VENT, n. [L. venio, Eng. wind, &c.; properly a passage.] 1. A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or other fluid to escape; as the vent of a cask.2. The opening in a cannon or other piece of artillery, by which fire is communicated to the charge.3. Passage from secrecy to notice; publication.4. The act of opening.5. Emission; passage; escape from confinement; as, his smothered passions urge for vent.6. Discharge; utterance; means of discharge.Had like grief been dew'd in tears, without the vent of words -;7. Sale; as the vent of a thousand copies of a treatise.8. Opportunity to sell; demand.There is no vent for any commodity except wool.9. An inn, a baiting place. [Not in use.]To give vent to, to suffer to escape; to let out; to pour forth.VENT, v.t. 1. To let out at a small aperture.2. To let out; to suffer to escape from confinement; to utter; to pour forth; as, to vent passion or complaint.The queen of heav'n did thus her fury vent.3. To utter; to report. [Not in use.]4. To publish.The sectators did greatly enrich their inventions by venting the stolen treasures of divine letters. [Not used.]5. To sell.Therefore did those nations vent such spice. [Not in use.][Instead of vent in the latter sense, we use vend.VENT, v.i. To snuff. [Not in use.]
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