacy. [ Obsolete] Harvey.

Virtue Vir"tue noun [ Middle English vertu , French vertu , Latin virtus strength, courage, excellence, virtue, from vir a man. See Virile , and confer Virtu .] 1. Manly strength or courage; bravery; daring; spirit; valor. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Built too strong
For force or virtue ever to expugn.

Chapman.

2. Active quality or power; capacity or power adequate to the production of a given effect; energy; strength; potency; efficacy; as, the virtue of a medicine.

Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about.

Mark v. 30.

A man was driven to depend for his security against misunderstanding, upon the pure virtue of his syntax.

De Quincey.

The virtue of his midnight agony.

Keble.

3. Energy or influence operating without contact of the material or sensible substance.

She moves the body which she doth possess,
Yet no part toucheth, but by virtue's touch.

Sir. J. Davies.

4. Excellence; value; merit; meritoriousness; worth.

I made virtue of necessity.

Chaucer.

In the Greek poets, . . . the economy of poems is better observed than in Terence, who thought the sole grace and virtue of their fable the sticking in of sentences.

B. Jonson.

5. Specifically, moral excellence; integrity of character; purity of soul; performance of duty.

Virtue only makes our bliss below.

Pope.

If there's Power above us,
And that there is all nature cries aloud
Through all her works, he must delight in virtue .

Addison.

6. A particular moral excellence; as, the virtue of temperance, of charity, etc. "The very virtue of compassion." Shak. "Remember all his virtues ." Addison.

7. Specifically: Chastity; purity; especially, the chastity of women; virginity.

H. I believe the girl has virtue .
M. And if she has, I should be the last man in the world to attempt to corrupt it.

Goldsmith.

8. plural One of the orders of the celestial hierarchy.

Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues , powers.

Milton.

Cardinal virtues . See under Cardinal , adjective -- In , or By , virtue of , through the force of; by authority of. "He used to travel through Greece by virtue of this fable, which procured him reception in all the towns." Addison. "This they shall attain, partly in virtue of the promise made by God, and partly in virtue of piety." Atterbury. -- Theological virtues , the three virtues, faith, hope, and charity. See 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

Virtueless Vir"tue·less adjective Destitute of virtue; without efficacy or operating qualities; powerless.

Virtueless she wished all herbs and charms.

Fairfax.

Virtuosity Vir`tu·os"i·ty noun 1. The quality or state of being a virtuoso; in a bad sense, the character of one in whom mere artistic feeling or æsthetic cultivation takes the place of religious character; sentimentalism.

This famous passage . . . over which the virtuosity of modern times, rejoicing in evil, has hung so fondly.

C. Kingsley.

2. Virtuosos, collectively. Carlyle.

3. An art or study affected by virtuosos.

Virtuoso Vir`tu·o"so noun ; plural Virtuosos ; Italian Virtuosi . [ Italian See Virtuous .] 1. One devoted to virtu; one skilled in the fine arts, in antiquities, and the like; a collector or ardent admirer of curiosities, etc.

Virtuoso the Italians call a man who loves the noble arts, and is a critic in them.

Dryden.

2. (Mus.) A performer on some instrument, as the violin or the piano, who excels in the technical part of his art; a brilliant concert player.

Virtuosoship Vir`tu·o"so·ship noun The condition, pursuits, or occupation of a virtuoso. Bp. Hurd.

Virtuous Vir"tu·ous adjective [ Middle English vertuous , Old French vertuos , vertuous , French vertueux , from Latin Virtuous . See Virtue , and confer Virtuoso .] 1. Possessing or exhibiting virtue. Specifically: --

(a) Exhibiting manly courage and strength; valorous; valiant; brave. [ Obsolete]

Old Priam's son, amongst them all, was chiefly virtuous .

Chapman.

(b) Having power or efficacy; powerfully operative; efficacious; potent. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Lifting up his virtuous staff on high,
He smote the sea, which calméd was with speed.

Spenser.

Every virtuous plant and healing herb.

Milton.

(c) Having moral excellence; characterized by morality; upright; righteous; pure; as, a virtuous action.

The virtuous mind that ever walks attended
By a strong siding champion, conscience.

Milton.

2. Chaste; pure; -- applied especially to women.

Mistress Ford . . . the virtuous creature, that hath the jealous fool to her husband.

Shak.

-- Vir"tu*ous*ly , adverb -- Vir"tu*ous*ness , noun

Virulence, Virulency Vir"u·lence, Vir"u·len·cy noun [ Confer French virulence , Latin virulentia an offensive odor, a stench.] 1. The quality or state of being virulent or venomous; poisonousness; malignancy.

2. Extreme bitterness or malignity of disposition. "Refuted without satirical virulency ." Barrow.

The virulence of one declaimer, or the profundities and sublimities of the other.

I. Taylor.

Virulent Vir"u·lent adjective [ Latin virulentus , from virus poison: confer French virulent . See Virus .] 1. Extremely poisonous or venomous; very active in doing injury.

A contagious disorder rendered more virulent by uncleanness.

Sir W. Scott.

2. Very bitter in enmity; actuated by a desire to injure; malignant; as, a virulent invective.

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