Vi"sion , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Visioned (?); p. pr.
& vb. n. Visioning.]
To see in a vision; to dream.
For them no
visioned terrors daunt,
Their nights no fancied specters haunt.
Sir W. Scott.
Vi"sion (?), n. [OE.
visioun, F. vision, fr. L. visio, from videre, visum, to
see: akin to
Gr. &?; to see, &?; I know, and E. wit. See Wit, v., and cf. Advice, Clairvoyant, Envy, Evident, Provide, Revise,
Survey, View,
Visage, Visit.]
1. The act of seeing external objects; actual sight.
Faith here is turned into vision there.
Hammond. 2. (Physiol.) The faculty of seeing; sight; one of
the five senses, by which colors and the physical qualities of external objects are
appreciated as a result of the
stimulating action of light on the
sensitive retina, an expansion of the optic
nerve.
3. That which is
seen; an object of sight. Shak.
4.
Especially, that which is seen
otherwise than by the ordinary sight, or the rational eye; a supernatural, prophetic, or imaginary sight; an apparition; a phantom; a specter; as, the visions of
Isaiah.
The baseless fabric of this vision.
Shak.
No dreams, but
visions strange.
Sir P. Sidney.
5. Hence, something unreal or imaginary; a creation of
fancy. Locke.
Arc of vision (Astron.), the arc which
measures the least distance from the sun at which, when the sun is below the horizon, a star or planet emerging from his rays becomes visible.
-- Beatific vision
(Theol.), the immediate sight of God in heaven. -- Direct vision (Opt.), vision when the image of
the object falls directly on the yellow spot (see under Yellow); also, vision by means of rays which are not
deviated from their original direction.
-- Field of vision, field of view. See under Field. --
Indirect vision
(Opt.), vision when the rays of light from
an object fall upon the
peripheral parts of the retina. -- Reflected vision, or Refracted vision, vision by rays reflected from mirrors, or refracted by lenses or prisms, respectively. -- Vision purple.
(Physiol.) See Visual purple, under Visual.
Hear it pronounced