Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/F Femerell



the sixth letter in the English and Latin alphabets—its sound called a labio-dental fricative, and formed by bringing the lower lip into contact with the upper teeth: (mus.) the fourth note of the natural diatonic scale of C: as a medieval Roman numeral=40; F =40,000.—The three F's, fair rent, fixity of tenure, and free sale.

Fa′, fä, v. and n. a Scotch form of fall.

Fa′ard, färd, adj. a Scotch form of favoured.

Fabaceous, fā-bā′shi-us, adj. bean-like. [L. faba, a bean.]

Fabian, fā′bi-an, adj. delaying, avoiding battle, cautious, practising the policy of delay.—n. a member of a small group of Socialists in England, called by this name. [From Q. Fabius Maximus, surnamed Cunctator ('delayer'), from the masterly tactics with which he wore out the strength of Hannibal, whom he dared not meet in battle.]

Fable, fā′bl, n. a narrative in which things irrational, and sometimes inanimate, are, for the purpose of moral instruction, feigned to act and speak with human interests and passions: any tale in literary form, not necessarily probable in its incidents, intended to instruct or amuse: the plot or series of events in an epic or dramatic poem: a fiction or myth: a ridiculous story, as in 'old wives' fables,' a falsehood: subject of common talk.—v.i. to tell fictitious tales: (obs.) to tell falsehoods.—v.t. to feign: to invent.—p.adj. ', mythical.—n. ', a writer or narrator of fictions.—adj. '.—v.i. ', to write fables, or to speak in fables.—ns. ', one who invents fables; ', '.—adj. ', feigned, false: related in fable: immense, amazing.—adv. . [Fr. fable—L. fabula, fāri, to speak.]

Fabliau, fab-li-ō′, n. one of a group of over a hundred metrical tales, usually satirical in quality, produced in France from about the middle of the 12th to the end of the 13th century:—pl. . [Fr.]

Fabric, fab′rik, or fā′brik, n. workmanship: texture: anything framed by art and labour: building, esp. the construction and maintenance of a church, &c.: manufactured cloth: any system of connected parts.—v.t. (Milt.) to construct.—n. , a manufacturer. [Fr. fabrique—L. fabrica—faber, a worker in hard materials.]

Fabricate, fab′ri-kāt, v.t. to put together by art and labour: to manufacture: to produce: to devise falsely.—n. ', construction: manufacture: that which is fabricated or invented: a story: a falsehood.—adj. '.—n. . [L. fabricāri, -ātus—fabrica, fabric.]

Façade, fa-sād′, n. the exterior front or face of a building. [Fr.,—face, after It. facciata, the front of a building—faccia, the face.]

Face, fās, n. the front part of the head, including forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and chin: the outside make or appearance: front or surface of anything: the edge of a cutting-tool, &c.: the part of a coal-seam actually being mined: cast of features, any special appearance or expression of the countenance: look, configuration: boldness, effrontery; presence: (B.) anger or favour.—v.t. to meet in the face or in front: to stand opposite to: to resist: to put an additional face or surface on; to cover in front.—v.i. to turn the face, as in military tactics—'right face,' &c.—ns. ', neuralgia in the nerves of the face; ', a playing-card bearing a face (king, queen, or knave); ', a cloth laid over the face of a corpse.—adj. Faced, having the outer surface dressed, with the front, as of a dress, covered ornamentally with another material.—n. ', a kind of mask to guard or protect the face.—adj. ', without a face.—ns. ', one who puts on a false show: a bold-faced person: (slang) a severe blow on the face, anything that staggers one; , a covering in front for ornament or protection.—Face down, to abash by stern looks; Face out, to carry off by bold looks; Face the music (U.S. slang), to accept the situation at its worst; Face-to-face, in front of, in actual presence of.—Accept one's face, to show him favour or grant his request; Fly in the face of, to set one's self directly against; Have two faces, or Be two-faced, to be disingenuous; On the face of it, on its own showing: palpably plain; Pull a long face, to look dismal and unhappy; Put a good face on, to assume a bold or contented bearing as regards; Right face! Left face! Right about face! words of command, on which the soldiers individually turn to the side specified; Run one's face (U.S. slang), to obtain things on credit by sheer impudence; Set one's face against, to oppose strenuously; Show one's face, to appear, to come in view; Shut the door in his face, to shut the door before him, refusing him admittance; To his face, in his presence, openly. [Fr. face—L. facies, form, face; perh. from facĕre, to make.]

Facet, fas′et, n. a small surface, as of a crystal.—v.t. to cut a facet upon, or cover with facets.—adj. , having or formed into facets. [Fr. facette, dim. of face.]

