- 1[countable] any of the tubes that carry blood from all parts of the body toward the heart the jugular vein The nurse was having trouble finding a vein in his arm. compare artery see deep vein thrombosis, varicose vein
- 2[countable] any of the very thin tubes that form the frame of a leaf or an insect's wing
- 3[countable] a narrow strip of a different color in some types of stone, wood, and cheese
- 4[countable] a thin layer of minerals or metal contained in rock a vein of gold synonym seam
- 5[singular] vein (of something) an amount of a particular quality or feature in something They had tapped a rich vein of information in his secretary. There was a vein of proverbial wisdom in what he said.
- 6[singular, uncountable] a particular style or manner A number of other people commented in a similar vein. “And that's not all,” he continued in angry vein. Other speakers tackled the same problem in a lighter vein.
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