[Partly a. F. vent (= It., Pg. vento, Sp. viento):—L. vent-us wind; partly ad. F. évent (OF. esvent), vbl. sb. from éventer EVENT v.2]
I. 1. The action of emitting or discharging; emission or discharge of something; utterance of words. rare.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 166. I sall the venome devoid with a vent large, And me assuage of the swalme, that suellit wes gret.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 334. Free vent of words love’s fire doth assuage.
1626. Daniel, Hist. Eng., Wks. (Grosart), IV. 95. By this immoderate vent, both of the Garrisons, and the ablest people of the Land hee disfurnisht and left it in that impotencie.
† b. To make vent of, to speak or talk of. Obs.–1
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. iii. 213. Thou didst make tollerable vent of thy trauell.
2. The action, usually on the part of something confined or pent up in a comparatively small space, of escaping, or passing out; means, power or opportunity to do this; issue, outlet. Chiefly in plirases with verbs, as to find, get, have, make, take or want vent. (Cf. senses 4 and 5.)
1558. Warde, trans. Alexis’ Secr. (1568), 12 b. Stop well the said violle, that nothing maie take vent.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., Wks. (Grosart), V. 121. Ye tail of the siluer pipe stretcht itselfe into the mouth of a great paire of belowse, where it was close soldered, and bailde about with yron, [that] it coulde not stirre or haue anie vent betwixt.
1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, III. iii. Fathers, 293. New Wine … wanting vent, Blows up the Bung, or doth the vessell rent.
1652. French, Yorksh. Spa, ii. 18. By reason of the Suns opening the earth, and making vent.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, ii. vi. (1699), 196. That Fire of Sulphur, being pent in without vent or respiration, shall send forth a poysonous scent.
1703. Art & Mystery of Vintners & Wine-Coopers, 60. Beat them and put them into your Wines, so let it rest with Vent, and it will be pursued.
1802. Med. Jrnl., VIII. 263. They [waters] got vent chiefly in the night, when in an horizontal position.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. iii. 24. The smoke found ample vent through the holes.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 1463/1. Blow, the forcing of displaced air through the molten metal from insufficient vent.
transf. 1798. Malthus, Popul. (1817), I. 161. The enterprising spirit and overflowing numbers of the Scandinavian nations soon found vent by sea.
1854. J. S. C. Abbott, Napoleon (1855), I. xxxii. 496. The inhabitants of Lombardy felt the foreign yoke only in the quickened circulation of wealth, the increased vent for industry.
b. The windage of a firearm or gun.
1644–7. N. Nye, Art of Gunnery, 46. Divide the Bore of the Piece into Twenty equal parts, and one of these parts is sufficient vent for any Piece; the rest of the nineteen parts must be the height of the shot.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Vent, in Gunnery,… the Difference between the Diameter of a Bullet, and the Diameter of the Bore of the Piece. [Hence in Phillips (1706), etc.]
1798. Hutton, Course Math. (1807), II. 353. The loss of the elastic fluid by the vent and windage of the gun.
3. To give vent (with to or indirect object): a. To afford or provide with an outlet or means of escape; to cause or allow to issue or flow out.
After F. donner vent, used in the same senses.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., 68. Be carefull in the beginning to give some little vent to the hogshead while it worketh.
1661. Hickeringill, Jamaica, 32. A milky liquor running out, so soon as you give it vent.
1662. Charleton, Myst. Vintners (1675), 181. To cure Rhenish of its Fretting … they seldom use any other art, but giving it vent, and covering the open Bung with a Tile or Slate.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v., To give Vent to a Cask of Wine.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v. Tart, You must … make a small Hole in the form of a Cross in the middle to give the Farce in the Crust some vent.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 318. The principal region in the old World, which, from time immemorial, has been agitated by earthquakes, and has given vent at certain points to subterranean fires.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 289. In order to give vent to the rising sap.
1875. [see vent-wire in sense 17 a].
transf. 1719. Boyer, Dict. Royal, I. Eventer une Mine (la rendre inutile), to give vent to a Mine, to counter-work or countermine it.
b. fig. To give outlet, expression or utterance (to an emotion, faculty, etc.); to relieve in this way.