Facetious, fa-sē′shus, adj. witty, humorous, jocose: bawdy—(obs. or arch.) '.—n.pl. Facetiæ witty or humorous sayings or writings: a bookseller's term for improper books—of all degrees of indecency.—adv. '.—n. . [Fr., from L. facētia—facetus, merry, witty.]

Facial, fā′shal, adj. of or relating to the face.—adv. .—Facial angle, in craniometry, the angle formed by lines drawn to show to what extent the jaws are protruding and the forehead receding.

Facies, fā′shi-ēz, n. general aspect of anything: the face, features. [L.]

Facile, fas′il, adj. easily persuaded: affable: yielding: easy of access or accomplishment: courteous: easy.—n. '.—v.t. ', to make easy: to lessen difficulty.—ns. '; ', quality of being facile; dexterity: easiness to be persuaded: pliancy: easiness of access: affability: (Scots law) a condition of mental weakness short of idiocy, but such as makes a person easily persuaded to do deeds to his own prejudice:—pl. , means that render anything easily done. [Fr.,—L. facilis, easy—facĕre, to do.]

Facinorous, fa-sin′o-rus, adj. atrociously wicked.—n. . [L. facinorosus—facinus, a crime—facĕre, to do.]

Fac-simile, fak-sim′i-lē, n. an exact copy, as of handwriting, a coin, &c.—adj. exactly corresponding.—v.t. to make a fac-simile of, to reproduce.—n. . [L. fac, imper. of facĕre, to make, simile, neut. of similis, like.]

Fact, fakt, n. a deed or anything done: anything that comes to pass: reality, or a real state of things, as distinguished from a mere statement or belief, a datum of experience: truth: the assertion of a thing done: an evil deed, a sense now surviving only in 'to confess the fact,' 'after' or 'before the fact.'—adj. ', pertaining to facts: actual.—ns. '; , a thing done, a deed.—As a matter of fact, in reality.—The fact of the matter, the plain truth about the subject in question. [L. factum—facĕre, to make.]

Faction, fak′shun, n. a company of persons associated or acting together, mostly used in a bad sense: a contentious party in a state or society: dissension.—adj. '.—ns. ', a member of a faction; '.—adj. ', turbulent: disloyal.—adv. '.—n. '. [L. factionem—facĕre, to do.]

Factitious, fak-tish′us, adj. made by art, in opposition to what is natural or spontaneous: conventional.—adv. '.—n. '.—adjs. ', causative; ' (obs.), making. [L. factitius—facĕre, to make.]

Factor, fak′tor, n. a doer or transactor of business for another: one who buys and sells goods for others, on commission: (Scot.) an agent managing heritable estates for another: (math.) one of two or more parts, which, when multiplied together, result in a given number—e.g. 6 and 4 are factors of 24: an element in the composition of anything, or in bringing about a certain result.—ns. ', the fees or commission of a factor.—adj. ', of or pertaining to a factor.—v.t. ' (U.S.), to warn not to pay or give up goods: to attach the effects of a debtor in the hands of a third person.—ns. '; , a manufactory: a trading settlement in a distant country.—Judicial factor, a person appointed by the Court to manage the estate of a person under some incapacity. [L.,—facĕre.]

Factotum, fak-tō′tum, n. a person employed to do all kinds of work for another. [Low L.,—L. fac, imper. of facĕre, to do, totum, all.]

Facture, fak′tūr, n. the act or the result of making, workmanship.

Facula, fak′ū-la, n. a spot brighter than the rest of the surface, sometimes seen on the sun's disc:—pl. . [L., 'a torch,' dim. of fax, torch.]

Faculty, fak′ul-ti, n. facility or power to act: any particular ability or aptitude: an original power of the mind: any physical capability or function: personal quality or endowment: right, authority, or privilege to act: license: a department of learning at a university, or the professors constituting it: the members of a profession: executive ability.—adj. , optional: of or pertaining to a faculty.—Court of Faculties, a court established by Henry VIII., whereby authority is given to the Archbishop of Canterbury to grant dispensations and faculties. [Fr.,—L. facultatem—facilis, easy.]

Facundity, fa-kun′di-ti, n. (obs.) eloquence.

Fad, fad, n. a weak or transient hobby, crotchet, or craze: any unimportant belief or practice intemperately urged.—adjs. ', given to fads—also '.—ns. '; '; , one who is a slave to some fad. [Ety. dub.]

Fadaise, fa-dāz′, n. a trifling thought or expression. [Fr.]

Faddle, fad′l, v.i. (prov.) to trifle.—n. nonsense, trifling—usually in fiddle-faddle.

Fade, fād, v.i. to lose strength, freshness, or colour gradually: to vanish.—adj. insipid: weak.—adv. '.—adj. '.—adv. '.—n. ' (Shak.), the burden of a song.—adj. , wearing away. [O. Fr. fader—fade—L. vapidum, acc. to Gaston Paris.]

