Search the Dictionary

Observation of the heavens or heavenly bodies.

To inclose in, or as in, an urn; to inurn. When horror universal shall descend, And heaven's dark concave urn all human race. Young.

Floating about without any certain direction; driven to and fro. To heaven their prayers Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds Blown vagabond or frustrate. Milton.

colors depends upon the composition of light. Sir I. Newton. For earth this variety from heaven. Milton. There is a variety in the tempers of good men. Atterbury.

ty. "The watery vast." Pope. Michael bid sound The archangel trumpet. Through the vast of heaven It sounded. Milton.

The canopy of heaven; the sky. That heaven's vault should crack. Shak.

Arched; concave. [Obs.] "The vaulty heaven." Shak.

ment; to let out; to utter; to pour forth; as, to vent passion or complaint. The queen of heaven did thus her fury vent. Dryden.

rtigo; giddy; dizzy. They [the angels] grew vertiginous, and fell from the battlements of heaven. Jer. Taylor. -- Ver*tig"i*nous*ly, adv. -- Ver*tig"i*nous*ness, n.

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).

ert a right to; to claim. [R.] Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain The birds of heaven shall vindicate their grain. Pope.

ceptible; in view; as, a visible star; the least spot is visible on white paper. Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. Bk. of Com. Prayer. Virtue made visible in outward grace. Young.

rom 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, f…

Contributing to life; necessary to, or supporting, life; as, vital blood. Do the heavens afford him vital food Spenser. And vital virtue infused, and vital warmth. Milton.

They that want honesty, want anything. Beau. & Fl. Nor think, though men were none, That heaven would want spectators, God want praise. Milton. The unhappy never want enemies. Richardson.

pposition; an inimical contest, act, or action; enmity; hostility. "Raised impious war in heaven." Milton. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. Ps. lv. 21. Civil war, a war between different sections or parties of the same country or nation. -- Holy war. See under Holy. -- Man o…

street, track, or path of any kind; as, they built a way to the mine. "To find the way to heaven." Shak. I shall him seek by way and eke by street. Chaucer. The way seems difficult, and steep to scale. Milton. The season and ways were very improper for his majesty's forces to march so great a distance. Evelyn.…

o the house, entertainment, or company; as, a welcome visitor. When the glad soul is made Heaven's welcome guest. Cowper.

The visible regions of the air; the vault of heaven; the sky. On the welkne shoon the sterres lyght. Chaucer. The fair welkin foully overcast. Spenser. When storms the welkin rend. Wordsworth.

The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to set at the equinox; or, the corresponding point on the earth; that one of the four cardinal points of the compass which is in a direction at right angles to that of north and south, and on the left hand of a person facing north; the point directly opposite to east. And…