violent
violent definition
vio·lent (-lənt)
adjective
- acting with or characterized by great physical force, so as to injure, damage, or destroy
- acting or characterized by force unlawfully or callously used
- caused by violence a violent death
- showing, or resulting from, strong feeling or emotion; vehement; furious violent language
- emotionally disturbed to an uncontrollable degree
- extreme; intense; very strong a violent storm
- tending to distort the meaning to put a violent construction on a text
Etymology: ME < MFr < L violentus, violent, akin to violare, to violate
Related Forms:
- violently vi′o·lently adverb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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