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Vital vs Vice - What's the difference?

vital | vice |

As an adjective vital

is relating to, or characteristic of life.

As an adverb vice is

more.

vital

English

(wikipedia vital)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Relating to, or characteristic of life.
    • vital''' energies; '''vital''' functions; '''vital actions
  • Necessary to the continuation of life; being the seat of life; being that on which life depends.
    • The brain is a vital organ.
  • * Spenser
    • Do the heavens afford him vital food?
  • Invigorating or life-giving.
  • Necessary to continued existence.
    • The transition to farming was vital for the creation of civilisation.
  • Relating to the recording of life events.
    • Birth, marriage and death certificates are vital records.
  • Very important.
    • It is vital that you don't forget to do your homework.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-12-14
    • , author=Simon Jenkins, authorlink=Simon Jenkins , title=We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys , volume=188, issue=2, page=23 , date=2012-12-21 , magazine= citation , passage=David Cameron insists that his latest communications data bill is “vital to counter terrorism”. Yet terror is mayhem. It is no threat to freedom. That threat is from counter-terror, from ministers capitulating to securocrats.}}
  • Containing life; living.
  • * Milton
    • spirits that live throughout, vital in every part
  • * Alexander Pope
    • The dart flew on, and pierced a vital part.
  • Capable of living; in a state to live; viable.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
    • Pythagoras and Hippocrates affirm the birth of the seventh month to be vital .

    Derived terms

    * vital force * vital organ * vital signs * vital statistics

    Related terms

    * devive * revive * survive * viable * vitality * vivid

    External links

    * * ----

    vice

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bad habit.
    • Smoking is a vice , not a virtue.
  • (legal) Any of various crimes related (depending on jurisdiction) to prostitution, pornography, gambling, alcohol, or drugs.
  • A defect in the temper or behaviour of a horse, such as to make the animal dangerous, to injure its health, or to diminish its usefulness.
  • * From the case of Scholefield v. Robb (1839).
    • Antonyms
    * (bad habit) virtue
    Derived terms
    * vice squad
    Related terms
    * vicious * vitiate

    See also

    * habit

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) ; akin to English withy.

    Alternative forms

    * vise (US)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mechanical screw apparatus used for clamping or holding (also spelled vise).
  • A tool for drawing lead into cames, or flat grooved rods, for casements.
  • (obsolete) A grip or grasp.
  • * 1597 , , II. I. 22:
    • Fang. An I but fist him once; an a’ come but within my vice ,–

    Verb

    (vic)
  • To hold or squeeze with a vice, or as if with a vice.
  • * 1610 , , I. ii. 416:
    • Camillo. As he had seen’t, or been an instrument / To vice you to't, that you have touched his queen / Forbiddenly
  • * De Quincey
    • The coachman's hand was viced between his upper and lower thigh.

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) , ablative form of vicis.

    Adjective

    vice (no comparative or superlative)
  • in place of; subordinate to; designating a person below another in rank
    • vice president
    vice admiral
    Derived terms
    * vice admiral * vice governor * vice mayor * vice president

    Preposition

    (head)
  • instead of, in place of
    • A. B. was appointed postmaster vice C. D. resigned.
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