Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A device or structure for transporting persons or things; a conveyance.
  • noun A self-propelled conveyance that runs on tires; a motor vehicle.
  • noun A medium through which something is transmitted, expressed, or accomplished.
  • noun The concrete or specific word or phrase that is applied to the tenor of a metaphor and gives the metaphor its figurative power, as walking shadow in
  • noun A play, role, or piece of music used to display the special talents of one performer or company.
  • noun An inactive substance that is combined with an active medication to facilitate administration.
  • noun A substance, such as oil, in which paint pigments are mixed for application.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In chem., a liquid used to carry sensitive salts for coating glass or paper for use in photography.
  • noun Any carriage moving on land, either on wheels or on runners; a conveyance.
  • noun That which is used as an instrument of conveyance, transmission, or communication.
  • noun Specifically— In pharmacy, a substance, usually fluid, possessing little or no medicinal action, used as a medium for the administration of active remedies; an excipient.
  • noun In painting, any liquid, whether water, as in water-color painting, or oil, as in oil-color painting, which is used to render colors, varnishes, etc., manageable and fit for use.
  • noun One of two enduements, the one more spiritual than the other, with which the soul is clothed, according to the Platonists. One corresponds to vital power, the other to spirit.
  • To convey in or apply or impart by means of a vehicle.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun That in or on which any person or thing is, or may be, carried, as a coach, carriage, wagon, cart, car, sleigh, bicycle, etc.; a means of conveyance; specifically, a means of conveyance upon land.
  • noun That which is used as the instrument of conveyance or communication.
  • noun (Pharm.) A substance in which medicine is taken.
  • noun (Paint.) Any liquid with which a pigment is applied, including whatever gum, wax, or glutinous or adhesive substance is combined with it.
  • noun (Chem.) A liquid used to spread sensitive salts upon glass and paper for use in photography.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A conveyance; a device for carrying or transporting substances, objects or individuals.
  • noun A medium for expression of talent or views.
  • noun A liquid content (e.g. oil) which acts as a binding and drying agent in paint. (FM 55-501).
  • noun An entity to achieve an end.
  • noun Buddhism A yana.
  • noun Hinduism An animal or (rarely) a plant on which a Hindu deity rides or sits

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a conveyance that transports people or objects
  • noun any substance that facilitates the use of a drug or pigment or other material that is mixed with it
  • noun a medium for the expression or achievement of something
  • noun any inanimate object (as a towel or money or clothing or dishes or books or toys etc.) that can transmit infectious agents from one person to another

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin vehiculum, from vehere, to carry; see wegh- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French véhicule, from Latin vehiculum ("a carriage, conveyance"), from vehere ("to carry").

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