violence
Americannoun
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swift and intense force.
the violence of a storm.
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rough or injurious physical force, action, or treatment.
to die by violence.
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an unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power, as against rights or laws.
to take over a government by violence.
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a violent act or proceeding.
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rough or immoderate vehemence, as of feeling or language.
the violence of his hatred.
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damage through distortion or unwarranted alteration.
to do editorial violence to a text.
noun
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the exercise or an instance of physical force, usually effecting or intended to effect injuries, destruction, etc
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powerful, untamed, or devastating force
the violence of the sea
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great strength of feeling, as in language, etc; fervour
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an unjust, unwarranted, or unlawful display of force, esp such as tends to overawe or intimidate
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to inflict harm upon; damage or violate
they did violence to the prisoners
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to distort or twist the sense or intention of
the reporters did violence to my speech
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Other Word Forms
- antiviolence adjective
- counterviolence noun
- self-violence noun
Etymology
Origin of violence
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin violentia; violent, -ence
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Labour government has pledged to halve the rate of violence against women and girls over the next decade.
From BBC
"It is about tackling violence against women and girls."
From BBC
“It is shameful that the city’s richest hospitals refuse to continue healthcare benefits for frontline nurses, refuse to staff safely for our patients, and refuse to protect us from workplace violence.”
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that while "every murder is a tragedy," fewer families had been "shattered" by violence.
From BBC
Amnesty International says roughly 400 people have been arrested for supporting the NUP in recent months on charges including malicious damage to property or inciting violence.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
