Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Violent?

\Vi"o*lent\, a. [F., from L. violentus, from vis strength, force; probably akin to Gr. ? 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. --Shak. 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. --Shak. 3. Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural; abnormal. These violent delights have violent ends. --Shak. 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\, n. An assailant. [Obs.] --Dr. H. More.
\Vi"o*lent\, v. t. [Cf. F. violenter.] To urge with violence. [Obs.] --Fuller.
\Vi"o*lent\, v. 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. --Shak.