violence
[ vahy-uh-luhns ]
/ ˈvaɪ ə ləns /
noun
swift and intense force: the violence of a storm.
rough or injurious physical force, action, or treatment: to die by violence.
an unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power, as against rights or laws: to take over a government by violence.
a violent act or proceeding.
rough or immoderate vehemence, as of feeling or language: the violence of his hatred.
damage through distortion or unwarranted alteration: to do editorial violence to a text.
RELATED CONTENT
Why Exposure Is Our 2014 Word Of The YearIn 2014, the Ebola virus, widespread theft of personal information, and shocking acts of violence and brutality dominated the news. Vulnerability and visibility were at the core of the year’s most notable headlines. Encapsulating those themes, Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year for 2014 is exposure. The word exposure entered English in the early 1600s to refer to a state of being without shelter or protection. …
RELATED WORDS
rampage, disturbance, brutality, clash, confusion, assault, fighting, cruelty, attack, struggle, disorder, bloodshed, terrorism, fury, onslaught, ruckus, sharpness, bestiality, coercion, fuss
Nearby words
- violable,
- violaceous,
- violate,
- violation,
- violative,
- violent,
- violent storm,
- violently,
- violescent,
- violet
Origin of violence
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for violence
violence
/ (ˈvaɪələns) /
noun
the exercise or an instance of physical force, usually effecting or intended to effect injuries, destruction, etc
powerful, untamed, or devastating forcethe violence of the sea
great strength of feeling, as in language, etc; fervour
an unjust, unwarranted, or unlawful display of force, esp such as tends to overawe or intimidate
do violence to
- to inflict harm upon; damage or violatethey did violence to the prisoners
- to distort or twist the sense or intention ofthe reporters did violence to my speech
Word Origin for violence
C13: via Old French from Latin violentia impetuosity, from violentus violent
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
violence
late 13c., "physical force used to inflict injury or damage," from Anglo-French and Old French violence, from Latin violentia "vehemence, impetuosity," from violentus "vehement, forcible," probably related to violare (see violation). Weakened sense of "improper treatment" is attested from 1590s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper