n. [ Perhaps fr. OF. avalant descending, hanging down, p. pr. of avaler to go down, let down, descend (cf. Avalanche); but probably from the town of Valence in France. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Hanging drapery for a bed, couch, window, or the like, especially that which hangs around a bedstead, from the bed to the floor. [ Written also valence. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Valance of Venice gold in needlework. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The drooping edging of the lid of a trunk, which covers the joint when the lid is closed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Valanced p. pr. & vb. n. Valancing ] To furnish with a valance; to decorate with hangings or drapery. [ 1913 Webster ]

His old fringed chair valanced around with party-colored worsted bobs. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. val, F. val, L. vallis; perhaps akin to Gr. 'e`los low ground, marsh meadow. Cf. Avalanche, Vail to lower, Valley. ] A tract of low ground, or of land between hills; a valley. “ Make me a cottage in the vale.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Beyond this vale of tears there is a life above. Montgomery. [ 1913 Webster ]

In those fair vales, by nature formed to please. Harte. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Vale is more commonly used in poetry, and valley in prose and common discourse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Valley; dingle; dell; dale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See 2d Vail, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., valedicere, valedictum, to say farewell; vale farewell (imperative of valere to be strong or well) + dicere to say. See Valiant, Diction. ] A farewell; a bidding farewell. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who pronounces a valedictory address; especially, in American colleges, the student who pronounces the valedictory of the graduating class at the annual commencement, usually the student who ranks first in scholarship. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Bidding farewell; suitable or designed for an occasion of leave-taking; as, a valedictory oration. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Valedictories A valedictory oration or address spoken at commencement in American colleges or seminaries by one of the graduating class, usually by the leading scholar. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From L. valens, -entis, p. pr. of valere to have power, to be strong. See Valiant. ] (Chem.) The degree of combining power of an atom (or radical) as shown by the number of atoms of hydrogen (or of other monads, as chlorine, sodium, etc.) with which it will combine, or for which it can be substituted, or with which it can be compared; thus, an atom of hydrogen is a monad, and has a valence of one; the atoms of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon are respectively dyads, triads, and tetrads, and have a valence respectively of two, three, and four. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The valence of certain elements varies in different compounds. Valence in degree may extend as high as seven or eight, as in the cases of iodine and osmium respectively. The doctrine of valence has been of fundamental importance in distinguishing the equivalence from the atomic weight, and is an essential factor in explaining the chemical structures of compounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Perhaps fr. Valence in France. ] A kind of woven fabric for waistcoats, having the weft of wool and the warp of silk or cotton. [ Written also valentia. ] [ 1913 Webster ]