V to Vagary
V
(V)
1. V, the twenty-second letter of the English alphabet, is a vocal consonant. V and U are only varieties
of the same character, U being the cursive form, while V is better adapted for engraving, as in stone.
The two letters were formerly used indiscriminately, and till a comparatively recent date words containing
them were often classed together in dictionaries and other books of reference The letter V is from the
Latin alphabet, where it was used both as a consonant (about like English w) and as a vowel. The
Latin derives it from it from a form (V) of the Greek vowel &UPSILON this Greek letter being either from
the same Semitic letter as the digamma F or else added by the Greeks to the alphabet which they took
from the Semitic. Etymologically v is most nearly related to u, w, f, b, p; as in vine, wine; avoirdupois,
habit, have; safe, save; trover, troubadour, trope. See U, F, etc.
See Guide to Pronunciation, § 265; also §§ 155, 169, 178-179, etc.
2. As a numeral, V stands for five, in English and Latin.
Vaagmer
(Vaag"mer) n. [Icel. vagmeri a kind of flounder, literally, wave mare.] (Zoöl.) The dealfish.
[Written also vaagmær, and vaagmar.]
Vacancy
(Va"can*cy) n.; pl. Vacancies [Cf. F. vacance.]
1. The quality or state of being vacant; emptiness; hence, freedom from employment; intermission; leisure; idleness; listlessness.
All dispositions to idleness or vacancy, even before they are habits, are dangerous.
Sir H. Wotton. 2. That which is vacant. Specifically: —
(a) Empty space; vacuity; vacuum.
How is't with you,
That you do bend your eye on vacancy?
Shak. (b) An open or unoccupied space between bodies or things; an interruption of continuity; chasm; gap; as, a
vacancy between buildings; a vacancy between sentences or thoughts.
(c) Unemployed time; interval of leisure; time of intermission; vacation.
Time lost partly in too oft idle vacancies given both to schools and universities.
Milton.
No interim, not a minute's vacancy.
Shak.
Those little vacancies from toil are sweet.
Dryden. (d) A place or post unfilled; an unoccupied office; as, a vacancy in the senate, in a school, etc.
Vacant
(Va"cant) a. [F., fr. L. vacans, -antis, p. pr. of vacare to be empty, to be free or unoccupied, to
have leisure, also vocare; akin to vacuus empty, and probably to E. void. Cf. Evacuate, Void, a.]
1. Deprived of contents; not filled; empty; as, a vacant room.
Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form.
Shak.
Being of those virtues vacant.
Shak.
There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended,
But has one vacant chair.
Longfellow.
