Oxford Basic American Dictionary

The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .

The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .

The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.

a person who controls a particular part of a large business organization

the vice president of sales

vice ver • sa / ,vais 'varsa / adverb

in the opposite way to what has just been said

You can translate any document from Spanish into

English and vice versa (= from English into Spanish ) .

vi • cin • i • ty / va ' sinati / noun in the vicinity

( formal )

in an area; near a place

There are three parks in the vicinity of the school.

vi • cious / ' vifas / adjective

violent and cruel a vicious attack

vic • tim / viktam / noun [ count ]

a person or thing that is hurt, damaged, or killed by

someone or something

the innocent victims of crime

vic • to • ri • ous / vik' torias / adjective

successful in a fight, game, or war the victorious team

vic • to • ry / viktari / noun [ count, noncount ] ( plural vic - to - ries )

success in a fight, game, or war

the Yankees' 6-2 victory over the Red Sox

—ANTONYM defeat

vid .e.o®/ 'vidiou/ ( )

1 [ count, noncount ] a kind of tape that is used for recording moving pictures and sound; a box containing this tape

You can get this movie on video or on DVD. They made a video of the wedding.

—SYNONYM videotape

[ count ] a copy of a movie, program, etc. that is recorded on videotape

We stayed at home and watched a video .

[ noncount ] the system of recording and showing moving pictures and sound using a camera

video equipment

vid • e • o game / 'vidiou geim / noun [ count ]

a game that you play using a TV or computer screen

vid • e • o • tape / ' vidiouteip / noun

[ count, noncount ]

a kind of tape that is used for recording moving pictures and sound; a box containing this tape I replaced all of my old videotapes with DVDs. ►vid • e •

o • tape verb

( vid- e o - tapes, vid - e - o - tap - ing, vid - e - o - taped )

The interview was videotaped.

View l© /vyu/ noun

[ count ] what you believe or think about something He has strong views on marriage.

In my view , she has done nothing wrong.

—SYNONYM opinion

[ count ] what you can see from a place

There were beautiful views of the mountains all around.

[ noncount ] the ability to see something from a particular place

A large truck was blocking her view. in view of something ( formal )

because of something

In view of the bad weather we decided to cancel the game.

on view

in a place for people to see

Her paintings are on view at the museum.

view 2 / vyu / verb

( views , view - ing , viewed )

( formal )

to think about something in a particular way She viewed vacations as a waste of time.

to watch or look at something

Viewed from this side, the building looks much taller than it really is.

view • er / ' vyuar / noun [ count ]

a person who watches a television program

vig • i • lant / ' volant / adjective

( formal )

careful and looking out for danger

vig • or • ous / ' vigaras / adjective

strong and active vigorous exercise

► vig • or • ous • ly / ' vigarasli / adverb She shook my hand vigorously.