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  1. vuln love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To wound (oneself) by biting at the breast. Used of the pelican, which was once believed to feed its young with its blood, as a heraldic motif and symbol of Christ.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To wound: in heraldry, especially said of the pelican, which is blazoned as vulning herself when represented as tearing her breast to feed her young. Compare pelican in her piety, under pelican.

Wiktionary

  1. n. computing, informal vulnerability (a weakness in software etc. that can be maliciously exploited)

Etymologies

  1. Shortening. (Wiktionary)
  2. From Latin vulnerāre, to wound; see vulnerable. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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Lists

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Comments

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  • reesetee Never thought of it that way, yarb, but that's true. And c_b, I have an interest, but it's mostly in the symbolism, less in the actual history (although that's also fascinating). Oct 18, 2007

  • yarb This shoots to #1 on my "to use in conversation or official reports" list. The trouble with these wonderful heraldry words is, they set their sights too low. I get the sense we can learn a lot from heraldry. Oct 18, 2007

  • chained_bear This is one whacked-out verb!

    Ooh, sionnach, do please start a heraldry list someday. I started a medieval heraldry list, but I don't feel like I ever gave it due attention. It feels half done--which is silly to say of a Wordie list (aren't they all half done?). I'd like to see what others come up with.

    Anyone else with an interest in heraldry out there? *raises hand* The intersection of military history and art, that's what it is. Oct 18, 2007

  • reesetee These days, they give birds anti-anxiety meds for that. ;-)

    I've always loved that idea of the pelican symbolizing Christ. Odd, but fascinating. Oct 18, 2007

  • trivet Um....eeew! Oct 18, 2007

  • sionnach To wound (oneself) by biting at the breast. Used of the pelican, which was once believed to feed its young with its blood, as a heraldic motif and symbol of Christ.

    A heraldry word, odd yet charming.

    Time to start a heraldry list. As soon as I get done with an alchemy list... So many words, so little time. Oct 18, 2007

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‘vuln’ has been looked up 1525 times, loved by 1 person, added to 10 lists, commented on 7 times, and has a Scrabble score of 7.