*vice*

n. 1. 1 a family name used in some classifications: coextensive with the genus Avicennia.
Syn. -- family Avicenniaceae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

The condition of a bond servant; service without wages; slavery. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their children . . . upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond service. 1 Kings ix. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Bordar (or perh. bord a board) + service. ] (O. Eng. Law) Service due from a bordar; bordage. [ 1913 Webster ]

. In the United States, a commission appointed by the President, consisting of three members, not more than two of whom may be adherents of the same party, which has the control, through examinations, of appointments and promotions in the classified civil service. It was created by act of Jan, 16, 1883 (22 Stat. 403). [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. The substitution of business principles and methods for political methods in the conduct of the civil service. esp. the merit system instead of the spoils system in making appointments to office. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a genus of fungi parasitic upon the ovaries of various grasses.
Syn. -- genus Claviceps. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OE. crevace, crevice. F. crevasse, fr. crever to break, burst, fr. L. crepare to crack, break. Cf. Craven, Crepitate, Crevasse. ] A narrow opening resulting from a split or crack or the separation of a junction; a cleft; a fissure; a rent. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mouse,
Behind the moldering wainscot, shrieked,
Or from the crevice peered about. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To crack; to flaw. [ R. ] Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a crevice or crevices; as, a creviced structure for storing ears of corn. [ 1913 Webster ]

Trickling through the creviced rock. J. Cunningham. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. devis, devise, will, intention, opinion, invention, fr. F. devis architect's plan and estimates (in OF., division, plan, wish), devise device (in sense 3), in OF. also, division, wish, last will, fr. deviser. See Devise, v. t., and cf. Devise, n. ] 1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. [ 1913 Webster ]

His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. Jer. li. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their recent device of demanding benevolences. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. Job v. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must have instruments of my own device. Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance. (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

A banner with this strange device -
Excelsior. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anything fancifully conceived. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A spectacle or show. [ Obs. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Opinion; decision. [ Obs. ] Rom. of R.

7. any artifactual object designed to perform an action or process, with or without an operator in attendance. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project; stratagem; shift. -- Device, Contrivance. Device implies more of inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference to something worked out for exhibition or show; a contrivance usually respects the arrangement or disposition of things with reference to securing some end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their shields; contrivances are generally used to promote the practical convenience of life. The word device is often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device; contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as, a useful contrivance. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of devices; inventive. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A carpet, rich, and of deviceful thread. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a deviceful manner. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. dis- + service: cf. F. desservice. ] Injury; mischief. [ 1913 Webster ]

We shall rather perform good offices unto truth than any disservice unto their relators. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Calculated to do disservice or harm; not serviceable; injurious; harmful; unserviceable. Shaftesbury. -- Dis*serv"ice*a*ble*ness, n. Norris. -- Dis*serv"ice*a*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a device depending on the principles of electronics and using the manipulation of electron flow for its operation. [ PJC ]

☞ Numerous electronic devices are in daily use, among them the television, radio, computer, robot, transmitter, receiver, VCR, CD player, etc. [ PJC ]

n. a person who has served in the armed forces.
Syn. -- veteran, vet. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Service performed only under inspection, or the eye of an employer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers. Col. iii. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A contraceptive device consisting of a small, usually plastic object placed within the uterus to prevent conception; also called IUD. [ PJC ]

a. [ See Jove, and Center. ] (Astron.) Revolving around the planet Jupiter; appearing as viewed from Jupiter. [ R. ] J. R. Hind. [ 1913 Webster ]

lso pos>n. 1. (Feud. Law) The military service by rendering which a knight held his lands.

2. (Eng. Feud. Law) A tenure of lands held by knights on condition of performing military service. See Chivalry, n., 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

By far the greater part of England [ in the 13th century ] is held of the king by knight's service. . . . In order to understand this tenure we must form the conception of a unit of military service. That unit seems to be the service of one knight or fully armed horseman (servitium unius militis) to be done to the king in his army for forty days in the year, if it be called for. . . . The limit of forty days seems to have existed rather in theory than practice. Pollock & Mait. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. Service such as a knight can or should render; hence, good or valuable service. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Bad advice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., from L. novicius, novitius, new, from novus new. See New, and cf. Novitious. ] 1. One who is new in any business, profession, or calling; one unacquainted or unskilled; one yet in the rudiments; a beginner; a tyro. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am young; a novice in the trade. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One newly received into the church, or one newly converted to the Christian faith. 1 Tim. iii. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.) One who enters a religious house, whether of monks or nuns, as a probationist. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

