Vi"sion (?), n. [OE. visioun, F. vision, fr. L. visio, from videre, visum, to see: akin to Gr. to see, I know, and E. wit. See Wit, v., and cf. Advice, Clairvoyant, Envy, Evident, Provide, Revise, Survey, View, Visage, Visit.]
1.
The act of seeing external objects; actual sight.
Faith here is turned into vision there.
Hammond.
2. Physiol.
The faculty of seeing; sight; one of the five senses, by which colors and the physical qualities of external objects are appreciated as a result of the stimulating action of light on the sensitive retina, an expansion of the optic nerve.
3.
That which is seen; an object of sight.
Shak.
4.
Especially, that which is seen otherwise than by the ordinary sight, or the rational eye; a supernatural, prophetic, or imaginary sight; an apparition; a phantom; a specter; as, the visions of Isaiah.
The baseless fabric of this vision.
Shak.
No dreams, but visions strange.
Sir P. Sidney.
5.
Hence, something unreal or imaginary; a creation of fancy.
Locke.
Arc of vision Astron., the arc which measures the least distance from the sun at which, when the sun is below the horizon, a star or planet emerging from his rays becomes visible. -- Beatific vision Theol., the immediate sight of God in heaven. -- Direct vision Opt., vision when the image of the object falls directly on the yellow spot (see under Yellow); also, vision by means of rays which are not deviated from their original direction. -- Field of vision, field of view. See under Field. -- Indirect vision Opt., vision when the rays of light from an object fall upon the peripheral parts of the retina. -- Reflected vision, ∨ Refracted vision, vision by rays reflected from mirrors, or refracted by lenses or prisms, respectively. -- Vision purple. Physiol. See Visual purple, under Visual.
© Webster 1913.
Vi"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Visioned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Visioning.]
To see in a vision; to dream.
For them no visioned terrors daunt,
Their nights no fancied specters haunt.
Sir W. Scott.
© Webster 1913.