Fadge, faj, v.i. to agree: to succeed, turn out well. [Ety. dub.; not conn. with A.S. fégan, to join.]

Fæces, Feces, fē′sēz, n.pl. sediment after infusion or distillation: dregs: the solid excrements.—adj. , of or pertaining to fæces. [L., pl. of fæx, fæcis, grounds.]

Faerie, Faery, fā′ėr-i, n. (arch.) the world of fairies, fairyland: (obs.) a fairy. [A variant of fairy.]

Fag, fag, v.i. to become weary or tired out: to work hard: to be a fag.—v.t. to weary: to use as a fag:—pr.p. pa.p. fagged.—n. at Eton, Winchester, &c., a schoolboy forced to do menial offices for one older, who in turn protects him: a tiresome piece of work: drudgery.—ns. ', drudgery: fagging; ', laborious drudgery: a usage in virtue of which senior boys are authorised to exact a variety of services from the junior boys.—To fag out, to field, as a fag, in cricket. [Ety. dub.; perh. a corr. of flag, to droop, which see.]

Fag-end, fag′-end, n. the end of a web of cloth that hangs loose: the untwisted end of a rope: the refuse or meaner part of a thing.

Faggot, Fagot, fag′ut, n. a bundle of sticks for fuel, fascines, &c.: a stick: anything like a faggot: a bundle of pieces of iron or steel cut off into suitable lengths for welding: a soldier numbered on the muster-roll, but not really existing: a voter who has obtained his vote expressly for party purposes, on a spurious or sham qualification.—adj. got up for a purpose, as in 'Faggot vote.'—v.t. to tie together.—ns. ', ', a kind of embroidery in which some of the cross-threads are drawn together in the middle. [Fr. fagot, a bundle of sticks, perh. from L. fax, a torch.]

Fagotto, fag-ot′o, n. a bassoon.—n. , one who plays on the bassoon. [It.]

Fahlerz, fäl′erts, n. gray copper, or gray copper ore. [Ger.]

Fahrenheit, fä′ren-hīt, or far′en-īt, n. the name applied to a thermometer, the freezing-point of which is marked at 32, and the boiling-point at 212 degrees (see Thermometer for the relations between the two scales). [Named from the inventor, Gabriel D. Fahrenheit (1686-1736).]

Faience, fā′yäns, n. a fine kind of pottery, glazed and painted. [Fr.; prob. from Faenza in Italy.]

Faik, fāk, v.i. and v.t. (Scot.) to abate: to excuse.

Fail, fāl, n. a turf, sod.—n.  (Scot.), a turf-wall. [Perh. from Gael. fàl, a sod.]

Fail, fāl, v.i. to fall short or be wanting (with in): to fall away: to decay: to die: to prove deficient under trial, examination, pressure, &c.: to miss: to be disappointed or baffled: to be unable to pay one's debts.—v.t. to be wanting to: not to be sufficient for: to leave undone, omit: to disappoint or desert any one:—pr.p. pa.p. failed.—n. (Shak.) failure.—p.adj. Failed, decayed, worn out: bankrupt.—n. ', a fault, weakness: a foible.—prep. in default of.—n. ', a falling short, or cessation: omission: decay: bankruptcy.—Fail of, to come short of accomplishing any purpose; Without fail, infallibly. [O. Fr. faillir—L. fallĕre, to deceive; cf. Dut. feilen, Ger. fehlen, Ice. feila.]

Fain, fān, adj. glad or joyful: inclined (with to): content to accept, for want of better: compelled: (Spens.) wont.—v.i. (Spens.) to delight.—adv. gladly.—adv. ', gladly.—n. ', eagerness. [A.S. fægen, joyful: cf. Ice. feginn, glad.]

Fain, fān, v.i. (Spens.). Same as Feign.

Fainéant, fā-nyang′, adj. and n. do-nothing, applied esp. to the later Merovingian kings of France, mere puppets, under whom the mayors of the Palace really governed the country.—ns. ' (Kingsley), ', . [Fr., faire, to do, néant, nothing.]

Faint, fānt, adj. wanting in strength: fading: lacking distinctness: not bright or forcible: weak in spirit: lacking courage: depressed: done in a feeble way.—v.i. to become feeble or weak: to lose strength, colour, &c.: to swoon: to fade or decay: to vanish: to lose courage or spirit: to become depressed.—v.t. (rare) to render faint.—n. a swoon.—p.adj. ' (Milt.), exhausted.—adjs. ', ', cowardly: timorous.—adv. '.—ns. '; '.—adj. ', slightly faint.—n. '.—adv. '.—n. ', want of strength: feebleness of colour, light, &c.: dejection.—adj. , faintish. [O. Fr. feint (Fr. feindre), feigned—L. fingĕre, to feign.]

