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vulnerable - 5 dictionary results

vul⋅ner⋅a⋅ble

[vuhl-ner-uh-buhl]
–adjective
1. capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.
2. open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.: an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.
3. (of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend: a vulnerable bridge.
4. Bridge. having won one of the games of a rubber.

Origin:
1595–1605; < LL vulnerābilis, equiv. to L vulnerā(re) to wound + -bilis -ble; see vulnerary


vul⋅ner⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, vul⋅ner⋅a⋅ble⋅ness, noun
vul⋅ner⋅a⋅bly, adverb
vul·ner·a·ble   (vŭl'nər-ə-bəl)   
adj.  
    1. Susceptible to physical or emotional injury.
    2. Susceptible to attack: "We are vulnerable both by water and land, without either fleet or army" (Alexander Hamilton).
    3. Open to censure or criticism; assailable.
    4. Liable to succumb, as to persuasion or temptation.
    5. Games In a position to receive greater penalties or bonuses in a hand of bridge. In a rubber, used of the pair of players who score 100 points toward game.
    1. Liable to succumb, as to persuasion or temptation.
    2. Games In a position to receive greater penalties or bonuses in a hand of bridge. In a rubber, used of the pair of players who score 100 points toward game.

[Late Latin vulnerābilis, wounding, from Latin vulnerāre, to wound, from vulnus, vulner-, wound; see welə- in Indo-European roots.]
vul'ner·a·bil'i·ty, vul'ner·a·ble·ness n., vul'ner·a·bly adv.

Vulnerable

Vul"ner*a*ble\, a. [L. vulnerabilis wounding, injurious, from vulnerare to wound, vulnus a wound; akin to Skr. vra?a: cf. F. vuln['e]rable.]

1. Capable of being wounded; susceptible of wounds or external injuries; as, a vulnerable body.

Achilles was vulnerable in his heel; and there will be wanting a Paris to infix the dart. --Dr. T. Dwight.

2. Liable to injury; subject to be affected injuriously; assailable; as, a vulnerable reputation.

His skill in finding out the vulnerable parts of strong minds was consummate. --Macaulay.
Language Translation for : vulnerable
Spanish: vulnerable,
German: verwundbar,
Japanese: 傷つきやすい

vulnerable 
1605, from L.L. vulnerabilis "wounding," from L. vulnerare "to wound," from vulnus (gen. vulneris) "wound," perhaps related to vellere "pluck, to tear."

Main Entry: vul·ner·a·ble
Pronunciation: 'v&ln-(&-)r&-b&l, 'v&l-n&r-b&l
Function: adjective
: capable ofbeing hurt : susceptible to injury or disease vulnerable to nutritional impairment —Journal of the American Medical Association> —vul·ner·a·bil·i·ty /"v&ln-(&-)r&-'bil-&t-E/ noun plural -ties
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