vent

1
[ vent ]
See synonyms for: ventventedventing on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. an opening, as in a wall, serving as an outlet for air, smoke, fumes, or the like.

  2. an opening at the earth's surface from which volcanic material, as lava, steam, or gas, is emitted.

  1. Zoology. the anal or excretory opening of animals, especially of those below mammals, as birds and reptiles.

  2. the small opening at the breech of a gun by which fire is communicated to the charge.

  3. a means of exit or escape; an outlet, as from confinement.

  4. expression; utterance; release: to give vent to one's emotions.

  5. Obsolete. the act or fact of venting; emission or discharge.

verb (used with object)
  1. to give free play or expression to (an emotion, passion, etc.): to vent rage.

  2. to give public utterance to: to vent one's opinions.

  1. to relieve by giving expression to something: He vented his disappointment by criticizing his successor.

  2. to release or discharge (liquid, smoke, etc.).

  3. to furnish or provide with a vent or vents.

verb (used without object)
  1. to be relieved of pressure or discharged by means of a vent.

  2. (of an otter or other animal) to rise to the surface of the water to breathe.

Origin of vent

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb venten “to furnish (a vessel) with a vent,” by shortening of Old French esventer (equivalent to es- + -venter, verbal derivative of vent, from Latin ventus “wind”), in later use derivative of the English noun; the noun derives partly from French vent, partly by shortening of French évent (Old French esvent, derivative of esventer ), and partly derivative of the English verb; see ex-1, wind1

Other words from vent

  • ventless, adjective
  • un·vent·ed, adjective

Words Nearby vent

Other definitions for vent (2 of 2)

vent2
[ vent ]

noun
  1. a slit in the back or side of a coat, jacket, or other garment, at the bottom part of a seam.

Origin of vent

2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English vent(e); replacing Middle English fente, from Old French or Middle French, derivative of fendre “to slit,” from Latin findere “to split”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use vent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vent (1 of 2)

vent1

/ (vɛnt) /


noun
  1. a small opening for the passage or escape of fumes, liquids, etc

  2. the shaft of a volcano or an aperture in the earth's crust through which lava and gases erupt

  1. the external opening of the urinary or genital systems of lower vertebrates

  2. a small aperture at the breech of old guns through which the charge was ignited

  3. an exit, escape, or passage

  4. give vent to to release (an emotion, passion, idea, etc) in an utterance or outburst

verb(mainly tr)
  1. to release or give expression or utterance to (an emotion, idea, etc): he vents his anger on his wife

  2. to provide a vent for or make vents in

  1. to let out (steam, liquid, etc) through a vent

Origin of vent

1
C14: from Old French esventer to blow out, from ex- 1 + venter, from Vulgar Latin ventāre (unattested) to be windy, from Latin ventus wind

Derived forms of vent

  • venter, noun
  • ventless, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for vent (2 of 2)

vent2

/ (vɛnt) /


noun
  1. a vertical slit at the back or both sides of a jacket

verb
  1. (tr) to make a vent or vents in (a jacket)

Origin of vent

2
C15: from Old French fente slit, from fendre to split, from Latin findere to cleave

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for vent

vent

[ vĕnt ]


  1. An opening, and the conduit leading to it, in the side or at the top of a volcano, permitting the escape of fumes, a liquid, a gas, or steam.

    • The excretory opening of the digestive tract in animals such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Also called cloaca

    • : See cloaca.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with vent

vent

In addition to the idiom beginning with vent

  • vent one's spleen

also see:

  • give vent to

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.