vỉ đại bất trạo
A tail too big to wag — the branches outgrowing the trunk; subordinates too strong to steer.
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vị tri sanh, yên tri tử
Not yet knowing life, how know death — Confucius's answer to every question about the hereafter.
vị uyên khu ngư, vị tòng khu tước
Driving fish for the deep, driving sparrows for the thicket — the tyrant's cruelty herds his own people to his rival.
vịt già gà tơ
Old duck, young chicken — each meat at its proper age; timing is the recipe.
vịt nghe sấm
A duck hearing thunder — sound received, meaning nowhere.
vịt nghe xấm
A duck hearing thunder — sound in, meaning nowhere.
vỏ quít dầy móng tay nhọn
A thick orange rind meets a sharp fingernail — every defense eventually meets its matching attack.
vỏ quýt dày có móng tay nhọn
it doesn't matter how smart or cunning you are, there's always someone else better to take you down
vợ chết thật vợ mình
Only the wife who dies yours was truly yours — die first, and wife, wealth and fields all take new owners.
vợ chồng là nghĩa cả đời Ai ơi nhớ nghĩ những lời thiệt hơn
Husband and wife are a whole life's bond — weigh every word of it, the losses with the gains.
vợ chồng như áo bận vào cỗi ra
Spouses are garments, put on and taken off — brothers are limbs, and limbs don't unbutton.
vợ cái con cột, vợ lẽ con thêm
The first wife is the main pillar; the lesser wife, an added post — the old house's blunt architecture of marriage.
vợ khôn dạy chồng dại
A wise wife schooling a foolish husband — a marriage pulling at mismatched strengths.
vợ kén tông, chồng kén giống
A wife chosen by her line, a husband by his stock — marriage vetted at the pedigree.
vợ lẽ con thêm
A minor wife and an extra child — burdens multiplied by one's own entanglements.
vợ thằng đậu
Đậu's wife — a byword for hopeless clumsiness around the house.
vợ xứ Đông, chồng xứ Bắc
A wife from the East country, a husband from the North — folk geography's ideal match.
vụng chèo khéo chống
A poor workman blames his tools.
vừa ăn cướp vừa la làng
to burglarize while crying for help
vừa đánh trống vừa ăn cướp
to beat the drum (as in, sound the burglar alarm) while burglarizing
Vỹ Sinh ôm cây
Vỹ Sinh clasping the pillar — keeping a promise to the death, drowned at the trysting post.
vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm
When the person in charge is away, those left behind misbehave or run wild.
V-for Victory
On January 14th, 1941, M. Victor de Lavaleye, a member of the exiled Belgian government in London, proposed in a broadcast to Belgium that the letter V should be used as a simple substitute for the letters R.A.F. which were being chalked up on walls, etc., in Belgium.
vacabondes
The Fraternatye of, as well as of ruflyng Vacabones, as of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their proper Names and Qualities, with a Description of the Crafty Company of Cousoners and Shifters, also the XXV. Orders of Knaves; otherwyse called a Quartern of Knaves, confirmed by Cocke Lorell, 8vo. Imprinted at London by John Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne strete, without Aldersgate. 1575.
vadge
The vagina.
vagaries
Frolics, wild rambles.
vagitarian
A lesbian.
vagitarianism
A predilection for performing cunnilingus.
vaj
The vagina.
vakeel
A barrister.—Anglo-Indian.
vale of tears
A state of suffering or hardship
valentine
The first woman seen by a man, or man seen by a woman, on St. Valentine's day, the 14th of February, when it is said every bird chuses his mate for the ensuing year.
Valentine and Orson
The Good Samaritan* Noah's Ark, Simon the Tanner, and Gospel Oak all have a biblical flavour, and old ecclesiastical manorial rights are responsible for many tavern signs (see The Three Kings, below). Myth and legend are represented by houses named The Apollo, Hercules, Phcenix, KingLud, Merlin's Cave, Man in the Moon, Punch, Robin Hood, The Moonrakers, etc.
Valiant as an Essex lion
Said ironically of a timid person. Cp. COTSWOLD. Estate (O.Fr. estat, Lat. status from stare, to stand). Estates of the realm. The powers that have the administration of affairs in their hands, that on which the realm stands. The three estates of Britain are the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal, and the Commons; popularly speaking, the public press is termed the "fourth estate" (q.v.).
Vallary Crown
The same as a mural crown (see under CROWN).
Valley Forge
A village in south Pennsylvania where George Washington set up the winter quarters of his army, amid great privations, in the campaign of 1777-78.
Valley of Arpaia
It was here that the Roman army, under the consuls T. Veturius Calvmus and Sp. Postumius, fell into the hands of the Samnites (321 B.C.), and were made to pass under the yoke.
valley of death
A period of extreme difficulty or uncertainty
valley of the shadow of death
A situation or place of great danger or fear
vamoose
To run away (from); to flee.
vamos
VAMOUS, or VAMOOSH, to go, or be off. Spanish, VAMOS, "Let us go!" Probably NAMUS, or NAMOUS, the costermonger’s word, was from this.
vamp
To spout, to leave in pawn. Also to cobble, as, "a VAMPED play," and "a VAMPED accompaniment," both terms reflecting discredit on the work, but not necessarily upon the musician.
vamp up
To repair; mend.
vamps
Old, or refooted stockings. From VAMP, to piece.
van
Madam Van; see MADAM.
van-neck
Miss or Mrs. Van-Neck; a woman with large breasts; a bushel bubby.
vandyke beard
A pointed beard such as those frequently shown in Van Dyck's portraits, especially of Charles I.
vanish to the four winds
To disappear or disperse completely and suddenly
Vanity Fair
In Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, a fair established by Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion, in the town of Vanity, and lasting all the year round. Here were sold houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts.
vardo
To look; "VARDO the carsey," look at the house. VARDO formerly was old cant for a waggon. This is by low Cockneys generally pronounced VARDY.
vardy
To give one's vardy; i.e. verdict or opinion.
vardy
Verdict, vulgarly used as opinion, thus, "My VARDY on the matter is the same as yourn."
Variant: A man is known by the company he keeps
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Variety is the soul of pleasure. (Aphra Behn)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Variety is the spice of life. William Cowper, English poet (1731–1800)
New experiences and change make life more interesting
varlets
Now rogues and rascals, formerly yeoman's servants.
varment
(Whip and Cambridge.) Natty, dashing. He is quite varment, he is quite the go. He sports a varment hat, coat, &c.; he is dressed like a gentleman Jehu.
varmint
"You young VARMINT, you!" you bad, or naughty boy. Corruption of VERMIN.
varnisher
An utterer of false sovereigns. Generally "snide-pitcher."
vast majority
Almost all of a group or population