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VOCABULARY.
vocdbulum Vocable j^. : see -abyI. Hence also
It , Sp., Pg. vocabulariOj F. vocabulairc (1481 ). Cf.
VOOABDLAR sb.^ VOOABULER.]
1. A collection or list of words with brief explana-
tions of their meanings ; now esp* a list of this
kind given in an elementary grammar or readingbook
of a foreign language.
Longer vocabularies are usually arranged alphabetically
or according to subject-headings. In philological grammars
and readers the vocabulary is commonly termed a. glossary,
iS3a More Con/ut. Tindale Wks. 427/1 Then must he
with his translacion make vs an Englishe vocabularye of his
own deuise too. 1579 Folke Heskins* Pari, 55 Maister
Heskins fareth as hec were halfe madde, sending vs to the
Vocabularies, Calepines, and Dictionaries. x6ii Cotgr.,
Vocahuiaire^ a Vocabularie, Dictionarie. 1646 Sir T.
Browne Pseud, Ep. vii. ix. 355 This is the proper signification
of the word, (it is] thus used in Scripture by the
Scptuagint, [and] Greeke vocabularies thus expound it.
1690 Locke Hum. Und. in. xi. 260 A vocabulary made
after this fashion, would, perhaps, with more ease, and in
less time, teach the true signification of many Terms. 1741
Watts Imirov, Mind (1801) 41 It is necessary that we
should be furnished with Vocabularies and Dictionaries of
several sorts. i8i6 Tuckev Narr, Ex^d, R. Zaire ii.
(1818)65 From our visitors I procured a vocabulary of their
language. 1857 T. Wright {tiiie)y A Volume of Vocabularies
Ibid. Pref., One of the most valuable of the later
vocabularies here printed. 1884 Bradlev Latin Prose
Composition 353 General Vocabulary. Ibid., The Latin
words in this Vocabulary are not necessarily equivalent to
the English.
_J^g- *53» More Con/ut. Tindale Wks. 598/1 As I wene it
is expouned in god afmightes vocabulary.
trans/. i66j Stillincfl. Orig, Sncrae i. i. § 3 Otherwise
all the use of words is to be a meer vocabulary to the understanding,
and an Index to memory.
^ b. Const, of. (Passing into the sense of * list'.)
x8ai J. Q. Adams in C. Davies Metric Syst. (1871) iii.
145 A vocabulary of new denominations was annexed to
every weight and measure belonging to it. 1825 T. Hook
Sayings Ser. 11. Man 0/ Matty Fr. (Colburn) 137 He heard
a vocabulary of dishes enumerated with grace and fluency
(by the French cook). 1863 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) L xvi.
309 The most complete vocabulary of arms ..in the Old
Testament is taken from the panoply of a Philistine warrior.
c. Naut. (See quot.)
1867 Smyth .ya/Vtw-'j IVord-bk. •; 14 Foca^K/ary, the system
of naval signals based on Sir HomePopham's improvements.
2. The range of language of a particular person,
class, profession, or the like.
Used with limiting terms (possessives, adjectives, eta).
»7S3 H. Walpole L€/t.{iSi6) III. 20, I wore out. .my
vocabulary with commending. 1782 Miss Burney Cecilia
VIII, v, Let nerves be discarded from the female vocabulary.
1815 J. CoRMACK Abol. Fern. In/anticide Guzerat x.
196 The almost infinite labours of an individual, from whose
vocabulary the word impossible seems to have been excluded.
1851 Palgrave Norm. ^ Eng, I. 2 An Innocent,
in Shakesperjan vocabulary, signifies an Idiot. 1891 Farrar
Darkn, 4- Daxvn xxix, The actor.. bad erased the words
*ought ' and' ought not ' from his vocabulary as completely
as most of his contemporaries.
b. Const ^ (some quality, feeling, eta).
X770 Cumberland West Indian iv. x, In the vocabulary of
moaern honour there is no such term. 1856 Kane Arct.
ExpL 1 1, xii. 139 His eloquence becoming more and more.,
vituperative, until it has exhausted either his strength or
his vocabulary of invective. 187J Morlev Voltaire (1886)
5 The rank vocabulary of malice and hate. 1884 J. Shar-
HAN Hist. Sivearing v. 80 The more religion appeals to the
senses, the more fecund has been the vocabulary of oaths.
o. With a, or without article.
