vein
[veyn]
- one of the system of branching vessels or tubes conveying blood from various parts of the body to the heart.
- (loosely) any blood vessel.
- one of the riblike thickenings that form the framework of the wing of an insect.
- one of the strands or bundles of vascular tissue forming the principal framework of a leaf.
- any body or stratum of ore, coal, etc., clearly separated or defined: a rich vein of coal.
- a body or mass of igneous rock, deposited mineral, or the like occupying a crevice or fissure in rock; lode.
- a natural channel or watercourse beneath the surface of the earth.
- the water running through such a channel.
- a streak or marking, as of a different shade or color, running through marble, wood, etc.
- a condition, mood, or temper: a vein of pessimism.
- a tendency, quality, or strain traceable in character, conduct, writing, etc.; manner or style: to write in a poetic vein.
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- to furnish with veins.
- to mark with lines or streaks suggesting veins.
- to extend over or through in the manner of veins: Broad new highways vein the countryside.
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Origin of vein
1250–1300; Middle English veine < Old French < Latin vēna vein of the body, channel, ore deposit
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
hair, nerve, seam, lode, stripe, streak, fashion, bent, temperament, mind, dash, strain, attitude, manner, tenor, touch, style, humor, hint, fettleExamples from the Web for vein
Contemporary Examples
Rather than downing a handful of pills, I planned to take my life by opening a vein in each wrist.
“There is such a vein of intelligence and deeply steeped expertise among them,” he says.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and RoyaltyTim Teeman
December 10, 2014
Whenever I look for a vein of sadness in Oliona it melts away.
In the decade following World War I, Hopper settled on a vein of imagery that has been his special glory ever since.
So in the vein of March Madness, here are my picks for the Final Four of the 2014 GOP championship of crazy.
Historical Examples
It is somewhat in the vein of "Sourdough" Service, the Yukon bard.
Ballads of a BohemianRobert W. Service
The vein in the neck of the fore-quarter should be of a fine blue.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various BranchesEliza Leslie
But I checked him in that Falstaffian vein, urging considerations of time and cookery.
The Uncommercial TravellerCharles Dickens
That she was loved, she knew—knew it through every vein and pulse.
The Coryston FamilyMrs. Humphry Ward
When a man makes a hit in one vein of writing they want that and nothing else.
The HarborErnest Poole
vein
- any of the tubular vessels that convey oxygen-depleted blood to the heartCompare pulmonary vein, artery Related adjective: venous
- any of the hollow branching tubes that form the supporting framework of an insect's wing
- any of the vascular strands of a leaf
- a clearly defined mass of ore, mineral, etc, filling a fault or fracture, often with a tabular or sheetlike shape
- an irregular streak of colour or alien substance in marble, wood, or other material
- a natural underground watercourse
- a crack or fissure
- a distinctive trait or quality in speech, writing, character, etc; straina vein of humour
- a temporary disposition, attitude, or temper; moodthe debate entered a frivolous vein
- Irish a parting in hair
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- to diffuse over or cause to diffuse over in streaked patterns
- to fill, furnish, or mark with or as if with veins
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French veine, from Latin vēna
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
Word Origin and History for vein
n.
c.1300, from Old French veine, from Latin vena "a blood vessel," also "a water course, a vein of metal, a person's natural ability or interest," of unknown origin. The mining sense is attested in English from late 14c. (Greek phleps "vein" had the same secondary sense). Figurative sense of "strain or intermixture" (of some quality) is recorded from 1560s; that of "a humor or mood, natural tendency" is first recorded 1570s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
vein
(vān)- Any of the branching blood vessels carrying blood toward the heart. All veins except the pulmonary vein carry dark unaerated blood.
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- To supply or fill with veins.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
vein
[vān]
- Any of the blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart from the body's cells, tissues, and organs. Veins are thin-walled and contain valves that prevent the backflow of blood. All veins except the pulmonary vein carry blood with low levels of oxygen.
- One of the narrow, usually branching tubes or supporting parts forming the framework of an insect's wing or a leaf. Veins in insect wings carry hemolymph and contain a nerve. Veins in leaves contain vascular tissue, with the xylem usually occurring on the upper side of the vein (bringing in water and nutrients) and the phloem on the lower side (carrying away food). See more at leaf venation.
- A long, narrow deposit of mineral or rock that fills the void formed by a fracture or fault in another rock. The mineralogy of the host rock surrounding the vein is often altered where it is in contact with the vein because of chemical reactions between the two rock types.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.