a. Also 7–8 -eous. [f. L. vīvāci-, vīvāx (whence F. and It. vivace, Sp. and Pg. vivaz), tenacious of life, long-lived, lively, vigorous, f. vīvĕre to live: see -ACIOUS.]
1. Full of, characterized by, or exhibiting vivacity or liveliness; animated, brisk, lively, sprightly. a. Of persons, the mind, disposition, etc.
In quot. 1647 the reference is to the soul.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. II. xv. 26. When people of a more vivacious and nimble temper com to mingle with them.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, III. App. xiv. This is that nimble quick vivacious Orb All ear, all eye, with rayes round shining bright.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 20 March 1692. The Pr. of Wales,… seeming … very much to resemble … his mother, and of a most vivacious countenance.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 43, ¶ 10. If the Poet had not been Vivacious, as well as Stupid, he could not [etc.].
1785. Burke, Nabob of Arcot’s Debts, Wks. IV. 266. With all the reachings and graspings of a vivacious mind.
1798. Edgeworth, Pract. Educ. (1811), I. 130. Vivacious pupils should from time to time be accustomed to an exact enumeration of particulars.
1861. Geo. Eliot, Silas M., xi. Here the vivacious doctor made a pathetic grimace.
1900. Longm. Mag., March, 438. The … question of assigning the palm of beauty to the vivacious … little mother or to the tall, slim, grave daughter.
absol. 1752. Johnson, Rambler, No. 204, ¶ 5. The young, the fair, the vivacious, and the witty.
b. Of birds.
1773. Barrington, in Phil. Trans., LXIII. 291. The scholar pitched upon may not only be more vivacious, but will continue in song.
1817. Stephens, in Shaw’s Gen. Zool., X. II. 363. It is a vivacious bird, and frequently utters the notes sic sic sáic.
c. Of qualities, conditions, etc.
1670. Maynwaring, Vita Sana, xvi. 159. These Passions … whose propensities are to … steal away from the Soul, that vivacious enlivening power.
1681–6. J. Scott, Chr. Life (1747), III. 522. A most vivacious and everlasting Sense of Pain.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymns Festiv., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 294. Your Love the more vivacious grew, The nearer it to Glory drew.
1814. Scott, Diary, 12 Aug., in Lockhart. He looks very poorly,… but seems to retain all the quick, earnest, and vivacious intelligence of his character and manner.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., xxx. Mr. Snevelicci … proposed ‘The Ladies! Bless their hearts!’ in a most vivacious manner.
1853. C. Brontë, Villette, xxxvi. She invited affection by her beauty and her vivacious life.
d. Of writings, language, etc.
1788. V. Knox, Winter Even. (1790), I. xxv. 211. If, instead of collecting ideas, it [i.e., the mind] had been indulging its own pride in uttering vivacious nonsense.
1826. F. Reynolds, Life & Times, II. 202. The vivacious anecdotes related … rendered the whole scene peculiarly amusing.
1884. Macm. Mag., Nov., 3/1. The new work is more vivacious than the old.
2. Continuing to live; remaining alive for a long time; long-lived. Now rare or Obs.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. iii. § 27. Hitherto the English Bishops had been vivacious almost to wonder.
1682. Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor., III. § 1. Their longevity swelling their impieties, the longanimity of God would no longer endure such vivacious abominations.
1692. Bentley, Boyle Lect., viii. 282. They will never be able to prove, that therefore Men would be so vivacious as they would have us believe.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., IV. 30. [One sees] Vivacious ill; good dying immature. Ibid., V. 851. He gave an old vivacious usurer His meagre aspect, and his naked bones.
transf. a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Northampton. (1662), II. 293. By Gods blessing on his vivacious frugality he got so great an Estate.
1693. J. O., trans. Cowley’s Plants, I. 13. Though I the Oaks vivacious Age should live, I ne’er to all, their Names in Verse should give.
b. Of plants; † spec., perennial.
1676. Grew, Anat. Flowers, II. v. § 7. As if the other [plant], because it contains a far greater Proportion of the above-said Particles,… is able to beget a more Numerous, Vivaceous, or Gigantick Birth.
1721. Bradley, Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat., 34. These … may again be distinguished by being Annual, or Perennial and Vivaceous.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v. Foxglove, This Plant is one of those called the vivacious Plants, and consequently … may also be raised by the Roots.
1827. J. Coldstream, in J. H. Balfour, Biog. (1865), ii. 24. Such foreign vivacious plants as pass the winter without shelter in our climate.
1854. Thoreau, Walden (1906), 237. Still grows the vivacious lilac a generation after the door and lintel and sill are gone.
3. Possessing or exhibiting tenacity of life; difficult to kill or destroy. rare.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., Digress. 373. The particular and vivacious Nature of this sort of Fishes [i.e., eels].
1667. Decay Chr. Piety, ii. ¶ 3. A late statesman said … of England, that it was a vivacious animal that could never die except it kill’d it self.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), I. 345. The long round worm,… body transparent,… gregarious and vivacious.