X837 Emerson Addr.^ Amer. Schol. Wks. (Bohn) II. 181
If it were only for a vocabulary, the scholar would be
covetous of action. 189s C Taylor Witness 0/ Hermas to
Four Gosp. 130 On the principle that vocabulary is an indication
of an author's literary sources. 1898 Watts Dun-
TOM Aylwin v. i, 'To repeat one's words ', I said quietly,
shows a limited vocabulary.
3. The sum or aggregate of words composing a
language.
178a V. Knox Ess, cxiv. (1819) II. 285 The Latin Fathers
..wrote.. well enough to preserve a skill in the construction
and vocabulary of the language. 1841 Borrow Zincali
II. ii. III. 107 It is no longer a sealed language, its laws,
structure, and vocabulary being sufficiently well known,
s868 Freeman Norm, Cong, (1877) 1. 1 4 The largest infusion
that the vocabulary of one European tongue ever received
from another. x88a A, W. Ward Dickens vii. 206 He recognised
his responsibility.. in keeping the vocabulary of the
language pure.
Voca'bulary, a. rare, [f. L. vocabuUum
Vocable sb, h- -ary.] Of or pertaining to words
composed of, or concerned with, words.
x6i6 Bullokar Eng, Expos.^ Vocabularies of or belong-
^
ing to words, which consisteth onely of words. 1903 Daily
Ckron. 21 April 6/3 The vocabulary code compiled by the
International Bureau of Telegraphic Administrations. 1909
Westnt. Gaz, 28 May 2/1 Treating it as a vocabulary quarrel
to which it would be childish to attach ai.y importance.
Vooabula-tion. rare-^. [f. as prec + -ation.]
The use or clioice of words.
1891 E. EccLESTON Faith Doctor xVn. 162 A mind .. felicitous
in vocabulation and ingenious in the construction of
sentences.
+ Voca-bnler. Obs. rare. [Cf. Vocabulaby sb,
and -ER^ 2.] A vocabulary.
1530 Palscr, 150 By the helpe of the frenche vocabuler.
1706 Stevens i, Vocabulario^ a Dictionary, a Vocabuler.
Voca'bnlist. Also 6 -isto, -y8t(e. [ad. L.
type ^vocabuHsta : see Vocable and -ist. So F,
vocabuliste (1731) in sense 2.]
276
+ 1. A vocabulary. Obs.
1530 Baynton in Palsgr. Introd. p, xiii, Theyr vocabulistes,
which have ben of so many yeres, and by so sondry
clerkes agatheryng. 1530 Palsgr. 150 Some fewe sentences
whiche the lernar shall fynde before the begynnyng of the
sayd vocabulyst.
2. A compiler of a vocabulary.
1545 Bale Myst. Iniq. 2 After the vocabulystes TortelHus
..Calepinus, Guarin' & soche other vocabulystes. 1800
in Spirit Pub. Jrnls, IV. 147 This is an obsolete phrase,
and IS not to be found in any vocabulist I know of.
Voca'bulize, v, rare-^, [Cf. prec. and -IZK.]
trans. To put into words, to utter.
1873 Leland Egypt. Skeick-Bk, 233 He was too much dis.
gusted to speak—too much revolted at me and the ring and
all mankind, to vocabulise anything.
Vocal (vJu'kal), a, and sb, [ad. L. vocdUis
uttering voice, speaking, etc., f. voc-^ vox voice
-al. So F., Sp., Pg. vocal^ It, vocale^
A. adj, I. 1. Uttered or communicated by the
voice; spoken, oral : a. Of prayer. (Opposed to
mental^
a 1395 Hylton Scala Per/, i. xxvii. (W. de W, 1494),
This manere of prayer whiche is callid vocal. I5«6 Ptigr,
Per/, (W. de W. 1531) 159 Bycause this prayer is for the hole
chirche, necessary it is that it be vocall, that is to say,
eyther songe or distinctly sayd with voyce. 1563 Homilies
II. Com. Prayer Ppp iiij, Let vs se whether the Scriptures,,
wyll allow any vocall prayer, that is, when the
mouth vttereth the peticions with voyce. 1641 * Smectym-
Nuus' Answ. ii. (1653) 8 Which Prayers were so farre
from being Prescript formes or Liturgies that they were
not vocall but mentall Prayers. 1671 Woodhead^"/. Teresa
\. vi. 314 If Vocal Prayer be made, as it should, even Mental
is an ingredient into it. 1766 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wni.
(1767) II. xi, 148 Vocal prayer, whether more or less articulate,
will be found. .by far the most proportioned to the
human.. faculties. 178J Priestley Corrupt, Chr. II. ix.
