1. Full of delight or pleasure, especially that of the senses; ministering to sensuous or sensual gratification; exciting
sensual desires; luxurious; sensual.
Music arose with its voluptuous swell.
Byron.
Sink back into your voluptuous repose.
De Quincey. 2. Given to the enjoyments of luxury and pleasure; indulging to excess in sensual gratifications. "The
jolly and voluptuous livers." Atterbury.
Softened with pleasure and voluptuous life.
Milton. — Vo*lup"tu*ous*ly, adv. — Vo*lup"tu*ous*ness, n.
Volupty
(Vo*lup"ty) n. [Cf. F. volupté pleasure. See Voluptuous.] Voluptuousness. [Obs.]
Voluta
(Vo*lu"ta) n.; pl. E. Volutas L. Volutæ [L., a spiral scroll. See Volute.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous
species of large, handsome marine gastropods belonging to Voluta and allied genera.
Volutation
(Vol`u*ta"tion) n. [L. volutatio, from volutare to roll, wallow, verb freq. volvere, volutum, to
roll.] A rolling of a body; a wallowing. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
Volute
(Vo*lute") n. [F. volute (cf. It. voluta), L. voluta, from volvere, volutum, to roll. See Voluble.]
1. (Arch.) A spiral scroll which forms the chief feature of the Ionic capital, and which, on a much smaller
scale, is a feature in the Corinthian and Composite capitals. See Illust. of Capital, also Helix, and
Stale.
2. (Zoöl.) A spiral turn, as in certain shells.
3. (Zoöl.) Any voluta.
Volute spiring, a spring formed of a spiral scroll of plate, rod, or wire, extended or extensible in the
direction of the axis of the coil, in which direction its elastic force is exerted and employed.
Voluted
(Vo*lut"ed), a. Having a volute, or spiral scroll.
Volution
(Vo*lu"tion) n. [Cf. LL. volutio an arch, vault.]
1. A spiral turn or wreath.
2. (Zoöl.) A whorl of a spiral shell.
Volva
(||Vol"va) n. [L. volva, vulva, covering.] (Bot.) A saclike envelope of certain fungi, which bursts
open as the plant develops.
Volvox
(||Vol"vox) n. (Bot.) A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one fiftieth of an
inch in diameter, found rolling through water, the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has
been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but is now referred to the vegetable kingdom,
and each globule is considered a colony of many individuals. The commonest species is Volvox globator,
often called globe animalcule.
Volvulus
(||Vol"vu*lus) n. [NL., fr. L. volvere to turn about, to roll.] (Med.) (a) The spasmodic contraction
of the intestines which causes colic. (b) Any twisting or displacement of the intestines causing obstruction; ileus.
See Ileus.
Volyer
(Vol"yer) n. (Zoöl.) A lurcher. [Prov. Eng.]
