verve

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verve

 (vûrv)
n.
1. Energy and enthusiasm in the expression of ideas, especially in artistic performance or composition: The revival lacked the verve of the original musical.
2. Vitality; liveliness. See Synonyms at vigor.
3. Archaic Literary aptitude or talent.

[French, from Old French, fanciful expression, probably from Vulgar Latin *verva, from Latin verba, pl. of verbum, word; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

verve

(vɜːv)
n
1. great vitality, enthusiasm, and liveliness; sparkle
2. a rare word for talent
[C17: from Old French: garrulity, from Latin verba words, chatter]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

verve

(vɜrv)

n.
1. vivaciousness or liveliness; animation.
2. enthusiasm or vigor, as in literary or artistic work; spirit.
3. Archaic. talent.
[1690–1700; < French: enthusiasm, whim, chatter, appar. < Latin verba words, talk, pl. (taken in Vulgar Latin as feminine singular) of verbum word; see verb]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.verve - an energetic styleverve - an energetic style      
vim, muscularity, vigor, vigour, energy - an imaginative lively style (especially style of writing); "his writing conveys great energy"; "a remarkable muscularity of style"
sparkle, twinkle, spark, light - merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance; "he had a sparkle in his eye"; "there's a perpetual twinkle in his eyes"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

verve

noun enthusiasm, energy, spirit, life, force, punch (informal), dash, pep, sparkle, zip (informal), vitality, animation, vigour, zeal, gusto, welly (slang), get-up-and-go (informal), élan, brio, vivacity, liveliness, vim (slang) He played with great style and verve.
reluctance, indifference, apathy, inertia, disdain, lethargy, torpor, lack of enthusiasm, languor, half-heartedness, lifelessness
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

verve

noun
1. A lively, emphatic, eager quality or manner:
Informal: ginger, pep, peppiness.
Slang: oomph.
2. A quality of active mental and physical forcefulness:
Informal: snap.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

verve

[vɜːv] N (= drive) → energía f, empuje m; (= vitality) → brío m; (= enthusiasm) → entusiasmo m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

verve

[ˈvɜːrv] nverve m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

verve

nSchwung m; (of person, team also)Elan m; (of play, performance also)Ausdruckskraft f, → Verve f (geh)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

verve

[vɜːv] n (of person) → verve f, brio; (of painting, writing) → vivacità
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
It recrudesced the laughter and the song, and put a lilt into my own imagination so that I could laugh and sing and say foolish things with the liveliest of them, or platitudes with verve and intensity to the satisfaction of the pompous mediocre ones who knew no other way to talk.
He hired out quite the dirtiest and unsafest bicycles in the whole south of England, and conducted the subsequent discussions with astonishing verve. Bert and he settled down very well together.
Somerville, NJ, May 03, 2014 --(PR.com)-- When the National Restaurant Association invited professional mixologists to show off their most creative cocktail talents to vie for the sought-after title of “Star of the Bar,” head barman, N.Bryan Mack of Verve Restaurant, decided to make a last minute entry.