Vi"o*lence (?), n. [F., fr. L.
violentia. See Violent.] 1. The quality
or state of being violent; highly excited action, whether physical or
moral; vehemence; impetuosity; force.
That seal
You ask with such a violence, the king,
Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me.
Shak.
All the elements
At least had gone to wrack, disturbed and torn
With the violence of this conflict.
Milton.
2. Injury done to that which is entitled to
respect, reverence, or observance; profanation; infringement; unjust force;
outrage; assault.
Do violence to do man.
Luke iii.
14.
We can not, without offering violence to all records,
divine and human, deny an universal deluge.
T.
Burnet.
Looking down, he saw
The whole earth filled with violence.
Milton.
3. Ravishment; rape; constupration.
To do violence on, to attack; to murder. "She
. . . did violence on herself." Shak. -- To do
violence to, to outrage; to injure; as, he does violence
to his own opinions.
Syn. -- Vehemence; outrage; fierceness; eagerness; violation;
infraction; infringement; transgression; oppression.
Vi"o*lence, v. t. To assault; to injure;
also, to bring by violence; to compel. [Obs.] B. Jonson.