No poore cloisterer, nor no novys. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a novice; becoming a novice. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being a novice; novitiate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an explosive device, whether used as a weapon or for other purposes, which depends for most of its explosive power on the release of energy from within atomic nuclei. A fission device or a fusion device. [ PJC ]

n. [ Ovum + cell. ] (Zool.) One of the dilatations of the body wall of Bryozoa in which the ova sometimes undergo the first stages of their development. See Illust. of Chilostoma. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ OE. at point devis; at at + point point, condition + devis exact, careful, OF. devis fixed, set. See Device. ] Uncommonly nice and exact; precise; particular. [ 1913 Webster ]

You are rather point-devise in your accouterments. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus he grew up, in logic point-devise,
Perfect in grammar, and in rhetoric nice. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } adv. Exactly. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Pseudonavicullæ [ NL. ] (Zool.) Same as Pseudonavicula. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or sometimes }. A corporation, such as a railroad company, lighting company, water company, etc., organized or chartered to follow a public calling or to render services more or less essential to the general public convenience or safety. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. The detective service of a government. In the United States, in time of peace the bureau of secret service is under the treasury department, and in time of war it aids the war department in securing information concerning the movements of the enemy. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ n., or . [ Properly, the tree which bears serve, OE. serves, pl., service berries, AS. syrfe service tree; akin to L. sorbus. ] (Bot.) A name given to several trees and shrubs of the genus Pyrus, as Pyrus domestica and Pyrus torminalis of Europe, the various species of mountain ash or rowan tree, and the American shad bush (see Shad bush, under Shad). They have clusters of small, edible, applelike berries. [ 1913 Webster ]

Service berry (Bot.), the fruit of any kind of service tree. In British America the name is especially applied to that of the several species or varieties of the shad bush (Amelanchier.) [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. servise, OF. servise, service, F. service, from L. servitium. See Serve. ] 1. The act of serving; the occupation of a servant; the performance of labor for the benefit of another, or at another's command; attendance of an inferior, hired helper, slave, etc., on a superior, employer, master, or the like; also, spiritual obedience and love. “O God . . . whose service is perfect freedom.” Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Madam, I entreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my duteous service. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

God requires no man's service upon hard and unreasonable terms. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The deed of one who serves; labor performed for another; duty done or required; office. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have served him from the hour of my nativity, . . . and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

This poem was the last piece of service I did for my master, King Charles. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

To go on the forlorn hope is a service of peril; who will understake it if it be not also a service of honor? Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Office of devotion; official religious duty performed; religious rites appropriate to any event or ceremonial; as, a burial service. [ 1913 Webster ]

The outward service of ancient religion, the rites, ceremonies, and ceremonial vestments of the old law. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence, a musical composition for use in churches. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Duty performed in, or appropriate to, any office or charge; official function; hence, specifically, military or naval duty; performance of the duties of a soldier. [ 1913 Webster ]

When he cometh to experience of service abroad . . . ne maketh a worthy soldier. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Useful office; advantage conferred; that which promotes interest or happiness; benefit; avail. [ 1913 Webster ]

The stork's plea, when taken in a net, was the service she did in picking up venomous creatures. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Profession of respect; acknowledgment of duty owed. “Pray, do my service to his majesty.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. The act and manner of bringing food to the persons who eat it; order of dishes at table; also, a set or number of vessels ordinarily used at table; as, the service was tardy and awkward; a service of plate or glass. [ 1913 Webster ]

There was no extraordinary service seen on the board. Hakewill. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Law) The act of bringing to notice, either actually or constructively, in such manner as is prescribed by law; as, the service of a subpœna or an attachment. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Naut.) The materials used for serving a rope, etc., as spun yarn, small lines, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. (Tennis) The act of serving the ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. Act of serving or covering. See Serve, v. t., 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

Service book, a prayer book or missal. --
Service line (Tennis), a line parallel to the net, and at a distance of 21 feet from it. --
Service of a writ,
process, etc. (Law), personal delivery or communication of the writ or process, etc., to the party to be affected by it, so as to subject him to its operation; the reading of it to the person to whom notice is intended to be given, or the leaving of an attested copy with the person or his attorney, or at his usual place of abode. --
Service of an attachment (Law), the seizing of the person or goods according to the direction. --
Service of an execution (Law), the levying of it upon the goods, estate, or person of the defendant. --
Service pipe, a pipe connecting mains with a dwelling, as in gas pipes, and the like. Tomlinson. --
To accept service. (Law) See under Accept. --
To see service (Mil.), to do duty in the presence of the enemy, or in actual war. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Doing service; promoting happiness, interest, advantage, or any good; useful to any end; adapted to any good end use; beneficial; advantageous. “Serviceable to religion and learning”. Atterbury. “Serviceable tools.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

