When I attended graduate school, I needed an extracurricular activity to keep me from becoming a hermit. (I turned into one my final year of college. I prefer not to repeat the experience.) I chose Japanese jujitsu because, well, martial arts have always fascinated me. However, I wanted to pursue a training course that would keep me safe while walking to my car late at night.
Japanese jujitsu fit my needs since it was practical. I would not study to be a crane or snake or whatever; I would learn locks, throws, and escapes. All of it fed what can only be termed a burgeoning violent streak—the more I trained, the more vicious of an opponent I became. One of my friends noted the violent, perhaps malevolent, look in my eye whenever we grappled, causing him to change my name. (Sarah, for anyone who’s wondering.) Apparently, I was nice and quiet off the mat, but on the mat…I transformed into a different person, one who would strike, throw, choke out, or arm-bar the opposing person.
Ah, Japanese jujitsu. I miss it. Maybe one day I’ll return to it or a similar sport. Until then, I’ll console myself with a vocabulary of words that begin with “v.”
Vacuous
Adjective. [From the Latin vacuus.] (1655) Emptied of or lacking content. Marked by lack of ideas or intelligence: STUPID, INANE <a ~ mind> <a ~ expression>. Devoid of serious occupation: IDLE. Synonym: see EMPTY.
(Marjorie used her vacuous facial expressions to her advantage during interviews, lulling guests into a sense of safety and complacency. They could never withstand her eventual biting question or comment.)
Vagabond
Adjective. [From the Middle English. From the Middle French. From the Latin vagabundus. From vagari, to wander.] (1400s) Moving from place to place without a fixed home: WANDERING. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a wanderer; leading an unsettled, irresponsible, or disreputable life.
Noun. (1400s) One leading a vagabond life; especially: TRAMP.
Verb intransitive. (1586) To wander in the manner of a vagabond: roam about.
(During their trip to Scotland, Henry and Amy vagabonded about the country, backpacking from hostel to hostel.)
Vainglory
Noun. [From the Middle English. From vaine gloire. From vaine (feminine of vain, vain) + gloire, glory. From the Latin gloria.] (1300s) Excessive or ostentatious pride, especially in one’s achievements. Vain display or show: VANITY.
(No one wanted to room with Robert because of his vainglory; his side of the room contained every medal, ribbon, and trophy earned since the third grade.)
Vamoose
Verb intransitive. [From the Spanish vamos, let us go. From the suppletive first plural imperative (from the Latin vadere, to go) of ir, to go. From the Latin ire—more at WADE, ISSUE.] (1840) To depart quickly.
(“Vamoose!” Timmy cried as his foul ball crashed through Mr. Cole’s front window.)
Vantage
Noun. [From the Middle English. From the Anglo-French. From the Middle French avantage—more at ADVANTAGE.] (1300s) Archaic: BENEFIT, GAIN. Superiority in a contest. A position giving a strategic advantage, commanding perspective, or comprehensive view. ADVANTAGE. Obsolete: in addition.
(By the boy’s third move, everyone knew he had the vantage of the chess match.)
Veldt
Noun. [From the Afrikaans veld. From the Middle Dutch, field; akin to the Old English feld, field.] (1852) A grassland, especially of southern Africa, usually with scattered shrubs or trees.
(The veldt appeared deserted, but the hunter knew a lioness prowled somewhere in the grass.)
Vendetta
Noun. [From the Italian, literally, revenge. From the Latin vindicta—more at VINDICTIVE.] (1855) BLOOD FEUD. A prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility.
(The fathers’ vendetta was passed onto the next generation.)
Veracity
Noun. [From the New Latin vericitas. From the latin verac-, verax.] (c. 1623) Devotion to the truth: TRUTHFULNESS. Power of conveying or perceiving truth. Conformity with truth or fact: ACCURACY. Something true <makes lies sound like ~>.
(Her veracity made her a good, albeit challenging, friend; she demanded her friends tell the truth, no matter what.)