Fair, fār, adj. bright: clear: free from blemish: pure: pleasing to the eye: beautiful: free from a dark hue: of a light shade: free from clouds or rain: favourable: unobstructed: open: prosperous: frank: impartial: just: pleasing: plausible: hopeful: moderate: pretty good.—n. that which is fair: (arch.) a woman.—v.t. to make fair.—v.i. to clear up, as the weather from rain.—adv. kindly, honestly, clearly: straight: (Shak.) favourably.—adjs. ', honest—also used adverbially; ' (Shak.), auspicious.—n. ', the state of a document copied after final correction.—adjs. ', with a light complexion: beautiful: specious; ', having fair or light-coloured hair; ', having a fair appearance; ', somewhat fair: pretty well, pretty drunk.—adv. '.—adj. ', judging fairly.—ns. '; ', honest dealing: justice.—adjs. ', appearing fair; ', bland and civil in language and address.—ns. ', free-trade: a euphemism for smuggling: a mild form of the protective system, in which the basis of economic policy is supposed to be reciprocity or free-trade only with such nations as grant similar privileges—also used adverbially; , the part of a river, roadstead, &c. by which vessels enter or leave.—adj. , suitable only for fair weather or favourable circumstances.—Be in a fair way to, to be likely to succeed in; Keep fair with, to keep on amiable terms with; Stand fair with, to be in the good graces of.—The fair, The fair sex, the female sex. [A.S. fæger.]

Fair, fār, n. a great periodical market for one kind of merchandise, or for the general sales and purchases of a district: a collection of miscellaneous goods for sale on behoof of charity at a bazaar, &c.—n. , a present given at a fair, any complimentary gift.—A day after the fair, too late; Get one's fairing (Scot.), to get one's deserts. [O. Fr. feire—L. feria, holiday.]

Fairy, fār′i, n. an imaginary being, generally of diminutive and graceful human form, capable of kindly or unkindly acts towards man: fairy-folk collectively: an enchantress, or creature of overpowering charm.—adj. like a fairy, fanciful, whimsical, delicate.—adv. '.—n.pl. ', the separate joints of the stems of fossil crinoids found in carboniferous limestone.—ns. ', a name applied in northern England to certain gelatinous fungi; '; ', '; ', the country of the fairies.—adj. ', like or acting like fairies.—n. ', money given by fairies, which quickly changes into withered leaves, &c.: money found.—ns.pl. ', ', spots or circles in pastures, either barer than the rest of the field, or greener—due to the outwardly spreading growth of various fungi.—ns. ', a fossil echinite found abundantly in chalk-pits; , a story about fairies: an incredible tale. [O. Fr. faerie, enchantment—fae (mod. fée). See Fay.]

Faith, fāth, n. trust or confidence in any person: belief in the statement of another: belief in the truth of revealed religion: confidence and trust in God: the living reception by the heart of the truth as it is in Christ: that which is believed: any system of religious belief, esp. the religion one considers true—'the faith;' fidelity to promises: honesty: word or honour pledged.—adjs. Faithed (Shak.), credited; ', full of faith, believing: firm in adherence to promises, duty, allegiance, &c.: loyal: conformable to truth: worthy of belief: true.—adv. ', sincerely, truthfully, exactly.—ns. '; ', a system of belief based on James, v. 14, that sickness may be treated without any medical advice or appliances, if the prayer of Christians be accompanied in the sufferer by true faith.—adj. ', without faith or belief: not believing, esp. in God or Christianity: not adhering to promises, allegiance, or duty: delusive.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', trustworthiness.—adj. , worthy of faith or belief.—Bad faith, treachery.—Father of the faithful, Abraham: the caliph.—In good faith, with sincerity.—The Faithful, believers. [M. E. feith, feyth—O. Fr. feid—L. fides—fidĕre, to trust.]

Faitor, fā′tor, n. an impostor: an evil-doer, a scoundrel.—Often . [O. Fr. faitor—L. factor.]

Fake, fāk, v.t. to fold, coil.—n. a coil of rope, &c.

Fake, fāk, v.t. to steal: to make up an article so as to hide its defects.—n. , any swindling device. [Prof. Skeat thinks it merely the Mid. Dut. facken, to catch; Mr Bradley suggests the earlier feak, feague, Ger. fegen, to furbish up.]

Fakir, fa-kēr′, or fā′kėr, n. a member of a religious order of mendicants or penitents in India, &c.—n. , religious mendicancy. [Ar. faqîr, a poor man, fakr, faqr, poverty.]