I know thee well, a serviceable villain. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Prepared for rendering service; capable of, or fit for, the performance of duty; hence, active; diligent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Courteous he was, lowly, and servysable. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bright-hearnessed angels sit in order serviceable. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Seeing her so sweet and serviceable. Tennnyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Serv"ice*a*ble*ness, n. -- Serv"ice*a*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Servitude. [ Obs. ] Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

an elevator for carrying large or havy items, or for the use of service people. [ PJC ]

an entrance for use of servants and those providing services, such as deliveries or repair work. [ PJC ]

{ or }. (Mil.) A cap or hat worn by officers or enlisted men when full-dress uniform, or dress uniform, is not worn. In the United States army the service cap is round, about 31/2 inches high, flat-topped, with a visor. The service hat is of soft felt of khaki color, with broad brim and high crown, creased down the middle. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a business where automobiles may be serviced and repaired, usually also having a gasoline vending apparatus, in which case it is also called a gas station or gasoline station. Facilities for repair of automobiles but without a gasoline dispensing function are commonly called repair shops. [ PJC ]

. (Mil. & Nav.) The uniform prescribed in regulations for active or routine service, in distinction from dress, full dress, etc. In the United States army it is of olive-drab woolen or khaki-colored cotton, with all metal attachments of dull-finish bronze, with the exceptional of insignia of rank, which are of gold or silver finish. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Overofficious; doing more than is required or desired. “A superserviceable, finical rogue.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Neglect of duty; idleness; indolence. [ Obs. ] Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

See obnoxious.
See observable.
See observant.
See obstructive.
See obvious.
See official.
See officious.
See oppressive.
See ordinary.
See ordinate.
See original.
See ornamental.
See orthodox.
See ostentatious.
See pacifiable.
See pacific.
See painful.
See palatable.
See parallelable.
See pardonable.
See partable.
See participant.
See passionate.
See pastoral.
See pathetic.
See patriotic.
See peaceable.
See peaceful.
See pedantic.
See perceivable.
See perceptible.
See perilous.
See permanent.
See personable.
See perspirable.
See persuadable.
See persuasive.
See philanthropic.
See philosophic.
See philosophical.
See physical.
See picturesque.
See pierceable.
See pitiful.
See plain.
See plausible.
See plausive.
See pleadable.
See pleasurable.
See pliable.
See pliant.
See plumb.
See poetic.
See poetical.
See political.
See popular.
See populous.
See portable.
See potable.
See precarious.
See precise.
See pregnant.
See prejudicate.
See prelatical.
See premeditable.
See presentable.
See preservable.
See presumptuous.
See pretentious.
See pretty.
See prevalent.
See priestly.
See primitive.
See princely.
See procurable.
See producible.
See productive.
See professional.
See profitable.
See prolific.
See pronounceable.
See prophetic.
See propitious.
See proportionable.
See proportionate.
See prosperous.
See provable.
See punctilious.
See punctual.
See punishable.
See pure.
See qualifiable.
See quenchable.
See quiet.
See rational.
See readable.
See reasonable.
See recallable.
See reclaimable.
See recognizable.
See reconcilable.
See recoverable.
See recumbent.
See reformable.
See refusable.
See regardable.
See regardant.
See relative.
See relievable.
See reluctant.
See remarkable.
See remediable.
See rememberable.
See remorseful.
See removable.
See remunerative.
See repairable.
See repealable.
See repentant.
See reprovable.
See repugnant.
See requisite.
See requitable.
See resolvable.
See respectable.
See restful.
See retentive.
See returnable.
See revengeful.
See ridable.
See ridiculous.
See rightful.
See romantic.
See rough.
See royal.
See ruinable.
See ruly.
See sacrificial.
See safe.
See sage.
See sailable.
See salable.
See sane.
See sanguine.
See sanitary.
See satisfactory.
See satisfiable.
See saturable.
See savory.
See scalable.
See scaly.
See scholarly.
See scholastic.
See scientific.
See scornful.
See scriptural.
See sculptural.
See seaworthy.
See sectarian.
See secular.
See sedentary.
See selfish.
See sentient.
See sentimental.
See serviceable.
See severe.
See shamefaced.
See shamefast.
See shapely.
See shy.
See sick.
See sicker.
See sightly.
See simple.
See sinewy.
See sizable.
See sleek.
See slumberous.
See sly.
See smooth.
See smotherable.
See smutty.
See sober.
See sociable.
See social.
See solemn.
See soliciutous.
See solvable.
See speakable.
See speedy.
See spiritual.
See spontaneous.
See sportful.
See sportsmanlike.
See statutable.
See steadfast.
See steady.
See stormy.
See stout.
See strong.
See subduable.
See subject.
See submissive.
See subordinate.
See substantial.
See successive.
See succorable.
See suggestive.
See suitable.
See sunny.
See superfluous.
See supple.
See sure.
See surpassable.
See susceptible.
See suspect.
See suspectable.
See suspicious.
See sustainable.
See sweet.
See syllogistical.
See symbolic.
See sympathetic.
See systematic.
See tamable.
See tame.
See teachable.
See technical.
See tellable.
See tenable.
See tender.
See terrestrial.
See terrific.
See thankful.
See theological.
See thinkable.
See thirsty.
See thorny.
See thoughtful.
See tidy.
See tillable.
See toothsome.
See touchable.
See traceable.
See tractable.
See tragic.
See tranquil.
See transferable.
See translatable.
See transmutable.
See transparent.
See transpassable.
See traversable.
See tremulous.
See trimphant.
See trustworthy.
See trusty.
See tumultous.
See tunable.
See uniform.
See usable.
See useful.
See vanquishable.
See variant.
See venerable.
See venomous.
See veracious.
See verdant.
See veritable.
See vigilant.
See vigorous.
See virtuous.
See vital.
See vitrifiable.
See vocal.
See voidable.
See voluptuous.
See voyageable.
See vulgar.
See walkable.
See warlike.
See watchful.
See watery.
See wealthy.
See wearable.
See weary.
See welcome.
See wet.
See wholesome.
See wieldsome.
See willful.
See wily.
See witty.
See womanly.
See workable.
See workmanlike.
See worldly.
See worshipful.
See wrathful.
See writable.
See zealous.
------ and the like.
[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., from L. vitium. ] 1. A defect; a fault; an error; a blemish; an imperfection; as, the vices of a political constitution; the vices of a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Withouten vice of syllable or letter. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mark the vice of the procedure. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A moral fault or failing; especially, immoral conduct or habit, as in the indulgence of degrading appetites; customary deviation in a single respect, or in general, from a right standard, implying a defect of natural character, or the result of training and habits; a harmful custom; immorality; depravity; wickedness; as, a life of vice; the vice of intemperance. [ 1913 Webster ]

