from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Vision \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.
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Faith here is turned into vision there. --Hammond.
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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.
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3. That which is seen; an object of sight. --Shak.
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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.
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The baseless fabric of this vision. --Shak.
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No dreams, but visions strange. --Sir P.
Sidney.
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5. Hence, something unreal or imaginary; a creation of fancy.
--Locke.
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{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}, or {Refracted vision}, vision by rays
reflected from mirrors, or refracted by lenses or prisms,
respectively.
{Vision purple}. (Physiol.) See {Visual purple}, under
{Visual}.
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