Arc of vision (Astron.), the arc which measures the least distance from
the sun at which, when the sun is below the horizon, a star or planet
emerging from his rays becomes visible. — Beatific vision (Theol.), the
immediate sight of God in heaven. — Direct vision (Opt.), vision when
the image of the object falls directly on the yellow spot (see under
Yellow); also, vision by means of rays which are not deviated from
their original direction. — Field of vision, field of view. See under
Field. — Indirect vision (Opt.), vision when the rays of light from an
object fall upon the peripheral parts of the retina. — Reflected
vision, or Refracted vision, vision by rays reflected from mirrors, or
refracted by lenses or prisms, respectively. — Vision purple.
(Physiol.) See Visual purple, under Visual.
Vi"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Visioned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Visioning.]
To see in a vision; to dream.
For them no visioned terrors daunt, Their nights no fancied specters
haunt.
Sir W. Scott.
Vi"sion*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to a vision.
Vi"sion*a*ri*ness (?), n. The quality or state of being visionary.
Vi"sion*a*ry (?), a. [Cf. F. visionnaire.] 1. Of or pertaining to a
visions or visions; characterized by, appropriate to, or favorable for,
visions.
The visionary hour When musing midnight reigns.
Thomson.
2. Affected by phantoms; disposed to receive impressions on the
imagination; given to reverie; apt to receive, and act upon, fancies as
if they were realities.
Or lull to rest the visionary maid.
Pope.
3. Existing in imagination only; not real; fanciful; imaginary; having
no solid foundation; as, visionary prospect; a visionary scheme or
project. Swift.
Syn. — Fanciful; fantastic; unreal. See Fanciful.
Vi"sion*a*ry, n.; pl. Visionaries (&?;). 1. One whose imagination is
disturbed; one who sees visions or phantoms.
2. One whose imagination overpowers his reason and controls his
judgment; an unpractical schemer; one who builds castles in the air; a
daydreamer.
Vi"sioned (?), a. Having the power of seeing visions; inspired; also,
seen in visions. [R.] Shelley.
Vi"sion*ist (?), n. A visionary.
Vi"sion*less, a. Destitute of vision; sightless.
Vis"it (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Visited; p. pr. & vb. n. Visiting.] [F.
visiter, L. visitare, fr. visere to go to see, to visit, fr. videre,
visum to see. See Vision.]
1. To go or come to see, as for the purpose of friendship, business,
curiosity, etc.; to attend; to call upon; as, the physician visits his
patient.
2. Specifically: To go or come to see for inspection, examination,
correction of abuses, etc.; to examine, to inspect; as, a bishop visits
his diocese; a superintendent visits persons or works under his charge.
3. (Script.) To come to for the purpose of chastising, rewarding,
comforting; to come upon with reward or retribution; to appear before
or judge; as, to visit in mercy; to visit one in wrath.
[God] hath visited and redeemed his people.
Like i. 68.
Vis"it (?), v. i. To make a visit or visits; to maintain visiting
relations; to practice calling on others.
Vis"it, n. [Cf. F. visite. See Visit, v. t., and cf. Visite.] 1. The
act of visiting, or going to see a person or thing; a brief stay of
business, friendship, ceremony, curiosity, or the like, usually longer
than a call; as, a visit of civility or respect; a visit to Saratoga;
the visit of a physician.
2. The act of going to view or inspect; an official or formal
inspection; examination; visitation; as, the visit of a trustee or
inspector.
Right of visit (Internat. Law), the right of visitation. See
Visitation, 4.
Vis"it*a*ble (?), a. Liable or subject to be visited or inspected. "All
hospitals built since the Reformation are visitable by the king or lord
chancellor." Ayliffe.
Vis"it*ant (?), n. [L. visitans, - antis; p. pr.: cf. F. visitant.] One
who visits; a guest; a visitor.
When the visitant comes again, he is no more a stranger.
South.
Vis"it*ant, a. Visiting. Wordsworth.
Vis`it*a"tion (?), n. [L. visitatio: cf. F. visitation.] 1. The act of
visiting, or the state of being visited; access for inspection or
examination.
Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.
Shak.
2. Specifically: The act of a superior or superintending officer who,
in the discharge of his office, visits a corporation, college, etc., to
examine into the manner in which it is conducted, and see that its laws
and regulations are duly observed and executed; as, the visitation of a
diocese by a bishop.
3. The object of a visit. [Obs.] "O flowers, . . . my early visitation
and my last." Milton.
4. (Internat. Law) The act of a naval commander who visits, or enters
on board, a vessel belonging to another nation, for the purpose of
ascertaining her character and object, but without claiming or
exercising a right of searching the vessel. It is, however, usually
coupled with the right of search (see under Search), visitation being
used for the purpose of search.
5. Special dispensation; communication of divine favor and goodness,
or, more usually, of divine wrath and vengeance; retributive calamity;
retribution; judgment.
What will ye do in the day of visitation?
Isa. x. 3.
6. (Eccl.) A festival in honor of the visit of the Virgin Mary to
Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist, celebrated on the second of
July.
The Order of the Visitation of Our Lady (R. C. Ch.), a religious
community of nuns, founded at Annecy, in Savoy, in 1610, and in 1808
established in the United States. In America these nuns are devoted to
the education of girls.
Vis`it*a*to"ri*al (?), a. [Cf. LL. visitator a bishop temporarily put
in place of another.] Of or pertaining to visitation, or a judicial
visitor or superintendent; visitorial.
An archdeacon has visitatorial power.
Ayliffe.
The queen, however, still had over the church a visitatorial power of
vast and undefined extent.
Macaulay.
Vi*site" (?), n. [F. See Visit, n.] A light cape or short cloak of silk
or lace worn by women in summer.
Vis"it*er (?), n. A visitor.
Vis"it*ing, a. & vb. n. from Visit.
Visiting ant. (Zoöl.) See Driver ant, under Driver. — Visiting book, a
book in which a record of visits received, made, and to be made, is
kept. Thackeray. — Visiting card. See under Card.
Vis"it*or (?). [Cf. F. visiteur.] [Written also visiter.] 1. One who
visits; one who comes or goes to see another, as in civility or
friendship. "This great flood of visitors." Shak.
2. A superior, or a person lawfully appointed for the purpose, who
makes formal visits of inspection to a corporation or an institution.
See Visit, v. t., 2, and Visitation, n., 2.
The king is the visitor of all lay corporations.
Blackstone.
Vis`it*o"ri*al (?), a. Same as Visitatorial.
Vi"sive (?), a. [Cf. F. visif, LL. visivus. See Vision.] Of or
pertaining to the sight; visual. [Obs.]
I can not satisfy myself how men should be so little surprised about
this visive faculty.
Berkeley.
Visne (?; 277), n. [OF. visné, veisiné, visnet, neighborhood, LL.
vicinatus, fr. L. vicunus neighboring, a neighbor. See Vicinity.] (Law)
Neighborhood; vicinity; venue. See Venue.
Vis"no*my (?), n. [Contr. fr. physiognomy.] Face; countenance.
[Colloq.] Spenser. Lamb.
Vi"son (?), n. [F.] (Zoöl.) The mink.
Vis"or (?), n. [OE. visere, F. visière, fr. OF. vis. See Visage,
Vision.] [Written also visar, visard, vizard, and vizor.] 1. A part of
a helmet, arranged so as to lift or open, and so show the face. The
openings for seeing and breathing are generally in it.
2. A mask used to disfigure or disguise. "My very visor began to assume
life." Shak.
My weaker government since, makes you pull off the visor.
Sir P. Sidney.