Fa-la, fä-lä, n. an old kind of madrigal.

Falbala, fal′ba-la, n. a trimming for women's petticoats: a furbelow. [Ety. dub.; cf. furbelow.]

Falcade, fal′kād′, n. the motion of a horse when he throws himself on his haunches in a very quick curvet. [Fr.,—L. fulcatus, bent.]

Falcate, -d, fal′kāt, -ed, adj. (astron., bot.) bent like a sickle, as the crescent moon, and certain leaves.—ns. '; ', a falcate or falciform claw.—adj. . [L. falx, a sickle.]

Falchion, fawl′shun, n. a short, broad sword, bent somewhat like a sickle.—adj. , sickle-shaped. [O. Fr. fauchon, through Low L., from L. falx, a sickle.]

Falcon, fol′kon, or faw′kn, n. a bird of prey formerly trained to the pursuit of game: a kind of cannon.—ns. ', one who sports with, or who breeds and trains, falcons or hawks for taking wild-fowl; ', a small field-gun in use till the 16th century.—adj. ', keen-eyed.—ns. ', ', the female and young of the goshawk.—adj. '.—n. , the art of training or hunting with falcons. [O. Fr. faucon—Low L. falcōn-em—L. falx, a hook or sickle.]

Faldage, fal′dāj, n. the right, often reserved by the lord of a manor, of folding his tenant's sheep in his own fields for the sake of the manure: a fee paid for exemption from the foregoing.

Falderal, fäl′der-al, n. a meaningless refrain in songs: any kind of flimsy trifle—also  and Fal de rol.—Falderal it, to sing unmeaning sounds.

Faldetta, fal-det′a, n. a Maltese woman's combined hood and cape. [It.]

Faldstool, fawld′stōōl, n. a folding or camp stool: a kind of stool for the king at his coronation: a bishop's armless seat: a small desk in churches in England, at which the litany should be sung or said.—n. , a bishop's seat within the chancel. [Low L. faldistolium—Old High Ger. faldan (Ger. falten), to fold, stuol (Ger. stuhl), stool.]

Falernian, fa-ler′ni-an, adj. pertaining to a district (Falernus ager) in Campania, famous of old for its wine.—n. , a modern sweet white wine, produced near Naples.

Fall, fawl, v.i. to drop down: to descend by the force of gravity: to become prostrate: (of a river) to discharge itself: to slope down: to sink as if dead: to vanish: to die away: to lose strength, subside: to decline in power, wealth, value, or reputation: to be overthrown: to be compelled to yield: to become downcast: to sink into sin, to yield to temptation: to depart from the faith: to become dejected: to pass gently into any state, as 'to fall in love,' 'to fall asleep:' to befall: to issue, occur: to enter upon with haste or vehemence: to rush: to be dropped in birth: to be required or necessary: to fall away:—pr.p. pa.t. fell; pa.p. fallen —n. the act of falling, in any of its senses: descent by gravity, a dropping down: that which falls—a trap-door, &c.: as much as comes down at one time, as 'a fall of snow,' &c.: overthrow: death: descent from a better to a worse position: slope or declivity: descent of water: a cascade: length of a fall: outlet of a river: decrease in value: a sinking of the voice: the time when the leaves fall, autumn: a bout at wrestling: the yielding of a city or stronghold to the enemy: that which falls: a lapse into sin, esp. that of Adam and Eve, called 'the Fall:' a kind of collar worn in the 17th century.—adj. ', in a degraded state, ruined.—ns. ', that which falls; ' (see Band); ', epilepsy; ', a meteor; ', a portion of an exploded meteor; ', a medicine compounded of certain aromatic and astringent Swiss plants, of repute for accidents; ', a trap which operates by falling.—Fall-a, to begin; Fall across, to meet by chance; Fall among, to come into the midst of; Fall away, to decline gradually, to languish: to grow lean: to revolt or apostatise; Fall back, to retreat, give way; Fall back, fall edge, no matter what may happen; Fall back upon, to have recourse to some expedient or resource in reserve; Fall behind, to slacken, to be outstripped; Fall flat, to fail completely, as a shopman in attracting attention or purchasers, a new book, &c.; Fall foul, to come in collision: to quarrel (with of); Fall in (with), to concur or agree: to comply: to place themselves in order, as soldiers; Fall off, to separate or be broken: to die away, to perish: to revolt or apostatise; Fall on, to begin eagerly: to make an attack: to meet; Fall on one's feet, to come well out of a difficulty, to gain any unexpected good fortune; Fall out, to quarrel: to happen or befall; Fall over (Shak.), to go over to the enemy; Fall short, to be deficient (with of); Fall through, to fail, come to nothing; Fall to, to begin hastily and eagerly: to apply one's self to; Fall upon, to attack: to attempt: to rush against.—Try a fall, to take a bout at wrestling. [A.S. feallan; Ger. fallen; prob. conn. with L. fallĕre, to deceive.]

