Voussoir
(||Vous`soir") n. [F., akin to voûte an arch, a vault.] (Arch.) One of the wedgelike stones of
which an arch is composed.
Vow
(Vow) n. [OE. vou, OF. vou, veu, vo, vu, F. vu, from L. votum, from vovere, to vow. Cf. Avow,
Devout, Vote.]
1. A solemn promise made to God, or to some deity; an act by which one consecrates or devotes himself,
absolutely or conditionally, wholly or in part, for a longer or shorter time, to some act, service, or condition; a
devotion of one's possessions; as, a baptismal vow; a vow of poverty. "Nothing . . . that may . . . stain
my vow of Nazarite." Milton.
I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow.
2 Sam. xv. 7.
I am combined by a sacred vow.
Shak. 2. Specifically, a promise of fidelity; a pledge of love or affection; as, the marriage vow.
Knights of love, who never broke their vow;
Firm to their plighted faith.
Dryden. Vow
(Vow) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vowed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Vowing.] [OE. vouen, OF. vouer, voer, F.
vouer, LL. votare. See Vow, n.]
1. To give, consecrate, or dedicate to God, or to some deity, by a solemn promise; to devote; to promise
solemnly. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it." Eccl. v. 4.
[Men] that vow a long and weary pilgrimage.
Shak. 2. To assert solemnly; to asseverate.
Vow
(Vow), v. i. To make a vow, or solemn promise.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Eccl. v. 5. Vowel
(Vow"el) n. [F. voyelle, or an OF. form without y, L. vocalis from vocalis sounding, from vox,
vocis, a voice, sound. See Vocal.] (Phon.) A vocal, or sometimes a whispered, sound modified by
resonance in the oral passage, the peculiar resonance in each case giving to each several vowel its
distinctive character or quality as a sound of speech; — distinguished from a consonant in that the latter,
whether made with or without vocality, derives its character in every case from some kind of obstructive
action by the mouth organs. Also, a letter or character which represents such a sound. See Guide to
Pronunciation, §§ 5, 146-149.
In the English language, the written vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes w and y. The spoken
vowels are much more numerous.
Close vowel. See under Close, a. — Vowel point. See under Point, n.
Vowel
(Vow"el), a. Of or pertaining to a vowel; vocal.
Voweled
(Vow"eled) a. Furnished with vowels. [Written also vowelled.] Dryden.
Vowelish
(Vow"el*ish) a. Of the nature of a vowel. [R.] "The power [of w] is always vowelish." B. Jonson.
Vowelism
(Vow"el*ism) n. The use of vowels. [R.]
Vowelize
(Vow"el*ize) v. t. To give the quality, sound, or office of a vowel to.
Vower
(Vow"er) n. One who makes a vow. Bale.
