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VIBITLENT.
ViRDS. So OF. and ¥. viruleni^ It., Sp., and Pg.
virulento.^
L Med. + a. Of wounds or ulcers : Characterized
by the presence of corrupt or poisonous
matter. Obs. (passing into next).
c X400 LaJt/ranc's Cirnrg. 77 marg.. Off olde verelenC
woundcs. Ibid. 80 If ^ vlcus b« virulent, hat is to seie
venemi, loke if ^at ^e venym i?at goib out be redisch or
^elowisch. 1541 R. Copland Guyiion's Form. R iv, The
gouernati accomplysshynge the entencyon after the vlceracyon
is to drye the rottenesse tiiat is thycke and flesshy,
Llody, and vyrulent. 1578 LvTt: Dodoens 28 Chamaepitys
..l.-iydupon great woundes, a;id virulent., healeth the same.
1600 SvfLVi-v.T Countrie Farwe 11. xlii. 266 A certaine person,
well knowen vnto me. hauirig a virulent vlcer, in manner of
a Polipus in his nostrils. i-jxZ Chambers Cyci., Ulcers are
. .Virulent, which instead of Pus, or Sanies, yield a malignant
ViruSf &c.
b. Of diseases, etc. : Characterized by extreme
malignancy or violence.
1563 T. Gale Aniidot. 22 b, Yf the desease be malygne or
Virulent,.. put in more of the Argentum Viuum. 1604
Salmon A'd/^'j /?/i/««^. C1713} 28/i'lt maybe us'd.-inthe
Cure of virulent Gonorrhoea's. 1748 Anson's Voy. i. x. loa
The scars of wounds which had been for many years healed,
were forced open again by this virulent distemper. 1799
Med. Jml. I. 203 They deny that the contagion has become
more frequent ..while the disease itself has thus been rendered
less virulent and fatal. 1866 Rogers Agric. f^ Prices
I. iv. 66 Scurvy in its most virulent form, and leprosy, were
common disorders. 1871 Tvnoall Fragni. Set. (1879) I. v.
178 Germs. .which may be pushed by foul air into virulent
energy of reproduction.
trans/, i860 Emeksom C^«rf. Life^ Fate Wks. (Bohn) 11.
327, 1 find the like unity in human structures rather virulent
and pervasive. 186^ Merivale Ront. Snip. Ixv. VIII. 170
A virulent insurrection was still glowing throughout a large
portion of the empire. 1871 TYNt>ALL/'>«^///. Sci. (1879) II.
xiii. zggThere is often a virulent contagion in a confident tone.
2. Of serpents, material substances, plants, etc,
Possessing venomous or strongly poisonous qualities
; highly injurious or fatal to life ; extremely
noxious.
1577 Stanvhuhst Descr. Irel. 7/2 in HolinsfudW^ Ireland
bred no snake before' S. Patrick was borne : ergo^ it
engendered no loade, no Adder, no Frogge, nor any other
virulent worme. 1634 Sir T. Hekbkkt 'frav. 196 They
giue the too forward maydens a virulent potion. 1657 W.
Cole Adam in Eden c. The Viper and all other virulent
Creatures whatever. 1671 R. Bohun IVittd 132 Herbs or
mineralls, with Virulent, and Deleterious Qualities. 1807
J. E. Smith F/tys. Hot, 316 How the same soil. .should in
a leaf of the vine or sorrel produce a wholesome acid, and in
that of a spurge or manchineel a most virulent poi->on.
1839 Carlvle Chartism i. (1858) 4 While the virulent
humour festers deep within, poisoning the sources of life.
1877 F. T. Roberts Hamibk. Med. («l. 3) I. 8 In certain
cases it contains specific agents in the causation of disease,
and promotes their development or renders them more
virulent.
fig. 1894 P. PiNKERTOM Adriatica^ On Asolan Hills^
Jealousy's virulent darts. Fortune's opprobrious thrusts.
