Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 ADJ Vigorous physical activities involve using a lot of energy, usually to do short and repeated actions. □  Very vigorous exercise can increase the risk of heart attacks. □  African dance is vigorous, but full of subtlety. ●  vig|or|ous|ly ADV [ADV after v] □  He shook his head vigorously.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A vigorous person does things with great energy and enthusiasm. A vigorous campaign or activity is done with great energy and enthusiasm. □  Sir Robert was a strong and vigorous politician. □  …a vigorous campaign against GM food. ●  vig|or|ous|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  The police vigorously denied that excessive force had been used.

vig|our /v I gə ^r / in AM, use vigor N‑UNCOUNT Vigour is physical or mental energy and enthusiasm. □  His body lacks the bounce and vigour of a normal two-year-old.

Vi|king /va I k I ŋ/ (Vikings ) N‑COUNT The Vikings were men who sailed from Scandinavia and attacked villages in most parts of north-western Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries.

vile /va I l/ (viler , vilest ) ADJ If you say that someone or something is vile , you mean that they are very unpleasant. □  She was in too vile a mood to work.

vili|fy /v I l I fa I / (vilifies , vilifying , vilified ) VERB If you are vilified by someone, they say or write very unpleasant things about you, so that people will have a low opinion of you. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + for ] His lawyer was vilified for representing him. □ [be V -ed] He was vilified, hounded, and forced into exile by the FBI. [Also V n, V n + as ] ●  vili|fi|ca|tion /v I l I f I ke I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □  Clare did not deserve the vilification she had been subjected to.

vil|la /v I lə/ (villas ) N‑COUNT A villa is a fairly large house, especially one that is used for holidays in Mediterranean countries.

vil|lage ◆◆◇ /v I l I dʒ/ (villages ) N‑COUNT A village consists of a group of houses, together with other buildings such as a church and a school, in a country area. □  He lives quietly in the country in a village near Lahti. □  …the village school.

vil|lag|er /v I l I dʒə ^r / (villagers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] You refer to the people who live in a village, especially the people who have lived there for most or all of their lives, as the villagers . □  Soon the villagers couldn't afford to buy food for themselves.

vil|lain /v I lən/ (villains )

1 N‑COUNT A villain is someone who deliberately harms other people or breaks the law in order to get what he or she wants.

2 N‑COUNT The villain in a novel, film, or play is the main bad character.

vil|lain|ous /v I lənəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A villainous person is very bad and willing to harm other people or break the law in order to get what he or she wants. □  …her villainous father.

vil|lainy /v I ləni/ N‑UNCOUNT Villainy is very bad or criminal behaviour. [FORMAL ] □  They justify every villainy in the name of high ideals.

vinai|grette /v I n I gre t/ (vinaigrettes ) N‑VAR Vinaigrette is a dressing made by mixing oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs, which is put on salad.

vin|di|cate /v I nd I ke I t/ (vindicates , vindicating , vindicated ) VERB If a person or their decisions, actions, or ideas are vindicated , they are proved to be correct, after people have said that they were wrong. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The director said he had been vindicated by the experts' report. [Also V n] ●  vin|di|ca|tion /v I nd I ke I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] □ [+ of ] He called the success a vindication of his party's free-market economic policy.