vomic 
discharge: e<> c</n/. ] Purulent ; 
[Hare.] 
VOmica (vom'i-kii), . ; pi. r<nni<:; (-sel. [NI-., 
I'ein. nl' I,, i-iiniiriin, nil-emus: ,<! i in/lie.] In 
HI' 1 '/., a eav it V ill the 1 tine;, resulting I'rolll a putll- 
nloi;ieal process, and containing pus. 
vomicene (vom'i-.sen), . |< minim in i<.' 
nninni + -riir. \ III r/niii.. same us briirtiii'. 
VOmic-nut (vom'ik-nut), . [Aii K. rendering 
of NIv. /in.<- ci/H/iVi/: sc.. in/.)- ri///iiri/.] Samtt as 
Cil//l(7-HH/. 
vomit (vom'it), c. [< L. roinitiiK, pp. of vomere 
(> It. rniiiire = I-', rmnir : SIM' COMIC), vomit, dis- 
charge, = Or. f/ieiv = Skt. \/ mm, vomit. Cf. 
r/n<7iV.J I. trunx. 1. To throw up or eject 
from the Htomaeh ; discharge from the stomach 
through the mouth : often followed by forth, 
ll/J, or mil. 
The morsel which thou hiut eaten shall thuo vomit up. 
Pror. win 8. 
2. To eject with violence from any hollow 
place ; belch forth ; emit. 
During the night the volcano . . . vomited up vast quan- 
tities of tire and ainoke. Cook, Second Voyage, Hi. 5. 
II. intrans. 1. To eject the contents of the 
stomach by the mouth; puke; spew. 2. To 
be emitted; come out with force or violence, 
vomit (vom'it), it. [= Sp. vomito = Pg. It. 
vomito, < Li. vomitus, a throwing up, vomiting, 
vomit. < vomere, pp. vomitun, vomit: see rmnti, 
.] 1. That winch is vomited; specifically, 
matter ejected from the stomach in the act of 
vomiting; an attack of vomiting. 
So, BO, thou common dog, didst thou disgorge, . . . 
And now thou wouldst eat thy dead votiut up. 
Shale., 'I Hen. IV., 1. 3. 9. 
2. That which excites the stomach to discharge 
its contents; an emetic. 
Whether a vomit may be safely given moat be Judged 
by the circumstances. Arbuthnot. 
Black vomit, a blackish substance, consisting chiefly of 
disorganized blood, vomited in certain cases of yellow fe- 
ver ; also, the disease yellow fever, 
vomiting (vom'i-ting), H. [Verbal n. of vomit, 
.] 1. The ejection of matter from the stom- 
ach through the mouth. It is effected mainly by 
a spasmodic contraction of the abdominal muscles and 
diaphragm, occurring at the same time with dilatation of 
the cardiac orittce, assisted also by contraction of the 
muscular coats of the stomach itself. 
2. That which is vomited ; vomit. 
Hold the chalice to beastly rii'in<;>. 
Jer. Taylor, Rule of Conscience, IV. I. 2. 
Fecal or stercoraceous vomiting, ej ectlon by the mouth 
of fecal matter which has been regurgitated Into the stom- 
ach from the intestine ; copremesis. 
vomitingly (vom'i-ting-li), adv. As in vomit- 
ing; like vomit. 
Take occasion, pulling out your gloves, to have some 
epigram, or satire, or sonnet fastened in one of them, that 
may, as it were <-<nnit/ii : rlij to you, offer itself to the gentle- 
men. Delrlcer, Gull's Hornbook, p. 116. 
vomition (vo-mish'on), n. [= It. vomtzione, < 
L. vomitio(n-), a vomiting, < vomere, vomit: 
see vomit.'] The act or power of vomiting. 
[Rare.] 
How many have saved their lives by spewing up their 
debauch ! whereas, if the stomach had wanted the faculty 
of twmtti'on, they had inevitably died. 
Jv. < i em-, Cosmologla Sacra. 
vomitive (vom'i-tiv), a. [< F. vomitif = Sp. 
Pg. It. vomitive; as vomit + -ire.] Causing the 
ejection of matter from the stomach ; emetic. 
It will become him also to know not only the Ingredi 
ents but doses of certain cathartic or purging, emetic or 
vomitive medicines, specific or choleric, melancholic or 
phlegmatic constitutions, phlebotomy being only neces- 
sary for those who abound in blood. 
/,.';' Uerbert of Cherbury, Life (ed. Howells), p. 44. 
vomit-nut (vom'it-nut), n. The seeds of the 
nux \omicA tree, StrychnosNux-vomica; quaker- 
buttous or poison-nut. See nux vomica. Also 
vomic-nut. 
vomito (vom'i-to), . [Sp. vomito = E. vomit.'] 
The yellow fever, in its worst form, in which it 
is usually attended with the black vomit. 
The low, marshy regions are to be avoided ... on ac- 
count of the vomito the scourge of those regions. 