Vex
Verb transitive. [From the Middle English vexen. From the Middle French vexer. From the Latin vexare, to agitate, trouble, vex.] (1400s) To bring trouble, distress, or agitation to <~ed by a restless desire for change>. To bring physical distress to <a headache ~ed him all morning>. To irritate or annoy by petty provocations: HARASS <~ed by the children>. PUZZLE, BAFFLE <a problem to ~ the keenest wit>. To shake or toss about. Synonym: see ANNOY.
(My younger brother had a talent for vexing me when we were kids.)
Victual
Noun. [Alteration of the Middle English vitaille. From the Middle French. From the Late Latin victualia, plural, provisions, victuals. From the neuter plural of victualis, of nourishment. From the Latin victus, nourishments. From victus, past participle of vivere, to live—more at QUICK.] (1300s) food usable by man. Plural: supplies of food: PROVISIONS.
Verb, verb transitive. (1300s) To supply with food. Verb intransitive: EAT. To lay in provisions.
(Before starting their journey on the Oregon Trail, the Williams family bought a second wagon for victuals.)
Violent
Adjective. [From the Middle English. From the Middle French. From the Latin violentus.] (1300s) Marked by extreme force or sudden intense activity <a ~ attack>. Notably furious or vehement <a ~ denunciation>; also: excited or mentally disordered to the point of loss of self-control <the patient became ~ and had to be restrained>; EXTREME, INTENSE <~ pain>. Caused by force: not natural <a ~ death>.
(His routine flakiness eventually caused Margo to give vent to a violent tirade.)
Visceral
Adjective. (1575) Felt in or as if in the viscera: DEEP <~ conviction>. Not intellectual: INSTINCTIVE, UNREASONING <~ drives>. Dealing with crude or elemental emotions: EARTHY <a ~ novel>. Of, relating to, or located on or among the viscera: SPLANCHNIC.
(His reasoning was entirely visceral; he had no evidence to support his claims.)
Vivacious
Adjective. [From the Latin vivac-, vivax, literally, long-lived. From vivere, to live—more at QUICK.] (1645) Lively in temper or conduct: SPRIGHTLY. Synonym: see LIVELY.
(Susan’s vivacious personality made her the perfect choice for the role of Puck in the upcoming adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.)
Volatile
Noun. [From the Middle English volatil. From the Middle French. From volatilie, group of birds. From the Medieval Latin volatilia. From the Latin, neuter plural of volatilis, winged, volatile.] (1300s) A volatile substance.
Adjective. [From the French. From the Latin volatilis. From volatus, past participle of volare, to fly.] (1605) Readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature. Flying or having the power to fly. LIGHTHEARTED, LIVELY; easily arouse <~ suspicions>; tending to erupt into violence: EXPLOSIVE. Unable to hold the attention fixed because of an inherent lightness or fickleness of disposition: CHANGEABLE; characterized by rapid change. Difficult to capture or hold permanently: EVANESCENT, TRANSITORY.
(Her volatile nature often demonstrated itself in tears and slamming of doors.)
Votary
Noun. [From the Latin votum, vow.] (1546) Archaic: A sworn adherent. ENTHUSIAST, DEVOTEE; a devoted admirer. A devout or zealous worshiper; a staunch believer or advocate.
(The votary always arrived at services early so that he could light the candles and pray for guests.)
Vulgar
Adjective. [From the Middle English. From the Latin vulgaris, of the mob, vulgar. From volgus, vulgus, mob, common people; akin to the Sanskrit varga, group.] (1300s) Generally used, applied, or accepted; understood in or having the ordinary sense <they reject the ~ conception of miracle—W. R. Inge>. VERNACULAR <the ~ name of a plant>. Of or relating to the common people: PLEBEIAN; generally current: PUBLIC <the ~ opinion of that time>; the usual, typical, or ordinary kind. Lacking in cultivation, perception, or taste: COARSE; morally crude, undeveloped, or unregenerate: GROSS; ostentatious or excessive in expenditure or display: PRETENTIOUS. Offensive in language: EARTHY; lewdly or profanely indecent: OBSCENE.
(He might have been the best Shakespearean professor at school, but his knowledge was diluted by his fixation on Shakespeare’s vulgar humor.)
What are your favorite words that start with “v”? Share them in a comment below.
Image: Eva Rinaldi (Creative Commons)