vent

plural vents

1. An opening through which gases, especially air, can pass.

   the vent of a cask; the vent of a mould

   1 more example

   According to geologists who work in the area, the vents at Castello Aragonese have been spewing carbon dioxide for at least several hundred years, maybe longer.

   2014, Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, Picador, →ISBN, page 122

   Synonyms: outlet

2. A small aperture.

   Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents.

   c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]

   1 more example

   There, at one Paſſage, oft you might ſurvey / A Lye and Truth contending for the vvay; / And long 'tvvas doubtful, both ſo cloſely pent, / VVhich firſt ſhould iſſue thro the narrovv Vent: […]

   1715, [Alexander] Pope, The Temple of Fame: A Vision, London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 41

3. An opening in a volcano from which lava or gas flows.
4. A rant; a long session of expressing verbal frustration.
5. The excretory opening of lower orders of vertebrates; cloaca.
6. A slit in the seam of a garment.
7. The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge.

   Synonyms: touch hole

8. In steam boilers, a sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet.
9. Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet.
10. Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication; utterance.

    without the vent of words

    1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

    1 more example

    Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel.

    c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]

11. obsoleteraremedicineDischarge, efflux

    she had two more teeth out, with vent of pus from bicuspid

    1908, Kenneth Weldon Goadby, “Two Cases Of Acute Pyorrhoea Alveolaris Treated By A Specific Vaccine”, in British Medical Journal, volume 2, number 2486

    1 more example

    Whenever, in cases of the morbus mucosus, the vent of urine is impeded, or if the urine itself is morbid in quality, the result […] is that there is a sense of heat and pain in the medulla spinalis, which is opposite to the kidneys.

    1825, John Fosbroke, Practical Observations on Certain Pathological Relations which Exist between the Kidneys and Other Organs of the Human Body

present singular third person vents · participle present venting · participle past vented · past vented

1. intransitiveTo allow gases to escape.

   The stove vents to the outside.

2. transitiveTo allow gases to escape from (a sealed space, container, etc.).

   1 more example

   In the engine room, the changing angle dropped the melted core to the deck. The hot mass attacked the steel deck first, burning through that, then the titanium of the hull. Five seconds later the engine room was vented to the sea. The Politovskiy's largest compartment filled rapidly with water. This destroyed what little reserve buoyancy the ship had, and the acute down-angle returned. The Alfa began her last dive.

   1984, Tom Clancy, “The Eighth Day: Friday, 10 December”, in The Hunt for Red October, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, pages 194–195

3. transitiveTo allow to escape through a vent.

   Exhaust is vented to the outside.

4. intransitivetransitiveTo express a strong emotion.

   Can we talk? I need to vent.

   4 more examples

   He vents his anger violently.

   He inveighed against the folly of making oneself liable for the debts of others; vented many bitter execrations against the brother; and concluded with wishing something could be done for the unfortunate family.

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

   But the demonstrators remained defiant, pouring into the streets by the thousands and venting their anger over political corruption, the high cost of living and huge public spending for the World Cup and the Olympics.

   2013 June 18, Simon Romero, “Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 Jun 2013

   “They won’t shut the fuck up about it,” Trump privately vented — referring to conservative influencers and media types lashing out over the Epstein memo — according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

   2025 July 16, Ryan Bort and Asawin Suebsaeng, “Trump calls Epstein conspiracy a ‘hoax’ and turns on Maga ‘weaklings’”, in Rolling Stone

   Synonyms: let off steam

5. To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort.

   Seest, howe brag yond Bullocke beares, So smirke, so smoothe, his pricked eares?[…] See howe he venteth into the wynd.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Februarie. Ægloga Secunda.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC

6. transitiveTo determine the sex of (a chick) by opening up the anal vent or cloaca.
7. intransitiveOf an otter: to emerge from the water to breathe in air.
8. intransitiveslangvideo gamesTo use a vent in the video game Among Us.

   When you’re venting as an impostor, you’ll be able to peer through the grille to see who’s passing by.

   2022 June 9, Kris Holt, “‘Among Us VR’ Trailer Shows First-Person Tasks, Venting And Emergency Meetings”, in Forbes, Jersey City, N.J.: Forbes Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Jun 2022

   2 more examples

   We suspect they’ve vented to medbay and are intending to use some kind of surgical tools to ‘upgrade’ the original Among Us with a bunch of cool new features and levels, instead of starting over from scratch with the sequel.

   2020 September 24, Jen Rothery, “Among Us 2: everything we know about the sequel”, in PCGamesN, Bath, Somerset: Network N Media, archived from the original on 18 Sep 2020

   “Among Us” has become ingrained into Generation Z’s culture in such a way that phrases such as “yellow is sus,” “purple vented” or “skip vote” are part of our daily vernacular.

   2020 November 19, Muhammad Tariq, “Those we didn't know are ‘Among Us’”, in The California Aggie, volume 139, number 7, Davis, Calif.: Associated Students of UC Davis, →OCLC, page 8, column 2

plural vents

1. Ventriloquism.

present singular third person vents · participle present venting · participle past vented · past vented

1. To sell; to vend.

   Therefore did those nations […]vent such spice.

   1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=1 to 5)

plural vents

1. obsoleteA baiting place; an inn.

plural vents

1. abbreviationclippingcolloquialmedicineClipping of ventilation or ventilator.

   I have adjusted the vent settings.

present singular third person vents · participle present venting · participle past vented · past vented

1. colloquialmedicineTo ventilate; to use a ventilator; to use ventilation.

plural Vents

1. A surname from Dutch.