L. Hamilton, Mexican Handbook, p. 18. 
vomitory (vom'i-to-ri), a. and n. [= F. vomi- 
ttiire = Sp. Pg. It. vomitorio, < L. vomitorius, 
vomiting (neut. pi. vomitoria, the passages in an 
amphitheater), <. romere, vomit, discharge : see 
I'limit.] I. a. Procuring vomiting; causing 
ejection from the stomach; emetic; vomitive. 
II. . ; pi. vomitories (-riz). 1. An emetic. 
2. In arch., an opening or passage, usually one 
of a regularly disposed series, in an ancient 
Roman theater or amphitheater, which gave di- 
426* 
B78B 
I ill 
vortex 
beliefs and impotent tecret libations, burning!, etc., as 
are everywhere the recourse of liiw nii.l |.II.TI|.- r..d|. 
i nnir.i I here aeons U> >> h 1 >IHUI to 
jilBllf> I In' li UN Mi>hl|i" . anil till Iras does it > 
contain nil) k'i u|i "i I" lief , myths, or pious observance* 
that mukf it in any sense a separate rellgUm. 
vooga-hole n "!'. a li"i . n. Same as vug. 
voracious i vo-ra'slnis), <i. [= I ../...=Sp. 
Pg. rurttj = It. rorace, < L. vorajc (rornr-), swul- 
greedily, ravenous, < varan, swallow. 
devour; cf. Or. \/ jlo/> in %/, food, .</>""". fooil 
(see broma), pippaautp, eat, skt. T/<I<H. swal- 
low. Cf. vorant, <l<-vur.] 1. (ireeily ii 
injr: enting food in large quantities ; marked 
by voracity; ravenous: as, a voracious man. 
I have seen of the king carrion crows. . . . They are 
very voraeimu, and will despatch a carcass In a trice. 
Danpitr, Voyages, an. 1078. 
They are men of a toraeitnu appetite, but no taste. 
Addum, Spectator, No. 452. 
2. KapaciouB. 
I would have removed this defect, and formed no 
Amphitheater l Verona, shown* Vomitories. 
The Urge archway is one of the main entrances to the arena ; the 
smaller one to the right of the first is an opening of the Ant vaulted 
passage beneath the seatsof the auditorium ; the square openings are 
vomitories. 
rect ingress or egress to the people in some part 
of the auditorium. 
vomiturition (vom'i-tu-rish'on), . [< L. as 
if "vomiturire, desire to vomit, desiderative of 
vomere, vomit : see vomit."] 1. Ineffectual at- 
tempts to vomit; retching. 2. The vomiting 
of but little matter, or vomiting with little ef- 
fort. 
vomitus (vom'i-tus), n. [L., prop. pp. of vo- 
mere, vomit: see vomit."] Vomiting; vomited 
matter Vomitus niger, black vomit ; yellow fever. 
vondsiraf, . Same as vansirc. Flacourt, 1661. 
Von Graefe's operation for cataract. See 
operation. 
Von Patera process. See process. 
voodoo (vo-do'), n. and a. [Also voudou; < Cre- 
ole F. vattdoux, a negro sorcerer, prob. orig. 
a dial, form of F. Vaudois, a Waldensian (the 
Waldenses, as heretics, being accused of sor- 
cery): see Waldennes. Cf. hoodoo.'] I. n. 1. 
A common name among Creoles and in many 
of the southern United States for any prac- 
ticer of malicious, defensive, amatory, healing, 
or soothsaying enchantments, charms, witch- 
crafts, or secret rites, especially when they are 
tinctured with African superstitious and cus- 
toms; especially, one who makes such practices 
a business. 
The unprotected little widow should have had a very 
serious errand to bring her to the voudeu'i house. 
0. W. Cable, Urandlsalmes, p. 90. 
Every one has read of the noisy antics employed by the 
medicine-men among the Indians, and by the fetich-doc- 
tors and voodoo* among the negroes, for driving diseases 
out of their patient*. Pop. Set. Mo., XXXIV. 803. 
2. The same title transferred by voodoos to a 
personal evil spirit supreme among evil powers. 
But for the small leaven of more Intelligent whites, the 
black people would soon be victims of vovdoo. Indeed, it 
Is hard to find a rural community in the Mouth where that 
dreadful bugbear Is not more or less believed in and feared. 
Pop. Sd. Ho., XXVI. 44. 
3. pi. The practicers of voodoo rites as a col- 
lective body. 
IT. a. Pertaining to or associated with the 
superstitions and peculiar practices of the voo- 
doos: as, a voodoo dance (a violent indecent 
dance belonging to the secret nocturnal cere- 
monies of the voodoos) ; a voodoo doctor, or voo- 
doo priest (the terms most commonly used in 
Creole countries for any professional voodoo) ; 
voodoo king or queen (the person who, by a cer- 
tain vague election and tenure, holds for life a 
local preeminence and some slight authority 
over all voodoos of the surrounding country), 
voodoo (v8-db"), v. t. [Also voudou; < voodoo, 
n. Cf. hoodoo, v.] To affect by voodoo conju- 
ration or charms. 
