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• vise
  vise

  noun

  any of various devices, usually having two jaws that may be brought together or separated by means of a screw, lever, or the like, used to hold an object firmly while work is being done on it.
• visé
  visé

  noun

  visa.

vise

¹ American  

[vahys] / vaɪs /

Or vice

noun

1. any of various devices, usually having two jaws that may be brought together or separated by means of a screw, lever, or the like, used to hold an object firmly while work is being done on it.

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verb (used with object)

vised, vising

1. to hold, press, or squeeze with or as with a vise.

visé ² American  

[vee-zey, vee-zey] / ˈvi zeɪ, viˈzeɪ /

noun

viséed, viséing

1. visa.

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vise British  

/ vaɪs /

noun

1. a variant spelling of vice 2

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Other Word Forms

• viselike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of vise¹

1300–50; Middle English vis < Old French: screw < Latin vītis vine (whose spiral form gave later sense)

Origin of visé²

< French, past participle of viser to inspect, check; see visa

Explanation

If you’re going to be doing a lot of woodworking, you’ll probably need a vise, a tool used to clamp pieces of wood in place while you work on them. The word vise came into English through the French word vis, meaning “screw.” Picture yourself winding a lever that screws the jaws of a vise shut, and you’ll understand what it’s like to operate a vise. Remember to spell the word with an s, as not to confuse it with sound-alike vice, which can refer to a destructive habit that you’d like to break. The two words are unrelated in meaning.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vise visé viséed viséing vised vising

An examination of the tightening vise in which Jews in the Netherlands—whether German-Jewish refugees like the Franks or longtime residents—found themselves is hampered, again, by storytelling problems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2025

It’s no cause for alarm, but it felt as if a vise were being twisted tighter and tighter around my chest.

From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2023

To the moody strains of Sheik’s alt-rock score, the vise of adolescence is captured in a story about pubescent youths rebelling against the warping will of adult hypocrisy and repression.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2023

The pain came on gradually over several weeks, as if some part of my brain were being slowly squeezed in a vise.

From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2023

It was like someone had crushed my chest in a vise, spinning the handle until every ounce of air and courage had been squeezed out of me.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

This, the United States Lines contended, often worked an injustice, because immigrants might book passage, sell their homes, and then discover that the consul would not visé their passports.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Consul wishes to visé our Articles—the Articles may not be handed over till we produce a slip from the Consul, the Consul will grant no slip till we have seen the S.I.O.

From Merchantmen-at-arms : the British merchants' service in the war by David W. (David William) Bone

“No; and passports must be visé by the Russian consul before we can issue a ticket.”

From Up The Baltic Young America in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark by Oliver Optic

His visé "Collat: & complet:" is seldom wanting and often bibliographical notes and references to authorities are added.

From Catalogue of the William Loring Andrews Collection of Early Books in the Library of Yale University by Addison Van Name

Employing a swift motor-car, he obtained the official visé at Madrid, and was back at the rendezvous within two and a half hours, the atrocious roads notwithstanding.

From The Airship "Golden Hind" by Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman

He struck a smarter gait, but to me it seemed a year ere he reappeared with a pass viséed, and handed it to me.

From The Reckoning by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

As they could see for themselves our passports had been properly viséed by the Foreign Office in Peking, and we were prepared to stay.

From Across Mongolian Plains A Naturalist's Account of China's 'Great Northwest' by Roy Chapman Andrews

My man looked up in mild surprise, viséed the three papers without a word and handed them back in less time than it takes to tell it.

From A Journal From Our Legation in Belgium by Hugh Gibson

"It is not yet viséed by your consul," said the officer.

From The Goose Girl by Harold MacGrath

Yes, Robin had a passport, but it was not viséed for Holland.

From The Yellow Streak by Valentine Williams

On the present occasion, the Hamburger was detained a considerable time, whilst I exercised, at my leisure, my belligerent right of viséing his papers.

From Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between the States by Raphael Semmes

We have already recommended charging consuls with viséing certificates from police, medical, and poor-relief authorities.

From The Unpopular Review, Volume II Number 3 by Various

The French insisted on viséing our papers in order to show their authority and because they needed the ten francs.

From The New Frontiers of Freedom from the Alps to the Ægean by E. Alexander (Edward Alexander) Powell

It is well built on narrow streets, like nearly all Italian cities, and manifests considerable activity in the way of watching gates and viséing Passports.

From Glances at Europe In a Series of Letters from Great Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland, &c. During the Summer of 1851. by Horace Greeley

Much higher bills were seen at less frequently vised restaurants, like Chick-fil-A, Capriotti’s and Taco Bell, which cost the state about $25,100, $20,300 and $13,300, respectively.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 26, 2019

The current owner, Barbara Jenik, opened the door, an aggrieved Chihuahua vised into her armpit.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2017

John McCoy, finding his right arm vised between the girder and the roof of his cab, let out a yell that brought firemen, a priest and a doctor.

From Time Magazine Archive

Methodism, vised by its geographical Bishop, promised to repay the money owed you.

From Time Magazine Archive

You seem almost a man these days, Jeth; even yore hair ain’t quite as yaller and curly as it vised to be.”

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

There is just time left to confirm that Anderson and Piper are both more regular customers at Pizza Express than Prince Andrew, who famously told Maitlis about vising the chain.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2024

Opposition politicians also are vising the region en masse, with the Republican People’s party leader Ozgur Ozel attending the commemorations in Hatay before travelling to Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

Tile drains are then placed directly under the curb line and a 6×16-in. curb is constructed, vising 1-2-4 concrete faced with 1-2 mortar.

From Concrete Construction Methods and Costs by Halbert Powers Gillette