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Most remote; furthest; final; last. Ultima ratio Etym: [L.], the last reason or argument; the last resort. -- Ultima Thule. [L.] See Thule.

have been handed down by word of mouth; oral or traditional doctrines. -- Unwritten law. Etym: [Cf. L. lex non scripta.] That part of the law of England and of the United States which is not derived from express legislative enactment, or at least from any enactment now extant and in force as such. This law is now gene…

des with, to be even with. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Sir W. Scott. T. Hughes. -- Upside down. Etym: [Perhaps a corruption of OE. up so down, literally, up as down.] With the upper part undermost; hence, in confusion; in complete disorder; topsy-turvy. Shak. These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.…

Either one of the Bears. See the Phrases below. Ursa Major Etym: [L.], the Great Bear, one of the most conspicuous of the northern constellations. It is situated near the pole, and contains the stars which form the Dipper, or Charles's Wain, two of which are the Pointers, or stars which point towards the North Star. -…

F (see F), or else added by the Greeks to the alphabet which they took from the Semitic. Etymologically v is most nearly related to u, w, f, b, p; as in vine, wine; avoirdupois, habit, have; safe, save; trover, troubadour, trope. See U, F, etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, § 265; also §§ 155, 169, 178-179, etc.…

Pledge; security; bail. See Mortgage. Vadium vivum Etym: [LL.] (Law), a living pledge, which exists where an estate is granted until a debt is paid out of its proceeds.

A kind of goad or stick with a point of iron. Valet de chambre ( Etym: [F.], a body servant, or personal attendant.

A vessel; a duct. Vas deferens; pl. Vasa deferentia. Etym: [L. vas vessel + deferens carrying down.] (Anat.) The excretory duct of a testicle; a spermatic duct.

A vein. Vena cava; pl. Venæ cavæ. Etym: [L., literally, hollow vein.] (Anat.) Any one of the great systemic veins connected directly with the heart.-- Vena contracta. Etym: [L., literally, contracted vein.] (Hydraulics) The contracted portion of a liquid jet at and near the orifice from which it issues. -- Vena portæ;…

; verbally; as, to tell a story verbatim as another has related it. Verbatim et literatim Etym: [LL.], word for word, and letter for letter.

A bladder. Vesica piscis. Etym: [L., dish bladder.] (Eccl. Art) A glory, or aureole, of oval shape, or composed of two arcs of circles usually represented as surrounding a divine personage. More rarely, an oval composed of two arcs not representing a glory; a solid oval, etc.

A road way. Via Lactea Etym: [L.] (Anat.), the Milky Way, or Galaxy. See Galaxy, 1. -- Via media Etym: [L.] (Theol.), the middle way; -- a name applied to their own position by the Anglican high-churchmen, as being between the Roman Catholic Church and what they term extreme Protestantism.

ond in rank or authority; as, vice president; vice agent; vice consul, etc. Vice admiral. Etym: [Cf. F. vice-amiral.] (a) An officer holding rank next below an admiral. By the existing laws, the rank of admiral and vice admiral in the United States Navy will cease at the death of the present incumbents. (b) A civil off…

and use resembling the violin, but larger, and a fifth lower in compass. Viola da braccio Etym: [It., viol for the arm], the tenor viol, or viola, a fifth lower than the violin. Its part is written in the alto clef, hence it is sometimes called the alto. -- Viola da gamba Etym: [It., viol for the leg], an instrument r…

vis viva accumulated or lost in the system while the work is being done. -- Vis impressa Etym: [L.] (Mech.), force exerted, as in moving a body, or changing the direction of its motion; impressed force. -- Vis inertiæ. Etym: [L.] (a) The resistance of matter, as when a body at rest is set in motion, or a body in moti…

cords or chords. (Anat.) See Larynx, and the Note under Voice, n., 1. -- Vocal fremitus Etym: [L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring] (Med.), the perceptible vibration of the chest wall, produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations during the act of using the voice. -- Vocal music, music made by the voi…

Turn, that is, turn over the leaf. Volti subito Etym: [It.] (Mus.), turn over quickly.

A voice. Vox humana ( Etym: [L., human voice] (Mus.), a reed stop in an organ, made to imitate the human voice.

njuries; as, vulnerary plants or potions. "Such vulnerary remedies." Sir W. Scott. -- n. Etym: [Cf. F. vulnéraire.] (Med.)

etition of a V, this being the original form of the Roman capital letter which we call U. Etymologically it is most related to v and u. See V, and U. Some of the uneducated classes in England, especially in London, confuse w and v, substituting the one for the other, as weal for veal, and veal for weal; wine for vine,…