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Entry 15 senses · 6 variants Webster, 1913

Vent

/(vĕnt)/ · IPA /vɛnt/
01 n. Sale; opportunity to sell; market.
  1. 1.
    Sale; opportunity to sell; market.[Obs.]
    “There is no vent for any commodity but of wool.” — Sir W. Temple.
02 v. t. To sell; to vend.
  1. 1.
    To sell; to vend.[Obs.]
    “Therefore did those nations vent such spice.” — Sir W. Raleigh.
03 n. A baiting place; an inn.
  1. 1.
    A baiting place; an inn.[Obs.]
04 v. i. To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort.
  1. 1.
    To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort.[Obs.]
05 n. A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask; the vent of a mold; a volcanic vent.
  1. 1.
    A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask; the vent of a mold; a volcanic vent.
    “Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents.” — Shak.
    “Long 't was doubtful, both so closely pent, Which first should issue from the narrow vent.” — Pope.
  2. 2.
    The anal opening of certain invertebrates and fishes; also, the external cloacal opening of reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes.(Zool.)
  3. 3.
    The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge; touchhole.(Gun.)
  4. 4.
    Sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet.(Steam Boilers)
  5. 5.
    Fig.: Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet.
  6. 6.
    Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication; utterance.
    “Without the vent of words.” — Milton.
    “Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel.” — Shak.
Phrases & compounds
To give vent to — to suffer to escape; to let out; to pour forth; as, to give vent to anger.
To take vent — to escape; to be made public.
Vent feather — one of the anal, or crissal, feathers of a bird.
Vent field — a flat raised surface around a vent.
Vent piece — A bush. See 4th Bush, n., 2.
06 v. t. To let out at a vent, or small aperture; to give passage or outlet to.
imp. & p. p. Vented; p. pr. & vb. n. Venting
  1. 1.
    To let out at a vent, or small aperture; to give passage or outlet to.
  2. 2.
    To suffer to escape from confinement; to let out; to utter; to pour forth; as, to vent passion or complaint.
    “The queen of heaven did thus her fury vent.” — Dryden.
  3. 3.
    To utter; to report; to publish.[Obs.]
    “By mixing somewhat true to vent more lies.” — Milton.
    “Thou hast framed and vented very curious orations.” — Barrow.
  4. 4.
    To scent, as a hound.[Obs.]
  5. 5.
    To furnish with a vent; to make a vent in; as, to vent. a mold.