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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

viol en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French viole, from Old French viol, from Old Occitan viola (modern Occitan viula), from Medieval Latin vitula (“stringed instrument”). Doublet of viola.

Meanings

  1. A stringed instrument related to the violin family, but held in the lap between the legs like a cello, usually with C-holes, a flat back, a fretted neck and six strings, played with an underhanded bow hold.
    • He sayd that yᵉ ground opened, and he was brought into strange places underground, where they used musicall Instruments, violls, and Lutes, such (he sayd) as Mr. Thomas did play on. 1687, John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, page 30:
  2. A large rope used to manipulate the anchor

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
viols Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

violmaking · tenor viol · viol block · division viol · bastard viol

Hypernyms

stringed instrument

Synonyms

gamba · gambo · viola da gamba · viola d'amore

Translations (17)

hu gamba (stringed instrument) · ga vióla da gamba (stringed instrument) · de Viola da Gamba (stringed instrument) · fi viola da gamba (stringed instrument) · nl viola da gamba (stringed instrument) · ka ალტი (stringed instrument) · de Gambe (stringed instrument) · ca viola de gamba (stringed instrument) · da viola da gamba (stringed instrument) · fr viole de gambe (stringed instrument) · is gamba (stringed instrument) · pt viola da gamba (stringed instrument) · ru вио́ла (stringed instrument) · bg вио́ла да га́мба (stringed instrument) · de Kniegeige (stringed instrument) · ka ვიოლა (stringed instrument) · hu viola da gamba (stringed instrument)

viol en · VERB

Pronunciation

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French viole, from Old French viol, from Old Occitan viola (modern Occitan viula), from Medieval Latin vitula (“stringed instrument”). Doublet of viola.

Meanings

  1. To play the viol.
    • “Keep your gold for those who lack it, mistress,” said Henry, “and do not offer to honest hands the money that is won by violing, and tabouring, and toetripping, and perhaps worse pastimes. 1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC:
    • Through snowy woods and shady / We went to play a tune / To the lonely manor-lady / By the light of the Christmas moon. / We violed till, upward glancing / To where a mirror leaned, / It showed her airily dancing […] 1914, Thomas Hardy, Seen by the Waits:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
violed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
violed Tense=Past US lexicographic
violling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic
violled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic
violled Tense=Past UK lexicographic
violing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
viols Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Deriveds

lyra viol · violist · division viol · bass viol