vigilante
Use Vigilante in a sentence
əˈlæn noun
1.
a member of a vigilance committee.
2.
any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime.
adjective
3.
done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures: vigilante justice.
Origin:
1825–35, Americanism; < Spanish: vigilant
1825–35, Americanism; < Spanish: vigilant
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Vigilante
00:10
Vigilante
is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
vigilante (ˌvɪdʒɪˈlæntɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | one of an organized group of citizens who take upon themselves the protection of their district, properties, etc |
| 2. | (US) Also called: vigilance man a member of a vigilance committee |
| [C19: from Spanish, from Latin vigilāre to keep watch] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
vigilante
"member of a vigilance committee," 1856, Amer.Eng., from Sp. vigilante, lit. "watchman," from L. vigilantem (see vigilance). Vigilant man in same sense is attested from 1824 in a Missouri context. Vigilance committees kept informal rough order on the frontier or in other
places where official authority was imperfect.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Crime needs to be addressed by eliminating its causes, not by endorsing vigilante homeowners.
Because you could be a vigilante vampire and live forever.
Unlike in previous years, police efforts to control vigilante violence did not result in deaths.
He also aided a vigilante effort that publicly named several suspects.
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