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Vinʹdicate (3 syl.)

,

to justify, to avenge, has a remarkable etymon. Vindicius was a slave of the Vitelli, who informed the Senate of the conspiracy of the sons of Junius Brutus to restore Tarquin, for which service he was rewarded with liberty (Livy, ii. 5); hence the rod with which a slave was struck in manumission was called vindicta, a Vindicius rod (see Manumit); and to set free was in Latin vindicaʹre in libertatem. One way of settling disputes was to give the litigants two rods, which they crossed as if in fight, and the person whom the prætor vindicated broke the rod of his opponent. These rods were called vindiciæ, and hence vindicate, meaning to “justify.” To avenge is simply to justify oneself by punishing the wrongdoer.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Vierge
View-holloa
Vignette
Viking
Village Blacksmith (The)
Villain
Villiers
Villoner. (French.)
Vincent (St.)
Vincent de la Rosa
Vindicate
Vine
Vinegar (Hannibal’s.)
Vinegar Bible
Vineyard Controversy
Vino. In vino veritas
Vintry Ward. (London)
Vinum Theologicum
Violet
Violet
Violet (Corporal)