1625. Massinger, Parlt. Love, III. ii. Had I not found out a friend to whom I might impart them [i.e., emotions], and so give them vent, In their abundance they would force a passage.
1677. Gilpin, Demonol., III. ii. 10. The vent which the afflicted parties give by their bemoaning of their Estate.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. (Globe), 597. I found he wanted to give Vent to his Mind.
1781. Johnson, Lett. (1788), II. 198. I have nobody whom I expect to share my uneasiness,… I give it little vent.
1823. Chalmers, Serm., I. 423. Oh! how I rejoice when compassion may give full vent to its tenderness.
1852. Longf., Emperor’s Bird’s-nest, iii. Thus as to and fro they went,… Giving their impatience vent.
1904. Spectator, 20 Feb., 285/2. The voices which gave vent to any great wave of feeling.
c. To utter, burst out with (an exclamation).
1870. J. Bruce, Life of Gideon, xi. 193. He gives vent to the exclamation ‘Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?’
† 4. To take vent, in various fig. or transf. senses. Obs. a. Of news, etc.: To become known, to be divulged or let out.
1611. Sir D. Carleton in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 542. Though all care hathe been taken to carrie ye matter secretly,… yet hath it taken vente [etc.].
1668. D. Smith, in Misc. Cur. (1708), III. 57. This presently took vent, and the Turks thought that they had got a Man among them, that could Cure all Diseases Infallibly.
1723. Pres. St. Russia, II. 123. If Affonassief is no longer at Petersbourg, this Affair cannot take vent; for besides us two and him, no body knows of it.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, II. iii. 253. A conspiracy was formed against him: But it took Vent; and he made cruel Examples of many of the Contrivers.
b. Of coin: To pass into circulation. rare–1.
1641. Sc. Acts, Chas. I. (1870), V. 341/2. Concerneing … the copper money allreddy coyned, how the same shall take vent and passe in payment in tyme comeing.
c. Of a mine, or powder: To explode imperfectly; to lose explosive power.
1684. J. Peter, Siege Vienna, 41. At which time they sprung two Mines … without any considerable Effect, one of them taking Vent.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., I. 27. Gun-Powder, which being bad, or having taken Vent, cannot take Fire.
5. fig. a. Means of outlet afforded to or obtained by a feeling, faculty, activity, etc.; expression or utterance, or the relief afforded by these. Now chiefly in the phr. to find vent (in something).
1603. J. Davies (Heref.), Microcosmos, Wks. (Grosart), I. 76/2. Griefes doe breake the heart if vent they misse.
1682. Dryden, Medal, 295. The swelling Poison of the sev’ral Sects, Which, wanting vent, the Nations Health infects.
1724. A. Collins, Gr. Chr. Relig., Pref. p. xxviii. Enthusiasm … would spend itself by free vent and amicable collision.
1803. Edwin, I. 206. At his words I found my angry passions heave for vent.
1838. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia (1863), 13. A malevolent feeling, which might find vent in some violent demonstration against this family.
1880. W. H. Dixon, Royal Windsor, III. xii. 113. Passion found vent in words.
† b. To get or have vent, = sense 4 a. Obs.
1667. Dryden & Dk. Newcastle, Sir M. Mar-all, III. ii. This frightened him into a study how to cloak your disgrace, lest it should have vent to his lady.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 46. Should they unhappily get vent abroad,… what scandal must it raise!
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 197. But the thing had got some vent.
1722. De Foe, Plague, 2. As it had gotten some Vent in the Discourse of the neighbourhood, the Secretaries of State gat Knowledge of it.
6. With a: An opportunity or occasion of escaping or issuing from a receptacle; a discharge or evacuation. (Cf. 12.)
1644. Z. Boyd, Gard. Zion, in Zion’s Flowers (1855), App. 10/1. Which by some chink, if it get not a vent, Blowes up the bung, or doth the Hodg-head rent.
