vent

noun

/vent/

Idioms

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an opening that allows air, gas or liquid to pass out of or into a room, building, container, etc.
- air/heating vents
compare registerTopics Houses and homesc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- air
- air-conditioning
- heating
- …
verb + vent
- close
- open
- block
- …
preposition
- through a/the vent
See full entry
(specialist) the opening in the body of a bird, fish, reptile or other small animal, through which waste matter is passed outTopics Fish and shellfishc2, Birdsc2
a long, thin opening at the bottom of the back or side of a coat or jacket

Word Originnoun senses 1 to 2 late Middle English: partly from French vent ‘wind’, from Latin ventus, reinforced by French évent, from éventer ‘expose to air’, based on Latin ventus ‘wind’. noun sense 3 late Middle English: alteration of dialect fent, from Old French fente ‘slit’, based on Latin findere ‘cleave’.

Idioms

give (full) vent to something

(formal) to express a feeling, especially anger, strongly
- Children give vent to their anger in various ways.
- She gave full vent to her feelings in a violent outburst.

vent

verb

/vent/

[transitive, intransitive] (formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they vent	/vent/ /vent/
he / she / it vents	/vents/ /vents/
past simple vented	/ˈventɪd/ /ˈventɪd/
past participle vented	/ˈventɪd/ /ˈventɪd/
-ing form venting	/ˈventɪŋ/ /ˈventɪŋ/

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to express feelings, especially anger, strongly
- vent something (on somebody) He vented his anger on the referee.
- She vented her spleen (= shouted in an angry way) on the assembled crowd.
- vent (about something) She vented for two minutes about work and her boss.
- She talked with me whenever I needed to vent.
Word Originverb late Middle English: partly from French vent ‘wind’, from Latin ventus, reinforced by French évent, from éventer ‘expose to air’, based on Latin ventus ‘wind’.