vessel
    n 1: a tube in which a body fluid circulates [syn: vessel,
         vas]
    2: a craft designed for water transportation [syn: vessel,
       watercraft]
    3: an object used as a container (especially for liquids)

Vessel \Ves"sel\, n. [OF. vessel, veissel, vaissel, vaissiel, F.
   vaisseau, fr. L. vascellum, dim. of vasculum, dim. of vas a
   vessel. Cf. Vascular, Vase.]
   1. A hollow or concave utensil for holding anything; a hollow
      receptacle of any kind, as a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin,
      a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a bowl, etc.
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            [They drank] out of these noble vessels. --Chaucer.
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   2. A general name for any hollow structure made to float upon
      the water for purposes of navigation; especially, one that
      is larger than a common rowboat; as, a war vessel; a
      passenger vessel.
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            [He] began to build a vessel of huge bulk. --Milton.
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   3. Fig.: A person regarded as receiving or containing
      something; esp. (Script.), one into whom something is
      conceived as poured, or in whom something is stored for
      use; as, vessels of wrath or mercy.
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            He is a chosen vessel unto me.        --Acts ix. 15.
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            [The serpent] fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in
            whom
            To enter.                             --Milton.
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   4. (Anat.) Any tube or canal in which the blood or other
      fluids are contained, secreted, or circulated, as the
      arteries, veins, lymphatics, etc.
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   5. (Bot.) A continuous tube formed from superposed large
      cylindrical or prismatic cells (tracheae), which have lost
      their intervening partitions, and are usually marked with
      dots, pits, rings, or spirals by internal deposition of
      secondary membranes; a duct.
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   Acoustic vessels. See under Acoustic.

   Weaker vessel, a woman; -- now applied humorously. "Giving
      honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel." --1 Peter
      iii. 7. "You are the weaker vessel." --Shak.
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Vessel \Ves"sel\, v. t.
   To put into a vessel. [Obs.] --Bacon.
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VESSEL, mar. law. A ship, brig, sloop or other craft used in navigation. 1 
Boul. Paty, tit. 1, p. 100. See sup. 
     2. By an act of congress, approved July 29, 1850, it is provided that 
any person, not being an owner, who shall on the high seas, willfully, with. 
intent to burn or destroy, set fire to any ship or other vessel, or 
otherwise attempt the destruction of such ship or other vessel, being the 
property of any citizen or citizens of the United States, or procure the 
same to be done, with the intent aforesaid, and being thereof lawfully 
convicted, shall suffer imprisonment to hard labor, for a term not exceeding 
ten years, nor less than three years, according to the aggravation of the 
offence.