Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

vestigemore about vestige

vestige


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vestige  \Ves"tige\,  n.  [F.,  from  L.  vestigium  footprint,  trace, 
  sign;  the  last  part  (-stigium)  is  probably  akin  to  E.  sty,  v. 
  i.  Cf  {Investigate}.] 
  The  mark  of  the  foot  left  on  the  earth;  a  track  or  footstep; 
  a  trace;  a  sign;  hence  a  faint  mark  or  visible  sign  left  by 
  something  which  is  lost,  or  has  perished,  or  is  no  longer 
  present;  remains;  as  the  vestiges  of  ancient  magnificence  in 
  Palmyra;  vestiges  of  former  population. 
 
  What  vestiges  of  liberty  or  property  have  they  left? 
  --Burke. 
 
  Ridicule  has  followed  the  vestiges  of  Truth,  but  never 
  usurped  her  place  --Landor. 
 
  Syn:  Trace;  mark;  sign;  token. 
 
  Usage:  {Vestige},  {Trace}.  These  words  agree  in  marking  some 
  indications  of  the  past,  but  differ  to  some  extent  in 
  their  use  and  application.  Vestige  is  used  chiefly  in 
  a  figurative  sense  for  the  remains  something  long 
  passed  away  as  the  vestiges  of  ancient  times; 
  vestiges  of  the  creation.  A  trace  is  literally 
  something  drawn  out  in  a  line  and  may  be  used  in  this 
  its  primary  sense  or  figuratively,  to  denote  a  sign 
  or  evidence  left  by  something  that  has  passed  by  or 
  ceased  to  exist.  Vestige  usually  supposes  some 
  definite  object  of  the  past  to  be  left  behind;  while  a 
  trace  may  be  a  mere  indication  that  something  has  been 
  present  or  is  present;  as  traces  of  former 
  population;  a  trace  of  poison  in  a  given  substance. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vestige  \Ves"tige\,  n.  (Biol.) 
  A  small  degenerate,  or  imperfectly  developed  part  or  organ 
  which  has  been  more  fully  developed  in  some  past  generation. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  vestige 
  n  :  a  clue  that  something  has  been  present;  "there  wasn't  a 
  trace  of  evidence  for  the  claim"  [syn:  {trace},  {shadow}] 




more about vestige