151 Instead of the ancient severities [of penance], vocal
prayers came to be all that was enjoined. 186a Loud, Rev.
26 July 84 The dangers of unreality and self.delusion with
which vocal prayers were beset, 1884 Cath. Did. 569 St.
Benedict supposes that some of his monks will pray after the
vocal prayers of the office with tears and application of heart.
b. In other contexts.
1579 ^- Wilkinson Con/ut, Fam, Love 53 b, Why then
do they make accompt of it, but as a vocall word, and outward
sounde? 164a Fuller Holy «5- Pro/ St. iv. ix, 27B He
is diligent and faithfull in preaching the Gospel ; either by
his pen.. or by his vocall sermons. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le
Blanc's Trav, 232 Messengers, who deliver their missives
by vocal relation. 1667 Milton P. L. ix. 198 Forth came
the human pair. And joynd thir vocal Worship to the Quire
Of Creatures wanting voice. 1715 Pope Odyss. viii. 42 When
high he sings The vocal lay responsive to the strings. 1757
Gray Bard 120 What strains of vocal transport round her
play. x8i8 Stoddart in Encycl. Metrop. (1845) I. 90/1 It is
quite enough that we have one vocal sign, one organic
articulation, to advertise the hearer, that what we say is
not in the subject of which we speak. 1874 Spurgeon
Treas. Dav. Ps. xcii. i Silent worship is sweet, but vocal
worship is sweeter. 1887 Ruskin Prxterita II. 191 John
Hobbs, called always , , George, to distinguish him, in vocal
summons, from my father and me.
fc. Expressed in words. Obs,~'^
z6io W. FoLKiNGHAM Art o/ Sutvey in. i. 65 The Propriety
of Possessions .. may be deuided into Vocall and
Evidential. Vocall Propriety denotates the Properties of
particulars by due Appellation.
d. Of sound : Produced by the voice ; spec, of
the nature of words or speech,
1623 Massincer Bondman i. iii. If a virgin.. Presume to
clothe her thought in vocal sounds^ Let her find pardon.
x66j> Holder Elem. Speech 23 A vibration of those Cartilaginous
Bodies which forms that Breath, into a Vocal
sound or Voice. 1603 Dryden Ovid's Met. xii, 571 Her
Words were in her Clamour drown'd j
For my stun'd Ears
receiv'd no vocal Sound. 1839 Penny Cycl, XIII. 305/1 If
any two human beings can by vocal sounds mutually convey
to each other theirdesires. i86c Farrar Orig. Language 1.
19 The mere possession of vocal cries not difiTerent from
those of animals. 1864 Bowen Logic ii, 31 Vocal sound is
the Matter of speech.
2. Of music : Performed by, composed for, the
voice ; that is sung or intended for singing. (Opposed
to instrumental^
£1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. xcvin, ii, O sing,. .Make lute
a part with vocally musique beare. 1603 Holland Plutarch's
Mor. 486 Giving herselfe to learne poesie, and likewise
vocall musicke. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 161
Vocal-Musick, performed by Instruments which Nature
hath invented for delight, ought not to be set at naught.
1698 Fryer Acc. E. India arts
are written out in full, and the accompaniment (if any) is
indicated by a figured bass,
3. a. Having the character of a vowel ; vocalic.
JS89 PuTTENHAM Eng. Pocsic iL xv[i]. (Arb.) 141 The
foote ( Tribrachus) of three short times is very hard to
be made by any of our trissiUables vnles they be compounded
of the smoothest sort of consonants or sillables
vocals. 1631 Weever Anc, Funeral Mou. To Rdr. 7 Also
E vocall, for E dipthong. 1736 Ainsworth Lat. Diet. 11.
s.v. /, They give it \sc. i, j] a name from its consonant use,
we from the vocal. 1807 Southey Espriella's Lett. I. 279 As
their delicate ears could bear none but vocal terminations.
b. Actually uttered or sounded, rare.
.»75» Johnson Rambler No. 88 p 11 There is reason to believe
that the silent e which our ancestors added to the most
of our monosyllables,., was once vocal. 1755 Johnson s.v.
