vent
1 (vĕnt)
[Partly from French vent (from Old French), and partly alteration of French évent (from Old French esvent) (from esventer, to let out air) (from Vulgar Latin* exventāre) (Latin ex-; see ex–) (Latin ventus, wind; see wē-).]
noun
- A means of escape or release from confinement; an outlet: give vent to one's anger.
- An opening permitting the escape of fumes, a liquid, a gas, or steam.
- The small hole at the breech of a gun through which the charge is ignited.
- Zoology The excretory opening of the digestive tract in animals such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
- Geology
- The opening of a volcano in the earth's crust.
- An opening on the ocean floor that emits hot water and dissolved minerals.
verb: vent·ed, vent·ing, vents.
transitive verb
- To express (one's thoughts or feelings, for example), especially forcefully.
- To release or discharge (steam, for example) through an opening.
- To provide with a vent.
intransitive verb
- To vent one's feelings or opinions.
- To be released or discharged through an opening.
- To rise to the surface of water to breathe. Used of a marine mammal.
derivatives
- vent́er
- noun
synonyms:
vent1express, utter1voice, air These verbs mean to give outlet to thoughts or emotions. To vent is to unburden oneself of a strong pent-up emotion: “She was jealous … and glad of any excuse to vent her pique” (Edward G.E.L. Bulwer-Lytton) Express, a more comprehensive term, refers to both verbal and nonverbal communication: found the precise words to express her idea; expressed his affection with a hug; “expressing emotion in the form of art” (T.S. Eliot) Utter involves vocal expression: “The words were uttered in the hearing of Montezuma” (William Hickling Prescott) Voice denotes the expression of outlook or viewpoint: The lawyer voiced her satisfaction with the verdict. To air is to show off one's feelings, beliefs, or ideas: They aired their differences during dinner.
vent
2 (vĕnt)
[Middle English vente, alteration (probably influenced by Old French vent, wind), of fente, from Old French, slit, from fendre, to split open, from Latin findere; see fission.]
noun
- A slit in a garment, as in the back seam of a jacket.