| vent | To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort. Origin: Cf. F. Venter to blow, vent wind (see Ventilate); but prob influenced by E. Vent an opening. 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. <zoology> Specifically: The anal opening of certain invertebrates and fishes; also, the external cloacal opening of reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes. The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge; touchhole. Sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet. 3. Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet. 4. Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication; utterance. "Without the vent of words." (Milton) "Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel." (Shak) 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. <zoology> Vent feather A bush. See 4th Bush. A breech block. Origin: OE. Fent, fente, a slit, F. Fente a slit, cleft, fissure, from fendre to split, L. Findere; but probably confused with F. Vent wind, L. Ventus. See Fissure, and cf. Vent to snuff. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| venter | 1. <anatomy> The belly; the abdomen; sometimes applied to any large cavity containing viscera. The uterus, or womb. A belly, or protuberant part; a broad surface; as, the venter of a muscle; the venter, or anterior surface, of the scapula. 2. <zoology> The lower part of the abdomen in insects. 3. A pregnant woman; a mother; as, A has a son B by one venter, and a daughter C by another venter; children by different venters. Origin: L. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| venter anterior musculi digastrici | <anatomy> The portion of the digastric muscle which extends anteriorly from the intermediate tendon, and attaches to the posterior aspect of the mandible. Synonym: venter anterior musculi digastrici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venter frontalis musculi occipitofrontalis | <anatomy> The anterior belly of the occipitofrontalis muscle. See: occipitofrontalis muscle. Synonym: venter frontalis musculi occipitofrontalis, frontalis muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venter inferior musculi omohyoidei | <anatomy> The inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle, attached to the superior border of the scapula. Synonym: venter inferior musculi omohyoidei. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venter occipitalis musculi occipitofrontalis | <anatomy> The posterior belly of the occipitofrontalis muscle. See: occipitofrontalis muscle. Synonym: venter occipitalis musculi occipitofrontalis, occipitalis muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venter posterior musculi digastrici | <anatomy> Portion of digastric muscle posterior to the intermediate tendon, attaching to the digastric groove of the temporal bone. Synonym: venter posterior musculi digastrici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venter propendens | Anteversion of the uterus, a pendulous abdomen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venter superior musculi omohyoidei | <anatomy> The superior belly of the omohyoid muscle, attached to the hyoid bone. Synonym: venter superior musculi omohyoidei. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ventilate | To aerate, or oxygenate, the blood in the pulmonary capillaries. Synonym: air, atmosphere. Origin: L. Ventilo, pp. -atus, to fan, fr. Ventus, the wind (05 Mar 2000) |
| ventilation | 1. In respiratory physiology, the process of exchange of air between the lungs and the ambient air. Pulmonary ventilation (usually measured in litres per minute) refers to the total exchange, whereas alveolar ventilation refers to the effective ventilation of the alveoli, in which gas exchange with the blood takes place. 2. In psychiatry, verbalisation of one's emotional problems. Origin: L. Ventilatio (18 Nov 1997) |
| ventilation meter | A meter used to measure tidal and minute ventilatory volumes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ventilation perfusion scanning | <investigation, radiology> A nuclear medicine test that involves the inhalation of a radioactive gas and the injection of a radioactive compound into the bloodstream. A special camera measures the radioactive compound and generates a image of the lungs. Comparisons are made between the images generated. Pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed using this procedure. (12 Jan 1998) |
| ventilation-perfusion ratio | The ratio of alveolar ventilation to simultaneous alveolar capillary blood flow in any part of the lung. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ventilation-perfusion scan | A lung function test, especially useful for pulmonary embolism, employing an inhaled radionuclide for ventilation and an intravenous radionuclide for perfusion; their respective distributions in the lung are recorded scintigraphically. (05 Mar 2000) |
| vol-au-vent | A light puff paste, with a raised border, filled, after baking, usually with a ragout of fowl, game, or fish. Origin: F. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| hydrothermal vent | A natural spring which vents warm or hot water on the sea floor, associated with spreading of the Earth's crust. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Deep Vent DNA polymerase | <enzyme> A thermostable DNA polymerase with putative proofreading activity Registry number: EC 2.7.7.- (26 Jun 1999) |