~ 1 [ vʌɪs ]
■ noun
1》 immoral or wicked behaviour.
↘criminal activities which involve prostitution, pornography, or drugs.
↘an immoral or wicked personal characteristic.
2》 a weakness of character; a bad habit.
↘(also stable ~ ) a bad or neurotic habit of stabled horses, typically arising from boredom.
Derivatives
~less adjective
Origin
ME: via OFr. from L. vitium .
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~ 2 [ vʌɪs ]
( US vise )
■ noun a metal tool with movable jaws which are used to hold an object firmly in place while work is done on it.
Derivatives
~-like adjective
Origin
ME (denoting a screw or winch): from OFr. vis , from L. vitis 'vine'.
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~ 3 [ 'vʌɪsi ]
■ preposition as a substitute for.
Origin
L., ablative of vic- 'change'.