v

• Двадцать вторая буква английского алфавита, согласная. Обозначает звонкий губно-зубной щелевой звук /v/. Никогда не бывает немой в английских словах. Используется как римская цифра 5, сокращение для 'против', знак победы, символ вольта в физике и двадцать второй элемент в последовательности.

The twenty-second letter of the English alphabet and the seventeenth consonant, representing the voiced labiodental fricative sound /v/. As a grapheme, 'V' is produced by placing the upper teeth on the lower lip and forcing air through while vibrating the vocal cords. It is one of the few letters that is never silent in English words. It functions as the Roman numeral for 5, an abbreviation for versus or verse, the symbol for volt in physics, a designation for victory or peace, and the twenty-second item in a sequence.

1. The twenty-second letter of the English alphabetA1formal

   The uppercase or lowercase character (V, v) that constitutes the twenty-second symbol in the Latin-based English alphabet, classified as a consonant. It represents a voiced labiodental fricative. It is distinguished from the voiceless 'f' only by the vibration of the vocal cords. Historically, the letters U and V were used interchangeably in classical Latin, with V representing the vowel sound, before the modern distinction emerged during the Middle Ages.

   Двадцать вторая буква английского алфавита

   • The word 'voice' begins with the letter V.
   • The letter V is never silent in English pronunciation.
   • In ancient Roman inscriptions, the letter V is carved as a U.
   • The NATO phonetic alphabet uses 'Victor' for the letter V.
   • The lowercase v is shaped like an angular valley.

2. The Roman numeral for 5A2formal

   The symbol V used in the Roman numeral system to represent the cardinal number five (quinque in Latin). It is a fundamental symbol for constructing numbers 4 (IV) through 8 (VIII). This notation is commonly seen on clock faces, in outlines, and in formal numbering of sequels, editions, and major events.

   Римская цифра 5

   • Super Bowl V took place in 1971.
   • Chapter V of the book deals with the French Revolution.
   • The number 4 on many clocks is written as IIII instead of IV.
   • Louis XIV is known as Louis the Fourteenth.
   • The Roman numeral V represents the Latin word for five.

3. An abbreviation for versusA2formallegal

   The letter 'v.' or 'vs.' used as the standard written abbreviation for the preposition 'versus', meaning 'against'. It is heavily employed in legal case names (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education) and sports competitions (e.g., Lakers vs. Celtics). It denotes opposition, comparison, or a contest between two parties.

   Против (сокращение)

   • The big game tonight is Manchester United vs. Chelsea.
   • The landmark court case is known as Roe v. Wade.
   • Who do you think will win in the finals? Team A vs. Team B?
   • The debate topic was 'Nature vs. Nurture'.
   • The legal citation reads 'Smith v. Jones, 1945'.

4. The symbol for volt in physicsB2formalscientific

   The uppercase letter V used as the standard international symbol for the volt, the SI derived unit of electrical potential, electrical potential difference, and electromotive force. One volt is defined as the potential difference across a conductor when a current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power. It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta.

   Вольт (единица напряжения)

   • The battery supplies a voltage of 9 V.
   • Household electricity in the US is nominally 120 V.
   • Ohm's Law states that V = I × R.
   • The lightning bolt carried millions of V.
   • He measured the output as 5 V of direct current.

5. The V-sign or symbol for victory and peaceB1informalpolitical

   A hand gesture formed by raising the index and middle fingers to form a V shape. The gesture has two distinct meanings depending on the orientation of the palm. With the palm facing outward, it symbolizes 'victory' (popularized by Winston Churchill during WWII) and later 'peace' (a symbol of the 1960s counterculture). With the palm facing inward, it is an offensive insult in the UK and some Commonwealth countries.

   Знак V (победа или мир)

   • The crowd flashed the V-sign for victory.
   • Hippies in the 60s often used the V gesture to mean peace.
   • He held up two fingers in a V behind the presenter's head as a joke.
   • Be careful using the V-sign in the UK, as the reversed version is an insult.
   • The photo showed soldiers making the V for victory.