VIS • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Vis

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/vɪs/ Listen

noun

Vis n.

1.

Force; power.

2.

(Law)

(a)

Physical force.

(b)

Moral power.

Principle of vis viva (Mech.), the principle that the difference between the aggregate work of the accelerating forces of a system and that of the retarding forces is equal to one half the vis viva accumulated or lost in the system while the work is being done.

Vis impressa (Mech.), force exerted, as in moving a body, or changing the direction of its motion; impressed force.

Vis inertiae.

(a)

The resistance of matter, as when a body at rest is set in motion, or a body in motion is brought to rest, or has its motion changed, either in direction or in velocity.

(b)

Inertness; inactivity. Note: Vis intertiae and inertia are not strictly synonymous. The former implies the resistance itself which is given, while the latter implies merely the property by which it is given.

Vis mortua (Mech.), dead force; force doing no active work, but only producing pressure.

Vis vitae, or Vis vitalis (Physiol.), vital force.

Vis viva (Mech.), living force; the force of a body moving against resistance, or doing work, in distinction from vis mortua, or dead force; the kinetic energy of a moving body; the capacity of a moving body to do work by reason of its being in motion. See Kinetic energy, in the Note under Energy. The term vis viva is not usually understood to include that part of the kinetic energy of the body which is due to the vibrations of its molecules.

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Etymology of 'Vis'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Vis" Quotes from Famous Books

... if at this moment Bathilde had found herself vis-a-vis with D'Harmental, instead of being embarrassed and blushing, as a young girl would who had just received her first love-letter, she would have taken him by the hand and said to him, smiling—"Be satisfied, I will ...

— The Conspirators - The Chevalier d'Harmental • Alexandre Dumas (Pere)

... to carve, fetched away right over the gunwale of the dish; and taking a whole boat of melted butter with it, splashed across the table during a tremendous roll, that made every thing creak and groan again, right into the small master's lap who was his vis—a—vis. I could hear Aaron grumble out something about—"Strange affinity—birds of a feather." But his time was up, his minutes were numbered, and like a shot he bolted from the table, skulling or rather clawing away towards the door, by the ...

— Tom Cringle's Log • Michael Scott

... Charles Larkyns favours the company with extracts from The Times; reads to them the last number of Dickens's new tale, or directs their attention to the most note-worthy points on their route. Mr. Verdant Green is seated vis-a-vis to the plump Miss Bouncer, and benignantly beams upon her through his glasses, or musingly consults his Bradshaw to count how much nearer they have crept to their destination, the while his thoughts have travelled on in ...

— The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green • Cuthbert Bede

... "dot is vot you run into my arms for. My name is Guilderaufenberg. Dis lady ees Mrs. Guilderaufenberg. Dis ees Mees Hildebrand. She's Mees Poogmistchgski, and she is a Bolish lady vis my wife." ...

— Crowded Out o' Crofield - or, The Boy who made his Way • William O. Stoddard

... fair," said the dandy. "If you have come here to monopolize Micheline, you will be sent back to Paris. We want a vis-a-vis for a quadrille. Come, Princess, it is delightfully cool outside, and I am ...

— Serge Panine • Georges Ohnet

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