practically: He'd known the old man practically all his life.
almost: He was almost as tall as Pete, but skinnier.
nearly: Several times Thorne nearly fell.
vi r|tual me mo|ry N‑UNCOUNT Virtual memory is a computing technique in which you increase the size of a computer's memory by arranging or storing the data in it in a different way. [COMPUTING ]
vi r|tual re|a l|ity N‑UNCOUNT Virtual reality is an environment which is produced by a computer and seems very like reality to the person experiencing it. [COMPUTING ]
vi r|tual sto r|age N‑UNCOUNT Virtual storage is the same as virtual memory . [COMPUTING ]
vir|tue /vɜː r tʃuː/ (virtues )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Virtue is thinking and doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. □ She could have established her own innocence and virtue easily enough.
2 N‑COUNT A virtue is a good quality or way of behaving. □ His virtue is patience. □ Humility is considered a virtue.
3 N‑COUNT The virtue of something is an advantage or benefit that it has, especially in comparison with something else. □ [+ in ] There was no virtue in returning to Calvi the way I had come.
4 PHRASE You use by virtue of to explain why something happens or is true. [FORMAL ] □ The article stuck in my mind by virtue of one detail.
5 PHRASE If you make a virtue of something, you pretend that you did it because you chose to, although in fact you did it because you had to. □ The movie makes a virtue out of its economy.
vir|tu|os|ity /vɜː r tʃuɒ s I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] The virtuosity of someone such as an artist or sports player is their great skill. □ At that time, his virtuosity on the trumpet had no parallel in jazz.
vir|tuo|so /vɜː r tʃuoʊ zoʊ/ (virtuosos or virtuosi /vɜː r tʃuoʊ zi/)
1 N‑COUNT A virtuoso is someone who is extremely good at something, especially at playing a musical instrument. □ He was gaining a reputation as a remarkable virtuoso.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A virtuoso performance or display shows great skill. □ England's football fans were hoping for a virtuoso performance against Cameroon.
vir|tu|ous /vɜː r tʃuəs/
1 ADJ A virtuous person behaves in a moral and correct way. □ Louis was shown as an intelligent, courageous and virtuous family man.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as virtuous , you mean that they have done what they ought to do and feel very pleased with themselves, perhaps too pleased. □ I cleaned the flat, which left me feeling virtuous. ● vir|tu|ous|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ 'I've already done that,' said Ronnie virtuously.
vi r|tu|ous ci r|cle N‑SING If you describe a situation as a virtuous circle , you mean that once one good thing starts happening, other good things happen, which cause the first thing to continue happening. □ Exercise creates its own virtuous circle. You feel so good you want to continue. □ [+ of ] …a virtuous circle of investment and growth.
viru|lence /v I rjʊləns/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Virulence is great bitterness and hostility. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The virulence of the café owner's anger had appalled her.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The virulence of a disease or poison is its ability to harm or kill people or animals. □ Medical authorities were baffled, both as to its causes and its virulence.
viru|lent /v I rjʊlənt/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Virulent feelings or actions are extremely bitter and hostile. [FORMAL ] □ Now he faces virulent attacks from the Italian media. ● viru|lent|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ The talk was virulently hostile to the leadership.
2 ADJ A virulent disease or poison is extremely powerful and dangerous. □ A very virulent form of the disease appeared in Belgium.
vi|rus ◆◇◇ /va I ə rəs/ (viruses )
1 N‑COUNT A virus is a kind of germ that can cause disease. □ There are many different strains of flu virus.
2 N‑COUNT In computer technology, a virus is a program that introduces itself into a system, altering or destroying the information stored in the system. [COMPUTING ]
visa /viː zə/ (visas ) N‑COUNT A visa is an official document, or a stamp put in your passport, which allows you to enter or leave a particular country. □ His visitor's visa expired. □ …an exit visa. □ …a tightening of U.S. visa requirements.
vis|age /v I z I dʒ/ (visages ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] Someone's visage is their face. [LITERARY ] □ …his milky-white innocent visage.
vis-à-vis /viː z ɑː viː / PREP You use vis-à-vis when you are considering a relationship or comparison between two things or quantities. [FORMAL ] □ Each currency is given a value vis-à-vis the other currencies.
vis|cera /v I sərə/ N‑PLURAL Viscera are the large organs inside the body, such as the heart, liver, and stomach. [MEDICAL ]
vis|cer|al /v I sərəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Visceral feelings are feelings that you feel very deeply and find it difficult to control or ignore, and that are not the result of thought. [LITERARY ] □ …the sheer visceral joy of being alive.
vis|cose /v I skoʊs/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Viscose is a smooth artificial fabric. [mainly BRIT ] □ …a black viscose floral dress. in AM, usually use rayon
vis|cos|ity /v I skɒ s I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Viscosity is the quality that some liquids have of being thick and sticky. □ [+ of ] …the viscosity of the paint.
vis|count /va I kaʊnt/ (viscounts ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A viscount is a British nobleman who is below an earl and above a baron in rank. □ …a biography of Viscount Mourne.