Fall, fawl, n. the cry given when a whale is sighted, or harpooned: the chase of a whale.—Loose fall, the losing of a whale. [Prob. from the north-eastern Scotch pronunciation of whale.]

Fallacy, fal′a-si, n. something fallacious: deceptive appearance: an apparently genuine but really illogical argument: (obs.) deception.—adj. ', calculated to deceive or mislead: not well founded: causing disappointment: delusive.—adv. '.—n. . [O. Fr. fallace, deceit—L. fallacia, from fallax, deceptive—fallĕre, to deceive.]

Fallal, fal′lal′, or fal-lal′, n. a piece of ribbon worn as a streamer, any trifling ornament.—adj. foppish, trifling.—n. '.—adv. '.

Fallible, fal′i-bl, adj. liable to error or mistake.—n. ', liability to err.—adv. '. [Fr.,—Low L. fallibilis, from fallĕre, to deceive.]

Fallopian, fal-lō′pi-an, adj. denoting two tubes or ducts through which the ova pass from the ovary to the uterus in the human subject. [So called because supposed to have been discovered by the Italian anatomist Fallopius (1523-62).]

Fallow, fal′ō, adj. left untilled or unsowed for a time.—n. land that has lain a year or more untilled or unsown after having been ploughed.—v.t. to plough land without seeding it.—ns. , state of being fallow or untilled; Green , fallow where land is cleaned by a green crop, as turnips. [Ety. dub.; prob. an assumed A.S. fealgian, that may be confounded with the following word, from the reddish colour of unsown land.]

Fallow, fal′ō, adj. of a brownish-yellow colour.—ns. ', ', the wheatear or stonechat; , a yellowish-brown deer smaller than the red-deer, with broad flat antlers. [A.S. falu; cf. Ger. fahl, Ice. folr.]

False, fawls, adj. deceptive or deceiving: untruthful: unfaithful to obligations: untrue: not genuine or real, counterfeit: hypocritical: not well founded, or not according to rule: artificial, as opposed to natural, of teeth, &c.—adv. incorrectly: faithlessly.—n. (Shak.) falsehood: untruth.—v.t. (Shak.) to betray.—ns. False conception, a uterine growth consisting of some degenerate mass instead of a fœtus; ', a mask.—adjs. ' (Shak.), hypocritical; ', treacherous, deceitful.—n. ', state or quality of being false: want of truth: want of honesty: deceitfulness: false appearance: an untrue statement: a lie.—adv. '.—ns. '; ' (Spens.), a deceiver, a liar.—adjs. ', deceptive; ', somewhat false.—ns. ', a self-evident falsity; , quality of being false: a false assertion.—Play one false, to act falsely or treacherously to a person; Put in a false position, to bring any one into a position in which he must be misunderstood. [O. Fr. fals (mod. faux)—L. falsus, pa.p. of fallĕre, to deceive.]

Falsetto, fawl-set′o, n. a forced voice of a range or register above the natural, the head voice. [It. falsetto, dim. of falso, false.]

Falsify, fawls′i-fī, v.t. to forge or counterfeit: to prove untrustworthy: to break by falsehood:—pr.p. pa.p. —adj. ', capable of being falsified.—ns. ', the act of making false: the giving to a thing the appearance of something which it is not; , one who falsifies. [Fr.,—Low L. falsificăre—L. falsus, false, facĕre, to make.]

Falstaffian, fal′staf-i-an, adj. like Shakespeare's Falstaff—corpulent, jovial, humorous, and dissolute.

Falter, fawl′tėr, v.i. to stumble: to fail or stammer in speech: to tremble or totter: to be feeble or irresolute.—n. any unsteadiness.—n. ', feebleness, deficiency.—adv. ', in a faltering or hesitating manner. [Prob. a freq. of falden, fold. The conn. with fault, in which the l is late, is untenable.]

Falx, falks, n. a sickle-shaped part or process, as of the dura mater of the skull: a chelicera: a poison-fang of a snake: a rotula of a sea-urchin:—pl. Falces [L., a sickle.]

Famble, fam′bl, n. (slang) the hand—also Fam.—v.t. to feel or handle. [Der. obscure; perh. from the obs. verb famble, in its probable original sense, 'to grope, fumble.']

Fame, fām, n. public report or rumour: renown or celebrity, chiefly in good sense.—v.t. to report: to make famous.—n. ', report, rumour, fame.—adjs. Famed, renowned; ', without renown.—Fama clamosa (Scot.), any notorious rumour ascribing immoral conduct to a minister or office-bearer in a church.—House of ill fame, a brothel. [Fr.,—L. fama, from fāri, to speak; cog. with Gr. phēmē, from phanai, to say.]

