Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: INSECTS

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: veine, from Latin vena

vein

 noun
     
vein
vein
1 [countable]HBM one of the tubes which carries blood to your heart from other parts of your body [↪ artery]:
the pulmonary vein
She felt the blood racing through her veins as they kissed.
2HBP [countable]HBI one of the thin lines on a leaf or on an insect's wing
3CF [countable] one of the thin lines on a piece of cheese or some types of stone
4 [countable]HEG a thin layer of a valuable metal or mineral which is contained in rock
vein of
veins of gold
5

in a ... vein

in a particular style of speaking or writing about something
in the same vein/in a similar vein
There was more humour, in much the same vein.
in a serious/light-hearted etc vein
poems in a lighter vein
6

a vein of humour/malice etc

a small amount of humour etc:
In voicing our fear of old age, Rivers has discovered a rich vein of comedy.
Definition of vein from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic INSECTS
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