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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

But the characters unfold before us in their exchanges, and the play makes room for the actors to inhabit the complexities and contradictions of lives caught in the vise of history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026

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

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

My head had been caught in a vise.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

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

“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 Optic, Oliver

The visé was refused as perfectly unnecessary; and even at Ajaccio, where we passed some hours at the Préfeture, our passports were returned to us on mere inspection.

From Rambles in the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia with Notices of their History, Antiquities, and Present Condition. by Forester, Thomas

We accordingly returned to our hotel, and being again refused by the police the coveted visé into Hungary, we made up our minds to pursue our journey on the morrow towards Vienna.

From Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary, Visited in 1837. Vol. II by Gleig, G. R. (George Robert)

I had secured my passport visé at the French and Belgian Consulates, and at the latter legation was able also to secure a letter asking the civil and military authorities to facilitate my journey.

From Kings, Queens and Pawns An American Woman at the Front by Rinehart, Mary Roberts

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 Gibson, Hugh

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 Andrews, Roy Chapman

Sandy viséed Keith's accounts and took Keith's check for the balance, placing it to a personal account for Molly.

From Rimrock Trail by Dunn, J. Allan, (Joseph Allan)

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

From The Yellow Streak by Williams, Valentine

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 Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

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 Greeley, Horace

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 Powell, E. Alexander (Edward Alexander)

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 Semmes, Raphael

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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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

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 Gillette, Halbert Powers