Familiar, fa-mil′yar, adj. well acquainted or intimate: showing the manner of an intimate: free: unceremonious: having a thorough knowledge of: well known or understood: private, domestic: common, plain.—n. one well or long acquainted: a spirit or demon supposed to attend an individual at call: a member of a pope's or bishop's household: the officer of the Inquisition who arrested the suspected.—v.t. ', to make thoroughly acquainted: to accustom: to make easy by practice or study.—n. ', intimate acquaintanceship: freedom from constraint: any unusual or unwarrantable freedom in act or speech toward another, acts of license—usually in pl.—adv. . [O. Fr. familier—L. familiaris, from familia, a family.]

Family, fam′i-li, n. the household, or all those who live in one house under one head, including parents, children, servants: the children of a person: the descendants of one common progenitor: race: honourable or noble descent: a group of animals, plants, languages, &c. more comprehensive than a genus.—ns. ', the family feeling; ', one of the 16th-cent. mystical sect known as the Family of Love, which based religion upon love independently of faith.—Family Bible, a large Bible for family worship, with a page for recording family events; Family coach, a large carriage able to carry a whole family; Family man, a man with a family: a domesticated man.—Be in the family way, to be pregnant; In a family way, in a domestic manner. [L. familia—famulus, a servant.]

Famine, fam′in, n. general scarcity of food: extreme scarcity of anything, as in 'famine prices,' &c.: hunger: starvation. [Fr., through an unrecorded Low L. famina, from L. fames, hunger.]

Famish, fam′ish, v.t. to starve.—v.i. to die or suffer extreme hunger or thirst.—n. , starvation. [Obs. fame, to starve—L. fames, hunger.]

Famous, fā′mus, adj. renowned: noted.—v.t. to make famous.—adv. '.—n. '. [O. Fr.,—L. famosus—fama.]

Famulus, fam′ū-lus, n. a private secretary or factotum: an attendant, esp. on a magician or scholar.—n. , a collegian of inferior position (Dr Murray doubts the word). [L. famulus, a servant.]



Fan, fan, n. an instrument for winnowing grain: a broad, flat instrument used by ladies to cool themselves: a wing: a small sail to keep a windmill to the wind: the agitation of the air caused by a fan.—v.t. to cool with a fan: to winnow: to ventilate: to remove by waving a fan:—pr.p. pa.p. fanned.—ns. ', in ironworks the blast produced by a fan, as distinguished from that produced by a blowing-engine; ', the mole-cricket, fen-cricket, or churr-worm.—adj. ', in entomology, having a fan-like arrangement of the nervures or veins of the wings.—ns. ', a window resembling in form an open fan; ', a machine with revolving fans, used for winnowing grain, &c.; ', a species of palm 60 or 70 feet high, with fan-shaped leaves, used for umbrellas, tents, &c.; ', an artificial fan-tailed variety of the domestic pigeon; ' (archit.), tracery rising from a capital or a corbel, and diverging like the folds of a fan over the surface of a vault; , a wheel with fans on its rim for producing a current of air. [A.S. fann, from L. vannus, a fan; cf. Fr. van.]

Fanal, fā′nal, n. (arch.) a lighthouse, a beacon. [Fr.,—Gr. phanos, a lantern, phainein, to show.]

Fanatic, fa-nat′ik, adj. extravagantly or unreasonably zealous, esp. in religion: excessively enthusiastic.—n. a person frantically or excessively enthusiastic, esp. on religious subjects.—adj. ', fanatic, (Shak.) extravagant.—adv. '.—v.t. ', to make fanatical.—v.i. to act as a fanatic.—n. ', wild and excessive religious enthusiasm. [Fr.,—L. fanaticus, belonging to a temple, inspired by a god, fanum, a temple.]

Fancy, fan′si, n. that faculty of the mind by which it recalls, represents, or makes to appear past images or impressions: an image or representation thus formed in the mind: an unreasonable or capricious opinion: a whim: capricious inclination or liking: taste: (Shak.) love.—adj. pleasing to, or guided by, fancy or caprice: elegant or ornamental.—v.t. to portray in the mind: to imagine: to have a fancy or liking for: to be pleased with: to breed animals:—pr.p. pa.p. —p.adj. ', formed or conceived by the fancy: imagined.—n. ', one who has a special liking for anything, or who keeps a special article for sale: one who is governed by fancy.—adj. ', guided or created by fancy: imaginative: whimsical: wild.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', destitute of fancy.—ns. ', a ball at which fancy-dresses in various characters are worn; ', dress arranged according to the wearer's fancy, to represent some character in history or fiction; ', a special sale of fancy articles for some charitable purpose.—adj. ' (Shak.), free from the power of love.—n.pl. ', fabrics of variegated rather than simple pattern, applied generally to articles of show and ornament.—n. ' (Shak.), one who deals in tricks of imagination.—adj. ' (Shak.), of distempered mind, love-sick.—ns. ', a more intricate and decorative stitch than plain-stitch; ' (billiards), an unusual stroke, or one made to show off one's skill; ', ornamental needlework.—The fancy, sporting characters generally, esp. pugilists: pugilism. [Contracted from fantasy.]

