vehement

Etymology

From Middle French vehement (modern French véhément; compare Italian veemente, Portuguese veemente, Spanish vehemente); or from Latin vehemēns (“vehement; very eager; ardent, furious, impetuous; emphatic”), probably from vē- (“prefix meaning ‘lacking, too little’”) + mēns (“mind; intellect; judgment, reasoning”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈviː.ə.mənt/

• Audio (RP, male)

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• Audio (GA, female)

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  Audio (GA, male)

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• Hyphenation: ve‧he‧ment

Adjective

vehement (comparative more vehement, superlative most vehement)

1. Showing strong feelings; passionate; forceful or intense.
   • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which is to Come: Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream wherein is Discovered, the Manner of His Setting Out, His Dangerous Journey; and Safe Arrival at the Desired Countrey, London: Printed for Nath[aniel] Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey near Cornhill, OCLC 733063856, page 79:

     Yet the Fiends ſeemed to come nearer and nearer, but when they were come even almoſt at him, he cried out with a moſt vehement voice, I will walk in the ſtrength of the Lord God; ſo they gave back, and came no further.

   • 2006, Scott [Bechtel] Smith, The Ruins: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 236:

     Amy shook her head, vehement. "The vine didn't kill them. The Mayans did. They tried to flee and the Mayans shot them. The vine just claimed their bodies once they'd been shot. There's no thought involved in that. No—"

Further reading

• vehement in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• vehement at OneLook Dictionary Search
• vehement in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vehemēns, vehementem.

Adjective

vehement (masculine and feminine plural vehements)

1. vehement

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vehemens, vehementis.

Adjective

vehement (comparative vehementer, superlative am vehementesten)

1. vehement

Further reading

• vehement in Duden online