Et Afterwards it [the letter e\ was in poetry either mute or
vocal, as the verse required.
c. Phonetics. Uttered with voice (as distinguished
from breath) ; voiced, sonant,
1668 WiLKiNS Real Char. 111. xii. § 2. 369 {Zh) the sonorous
Consonant, and (Sh) its correspondent mute, are framed by
a percolation of the breath, betwixt the tongue rendered
concave, and the teeth both upper and lower : The first
being vocal, the other mute. 1669 W. Holder Elem. Speech
53 B. is Vocal, Labial, Occluse. Ibid. 58 L. and R,..are
not easie,.to be pronounced spiritally,. .but are apt to
get a tincture of Vocal sound, 1824 L. Murray Eng,
Gram. (ed. 5) I, 35 The semi-vowels may be subdivided into
vocal and aspirated. The vocal are those which are formed
by the voice; the aspirated, those formed by the breath.
1847 Proc. Philol. Soc. III. 72 Examples beginning with a
vocal letter are found both in the Chinese and m other
languages. 1874 Sweet in Trans. Philol. Soc, 538 There
can be no doubt that the /in Early Old English was vocal
like the Welsh^
H. 4. Endowed with a voice, possessed of
utterance ; exercising the power of speech or of
uttering sounds.
1601 Holland Pliny I, 233 Brought there were thither.,
such [frogs] as would crie in the water : and that whole
kind still remaineth vocall. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 199,
I am sure neither are Canonicall, neither the meere vocall
Preacher, nor the Preaching Auditor. x668 H. More Div,
Dial. HI. xxxiv. (1713) 271 As probable as the black
Hunter ranging the Forest with his vocal, but invisible,
Hounds in Founlainbleau. 1733 Pope Essay on Man
in. 157,^ In the same temple, the resounding wood, All
vocal beings hymn'd their equal God. 1774 Goldsm. Nat.
Hist. (1776) VII. 339 These insects are generally vocal in
the midst of summer, c 1792 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) IX. 529/1
The organs of all vocal animals are so formed, as, upon
any particular impulse, to utter sounds. 1877 Tyndall in
Daily News 2 Oct. 2/5 Though the mechanical theory of a
vocal Heavenly multitude proves untenable.
b. transf. Of inanimate things, places, etc.
1646 J. Hall Poetns 57 Were but this Marble vocall,
there such an Elogium would appeare As [etc.]. 1667 Milton
P.L. IX. 530 He.. with Serpent Tongue Organic, or
impulse of vocal Air, His fraudulent temptation thus began.
1710 W. King Heathen Gods ^ Heroes x. (1722) 40 How
these Oracles were deliver'd, is a Controversie, whether by
two Doves that spoke, or by the Leaves of the Oaks themselves,
which became Vocal. 1784 Cowper TasA iv. 159 The
poet's or historian's page, by one Made vocal for th' amusement
of the rest. 1796 Southey Lett./r, Spain (1799) 160
Many a stream That from the neighbouring hill descended
clear Wound vocal thro' the valley. 18x5 Lamb Elia 11.
Superannuated Man, Stones of old Mincing Lanej..to the
footsteps of what toil-worn clerk arc your everlasting flints
now vocal? 1837 Wilkinson Afa««. .^ Cust. Anc. Egypt, ii.
(1841) I. 59 note. The vocal statue of the supposed Memnon
isof Amunoph III. 1890 W. }. Gonnov Foundry 156 There
are seven steam-hammers, .and a remarkably vocal saw for
cutting red-hot iron.
c. Of musical instruments. Ch\t^y poet.
a 1700 Evelyn Diary 5 Oct. 1664, There was brought a
new invented instrument of musiq, . . made
vocal by a wheele,
and a zone of parchment that rubb'd horizontaly against
the strings. 1738 Wesley Ps. cxxxvii. ii, Our Harps, no
longer vocal now. We cast aside. 1743 Francis tr. Hor.^
Odes in. i, 23 Nor chaunt of birds, nor vocal Ijxe To him
can sleep afford. 1760 Fawkes tr. Anacrcan^ Ode i. 5
Rapt I strike the vocal Shell— Hark—the trembling Chords
rebel.
6. Jig. Conveying impressions or ideas as if by
speech ; expressive, eloquent.
1608 ToPSELL Serpents 134 By a mute and silent way it
ascendeth, and bringeth all things moriall to a vocall iustice,
which speaketh in action though not in voyce. 1608-11 Bf.
Hall Epist. (1643) 328 Accusations are vocall. Apologies
dumbe. 1697 Evelyn A'wwmw/. Introd. i Medals. .(give
me leave to call themj Vocal Monuments of Antiquity. 17x0
Welton Suffer. Son 0/ God I. xiii. 343 The Multitude of
my successive Miseries might become Vocal, and never
cease to Importune Thy Mercy. 1714 R. Welton Christ.
Pract. 209 That vocal blood and those .'ipeaking
Faith