1672. R. Wild, Poet. Licent., 30.
| The other day into a place I went, | |
| Where Mortals use to go, that want a vent. |
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 290. I verily believe, if it had not been eas’d by a Vent given in that Manner, to the Spirits, I should have dy’d.
1725. N. Robinson, Th. Physick, 255. Whereupon the Fluids … run to the Bowels for a Vent.
b. fig. (Cf. senses 3 and 5.) Now chiefly to find a vent.
(a) a. 1614. D. Dyke, Myst. Self-Deceiving (1630), 341. Tappes to giue a vent to corruption.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. I. ix. 49. The Egyptians … gave a great vent to Jewish Learning and Institutes.
1777. Pitt, in Almon, Anecd. (1810), II. xliv. 319. I could not have slept … without giving this vent to my eternal abhorrence of such preposterous and enormous principles.
(b) 1697. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1703), 64. Those who live within the communication of friendship have a vent for their misfortunes.
1814. Wordsw., Excurs., IX. 752. For, though in whispers speaking, the full heart Will find a vent.
1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Is., Introd. (1846), I. 60. The tumultuous spirits of the aristocracy,… instead of finding a vent … in these foreign expeditions, were turned within.
1873. Black, Princess Thule (1874), 46. His distress at his own rudeness now found an easy vent.
7. Something that serves as an outlet for an emotion, energy, etc.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 374. With such joy Surcharg’d, as had like grief bin dew’d in tears, Without the vent of words.
1713. Guardian, No. 29. Laughter is a vent of any sudden joy.
1828. Southey, Minor Poems, Poet. Wks. 1837, II. 255. This love,… and the woe Which makes thy lip now quiver with distress, Are but a vent … From the deep springs of female tenderness.
1832. Lytton, Eugene A., I. x. Words at best are but a poor vent for a wronged and burning heart.
1883. 19th Cent., May, 887. The French have … to find and to use such vents for their energy in undeveloped and promising regions.
II. † 8. Sc. A flaw in a mold. Obs.–1
Fr. évent is used in similar senses.
1541. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., VIII. 125. At the quhilk melting becaus of ane vent in the cuppeling of the mulde witht the tayll, the pece felȝeit.
9. † a. An opening by which blood issues from the body. Obs.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 7 b. Ematites … is called of some stench bloud, for that it stoppeth his vent or course of flowing.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., V. ii. 353. Heere on her brest There is a vent of Bloud, and something blowne.
b. The anus, anal or excretory opening of († persons or) animals, esp. of certain non-mammalians, as birds, fishes and reptiles; † the vulva of a female animal.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1270/2. For those that bled till they died, stroue so much with their sickenesse, that the bloud issued out at their vents.
1655. Moufet & Bennet, Health’s Improv. (1746), 241. As for their [i.e., crabs’] manner of Preparation, their Vents are first to be stopped with a Stick’s end.
1675. Hannah Woolley, Gentlew. Comp., 132. Geese Boiled…. Fasten the neck and vent. Ibid., 146. Take a Pig, and draw out his Entrails, Liver, and Lights, draw him very clean at vent.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 421. For when her pouting Vent declares her Pain, She [i.e., a mare] tears the Harness, and she rends the Rein.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 21. Take a lobster, if it be alive, stick a skewer in the vent of the tail.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), IV. 347. Like birds, they [i.e., sloths] have but one common vent for the purposes of propagation, excrement, and urine.
1790. Bewick, Hist. Quadrup. (1807), 488. As soon as the Otter has caught a fish, it … devours a part, as far as the vent.
1833. Jardine, Humming-B., 111. The vent and under tail-coverts are dirty white.
1874. Carpenter, Ment. Phys., I. ii. (1879), 68. If the vent of a Frog be irritated with a probe, the hind-legs will endeavour to push it away.
10. An aperture or opening occurring or made in something and serving as an outlet for air, liquid or other matter; a passage or hole by which matter is carried off or discharged from the interior of something; a vent-hole.
