Search the Dictionary

turn of the mind; caprice; whim; crotchet; also, a fit of temper or passion. [Prov. Eng.] Violent of temper; subject to sudden cranks. Carlyle.

To break in pieces violently; to dash together with noise and violence. [R.] He shakt his head, and crasht his teeth for ire. Fairfax.

To crush with the teeth; to chew with violence and noise; to crunch. Swift.

To grind or press with violence and noise. The ship crunched through the ice. Kane.

A violent collision or compression; a crash; destruction; ruin. The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds. Addison.

aving the edges toward the base rolled inward, as the leaf of the commonest American blue violet.

A powder of a violet red color, difficult to moisten with water, used for making violet or purple dye. It is prepared from certain species of lichen, especially Lecanora tartarea. Ure.

A violent storm, often of vast extent, characterized by high winds rotating about a calm center of low atmospheric pressure. This center moves onward, often with a velocity of twenty or thirty miles an hour.

r its fragrance, especially toward the close of the day; -- called also rocket and dame's violet. Loudon.

To throw with violence or haste; to cause to strike violently or hastily; -- often used with against. If you dash a stone against a stone in the botton of the water, it maketh a sound. Bacon.

A breaking or bursting forth; a violent rush or flood of waters which breaks down opposing barriers, and hurls forward and disperses blocks of stone and other débris.

That period of a disorder or paroxysm when the symptoms begin to abate in violence; as, the decline of a fever.

The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger. In cases of defense 't is best to weigh The enemy more mighty than he seems. Shak.

ion (of Parliament). Motley. Delirium tremens (. Etym: [L., trembling delirium] (Med.), a violent delirium induced by the excessive and prolonged use of intoxicating liquors. -- Traumatic delirium (Med.), a variety of delirium following injury.

To manage; to conduct; to treat. [Our] clergy have with violence demeaned the matter. Milton.

The act of overthrowing, pulling down, or destroying a pile or structure; destruction by violence; utter overthrow; -- opposed to construction; as, the demolition of a house, of military works, of a town, or of hopes.

lause is inserted word for word; -- a precaution to guard against later wills extorted by violence, or obtained by suggestion.

To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage ground; to come suddenly and with violence; -- with on or upon. And on the suitors let thy wrath descend. Pope.

any powder or solid substance, as fulminate of mercury, which when struck, explodes with violence and a loud report. -- Detonating primer, a primer exploded by a fuse; -- used to explode gun cotton in blasting operations. -- Detonating tube, a strong tube of glass, usually graduated, closed at one end, and furnished…

To fight like gladiators; to contend fiercely; to dispute violently. [Obs.] Digladiating like Æschines and Demosthenes. Hales.