vigi|lant /v I dʒ I lənt/ ADJ Someone who is vigilant gives careful attention to a particular problem or situation and concentrates on noticing any danger or trouble that there might be. □ He warned the public to be vigilant and report anything suspicious. ● vigi|lance N‑UNCOUNT □ Democracy is fragile and will not survive without constant vigilance.
vigi|lan|te /v I dʒ I læ nti/ (vigilantes ) N‑COUNT Vigilantes are people who organize themselves into an unofficial group to protect their community and to catch and punish criminals. □ …vigilante patrols.
vi|gnette /v I nje t/ (vignettes ) N‑COUNT A vignette is a short description, picture, or piece of acting which expresses very clearly and neatly the typical characteristics of the thing that it represents. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The book is an excellent vignette of some of the major debates in science.
vig|or|ous /v I gərəs/
1 ADJ Vigorous physical activities involve using a lot of energy, usually to do short and repeated actions. □ Very vigorous exercise can increase the risk of heart attacks. □ African dance is vigorous, but full of subtlety. ● vig|or|ous|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ He shook his head vigorously.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A vigorous person does things with great energy and enthusiasm. A vigorous campaign or activity is done with great energy and enthusiasm. □ Sir Robert was a strong and vigorous politician. □ …a vigorous campaign against GM food. ● vig|or|ous|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The police vigorously denied that excessive force had been used.
vig|our /v I gə r / in AM, use vigor N‑UNCOUNT Vigour is physical or mental energy and enthusiasm. □ His body lacks the bounce and vigour of a normal two-year-old.
Vi|king /va I k I ŋ/ (Vikings ) N‑COUNT The Vikings were men who sailed from Scandinavia and attacked villages in most parts of north-western Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries.
vile /va I l/ (viler , vilest ) ADJ If you say that someone or something is vile , you mean that they are very unpleasant. □ She was in too vile a mood to work.
vili|fy /v I l I fa I / (vilifies , vilifying , vilified ) VERB If you are vilified by someone, they say or write very unpleasant things about you, so that people will have a low opinion of you. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + for ] His lawyer was vilified for representing him. □ [be V -ed] He was vilified, hounded, and forced into exile by the FBI. [Also V n, V n + as ] ● vili|fi|ca|tion /v I l I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Clare did not deserve the vilification she had been subjected to.
vil|la /v I lə/ (villas ) N‑COUNT A villa is a fairly large house, especially one that is used for holidays in Mediterranean countries.
vil|lage ◆◆◇ /v I l I dʒ/ (villages ) N‑COUNT A village consists of a group of houses, together with other buildings such as a church and a school, in a country area. □ He lives quietly in the country in a village near Lahti. □ …the village school.
vil|lag|er /v I l I dʒə r / (villagers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] You refer to the people who live in a village, especially the people who have lived there for most or all of their lives, as the villagers . □ Soon the villagers couldn't afford to buy food for themselves.
vil|lain /v I lən/ (villains )
1 N‑COUNT A villain is someone who deliberately harms other people or breaks the law in order to get what he or she wants.
2 N‑COUNT The villain in a novel, film, or play is the main bad character.
vil|lain|ous /v I lənəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A villainous person is very bad and willing to harm other people or break the law in order to get what he or she wants. □ …her villainous father.
vil|lainy /v I ləni/ N‑UNCOUNT Villainy is very bad or criminal behaviour. [FORMAL ] □ They justify every villainy in the name of high ideals.
vinai|grette /v I n I gre t/ (vinaigrettes ) N‑VAR Vinaigrette is a dressing made by mixing oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs, which is put on salad.
vin|di|cate /v I nd I ke I t/ (vindicates , vindicating , vindicated ) VERB If a person or their decisions, actions, or ideas are vindicated , they are proved to be correct, after people have said that they were wrong. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The director said he had been vindicated by the experts' report. [Also V n] ● vin|di|ca|tion /v I nd I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] □ [+ of ] He called the success a vindication of his party's free-market economic policy.
vin|dic|tive /v I nd I kt I v/ ADJ If you say that someone is vindictive , you are critical of them because they deliberately try to upset or cause trouble for someone who they think has done them harm. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a vindictive woman desperate for revenge against the man who loved and left her. ● vin|dic|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …a dishonest person who is operating completely out of vindictiveness.
vine /va I n/ (vines ) N‑VAR A vine is a plant that grows up or over things, especially one which produces grapes.
vin|egar /v I n I gə r / (vinegars ) N‑VAR Vinegar is a sharp-tasting liquid, usually made from sour wine or malt, which is used to make things such as salad dressing.
vin|egary /v I n I gəri/ ADJ If something has a vinegary taste or smell, it tastes or smells of vinegar. □ The salads taste too vinegary.
vine|yard /v I njə r d/ (vineyards ) N‑COUNT A vineyard is an area of land where grape vines are grown in order to produce wine. You can also use vineyard to refer to the set of buildings in which the wine is produced.