1570. Levins, Manip., 66. A Vent, meatus, porus.
1580. Harvey, Three Lett., Wks. (Grosart), I. 44. The poores, and ventes, and crannies of the Earth being so stopped.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, II. iv. Now, he flings about his burning heat, As in a furnace, some ambitious fire, Whose vent is stopt.
1648. Wilkins, Math. Magic, II. xii. 250. Others are of opinion that this may be effected in a hollow vessell, exactly luted or stopped up in all the vents of it.
1677. in Misc. Curiosa (1708), III. 249. They leave a small vent about two Inches from the bottom, by which it empties it self into a little Pit…. The vent being stopped, they fill the Cistern they have made with Water.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, IV. 92. The swelling bag he rent, And all the Furies issu’d at the vent.
1728. E. Smith, Compl. Housew. (1750), 3. If the knife be greatly daubed, has a rank smell, and a hoogoo issue from the vent, it is tainted.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 609. The Shenandoah having ranged along the foot of the mountain an hundred miles to seek a vent.
1831. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 165. It was generally thought sufficient for the purpose … that the smoke should ascend the proper vent.
1877. in J. A. Allen, Amer. Bison, App. 459. There are old spring vents … that no longer give forth saline waters.
b. spec. An aperture or outlet by which volcanic matter or exhalations are emitted; the funnel or pipe of a volcano.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. xxiv. 193. Although we finde vents of fire in other places, as mount Ætna and Wesuvio.
1684–5. Boyle, Min. Waters, 19. Any subterraneal fire, that hath manifest chimneys or vents.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 242. A volcano, or burning vent among the hills, had flamed out.
1772–84. Cook’s Voy. (1790), IV. 1219. Another volcano, which had opened by at least thirty different vents within the compass of half a mile.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 135. These igneous vents were extremely numerous.
1869. J. Phillips, Vesuv., iii. 60. A new vent was formed below the lip of the old mountain.
1882. Geikie, Text-bk. Geol., 201. A ‘solfatara,’ or vent emitting only gaseous discharges.
c. In various special uses (see quots.).
1611. Cotgr., Esvent, the vent of a wine vessell.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Vents (in Archit.), Pipes of Lead or Potters-Ware, one End of which opens into a Cell of a Necessary-House, the other reaching to the Roof of it for the Conveyance of the fetid Air; also Apertures made in those Walls that sustain Terrasses to furnish Air, and to give a Passage for the Waters.
1756. Dict. Arts & Sci., s.v. Foundery of Statues, The vents are passages at top to let the air freely out, whilst the metal runs.
1823. E. Moor, Suffolk Wds., Vent, the hole of a cask for the reception of a vent-peg.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2703/1. Vent, the term employed to comprehend the channels and passages by which the air, or gases, escape from the mold.
d. Sc. The flue or funnel of a chimney; a chimney.
1756. Mrs. Calderwood, in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Club), 253. Neither are they [the stoves] put in the place for the chimney, but in another part of the room, and have a communication with the vent.
1798. in Gordon, Shaw’s Hist. Moray (1882), I. 322. Each vent springs lightly from the blue roof of its own separate airy column.
1815. Ann. Register, Chron., 43. A hole broke through into a neighbouring vent to carry off the smoke.
1842. J. Aiton, Domest. Econ. (1857), 77. Sometimes all the purposes of a stove have been served by having a flue introduced into the kitchen vent.
1889. Barrie, Window in Thrums, 11. Ye micht gang up to the attic, Leeby, an’ see if the spare bedroom vent at the manse is gaen.
e. Mining. (See quot.)
1886. J. Barrowman, Sc. Mining Terms, 69. Vent,… a return airway.
11. An opening, aperture or hole; occas., one by which air, etc., enters or is admitted.
1593. Shaks., Lucrece, 310. Through little vents and crannies of the place The wind wars with his torch to make him stay. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., Induct. 2. Open your Eeres: For which of you will stop The vent of Hearing, when loud Rumor speakes?
1659. Leak, Waterwks., 23. Pour Water into the Vessels by the hole or vent M.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 56. Th’ industrious Kind … contrive To stop the Vents and Crannies of their Hive.