What was the matter with her head, anyhow? She 
must be mudoued. Hevj Princeton Kev., 1. 10& 
The negroes [of Louisiana] took a dislike to the over- 
seer, and sent to the city for a conjuror to come down and 
voodoo him. The conjuror undertook to rid them of the 
overseer for 930, but finally came down in his demand to 
*-'..MI. The Century, XXXV. HZ. 
voodooism (vo-dO'izm), n. [Also voudouism; < 
i-iMidoo + -ism.] The voodoo superstitions and 
practices. In the main these are only such fantastical 
vorago (vo-ra'go), n. [L., a gulf, abyss. < t 
rare, swallow, swallow up. Cf. E. sxalUnc^, 
eitna or destructive animals, which only prey on the other 
parU of the creation. OolamUh, Asem. 
Confetti to roe, as the first proof of It (confidence), didst 
Ihou never shrink back from so wratiaui and intractable 
a monster as that accursed snake? 
Landur, Iinag. Conv., Alexander and the Priest of 
[Hainiii'tn. 
3. Ready to swallow up: as, a voracious gulf 
or whirlpool. = Byn. L Ravmout, etc. See rapacvnu. 
voraciously (vo-ra'shus-li), inir. In a vora- 
cious manner; with greedy appetite ; ravenous- 
ly; rapaciously. 
voraciousness (vo-ra'shus-nes), n. The Bt*vte 
or character of he'ing voracious ; greediness of 
appetite; raveuousnesa ; voracity. 
This necessarily puts the good man upon making great 
ravages on all the dishes . . . near him, and distinguish- 
ing himself by tvoracioutiira of appetite, as knowing that 
his time Is short. Additm, Tatler, No. 255. 
voracity (vo-ras'i-ti), n. [< F. voracitf = 8p. 
noracidad = Pg. voracidade = It. voracita, < L. 
roracita(t-)s, ravenousness, < vorux (vorac-), de- 
vouring: see voracious.'] The character of be- 
ing voracious; greediness of appetite; vora- 
ciousness. 
He ate food with what might almost be termed voracity. 
Havthornr, Seven Gables, vll. 
= 8vn. Avidity, ravenousueas. See rapacwu*. 
voraginous (vo-raj'i-nus), a. [= Sp. Pg. It. 
voraginoso, < L"L. voraginosus, full of chasms or 
abysses, < L. vorago, a chasm, abyss : see vo- 
rago.~] Of or pertaining to a gulf or whirlpool ; 
hence, devouring; swallowing. [Rare.] 
A cavern's jaws voraginoui and vast. 
Mallet, Amyntor and Theodora. 1. 
to- 
up. f. E. sxalUnc^, a 
gulf, abyss; cf. also gorge in similar sense.] 
A gulf ; an abyss. [Rare.] 
From hence we passed by the place into w<* Cnrtlus 
precipitated himself for the love of hU country, now with- 
out any signo of a lake or vrti<r<: 
Evelyn, Diary, Nor. 4, 1644. 
vorant (vo'rant), a. [< L. vornn(t-)g, ppr. of 
vorare, swallow: see voracious.] In her., de- 
vouring or swallowing: noting a serpent or 
other creature of prey. The epithet Is followed by 
the name of the object which Is being swallowed : as, the 
arms of Viscontl of Milan were a serpent vorant a child. 
vormela, " See vomela. 
-VOrous. [L. -com*, < vorare, devour: see vora- 
cious, vorant.] The terminal element, meaning 
'eating,' of various compound adjectives, as 
carnivorous, herbivorous, insectivorous, omnivo- 
rous, pitcivorous, etc, 
vortei (vdr'teks), n. ; pi. vortices or vortexes 
(vdr'ti-sez, vdr't*k-sez). [= Sp. vortice = Pg. 
It. vortice, < L. vortex, var. vertex, a whirl, eddy, 
whirlpool, vortex: see rrrtejr. another form of 
the word.] 1. A whirl of fluid. An Intuitive geo- 
metrical Idea of the motion is not easily attained. If the 
motion of a fluid varies continuously both In time and In 
space. It may be described as such that each spherical 
particle Is at each instant receiving three compressions 
or elongations at right angles to one another, and has, 
besides, a motion of translation and a motion of rotation 
about an axis through it When this motion of rotation 
is present, the fluid is said to have a rotational motion : 
but this must not be confounded with a rotation of the 
whole mass. Thus, if all the parts of the fluid move 
in one direction but with unequal velocities In different 
parallel planes, though there be no rotation of the whole 
mass, yet the motion is rotational : and If a spherical 
particle were suddenly congealed, its inertia would make 
It rotate. On the other band, one or more radial pad- 
dles turning about the axis of a cylindrical vessel tilled 
with a perfect fluid, though making the latter revolve 
as a whole, could yet Impart no rotational motion, which 
the fluid would evade by slipping round between thr 
Daddies. The motion being perfectly continuous, the 
ails of rotation of a particle must join the axis of rotation 
of a neighboring particle, so that a curve, called a vortex- 
lint, may be described whose tangent* are the axes of ro- 
tation of the particles at their points of tangency ; and 
