Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To wound (oneself) by biting at the breast. Used of the pelican, which was once believed to feed its young with its blood, as a heraldic motif and symbol of Christ.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To wound: in heraldry, especially said of the pelican, which is blazoned as vulning herself when represented as tearing her breast to feed her young. Compare
pelican in her piety , under pelican.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun computing, informal
vulnerability (a weakness in software etc. that can be maliciously exploited)
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word vuln.
Examples
-
IT Security is on my mind, I think I found a vuln in a common VLAN topology too, but I need to play around a bit more with it.
Great Freeway Sign Hack!!! « PurpleSlog – Awesomeness & Modesty Meets Sexy 2009
-
Or are you worried about that SSL Renegotiation vuln?
-
First we target site itself. if we can't find a vuln [vulnerability]. on the script of site we try accessing server or vps [virtual private server].
Interviewed: the Turkish hackers whose DNS attack hit the Telegraph 2011
-
Bailouts to big banks and shameless corporate greed have left us with a faltering economy, a weak job market and crumbling financial system that has made workers more vuln ...
Anna Burger: Change to Win: Mobilizing for a New American Dream 2009
-
Bailouts to big banks and shameless corporate greed have left us with a faltering economy, a weak job market and crumbling financial system that has made workers more vuln ...
Anna Burger: Change to Win: Mobilizing for a New American Dream 2009
-
But, we found in surveys, as soon as December of 2001, people saying well, maybe it's good that the Americans know what it's like to feel vuln -- be vulnerable.
-
Bridge hand of the day at pogo. both vuln, both with 60 on towards the rubber.
burnkryten Diary Entry burnkryten 2002
-
Joined up a game, both sides vuln, down 2000 points, just helping finish the game. figured nothing would go wrong ... but wait.
burnkryten Diary Entry burnkryten 2002
-
First we target site itself. if we cant find a vuln. on the script of site we try accessing server or vps.
The Guardian World News Charles Arthur 2011
-
One vuln was patched after Google was notified via its Chromium Security Reward program.
The Register 2010
sionnach commented on the word vuln
To wound (oneself) by biting at the breast. Used of the pelican, which was once believed to feed its young with its blood, as a heraldic motif and symbol of Christ.
A heraldry word, odd yet charming.
Time to start a heraldry list. As soon as I get done with an alchemy list... So many words, so little time.
October 18, 2007
trivet commented on the word vuln
Um....eeew!
October 18, 2007
reesetee commented on the word vuln
These days, they give birds anti-anxiety meds for that. ;-)
I've always loved that idea of the pelican symbolizing Christ. Odd, but fascinating.
October 18, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word vuln
This is one whacked-out verb!
Ooh, sionnach, do please start a heraldry list someday. I started a medieval heraldry list, but I don't feel like I ever gave it due attention. It feels half done--which is silly to say of a Wordie list (aren't they all half done?). I'd like to see what others come up with.
Anyone else with an interest in heraldry out there? *raises hand* The intersection of military history and art, that's what it is.
October 18, 2007
yarb commented on the word vuln
This shoots to #1 on my "to use in conversation or official reports" list. The trouble with these wonderful heraldry words is, they set their sights too low. I get the sense we can learn a lot from heraldry.
October 18, 2007
reesetee commented on the word vuln
Never thought of it that way, yarb, but that's true. And c_b, I have an interest, but it's mostly in the symbolism, less in the actual history (although that's also fascinating).
October 18, 2007
sionnach commented on the word vuln
Pelicans in their piety
Pelicans on the roof
August 13, 2009
smellie commented on the word vuln
Just for fun
February 21, 2010