+ b. Potent, powerful, effective. Obs.~^
>S99 A. M. tr. Gabelhouer^s Bk. Physicke ifi A very ex-
cellent water for the payne. of the heade...It wilbe very
good and virulent for the heade.
c. Obnoxiously violent or strong, ftonce-use.
1771 Smollett Humph. C/., To Sir IK. Phillips 6 May,
Nay, I am convinced that she has likewise a most virulent
attachment to his person; though her love tfcver shows
itself but in the shape of discontent.
3. fig. Violently bitter, spiteful, or malignant
fuUofacrimonyorenmity : a. Of action or feeling.
1607 HiERON Wks. I. 325 Where hee rules, there is a rancourou*
heart and a rayling tongue,'there malicious and virulent
courses cannot bee wanting. 163a Massincer Maido/
Hon. III. iii, I bring you. .the sting Of virulent malice, festering
your fair name. Plucked out and trod on. 1796 Dk,
Wharton in }LXi\%Orig. Lett. Ser. 11. IV. 339 Every virulent
vote, every passionate rtproach . . are so many real commendations
of my conduct. 1769 yttnius Lett. %v. (1788)
89 The virulentexaggeration of party must be employed, to
rouse.. the passions of the people. 1815 W. H. Ireuind
Scribbleomania 98 On my head I may draw down your
virulent spite. 185s Brewster Newt^it II. xviii. 165 We
have failed, like Mr. Baily, to discover the ground of Flamsteed's
virulent antipathy to Halley. 1867 * Ouida ' C.
Castlemaine*s Gage i She was hated by Whig beauties
with virulent wrath.
b. Of speech or writing.
1631 StarChamb. Cases (Camden) 29 He is greatly faulty
in his virulent termes and charging the same upon my Lord
Falkland. 1689 Wood i:/> (O.H.S.) III. 315 A virulent
pamphlet.. wherein he foolishly reflected on Kmg William.
1713 Steele Englishm. No. 15. loi It is impossible.. to
escape the virulent Pen of that Rascal the Examiner, 1777
Priestley Disc. Pitilos. Necess. 172 Your virulent censures
of myself., are abundantly too severe. 1840 Macaulay Ess.^
Clive (1851) II. 526 The meetings were large, stormy, even
riotous, the debates indecently virulent. 1868 Freeman
Norm. Coftq. II, App. 540 He stops twice in the course of
his history to apostrophize. . Harold. .In terms of virulent
abuse.
O. Of persons, their dispositions, etc.
i6i» PuRCHAs Pilgrimage (1614) 215 Let him take heed of
striking hb wife, said another, or to be virulent in termes
against her. 1647 Clarendon Contempl. Ps. Tracts (1727)
472 Let the virulent tongues of ill men traduce us with what
calumnies they please. 1693 J. EDWARt)S Author. O. 4- N,
'Pest. 150 ( Appiun), a virulent writer against the jews. 1714
Swift Pres. St. Aff. Wks. 1841 I. 495 Since the virulent
opposers of the queen.. have so far prevailed, .as to make
leicj. i79« Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life ^ Writ. (1832) 1 1.
327 His enemies here are as virulent as ever. 1833 I. Taylor
Fanat. i. 3 The deluded religionist, even when virulent in
an extreme degree. 1855 Macaulay //if/. Eng. xiii. III.
243 .
276 He had since disgusted some virulent fanatics by his
humanity and moderation. 1883 F. M. Peard Contrad. I.
42, I am glad you don't consider me very virulent.
Hence Virulent 7;. iratis., to render virulent.
1661 Feliham Kcsoives (ed. 8) 11. Ivi. 301 They say.
Certain spirits virulented from the inward humor, darted on
the object, convey a Venom where they point and fix.
Virulently (vi-rizJlemli), adv. [i. prec. +
-LY -.] In a virulent manner ; with virulence or
violence : a. Of actions, language, etc.
*599 Broughton's Lett. xi. 38 The raising of whose bones,
more virulently, then truly, you obiect to this our /l/oj^a/icailland.
