vein

[ veyn ]

/ veɪn /

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See synonyms for: vein / veined / veining on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

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.

SYNONYMS FOR vein

11 tone, streak, touch, hint, thread.

See synonyms for vein on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of vein

1250–1300; Middle English veine<Old French <Latin vēna vein of the body, channel, ore deposit

OTHER WORDS FROM vein

veinal, adjectiveveinless, adjectiveveinlike, adjectivein·ter·vein, verb (used with object)

in·ter·vein·al, adjectivesubvein, nounun·veined, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH vein

vain, vane, vein

Words nearby vein

veiled, veiling, veilleuse, Veillonella, veiltail goldfish, vein, veining, veinlet, vein of bulb of penis, vein of cochlear canal, vein of eyelid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for vein

Compression socks apply pressure to your veins and muscles and air circulation from your feet to your heart.
Compression socks to ease aches and support travel|PopSci Commerce Team|January 20, 2021|Popular Science
In a similar vein, focus on hiring, training, and retaining talented professionals, and routinely instilling in them an emphasis on the real benefits your product provides for your customers.
The email security market is littered with false claims. How to fix it|jakemeth|November 27, 2020|Fortune
In a similar vein, it only felt right that Kenya’s most symbolically significant FKT should also be in Kenyan hands.
Behind the Scenes of a Unique FKT Attempt in Kenya|Martin Fritz Huber|November 24, 2020|Outside Online
Along a similar vein, we have just analyzed the shape of an apple .
A Scientist Who Delights in the Mundane|Steve Nadis|October 26, 2020|Quanta Magazine

In those cases, the veins indicate that the rock had once interacted with flowing water.
Asteroid Bennu may have been home to ancient water flows|Neel Patel|October 8, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Rather than downing a handful of pills, I planned to take my life by opening a vein in each wrist.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“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 Royalty|Tim Teeman|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Whenever I look for a vein of sadness in Oliona it melts away.
Russia’s Gold Digger Academy|Peter Pomerantsev|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the decade following World War I, Hopper settled on a vein of imagery that has been his special glory ever since.
The Stacks: Edward Hopper’s X-Ray Vision|Hilton Kramer|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So in the vein of March Madness, here are my picks for the Final Four of the 2014 GOP championship of crazy.
How Long Can the Republicans Hide The Crazy?|Dean Obeidallah|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Through it runs a vein about one vara wide, extending east and west for some distance.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
A vein of shrewd and humorous sarcasm, together with an under-current of quiet selfishness, made him a very pleasant companion. '
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
The length of the fibre, moreover, cannot be determined with any absolute certainty from the thickness of the vein.
Asbestos|Robert H. Jones
We have likewise found a vein of plumbago, which was an object of search, on the supposition that it was coal.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
The specimen of this breccia is attached to a plate of granular quartz, and may possibly have been part of a vein.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King

British Dictionary definitions for vein

vein

/ (veɪn) /

noun

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

verb (tr)

to diffuse over or cause to diffuse over in streaked patterns

to fill, furnish, or mark with or as if with veins

Derived forms of vein

veinal, adjectiveveinless, adjectiveveinlike, adjectiveveiny, adjective

Word Origin for vein

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

Medical definitions for vein

vein

[ vān ]

n.

Any of the branching blood vessels carrying blood toward the heart. All veins except the pulmonary vein carry dark unaerated blood.

v.

To supply or fill with veins.

Other words from vein

vein′al adj.

Scientific definitions for vein

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.

Other words from vein

venous adjective (vē′nəs)

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