Definition

1. Noun:

   • A blood vessel carrying blood to the heart: A tube in the body that carries blood from the tissues and organs back toward the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood.
   • A vascular bundle in a leaf or plant organ: One of the thread-like structures that form a branching network, providing support and transporting fluids in a leaf or other plant part.
   • A layer of ore or mineral in rock: A distinct, sheet-like body of mineral or ore embedded within different surrounding rock.
   • A distinctive style, mood, or manner: A particular quality, tone, or trend in thought, speech, or writing.
   • A horny rib in an insect's wing: One of the stiffening tubular structures that form the supporting framework of an insect's wing.

2. Verb:

   • To mark with or as if with veins: To fill, cover, or pattern with vein-like lines or streaks.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The nurse drew blood from a vein in his arm.
  • The maple leaf has prominent, palmate veins.
  • Miners discovered a rich vein of silver.
  • The conversation continued in a light-hearted vein.

• Verb:

  • The marble was veined with shades of blue and gray.

Advanced Usage

• "In a similar vein": In a similar style, manner, or mood.
  • The next speaker, in a similar vein, discussed economic challenges.
• "Strike a rich vein": To discover a productive source or line of thought.
  • The researcher struck a rich vein of data in the old archives.

Variants and Related Words

• Veiny (adj): Having many or prominent veins.
  • He had veiny hands.
• Veining (n): A pattern or arrangement of veins.
  • The delicate veining of the leaf was beautiful.
• Venous (adj): Relating to or contained in veins.
  • The venous blood was dark red.

Synonyms

• Noun (blood vessel): Blood vessel, venule.
• Noun (streak): Streak, stripe, seam, lode (for ore).
• Noun (manner): Style, tone, mood, strain, tenor.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Compounds

• Vein graft (n): A segment of a vein used in surgical bypass procedures.
  • The surgeon performed a coronary artery bypass using a vein graft.

Related Idioms

• "In the vein of": In the style or manner of.
  • She wrote a story in the vein of classic detective novels.

Noun

1. one of the horny ribs that stiffen and support the wing of an insect
2. a layer of ore between layers of rock
3. any of the vascular bundles or ribs that form the branching framework of conducting and supporting tissues in a leaf or other plant organ
4. a distinctive style or manner
   • he continued in this vein for several minutes
5. a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart
   • all veins except the pulmonary vein carry unaerated blood

Verb

1. make a veinlike pattern