I. ˈvān noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English veine, from Old French, from Latin vena blood vessel, watercourse, natural bent, trait, vein
1.
a.
(1) : a narrow water channel in rock, earth, or ice
shooting, more often than not, collapses the ceiling and sides of the water vein — Gaston Burridge
(2) : a stream of water flowing through such a channel
learned that several veins of water … originated from one central dome and spread out in all directions — Kenneth Roberts
b. : a venous sinus of an invertebrate animal
c. : blood vessel — not used technically
had ice water in his veins
d. : something likened to a vein or system of veins
across the face of the … new map of the United States runs a significant network of fine scarlet veins — National Geographic
2.
a. : one of the tubular branching vessels that carry blood from the capillaries toward the heart in man and other vertebrates and have thinner walls than the arteries and often valves at intervals to prevent reflux of the blood which flows in a steady stream and is in most cases dark-colored due to the presence of reduced hemoglobin — compare circulation , portal vein , venae comites
b.
(1) : a body of ore filling a rock fissure and usually deposited there from solution by underground water : lode — compare dike
(2) : a mineral bed or deposit
a vein of coal
c. : something that resembles a lode
this … novel is by no means a pursuit of a worn-out vein ; the author has discovered a new gold mine — Harrison Smith
d. : a strip of land differentiated by quality (as by special fertility) from its surroundings
e. archaic : the channel or flow of a stream : current , lane
whales … mostly swim in veins — Herman Melville
a whirlwind … directed its course toward the east, in a vein of near half a mile wide — Jeremy Belknap
3.
a. : one of the vascular bundles forming the framework of fibrous tissue of a leaf — called also nerve, rib
b. : a line of a different color or texture from the main body : streak , stripe ; especially : a wavy variegation in marble and other stones
c. : one of the thickened cuticular ribs that serve to stiffen the wings of an insect
d. : the intestine and associated structures of a shrimp or prawn that appears as a dark line on the convex surface of the shellfish after it has been cooked and shelled
4.
a. : a distinctive mode of expression : manner , style
produced some fifty ballets … in the romantic vein characteristic of his generation — Anatole Chujoy
a small masterpiece … in his best vein — Mary A. Hamilton
written … in the appropriate vein for commercial correspondence — G.B.Shaw
b. : a distinctive thread : strain
a vein of comedy weaves in and out of a great tragedy — R.M.Weaver
c. : a predominant line : general direction : tenor
statesmen whose hopes ran in this vein — Oscar Handlin
have no intention of continuing my comment … in this vein — A.P.d'Entrèves
5.
a. : a quality of character : trait
in the mother there was a deep vein of mystical piety — Stewart Means
b. : a special aptitude : talent
in her youth had no comedy vein — Athene Seyler & Stephen Haggard
c.
(1) : a frame of mind : humor
in your happiest vein — H.J.Laski
seemed to feel in the vein to justify himself — Maurice Hewlett
(2) : top form : fettle
I am in vein tonight … I have just got a third good idea — Angela Thirkell
in the vein , there is probably no one … who can match the power and splendor of her singing — New York Post
Synonyms: see mood
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to pattern with or as if with veins : striate
the backs of her hands … were veined and worn — Kay Boyle
goat paths veining its slopes — Josephine Pinckney
was veined by railroads — W.A.White
their works are veined with insinuations — Laurent Le Sage
2. : to diffuse in ramified form : spread
quartz crystals veined abundantly through its sandstone — American Guide Series: Arkansas