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Webster 1913 Edition

Violent

Vi′o-lent

,
Adj.
[F., from L.
violentus
, from
vis
strength, force; probably akin to Gr. [GREEK] a muscle, strength.]
1.
Moving or acting with physical strength; urged or impelled with force; excited by strong feeling or passion; forcible; vehement; impetuous; fierce; furious; severe;
as, a
violent
blow; the
violent
attack of a disease.
Float upon a wild and
violent
sea.
Shakespeare
A
violent
cross wind from either coast.
Milton.
2.
Acting, characterized, or produced by unjust or improper force; outrageous; unauthorized;
as, a
violent
attack on the right of free speech
.
To bring forth more
violent
deeds.
Milton.
Some
violent
hands were laid on Humphrey’s life.
Shakespeare
3.
Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural; abnormal.
These
violent
delights have
violent
ends.
Shakespeare
No
violent
state can be perpetual.
T. Burnet.
Ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as
violent
and void.
Milton.
Violent presumption
(Law)
,
presumption of a fact that arises from proof of circumstances which necessarily attend such facts.
–
Violent profits
(Scots Law)
,
rents or profits of an estate obtained by a tenant wrongfully holding over after warning. They are recoverable in a process of removing.
Syn. – Fierce; vehement; outrageous; boisterous; turbulent; impetuous; passionate; severe; extreme.

Vi′o-lent

,
Noun.
An assailant.
[Obs.]
Dr. H. More.

Vi′o-lent

,
Verb.
T.
[Cf. F.
violenter
.]
To urge with violence.
[Obs.]
Fuller.

Vi′o-lent

,
Verb.
I.
To be violent; to act violently.
[Obs.]
The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste,
And
violenteth
in a sense as strong
As that which causeth it.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Violent

VI'OLENT

,
Adj.
[L. violentus.
1.
Forcible; moving or acting with physical strength; urged or driven with force; as a violent wind; a violent stream; a violent assault or blow; a violent conflict.
2.
Vehement; outrageous; as a violent attack on the minister.
3.
Produced or continued by force; not spontaneous or natural.
No violent state can be perpetual.
4.
Produced by violence; not natural; as a violent death.
5.
Acting by violence; assailant; not authorized.
Some violent hands were laid on Humphry's life.
6.
Fierce; vehement; as a violent philippic; a violent remonstrance.
We might be reckoned fierce and violent.
7.
Severe; extreme; as violent pains.
8.
Extorted; not voluntary.
Vows made in pain, are violent and void.
Violent presumption, in law, is presumption that arises from circumstances which necessarily attend such facts. Such circumstances being proved, the mind infers with confidence that the fact has taken place, and this confidence is a violent presumption, which amounts to proof.

VI'OLENT

,
Noun.
An assailant. [Not in use.]

VI'OLENT

,
Verb.
T.
To urge with violence. [Not used.]

Definition 2024

violent

violent

English

Adjective

violent ‎(comparative violenter or more violent, superlative violentest or most violent)

  1. Involving extreme force or motion.
    A violent wind ripped the branch from the tree.
  2. Involving physical conflict.
    We would rather negotiate, but we will use violent means if needed.
  3. Likely to use physical force.
    The escaped prisoners are considered extremely violent.
  4. Intensely vivid.
    The artist expressed his emotional theme through violent colors.
  5. (obsolete) Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural.
    • Shakespeare
      These violent delights have violent ends.
    • T. Burnet
      No violent state can be perpetual.
    • Milton
      Ease would recant / Vows made in pain, as violent and void.

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

violent ‎(third-person singular simple present violents, present participle violenting, simple past and past participle violented)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To urge with violence.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Fuller to this entry?)

Noun

violent ‎(plural violents)

  1. (obsolete) An assailant.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Dr. H. More to this entry?)

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

  • (Balearic) IPA(key): /vi.oˈlent/
  • (Central) IPA(key): /bi.uˈlen/
  • (Valencian) IPA(key): /vi.oˈlent/

Adjective

violent m ‎(feminine violenta, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentes)

  1. violent

Derived terms

French

Etymology 1

Borrowed into Old French from Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vjɔlɑ̃/

Adjective

violent m ‎(feminine singular violente, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentes)

  1. violent

Etymology 2

Inflected forms.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vjɔl/

Verb

violent

  1. third-person plural present indicative of violer
  2. third-person plural present subjunctive of violer

Anagrams

Latin

Verb

violent

  1. third-person plural present active subjunctive of violō

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin violentus

Adjective

violent m ‎(oblique and nominative feminine singular violent or violente)

  1. violent (using violence)

Descendants

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from French violent, Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vi.oˈlent/

Adjective

violent m, n ‎(feminine singular violentă, masculine plural violenți, feminine and neuter plural violente)

  1. violent

Declension

Related terms

Etymology

From Old French violent, from Latin violentus, from vīs ‎(“strength”). For the verb, compare French violenter.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈvaɪ(ə)lənt/

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