vent 1
— ventless , adj.
/vent/ , n.
1. an opening, as in a wall, serving as an outlet for air, smoke, fumes, or the like.
2. an opening at the earth's surface from which volcanic material, as lava, steam, or gas, is emitted.
3. Zool. the anal or excretory opening of animals, esp. of those below mammals, as birds and reptiles.
4. the small opening at the breech of a gun by which fire is communicated to the charge.
5. a means of exit or escape; an outlet, as from confinement.
6. expression; utterance; release: to give vent to one's emotions.
7. Obs. the act or fact of venting; emission or discharge.
v.t.
8. to give free play or expression to (an emotion, passion, etc.): to vent rage.
9. to give public utterance to: to vent one's opinions.
10. to relieve by giving expression to something: He vented his disappointment by criticizing his successor.
11. to release or discharge (liquid, smoke, etc.).
12. to furnish or provide with a vent or vents.
v.i.
13. to be relieved of pressure or discharged by means of a vent.
14. (of an otter or other animal) to rise to the surface of the water to breathe.
[ 1350-1400; (v.) ME venten to furnish (a vessel) with a vent, by aphesis esventer ( es- EX- + -venter, v. deriv. of vent ventus WIND 1 ), in later use deriv. of the E n.; (n.) partly vent ( ventus ), partly by aphesis évent (OF esvent, deriv. of esventer ), partly deriv. of the E v. ]
vent 2
/vent/ , n.
a slit in the back or side of a coat, jacket, or other garment, at the bottom part of a seam.
[ 1400-50; late ME vente; r. ME fente fendre to slit findere to split ]