His fortune passed through various vicissitudes.

She had lost everything but the experience which comes from various vicissitudes.

vigilant (víj’-Ĭ-lănt), adj. Alert; circumspect; watchful; attentive to discover and avoid danger.

The officers were courteous, but vigilant.

A vigilant sentry discovered him in the grass.
The vigilant stars were still on watch.

vignette (vin-yět'), n. French. A picture which shades off gradually; a dainty depiction in words.

He discovered an old vignette of his mother in a trunk. Her clever vignettes were eagerly sought by the publishers.

LESSON ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN.

Learn to use these words; facility will come with practice.

Purdon.

vilipend (vil'-i-pěnd), v. t. To slight; depreciate; despise. They would vilipend every just endeavor.

virile (vir'-il; vi'-ril), adj. Characteristic of developed manhood; masterful; forceful.

The statue is grand and virile.

virulent (vir'-ŏŏ-lent), adj. Noxious; malignant; exceedingly bitter in enmity.

They would not tolerate such virulent language.

virtuosity (vûr-tū-ŏs'-Ĭ-ti), n. Love of art; the skill of a virtuoso; mastery of an art, as singing, music, etc.

A place where Virtuosity and Intellect meet.

He had every opportunity to display his virtuosity.

None of his work is remarkable for startling virtuosity.

virtuoso (vir-tōō-ō'-sō; vûr-tōō-ō'-sō), n. Italian. One who has an instructed appreciation of artistic excellence; one who is skilled in technique, esp., in the playing of musical instruments.

I do not claim to be a virtuoso; my execution is somewhat defective.

A virtuoso would value this old violin beyond price.

viscid (vis'-ĭd), adj. Thick and sticky; adhering; glutinous. This liquid is not so dense or viscid as the other.

visé (vē-zā'), n.

French. An official endorsement, as of a passport, certifying that it has been examined and found correct; signature on passports. v. t. To indorse for approval; examine.

On crossing the frontier his papers received a visé.
The passports have been duly viséd.

visionary (vish'-ūn-ā-rī), adj. Not founded on fact; fanciful; dreamy; impracticable.

She was pensive and visionary.

It was a visionary scheme.

visualize (vish'-u-ǎl-iz), v. t. To form a mental image or picture.

He visualized them sitting around the old fireplace.

It is not difficult to visualize laughing brooks and purling streams.

The mind visualizes with wonderful rapidity.

His description was so good that we could visualize the entire scene.

vista (vis'-tà), n. A view or prospect, as through an avenue or between an avenue of trees; fig., a vision; a mental view of a succession of past events.

Before us was a vista of enchanting beauty.

When I look back through the long vista of years, it seems like a dream.

I recalled dim vistas of the past.

A lovely vista stretches before us.

vitiated (vish'-ĭ-at-ĕd), p. a. Contaminated; corrupted or made defective.

Jealousy and prejudice vitiated their thought.

The air became vitiated through consumption of the oxygen.

vituperate (vi-tū'-per,āt), v. t.

Censure severely; to abuse in

words. Word of similar import, "abuse."

It was his habit to vituperate his friends during their ab

sence.

vituperation (vī-tū-pēr.ā'-shŭn), n. Severe censure; wordy abuse. Her vituperations were insufferable.

A stream of vituperation followed him down the street. vivisection (viv-i-sěk'-shun), n. The act of operating upon, or the dissection of a living animal, for purposes of scientific investigation and research.

The vivisection of animals is claimed to be necessary. vociferous (vō-sif'-er-us), adj. Noisy; making a loud outery; clamorous.

We heard the vociferous shouts of approbation.

Be not vociferous but calm and impressive.

vogue (vōg), n. Style; the prevalent fashion; temporary mode. Carrying a fan is again in vogue.

A crutch-stick was the vogue of the day.

volatile (võl'-å-til), adj. Evaporating rapidly; changeable; not lasting; fickle; lively.

The volatile essence quickly evaporated.

Gasoline is a volatile fluid, and should be kept in a closed container.

She has a volatile disposition.

We cannot depend upon a volatile nature.

volatility (vol-à-tïl'-i-ti) n. State or quality of being volatile. They were testing the volatility of ether.

volitation (võl-ĭ-tā'-shun), n. Power or act of flying; flight; the power of flight or its habitual exercise.

That aeroplane shows superior power of volitation.

Hindu magicians consider that levitation and volitation are attainable by spiritual means.

volition (vō-lish'-un) n. Exercise of the will; the faculty of willing or choosing; power of determining. Words of similar import, "will," "choice."

He has lost all volition.

She was in a dazed condition, and performed her customary household tasks without conscious volition.

I did not do it of my own volition; it was forced upon me.
It is something over which our volition has no control.

voluble (vŏl'-u-b'l), adj. Characterized by a ready flow of words; glib; fluent in speech.

He is a voluble politician.
She has a voluble tongue.

LESSON ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN.

Act well your part, there all the honor lies.-Pope.

volubility (vol-u-bil'-i-ti), n. State or quality of being voluble; garrulousness.

With the volubility of a beggar, he asked for money. voluminous (vō-lū'-mi-nus), adj. Large; copious; of great size; having written many books.

There are voluminous essays on the subject.

Hans Anderson was a voluminous writer of fairy tales. By voluminous reading he acquired an extensive vocabulary.

vortex (vôr'-tēks), n. (plural, vortexes, vôr'-těk-sěz.) vortices (vôr'-ti-sez). Eddy; whirlpool. Often fig. Our thoughts must soar above the vortex of life. We were in the vortex of strife.

The wind scattered the snow in flying vortices.

Latin,

votary (vō'-tȧ-rĭ), adj. also n. Devoted; consecrated by vow or promise; one who is addicted or devoted to a certain worship or study. Word of similar import, "devotee."

They presented at the altar their votary offerings.

It was the attitude of a true votary.

The matter was referred to the votaries of science.

He spoke with the affection of a true votary.

vox populi (vɔks pop'-ū-li), Latin. The voice of the people. Vox populi has been said to be vox Dei.

vulnerable (vŭl'-ner-ȧ-b'l), adj. Liable to injury; that may be wounded: fig., assailable.

This was the only vulnerable point of attack.
Achilles' only vulnerable spot was the heel.

wanton (won'-tun), adj. Unrestrained; not disciplined; hence, free; wild; straying from moral rectitude; reckless.

This is simply crime in all its wanton unrestraint.
It was wanton disregard of human interest.

wastrel (west'-rěl; wāst'rěl), n. Anything allowed to run to waste (as a neglected child); a waif.

Illegitimate offsprings have been regarded as the "wastrels of society."

whilom (hwi'-lum), adv. also adj. At times; formerly; sometime.

He met a whilom friend, whom he was very glad to see again.

A whilom patient sent him a check.

winnow (win'-ō), v. t. To fan; separate chaff from wheat; assort and analyze.

She winnowed her writing with great care.

winsome (win'-sum), adj. Pleasant; causing pleasure or joy; having a winning manner; cheerful; agreeable.

We have all experienced the power of a winsome smile. wonted (wōn'-těd; wun'-těd), p. a. Usual; accustomed; habitual.

They continued in their wonted way.

Her face resumed its wonted smile.

Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,

As the swift seasons roll!

Leave thy low-vaulted past!

Let each new temple, nobler than the last,
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,

Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea.

-Oliver Wendell Holmes.