vise
vise Lexical Profile
vise Game Scores & Validity
• noun
American A mechanical apparatus with two jaws, typically attached to a workbench, used to hold an object firmly in place while work is done on it.
"The carpenter secured the wooden plank in the vise before sanding its edges."
American A tight, crushing, or unyielding physical grip or psychological pressure.
"He felt as though his chest were caught in a vise as the anxiety attack peaked."
• verb
American To hold, clamp, or squeeze firmly in or as if in a vise.
"She vised the steering wheel with pale knuckles as the car skidded on the ice."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American English, 'vise' strictly refers to the mechanical clamping tool, whereas 'vice' refers to immoral behavior. British and Commonwealth English use the spelling 'vice' for both meanings.
• Rhymes for vise
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'vis' (screw, winding stair), derived from Latin 'vitis' (vine), referring to the spiral, tendril-like shape of the screw mechanism used in the tool.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.