vin|tage /v I nt I dʒ/ (vintages )
1 N‑COUNT The vintage of a good quality wine is the year and place that it was made before being stored to improve it. You can also use vintage to refer to the wine that was made in a certain year. □ This wine is from one of the two best vintages of the decade in this region.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Vintage wine is good quality wine that has been stored for several years in order to improve its quality. □ If you can buy only one case at auction, it should be vintage port.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Vintage cars or aeroplanes are old but are admired because they are considered to be the best of their kind. □ The museum will have a permanent exhibition of 60 vintage cars.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use vintage to describe something which is the best and most typical of its kind. □ This is vintage comedy at its best.
vint|ner /v I ntnə r / (vintners )
1 N‑COUNT A vintner is someone whose job is to buy and sell wine. [FORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A vintner is someone who grows grapes and makes wine. [FORMAL ]
vi|nyl /va I n I l/ (vinyls )
1 N‑VAR [oft N n] Vinyl is a strong plastic used for making things such as floor coverings and furniture. □ …a modern vinyl floor covering. □ …a reclining chair upholstered in shiny blue vinyl.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft on N ] You can use vinyl to refer to records, especially in contrast to cassettes or compact discs. □ The shop sold 20% of its music on vinyl.
viol /va I əl/ (viols ) N‑VAR Viols are a family of musical instruments that are made of wood and have six strings. You play the viol with a bow while sitting down.
vio|la /vioʊ lə/ (violas ) N‑VAR A viola is a musical instrument with four strings that is played with a bow. It is like a violin, but is slightly larger and can play lower notes.
vio|late ◆◇◇ /va I əle I t/ (violates , violating , violated )
1 VERB If someone violates an agreement, law, or promise, they break it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] They went to prison because they violated the law. ● vio|la|tion /va I əle I ʃ ə n/ (violations ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] To deprive the boy of his education is a violation of state law. □ [+ of ] He was in violation of his contract. ● vio|la|tor (violators ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …a government which is a known violator of human rights.
2 VERB If you violate someone's privacy or peace, you disturb it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] These men were violating her family's privacy.
3 VERB If someone violates a special place, for example a grave, they damage it or treat it with disrespect. □ [V n] Detectives are still searching for those who violated the graveyard. ● vio|la|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The violation of the graves is not the first such incident. SYNONYMS violate VERB 1
break: We didn't know we were breaking the law.
infringe: The jury ruled that he had infringed no rules.
disobey: He urged the soldiers to disobey orders if asked to fire on civilian targets.
breach: The newspaper breached the code of conduct on privacy.
contravene: He said the article did not contravene the industry's code of conduct.
vio|lence ◆◆◇ /va I ələns/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Violence is behaviour which is intended to hurt, injure, or kill people. □ Twenty people were killed in the violence. □ They threaten them with violence.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you do or say something with violence , you use a lot of force and energy in doing or saying it, often because you are angry. [LITERARY ] □ The violence in her tone gave Alistair a shock. SYNONYMS violence NOUN 1
brutality: Her experience of men was of domination and brutality.
savagery: …the sheer savagery of war.
terrorism: They were accused of terrorism.
brute force: He used brute force to take control.
vio|lent ◆◇◇ /va I ələnt/
1 ADJ If someone is violent , or if they do something which is violent , they use physical force or weapons to hurt, injure, or kill other people. □ A quarter of current inmates have committed violent crimes. □ …violent anti-government demonstrations. □ Sometimes the men get violent. ● vio|lent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Some opposition activists have been violently attacked.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A violent event happens suddenly and with great force. □ A violent explosion seemed to jolt the whole ground. ● vio|lent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ A nearby volcano erupted violently, sending out a hail of molten rock and boiling mud.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as violent , you mean that it is said, done, or felt very strongly. □ Violent opposition to the plan continues. □ He had violent stomach pains. □ …an outburst of violent emotion. ● vio|lent|ly ADV □ He was violently scolded.
4 ADJ A violent death is painful and unexpected, usually because the person who dies has been murdered. □ …an innocent man who had met a violent death. ● vio|lent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ …a girl who had died violently nine years earlier.