dictionary definitions for "violent"


From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Violent \Vi"o*lent\, a. [F., from L. violentus, from vis
     strength, force; probably akin to Gr. ? a muscle, strength.]
     1. Moving or acting with physical strength; urged or impelled
        with force; excited by strong feeling or passion;
        forcible; vehement; impetuous; fierce; furious; severe;
        as, a violent blow; the violent attack of a disease.
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              Float upon a wild and violent sea.    --Shak.
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              A violent cross wind from either coast. --Milton.
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     2. Acting, characterized, or produced by unjust or improper
        force; outrageous; unauthorized; as, a violent attack on
        the right of free speech.
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              To bring forth more violent deeds.    --Milton.
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              Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey's life.
                                                    --Shak.
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     3. Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural;
        abnormal.
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              These violent delights have violent ends. --Shak.
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              No violent state can be perpetual.    --T. Burnet.
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              Ease would recant
              Vows made in pain, as violent and void. --Milton.
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     Violent presumption (Law), presumption of a fact that
        arises from proof of circumstances which necessarily
        attend such facts.
  
     Violent profits (Scots Law), rents or profits of an estate
        obtained by a tenant wrongfully holding over after
        warning. They are recoverable in a process of removing.
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     Syn: Fierce; vehement; outrageous; boisterous; turbulent;
          impetuous; passionate; severe; extreme.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Violent \Vi"o*lent\, n.
     An assailant. [Obs.] --Dr. H. More.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Violent \Vi"o*lent\, v. t. [Cf. F. violenter.]
     To urge with violence. [Obs.] --Fuller.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Violent \Vi"o*lent\, v. i.
     To be violent; to act violently. [Obs.]
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           The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste,
           And violenteth in a sense as strong
           As that which causeth it.                --Shak.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  violent
      adj 1: acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or
             energy or emotional intensity; "a violent attack"; "a
             violent person"; "violent feelings"; "a violent rage";
             "felt a violent dislike" [ant: nonviolent]
      2: effected by force or injury rather than natural causes; "a
         violent death"
      3: (of colors or sounds) intensely vivid or loud; "a violent
         clash of colors"; "her dress was a violent red"; "a violent
         noise"; "wild colors"; "wild shouts" [syn: violent, wild]
      4: marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions;
         inclined to react violently; fervid; "fierce loyalty"; "in a
         tearing rage"; "vehement dislike"; "violent passions" [syn:
         fierce, tearing, vehement, violent, trigger-happy]
      5: characterized by violence or bloodshed; "writes of crimson
         deeds and barbaric days"- Andrea Parke; "fann'd by Conquest's
         crimson wing"- Thomas Gray; "convulsed with red rage"- Hudson
         Strode [syn: crimson, red, violent]


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