violent

Etymology

From Old French violent, from Latin violentus, from vīs (“strength”). For the verb, compare French violenter.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaɪ(ə)lənt/
• Hyphenation: vi‧o‧lent

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

violent (comparative violenter or more violent, superlative violentest or most violent)

1. Involving extreme force or motion.

   A violent wind ripped the branch from the tree.

2. Involving physical conflict.

   We would rather negotiate, but we will use violent means if necessary.

3. Likely to use physical force.

   The escaped prisoners are considered extremely violent.

4. Intensely vivid.

   The artist expressed his emotional theme through violent colors.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, London: A[ndrew] Millar, OCLC 928184292:

     We have already observed, that he was a very good-natured fellow, and he hath himself declared the violent attachment he had to the person and character of Jones […]

5. (obsolete) Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural.
   • Shakespeare

     These violent delights have violent ends.

   • T. Burnet

     No violent state can be perpetual.

   • Milton

     Ease would recant / Vows made in pain, as violent and void.

Verb

violent (third-person singular simple present violents, present participle violenting, simple past and past participle violented)

1. (transitive, archaic) To urge with violence.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Fuller to this entry?)

Noun

violent (plural violents)

1. (obsolete) An assailant.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Dr. H. More to this entry?)

Anagrams

• LOVEINT

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /vi.oˈlent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /bi.uˈlen/

Adjective

violent (feminine violenta, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentes)

1. violent

Further reading

• “violent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Etymology 1

Borrowed into Old French from Latin violentus.

Etymology 2

Inflected forms.

Anagrams

• ventilo, voilent

Further reading

• “violent” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Verb

violent

1. third-person plural present active subjunctive of violō

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin violentus

Adjective

violent m (oblique and nominative feminine singular violent or violente)

1. violent (using violence)

Etymology

Borrowed from French violent, Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vi.oˈlent/

Adjective

violent m, n (feminine singular violentă, masculine plural violenți, feminine and neuter plural violente)

1. violent