Vi"o*lent (?), a. [F., from L. violentus, from vis strength, force; probably akin to Gr. a muscle, strength.] 1. Moving or acting with physical strength; urged or impelled with force; excited by strong feeling or passion; forcible; vehement; impetuous; fierce; furious; severe; as, a violent blow; the violent attack of a disease.
Float upon a wild and violent sea.
Shak.
A violent cross wind from either coast.
Milton.
2. Acting, characterized, or produced by unjust or improper force; outrageous; unauthorized; as, a violent attack on the right of free speech.
To bring forth more violent deeds.
Milton.
Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey's life.
Shak.
3. Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural; abnormal.
These violent delights have violent ends.
Shak.
No violent state can be perpetual.
T. Burnet.
Ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
Milton.
Violent presumption Law, presumption of a fact that arises from proof of circumstances which necessarily attend such facts. -- Violent profits ScotsLaw, rents or profits of an estate obtained by a tenant wrongfully holding over after warning. They are recoverable in a process of removing.
Syn. -- Fierce; vehement; outrageous; boisterous; turbulent; impetuous; passionate; severe; extreme.
© Webster 1913.
Vi"o*lent, n. An assailant. [Obs.]
Dr. H. More.
© Webster 1913.
Vi"o*lent, v. t. [Cf. F. violenter.] To urge with violence. [Obs.]
Fuller.
© Webster 1913.
Vi"o*lent, v. i. To be violent; to act violently. [Obs.]
The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste,
An violenteth in a sense as strong
As that which causeth it.
Shak.
© Webster 1913. | 
