I. vent 1 /vent/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1-2, 4: Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ vent 2 ]
[ Sense 3: Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: fente 'long narrow hole' , from fendre 'to split' , from Latin findere ; ⇨ ↑ fission ]
1 . a hole or pipe through which gases, liquid etc can enter or escape from an enclosed space or container:
a blocked air vent
a volcanic vent
2 . give vent to something formal to do something violent or harmful to express feelings of anger, hatred etc:
Children give vent to their anger in various ways.
He knew that if he gave full vent to his feelings, it would upset Joanna.
3 . a thin straight opening at the bottom of the back or side of a jacket or coat
4 . technical the small hole through which small animals, birds, fish, etc pass waste matter out of their bodies
II. vent 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: esventer 'to put in the air' , from vent 'wind' , from Latin ventus ]
to express feelings of anger, hatred etc, especially by doing something violent or harmful
vent something on somebody
If he’s had a bad day, Paul vents his anger on the family.
vent something by doing something
I could hear mum venting her frustration by banging the pots noisily.
The meeting gave us a chance to vent our spleen (=anger) .