practice, Mr. A. J. Ellis (1874) says: "Vase has four pronunciations in English: v&addz, which I most
commonly say, is going out of use, väz I hear most frequently, vaz very rarely, and vas I only know
from Cull's marking. On the analogy of case, however, it should be the regular sound."
3. (Bot.) The calyx of a plant.
Vaseline
(Vas"e*line) n. [Said by the manufacturer to be derived from G. wasser water + Gr. 'e`laion
olive oil.] A yellowish translucent substance, almost odorless and tasteless, obtained as a residue in
the purification of crude petroleum, and consisting essentially of a mixture of several of the higher members
of the paraffin series. It is used as an unguent, and for various purposes in the arts. See the Note under
Petrolatum. [Written also vaselin.]
Vase-shaped
(Vase"-shaped`) a. Formed like a vase, or like a common flowerpot.
Vasiform
(Vas"i*form) a. [L. vas a vessel + -form.] (Biol.) Having the form of a vessel, or duct.
Vasiform tissue (Bot.), tissue containing vessels, or ducts.
Vasoconstrictor
(Vas`o*con*strict"or) a. (Physiol.) Causing constriction of the blood vessels; as, the
vasoconstrictor nerves, stimulation of which causes constriction of the blood vessels to which they go.
These nerves are also called vasohypertonic.
Vasodentine
(Vas`o*den"tine) n. [L. vas a vessel + E. dentine.] (Anat.) A modified form of dentine,
which is permeated by blood capillaries; vascular dentine.
Vasodilator
(Vas`o*di*lat"or) a.[L. vas a vessel + dilator.] (Physiol.) Causing dilation or relaxation of
the blood vessels; as, the vasodilator nerves, stimulation of which causes dilation of the blood vessels
to which they go. These nerves are also called vaso-inhibitory, and vasohypotonic nerves, since their
stimulation causes relaxation and rest.
Vasoformative
(Vas`o*form"a*tive) a. [L. vas a vessel + formative] (Physiol.) Concerned in the development
and formation of blood vessels and blood corpuscles; as, the vasoformative cells.
Vaso-inhibitory
(Vas`o-in*hib"i*to*ry) a. (Physiol.) See Vasodilator.
Vasomotor
(Vas`o*mo"tor) a. [L. vas a vessel + motor that which moves fr. movere to move.] (Physiol.)
Causing movement in the walls of vessels; as, the vasomotor mechanisms; the vasomotor nerves,
a system of nerves distributed over the muscular coats of the blood vessels.
Vasomotor center, the chief dominating or general center which supplies all the unstriped muscles
of the arterial system with motor nerves, situated in a part of the medulla oblongata; a center of reflex
action by the working of which afferent impulses are changed into efferent, — vasomotor impulses leading
either to dilation or constriction of the blood vessels.
Vassal
(Vas"sal) n. [F., fr. LL. vassallus, vassus; of Celtic origin; cf. W. & Corn. gwas a youth, page,
servant, Arm. gwaz a man, a male. Cf. Valet, Varlet, Vavasor.]
1. (Feud. Law) The grantee of a fief, feud, or fee; one who holds land of superior, and who vows fidelity
and homage to him; a feudatory; a feudal tenant. Burrill.
2. A subject; a dependent; a servant; a slave. "The vassals of his anger." Milton.
Rear vassal, the vassal of a vassal; an arriere vassal.
