Vent (vĕnt), n. [OE. fent, fente, a slit, F. fente a slit, cleft, fissure, from fendre to split, L. findere; but probably confused with F. vent wind, L. ventus. See Fissure, and cf. Vent to snuff.] 1. A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask; the vent of a mold; a volcanic vent.
Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents. Shak.
Long 't was doubtful, both so closely pent,
Which first should issue from the narrow vent. Pope.
2. Specifically: —
(a) (Zoöl.) The anal opening of certain invertebrates and fishes; also, the external cloacal opening of reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes.
(b) (Gun.) The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge; touchhole.
(c) (Steam Boilers) Sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet.
3. Fig.: Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet.
4. Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication; utterance.
Without the vent of words. Milton.
Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel. Shak.
To give vent to, to suffer to escape; to let out; to pour forth; as, to give vent to anger. — To take vent, to escape; to be made public. — Vent feather(Zoöl.), one of the anal, or crissal, feathers of a bird. — Vent field(Gun.), a flat raised surface around a vent. — Vent piece. (Gun.) (a) A bush. See 4th Bush, n., 2. (b) A breech block.