1728. Pope, Dunc., II. 80. A place there is … Where, from Ambrosia, Jove retires for ease. There in his seat two spacious vents appear.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Vents (with Essayers, Glass-makers, &c.) is a Term applied to the Covers of Wind-Furnaces, by which the Air enters.
1768. White, Selborne, xiv. Deer [when drinking] … can open two vents, one at the inner corner of each eye, having a communication with the nose.
1810. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 4), VI. 410/2. An oblong gaping vent on the anterior slope [of the shell].
1827. Gentl. Mag., XCVII. II. 69/2. One of the numerous cracks or fissures (locally called vents) that intersect the strata at this place [near Maidstone].
† b. A creek or inlet. Obs.–1
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. xi. 155. Having discovered this vent [Sp. abra], they found it ranne more and more into the land.
c. An opening or aperture in a building, etc., communicating with the outside air.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 223. This Church … is very darke, having no light but by one window or vent, made through the earth.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., vii. 306. The streets are … couered to saue them from the parching heate with open vents for light.
1675. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (ed. 2), 286. You may this Month stop up your Bees close, so that you leave breathing vents.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., x. By some concealed vent the smithy communicated with the upper air.
d. The hole or channel in the breech of a cannon or firearm through which fire is communicated to the charge; the touch-hole; the adjustable part of a gun containing this, a vent-piece.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 583. For sudden all at once thir Reeds Put forth, and to a narrow vent appli’d With nicest touch.
1797. Phil. Trans., LXXXVII. 238. The velocity of the bullet is considerably greater when the cannon is fired off with a vent tube,… than when the vent is filled with loose powder.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., s.v., The most common method is to place the vent about a quarter of an inch from the bottom of the chamber or bore.
1828. Spearman, Brit. Gunner (ed. 2), 412. Spare vents should be sent to replace such as might be damaged.
1859. Wraxall, trans. R. Houdin (1860), xxi. 319. The pistols were handed me; I called attention to the fact that the vents were clear.
1876. Voyle & Stevenson, Milit. Dict., s.v., A vent is formed by drilling a channel, 2/9 inch in diameter, through a copper bush. Ibid. There are two kinds of copper bushes used, viz. the through vent, and the cone vent.
e. Mining. (See VENT-HOLE 1 b, quot. 1883.)
12. transf. Any outlet or place of issue; a passage, exit or way out. Chiefly fig.
In some contexts not clearly separable from sense 6.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., II. iii. Here is a vent to passe my sighes.
1629. Ford, Lover’s Melancholy, V. M j. My teares like ruffling winds lockt vp in Caues, Do bustle for a vent.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. x. 25. Such widows grief is quickly emptyed, which streameth out at so large a vent.
1711. Pope, Temple Fame, 481. When thus ripe lies are to perfection sprung,… Thro’ thousand vents, impatient, forth they flow.
1794. Cowper, Needless Alarm, 86. Winds for ages pent In earth’s dark womb have found at last a vent.
1860. Emerson, Cond. Life, Behavior, Wks. (Bohn), II. 389. There is some reason to believe that, when a man does not write his poetry, it escapes by other vents through him.
1868. Bain, Ment. & Mor. Sci., IV. iii. § 2. 339. There is at the outset a struggle, but the refusal of the muscular vent seems to be the extinction of the other effects.
III. † 13. a. The scent given off by a hunted animal; = SCENT sb. 2. Obs. rare.
1576. Turberv., Venerie, 61. When my Hounde doth streyne vpon good vent.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., XVII. xxiv. He hunteth like a spaniell by the vent, His sent is such as none can hope to shun him.
1719. Boyer, Dict. Royal, I. s.v., The Stag leaves a stronger wind, vent, or scent than the Hare.
† b. Perception by scent or smell. Obs.–1
1576. Turberv., Venerie, 73. These be olde hartes…, whiche chaunge their laire, as the wynd chaungeth, to haue perfect vent … what faulte may perhappes be in their feede.
