Vi"o*lence (?), n. [F., fr. L. violentia. See Violent.]
1.
The quality or state of being violent; highly excited action, whether physical or moral; vehemence; impetuosity; force.
That seal
You ask with such a violence, the king,
Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me.
Shak.
All the elements
At least had gone to wrack, disturbed and torn
With the violence of this conflict.
Milton.
2.
Injury done to that which is entitled to respect, reverence, or observance; profanation; infringement; unjust force; outrage; assault.
Do violence to do man.
Luke iii. 14.
We can not, without offering violence to all records, divine and human, deny an universal deluge.
T. Burnet.
Looking down, he saw
The whole earth filled with violence.
Milton.
3.
Ravishment; rape; constupration.
To do violence on, to attack; to murder. "She . . . did violence on herself." Shak. -- To do violence to, to outrage; to injure; as, he does violence to his own opinions.
Syn. -- Vehemence; outrage; fierceness; eagerness; violation; infraction; infringement; transgression; oppression.
© Webster 1913.
Vi"o*lence, v. t.
To assault; to injure; also, to bring by violence; to compel.
[Obs.]
B. Jonson.
© Webster 1913.