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Not having the mind or the passions engaged; as, uninterested in a discourse or narration.

priety of representation are preserved; conformity in a composition to these; in oratory, discourse, etc., the due subordination and reference of every part to the development of the leading idea or the eastablishment of the main proposition.

A discourse or treatise on the heavens and the heavenly bodies; the study of the heavens; uranography.

Allowed; permitted. [Obs.] "Permitting him the while venial discourse unblamed." Milton. Venial sin (R. C. Theol.), a sin which weakens, but does not wholly destroy, sanctifying grace, as do mortal, or deadly, sins. -- Ve"ni*al*ly, adv. -- Ve"ni*al*ness, n. Bp. Hall.

A discourse or treatise on worms; that part of zoölogy which treats of worms; helminthology. [R.]

Life; animation; spiritedness; liveliness; sprightliness; as, the vivacity of a discourse; a lady of great vivacity; vivacity of countenance.

about a finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse. Addison.

passing; apropos; aside; apart from, though connected with, the main object or subject of discourse. -- By way of, for the purpose of; as being; in character of. -- Covert way. (Fort.) See Covered way, under Covered. -- In the family way. See under Family. -- In the way, so as to meet, fall in with, obstruct, hinde…

l be called his wench or his leman. Chaucer. It is not a digression to talk of bawds in a discourse upon wenches. Spectator.

nd of enmity between us known Why he should mean me ill or seek to harm. Milton. Turn the discourse; I have a reason why I would not have you speak so tenderly. Dryden.

power tyrannical. Shak. Little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse. Gov. of Tongue.

Talk; discourse; speech; language. Why should calamity be full of words Shak. Be thy words severe; Sharp as he merits, but the sword forbear. Dryden.