Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - vein

n. & v. --n. 1 a any of the tubes by which blood is conveyed to the heart (cf. ARTERY). b (in general use) any blood-vessel (has royal blood in his veins). 2 a nervure of an insect's wing. 3 a slender bundle of tissue forming a rib in the framework of a leaf. 4 a streak or stripe of a different colour in wood, marble, cheese, etc. 5 a fissure in rock filled with ore or other deposited material. 6 a source of a particular characteristic (a rich vein of humour). 7 a distinctive character or tendency; a cast of mind or disposition; a mood (spoke in a sarcastic vein). --v.tr. fill or cover with or as with veins. Derivatives veinless n. veinlet n. veinlike adj. veiny adj. (veinier, veiniest). Etymology: ME f. OF veine f. L vena