From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishveinvein /veɪn/ ●●○ noun 1 [countable]HBM one of the tubes which carries blood to your heart from other parts of your body → artery the pulmonary vein She felt the blood racing through her veins as they kissed. → deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins2 HBP[countable]HBI one of the thin lines on a leaf or on an insect’s wing3 CF[countable] one of the thin lines on a piece of cheese or some types of stone4 [countable]HEG a thin layer of a valuable metal or mineral which is contained in rockvein of veins of gold5 → in a ... vein6 → a vein of humour/malice etc → deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins
Examples from the Corpus
vein• a vein of gold• The upper leaf surface is smooth and grass-green; the lower surface is lighter, a yellow-green, with distinct veins.• He turns red and his veins clog up at one end.• The face was smooth, the yellow skin as translucent as waxed paper, the veins clearly visible.Origin vein (1200-1300) Old French veine, from Latin vena