Now dial. Also 6 Sc. went, 7 vente. [f. F. vente VENT sb.3]
1. trans. To sell or vend (commodities or goods); to dispose of by sale.
Very common from c. 1600 to c. 1670.
1478–9. Burgh Rec. Edin. (1869), I. 36. It is thocht expedient that all persouns haif licence and leif to cum to the towne with victualls to … vent the samyn on Mononday, Wedinsday, and Fryday.
1542–3. Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII., c. 6. Pynnes which be dailie vented, uttered, and put to Sale within this Realme.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. Colonies, 665. The In-land Lands might truck and barter, And vent their Wares about to every Quarter.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, II. ii. They are quack-saluers, Fellowes, that liue by venting oyles, and drugs?
1661. in J. Simon, Ess. Irish Coins (1749), 127. Several persons … took a liberty … to make a kind of brass or copper tokens,… and vented them to the people for a penny each piece.
1672. Collins, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men (1841), I. 200. England doth not vent above twenty or thirty of any new mathematical book he brings over.
1719. W. Wood, Survey Trade, 217. While Spain remains an independant Nation,… we may always hope to maintain … our Trade to that Kingdom, and vent our Manufactures in the Indies.
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 153. Hemp and flax,… which now people neglect to sow, because they have no way to vent or employ it.
1790. Shirrefs, Poems, 316. Tak ye tent, How, and to whom your bills ye vent.
1864. in O’Donoghue, St. Knighton (Cornwall) Gloss., 301.
transf. 1652. Gaule, Magastrom., xxvi. Hereupon the astrologers doe mart or vent the effects of the heavens and the stars.
† b. With various advs., as away, forth, off. Obs.
c. 1550. Disc. Common Weal Eng. (1893), 62. As much as he should haue for the more woll vented ouer, so much should he haue for the lesse woll at a greater custome vented ouer.
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 3. The nearenesse helpeth them … to vent forth and make return of those comodities, which their owne, or either of those countries doe afford.
c. 1630. T. Mun, England’s Treas., 79. We trade to divers places where we vent off our naitive commodities.
1631. Heywood, Fair Maid of West, III. To vent away our bad commodities.
† c. To let out (land). Obs.–1
1603. G. Owen, Pembrokeshire, viii. (1891), 63. Some landlordes … founde it more comodiouse to keape it in their owne handes then to vente it out at xiid an acre which is the vsualle rent thireof.
† 2. intr. Of goods: To have or find sale; to sell, go off (well or ill). Obs.
1622. in M. Sellers, Eastland Co. (Camden), Introd. 54. Either over cheap pennyworths must cause our said cloths to vent there, or else they will not vent at all.
1628–9. Digby, Voy. Medit. (Camden), 29. Other thinges that I had which would vent better in that place then in England.
1670. J. Smith, Eng. Improv. Reviv’d, 202. Cherries will vent at most Markets.
1670. Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1694), 110. Commodities would bear a much greater price than what I mention, and there would vent greater quantities.
