A government intent on showy absurdities and viewy enterprises rather
than solid work.
London Spectator.
Vif"da (?), n. In the Orkney and Shetland Islands, beef and mutton hung
and dried, but not salted. [Scot.] [Written also vivda.] Jamieson.
Vi*ges"i*mal (?), a. [L. vigesimus twentieth, from viginti twenty.]
Twentieth; divided into, or consisting of, twenties or twenty parts.
Tylor.
Vi*ges`i*ma"tion (?), n. The act of putting to death every twentieth
man. [R.]
Vi*ges"i*mo-quar"to (?), a. [L. vigesimus quartus twenty-fourth. Cf.
Duodecimo.] Having twenty-four leaves to a sheet; as, a vigesimo-quarto
form, book, leaf, size, etc.
Vi*ges"i*mo-quar"to, n.; pl. - tos (&?;). A book composed of sheets
each of which is folded into twenty-four leaves; hence, indicating more
or less definitely a size of book so made; — usually written 24mo, or
24°.
Vig"il (?), n. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful,
probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See Wake, v. i., and cf.
Reveille, Surveillance, Vedette, Vegetable, Vigor.] 1. Abstinence from
sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of
keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being
awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch. "Worn out by the labors and
vigils of many months." Macaulay.
Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the card table and
those cutting passions which attend them.
Addison.
2. Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other religious
exercises.
So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned.
Milton.
Be sober and keep vigil, The Judge is at the gate.
Neale (Rhythm of St. Bernard).
3. (Eccl.) (a) Originally, the watch kept on the night before a feast.
(b) Later, the day and the night preceding a feast.
He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil
feast his neighbors, And say, "To-morrow is St. Crispian."
Shak.
(c) A religious service performed in the evening preceding a feast.
Vigils, or Watchings, of flowers (Bot.), a peculiar faculty belonging
to the flowers of certain plants of opening and closing their petals as
certain hours of the day. [R.]
Vig"i*lance (?), n. [L. vigilantia: cf. F. vigilance.] 1. The quality
or state of being vigilant; forbearance of sleep; wakefulness.
2. Watchfulness in respect of danger; care; caution; circumspection.
Cowper.
And flaming ministers to watch and tend Their earthly charge; of these
the vigilance I dread.
Milton.
3. Guard; watch. [Obs.] "In at this gate none pass the vigilance here
placed." Milton.
Vigilance committee, a volunteer committee of citizens for the
oversight and protection of any interest, esp. one organized for the
summary suppression and punishment of crime, as when the processes of
law appear inadequate.
Vig"i*lan*cy (?), n. Vigilance. [Obs.] Fuller.
Vig"i*lant (?), a. [L. vigilans, - antis, p. pr. of vigilare to watch,
fr. vigil awake: cf. F. vigilant. See Vigil.] Attentive to discover and
avoid danger, or to provide for safety; wakeful; watchful; circumspect;
wary. "Be sober, be vigilant." 1 Pet. v. 8.
Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant.
Shak.
Vig"i*lant*ly, adv. In a vigilant manner.
Vig"i*ly (?), n. [L. vigilia.] A vigil. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Vi`gin*tiv"i*rate (?), n. [L. vigintiviratus, fr. vigintiviri; viginti
twenty + vir a man.] The office of the vigintiviri, a body of officers
of government consisting of twenty men; also, the vigintiviri. [R.]
Vi*gnette" (?; 277), n. [F. vignette, fr. vigne a vine. See Vine, and
cf. Vinette.] 1. (Arch.) A running ornament consisting of leaves and
tendrils, used in Gothic architecture.
2. A decorative design, originally representing vine branches or
tendrils, at the head of a chapter, of a manuscript or printed book, or
in a similar position; hence, by extension, any small picture in a
book; hence, also, as such pictures are often without a definite
bounding line, any picture, as an engraving, a photograph, or the like,
which vanishes gradually at the edge.
Vi*gnette", v. t. To make, as an engraving or a photograph, with a
border or edge insensibly fading away.
Vi*go"ni*a (?), a. [Cf. F. vigogne vicuña. See Vicuña.] Of or
pertaining to the vicuña; characterizing the vicuña; — said of the wool
of that animal, used in felting hats, and for other purposes. Prescott.
Vig"or (?), n. [OE. vigour, vigor, OF. vigor, vigur, vigour, F.
vigueur, fr. L. vigor, fr. vigere to be lively or strong. See
Vegetable, Vigil.] 1. Active strength or force of body or mind;
capacity for exertion, physically, intellectually, or morally; force;
energy.
The vigor of this arm was never vain.
Dryden.
2. Strength or force in animal or force in animal or vegetable nature
or action; as, a plant grows with vigor.