1607 R. C[ahew] tr. Estienfu's World Wend. 274
There was neuer yet controuersie in Christian religion so
stoutly, so vehemently^ nor so virulently canuased and
yentil.ited. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. 11, § loi Which,
it may be, made the other to be the more virulently remembered.
1709 Hearke Collect. (O. H. S.) II. 306 Sachevereli
. . levell'd his. .Anathemas most virulently against him.
1783 Hailes Anc. Chr. Ch. ii. 23 The device of forging
acts of Pilate, in which Christ was virulently defamed.
x8i6 ScoTT Bl. Dwar/'w, Sentiments so virulently misanthropic.
1856 Miss Mulock J. Halifax xxvi. Catholics
were hunted down both by law and by public opinion, as
virulently as Protestant nonconformists.
b. Of poisons, diseases, etc.
x63a Massincer & Field Fatal Dowry ur. i. This
potion that hath wrought so virulently 1 1858 Copland
Diet. Pract. Med. III. 11. 1341/2 The., effects of the malady
having become thus virulently contagious. 1867 H. Macmillan
Bible Teach, vi. 112 Though some kinds are virulently
poisonous, yet a large number are highly useful to
man. 1876 yml. R. Geog. Soc. XLVI. 54 Several are
pitted with sinall-pox, which ranged virulently, .about ten
years ago.
Vi'mlentness. rare, [f. as prec. + -NESS.]
Virulence.
^1676 Hale True Relig. 111.(1684) 43 These bitternesses
and virulentnesses.. have been commonly of two kinds. 1717
Bailey (vol. II), Virulentness, poisonous Nature; also
Maliciousness.
II Virus (vaia-ros). [L, virus slimy liquid,
poison, offensive odour or taste. Hence also F.,
Sp,, Pg. vtn4S.']
In Lanfranc^s Cirurgie (c 1400) 77 the word, explained as
*a thin venomy quitter', is merely taken over from the
Latin text.
1. Venom, such as is emitted by a poisonous
animal, Also^^.
1599 Brottghtons Lett. iv. 14 You. .baue. .spit out all the
vints and poyson you could conceiue, in the abuse of his.
person. 1701 M^M.n Poisons 26 The Story of Cleopatra..
pouring the Virus of an Asp into a Wound made in her Arm
by her own Teeth. 17*8 Chambers O-c/. s.v. Viper, By the
Microscope, the Virus [of the viper] was found to consist of
minute Salts in continual Motion. 1867 Dk. Argyll Rergn
of Law i. 37 That the deadly virus shall in a few minutes
curdle the blood. 1879 R. T. Smith Basil Gi. ix. iii He
it was who hollowed the minute sting of the bee to shed its
virus through.
2. Path. A morbid principle or poisonous substance
produced in the body as the result of some
disease, esp. one capable of being introduced into
other persons or animals by inoculation or otherwise
and of developing the same disease in them.
X7»8 Chambers Cycl., Virulent^ a Terni apply'd to any
thing that yields a Virus j that is, a corrosive or contagious
Pus. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl.^ To Sir W. Philip
3 Oct., When lie examined the egesta,z.r\d. felt his pulse, he
declared that much of the z'irus was discharged. 1799 Med.
frnl. I. 44B Whether opium applied externally, may or
may not prove an antidote to the canine virus. 1800 Ibid,
III. 352 Ihc pustules.. contain a perfect Small-pox virus,
i8a6 S. Cooper First Lines Surg. (ed. 5) 165 In consequence
of the virus being mixed with the saliva of the rabid animal.
1878 T. Bryant Pract. Sing. I. 73 It should never be forgotten
that it is the virus which infects the system. 1899
Allbutt'i Sysi. Med.VWl. 602 Possibly there is some virus
acting on the nerve-centres.
attrib, x86o W. T. Fox in Trans. Obstetr. Soc. 1 1. 210 The
general symptoms being the result of virus action. Ibid.
228 This latter action is alike common to all forms of virus
disease.
3. fig. A moral or intellectual poison, or poisonous
inHuence.
17^8 Warner in Jesse Selwyn 4- Contemp. (1844) III. 317
Venice is a stink