† 14. A wind. Obs.–1
1580. Hudson, Du Bartas’ Judith, V. (1613), 64. Let him that serues the time,… With faith vnconstant saile at euerie vent.
† 15. A hint or whisper of something. Obs.–1
1613. in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 149. There is great reason you should … recommend this cause to my secresy; for if there come forth but the least vent of it, I know actum est de me.
16. The action on the part of an otter of coming to the surface of the water in order to breathe; an instance or occasion of this.
1653. Walton, Angler, ii. 43. The Otter, which you may now see above water at vent.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. i. 306. Observe his Vents, that you may strike him with your Otter Spear.
1856. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Rur. Sports, 144/2. Unless the hunters are in sufficient numbers to watch the stream for miles, for his ‘vent,’ he will probably never be seen again.
a. 1862. Foster, in Whistle-Binkie (1878), II. 262. The vents grow more frequent, the music more deep, And scarce from the surface the otter can keep.
IV. 17. attrib. a. In the sense ‘used for, serving as, providing, or connected with a vent,’ as vent-pit, -shaft, -way; in the names of things or devices, as vent-cock, -faucet, -pipe, -plug, -wire (see quots.). See also VENT-PEG.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Vent-cock, a device for admitting air to a vessel from which liquid is to be drawn, or permit the escape of gas. Ibid., *Vent-faucet, an instrument which may act as a vent-hole borer or a faucet to draw a portion of liquor from the vessel.
1843. Tizard, Brewing, 451. This plan is greatly superior to the iron *vent nail.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Vent-pipe, an air-pipe; an escape pipe for steam.
1725. J. Reynolds, View Death (ed. 2), 22. This pit is, with us, call’d the *vent-pit or the air-shaft.
1843. Tizard, Brewing, 451. The nature of the materials employed … demands an adequate number of *vent plugs.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Vent-wire (Founding), a long steel wire,… used … for giving vent to green and dry sand-molds.
b. In sense 11 d, as vent-astragal, -bit, -field, -piece, -plug, -server, tube, etc. (see quots.).
Also vent-cover, -punch, -stopper (1875 in Knight).
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), s.v. Cannon, The first reinforce therefore includes … the vent-field; the *vent-astragal, and first reinforce-ring.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., Vent-astragal, that part of a gun or howitzer which determines the vent-field.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 358. *Vent-bit, a species of gimblet used for clearing the vent of a gun when choked.
1769. *Vent-field [see vent-astragal above].
1802. James, Milit. Dict., Vent-field, is the part of a gun or howitz between the breech mouldings and the astragal.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 358. Vent-field, a rectangular piece of the metal raised a little upon a gun; through it the vent is bored.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artill. Man. (1862), 205. *Vent Piece, a plug of steel or wrought iron, containing the vent.
1868. Rep. Munitions War, 146. A 7-inch breech-loading polygrooved rifled gun on the Armstrong ventpiece system.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Vent-piece,… the block which closes the rear of the bore in a breech-loader.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 358. *Vent-plug, a tight plug made of leather, plaited rope-yarn, or oakum, which one of the men thrusts into the vent of a gun.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Vent-plug, a fid or stopple made of leather or oakum fitting in the vent of a piece to stop it against weather, etc.
1876. Voyle & Stevenson, Milit. Dict., 452/1. *Vent-server, an article used for serving the vents of M.L.R. guns, 64-prs. and upwards, in lieu of serving the vent with the thumb.
1797. Phil. Trans., LXXXVII. 238. The velocity of the bullet is considerably greater when the cannon is fired off with a *vent tube.
c. In sense 9 b, as vent-feather, one of the feathers covering or surrounding a bird’s vent.
1776. Pennant, Brit. Zool., II. 571. The whiteness of the coverts of the tail and vent-feathers.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XIII. 505/2. The Vent, or vent-feathers (crissum), which lies between the thighs and the tail.
1815. Stephens, in Shaw’s Gen. Zool., IX. I. 98. Abdomen and vent-feathers whitish.
1834. Mudie, Feathered Tribes, I. 11. The vent feathers, and under tail coverts, which cover the hinder part of the bird.
