\Vi"o*lence\, n. [F., fr. L. violentia. See {Violent}.]
1. The quality or state of being violent; highly excited
   action, whether physical or moral; vehemence; impetuosity;
   force.
         That seal You ask with such a violence, the king,
         Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me.
                                               --Shak.
         All the elements At least had gone to wrack,
         disturbed and torn With the violence of this
         conflict.                             --Milton.
2. Injury done to that which is entitled to respect,
   reverence, or observance; profanation; infringement;
   unjust force; outrage; assault.
         Do violence to do man.                --Luke iii.
                                               14.
         We can not, without offering violence to all
         records, divine and human, deny an universal deluge.
                                               --T. Burnet.
         Looking down, he saw The whole earth filled with
         violence.                             --Milton.
3. Ravishment; rape; constupration.
{To do violence on}, to attack; to murder. ``She . . . did
   violence on herself.'' --Shak.
{To do violence to}, to outrage; to injure; as, he does
   violence to his own opinions.
Syn: Vehemence; outrage; fierceness; eagerness; violation;
     infraction; infringement; transgression; oppression.

\Vi"o*lence\, v. t.
To assault; to injure; also, to bring by violence; to compel.
[Obs.] --B. Jonson.