I do confess the vices of my blood. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ungoverned appetite . . . a brutish vice. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway,
The post of honor is a private station. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The buffoon of the old English moralities, or moral dramas, having the name sometimes of one vice, sometimes of another, or of Vice itself; -- called also Iniquity. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This character was grotesquely dressed in a cap with ass's ears, and was armed with a dagger of lath: one of his chief employments was to make sport with the Devil, leaping on his back, and belaboring him with the dagger of lath till he made him roar. The Devil, however, always carried him off in the end. Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

How like you the Vice in the play?
. . . I would not give a rush for a Vice that has not a wooden dagger to snap at everybody. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Crime; sin; iniquity; fault. See Crime. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Vise. ] 1. (Mech.) A kind of instrument for holding work, as in filing. Same as Vise. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A tool for drawing lead into cames, or flat grooved rods, for casements. [ Written also vise. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A gripe or grasp. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Viced p. pr. & vb. n. Vicing ] To hold or squeeze with a vice, or as if with a vice. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The coachman's hand was viced between his upper and lower thigh. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prep. [ L., abl. of vicis change, turn. See Vicarious. ] In the place of; in the stead; as, A. B. was appointed postmaster vice C. D. resigned. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. vice-. See Vice, prep. ] Denoting one who in certain cases may assume the office or duties of a superior; designating an officer or an office that is second in rank or authority; as, vice president; vice agent; vice consul, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vice admiral. [ Cf. F. vice-amiral. ] (a) An officer holding rank next below an admiral. By the existing laws, the rank of admiral and vice admiral in the United States Navy will cease at the death of the present incumbents. (b) A civil officer, in Great Britain, appointed by the lords commissioners of the admiralty for exercising admiralty jurisdiction within their respective districts. --
Vice admiralty, the office of a vice admiral. --
Vice-admiralty court, a court with admiralty jurisdiction, established by authority of Parliament in British possessions beyond the seas. Abbott. --
Vice chamberlain, an officer in court next in rank to the lord chamberlain. [ Eng. ] --
Vice chancellor. (a) (Law) An officer next in rank to a chancellor. (b) An officer in a university, chosen to perform certain duties, as the conferring of degrees, in the absence of the chancellor. (c) (R. C. Ch.) The cardinal at the head of the Roman Chancery. --
Vice consul [ cf. F. vice-consul ], a subordinate officer, authorized to exercise consular functions in some particular part of a district controlled by a consul. --
Vice king, one who acts in the place of a king; a viceroy. --
Vice legate [ cf. F. vice-légat ], a legate second in rank to, or acting in place of, another legate. --
Vice presidency, the office of vice president. --
Vice president [ cf. F. vice-président ], an officer next in rank below a president. [ 1913 Webster ]