Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

vice|roy /va I srɔ I / (viceroys ) N‑COUNT In former times, a viceroy was the person who ruled a colony on behalf of his king, queen, or government.

vi ce squad (vice squads ) N‑COUNT [N n] The vice squad is the section of a police force that deals with crime relating to pornography, prostitution, and gambling. □  …ten vice-squad officers.

vice ver|sa /va I sə veː ^r sə/ PHRASE Vice versa is used to indicate that the reverse of what you have said is true. For example 'women may bring their husbands with them, and vice versa' means that men may also bring their wives with them. □  Teachers qualified to teach in England are not accepted in Scotland, and vice versa.

vi|cin|ity /v I s I n I ti/ N‑SING [oft in N ] If something is in the vicinity of a particular place, it is near it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] There were a hundred or so hotels in the vicinity of the railway station.

vi|cious /v I ʃəs/

1 ADJ A vicious person or a vicious blow is violent and cruel. □  He was a cruel and vicious man. □  He suffered a vicious attack by a gang of white youths. □  The blow was so sudden and vicious that he dropped to his knees. ●  vi|cious|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □  She had been viciously attacked with a hammer. ●  vi|cious|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the intensity and viciousness of these attacks.

2 ADJ A vicious remark is cruel and intended to upset someone. □  It is a deliberate, nasty and vicious attack on a young man's character. ●  vi|cious|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  'He deserved to die,' said Penelope viciously.

vi |cious ci r|cle (vicious circles ) or vicious cycle N‑COUNT [usu sing] A vicious circle is a problem or difficult situation that has the effect of creating new problems which then cause the original problem or situation to occur again. □  Anxiety produces physical symptoms, and the two feed each other in a vicious circle.

vi|cis|si|tudes /v I s I s I tjuːdz, [AM ] -tuːdz/ N‑PLURAL You use vicissitudes to refer to changes, especially unpleasant ones, that happen to someone or something at different times in their life or development. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Whatever the vicissitudes of her past life, Jill now seems to have come through.

vic|tim ◆◆◇ /v I kt I m/ (victims )

1 N‑COUNT A victim is someone who has been hurt or killed. □  Not all the victims survived. □ [+ of ] Statistically, our chances of being the victims of violent crime are remote.

2 N‑COUNT A victim is someone who has suffered as a result of someone else's actions or beliefs, or as a result of unpleasant circumstances. □ [+ of ] He was a victim of racial prejudice. □  Infectious diseases are spreading among many of the flood victims.

3 PHRASE If you fall victim to something or someone, you suffer as a result of them, or you are killed by them. □  In the early 1960s, Blyton fell victim to Alzheimer's disease.

vic|tim|ize ◆◇◇ /v I kt I ma I z/ (victimizes , victimizing , victimized ) in BRIT, also use victimise VERB If someone is victimized , they are deliberately treated unfairly. □ [be V -ed] He felt the students had been victimized because they'd voiced opposition to the government. [Also V n] ●  vic|timi|za|tion /v I kt I ma I ze I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …society's cruel victimization of women.