Fand, fand (Spens.), pa.t. of Find.

Fand, fand, Fond, fond, v.i. (Spens.) to try, attempt. [A.S. fandian.]

Fandango, fan-dan′go, n. an old Spanish dance for two, in ¾ time, with castanets, proceeding gradually from a slow and uniform to the liveliest motion: a gathering for dancing, a ball. [Sp.]

Fane, fān, n. (obs.) a flag: weathercock. [Vane.]

Fane, fān, n. a temple. [L. fanum.]

Fanfare, fan-fār′, n. a flourish of trumpets or bugles—also '.—ns. ', one who uses bravado: a blusterer, braggart; , vain boasting: bluster: ostentation.—v.i. to bluster. [Fr. fanfare, perh. from the sound.]

Fang, fang, n. the tooth of a ravenous beast: a claw or talon: the venom-tooth of a serpent: (Shak.) a grip, catch.—v.t. (obs.) to seize upon, catch.—adjs. Fanged, having fangs, clutches, or anything resembling them; , having no fangs or tusks: toothless.—Lose the fang (of a pump), to be dry, to have no water (Scot.). [A.S. fang, from fón, to seize; Ger. fangen, to catch, Dut. vangen.]

Fangle, fang′gl, n. (Milt.) fancy.—adj. ' (obs. save in newfangled, q.v.), newly made, new-fashioned: showy, gaudy.—n. '.

Fanion, fan′yun, n. a small marking-flag used at a station in surveying. [O. Fr.,—Low L. fano.]

Fannel, fan′el, n. a vexillum or banner.

Fanon, fan′on, n. a cloth for handling the holy vessels or the offertory bread: a maniple or napkin used by the celebrant at mass: an orale: a fannel: one of the lappets of a mitre: (surg.) a fold of linen laid under a splint. [O. Fr.]

Fantasia, fan-tä′zi-a, n. a musical composition, not governed by the ordinary musical rules. [It., from Gr. phantasia. See Fancy.]

Fantasy, Phantasy, fan′ta-si, n. fancy: imagination: mental image: love: whim, caprice.—v.t. to fancy, conceive mentally.—adj. ', filled with fancies.—n. ' (same as Phantasm).—adj. ', fantastic.—ns. ', a person of fantastic ideas; ', one who is fantastical.—adjs. ', ', fanciful: not real: capricious: whimsical: wild.—adv. '.—n. '.—v.t. and v.i. '.—ns. '; ' (Shak.), a fantastic. [O. Fr.,—Low L. phantasticus—Gr. phantastikos, phantazein, to make visible. Fancy is a doublet.]

Fantoccini, fan-to-chē′nē, n.pl. puppets worked by machinery: dramatic performances by puppets. [It., pl. of fantoccino, dim. of fantoccio, a puppet—fante, a boy.]

Fantom, fan′tom, n. Same as Phantom.

Fap, fap, adj. (Shak.) fuddled, drunk.

Faquir, fak-ēr′, n. Same as Fakir.

Far, fär, adj. remote: more distant of two: remote from or contrary to purpose or design.—adv. to a great distance in time, space, or proportion: remotely: considerably or in great part: very much: to a great height: to a certain point, degree, or distance.—v.t. (prov.) to remove to a distance.—adjs. ', distant: abstracted, absent-minded; ', fetched or brought from a remote place: forced, unnatural—(obs.) '.—advs. ' (Spens.), very far; ', most distant or remote.—n. ', the state of being far: remoteness, distance.—adj. and adv. ', distant.—adjs. ', exerting influence to a great distance and for a long time; ', seeing to a great distance: having defective eyesight for near objects; ', sought for at a distance; , far advanced.—Far and away, by a great deal; By far, in a very great degree; I'll see you far (or farther) first, I will not do it by any means; In so far as, to the extent that. [A.S. feor; Dut. ver; Ice. fiarre; Ger. fern.]

Far, fär, n. (prov.) a litter of pigs.

Farad, far′ad, n. the name of the practical unit of electrical capacity—the capacity of a conductor which when raised to a potential of one volt has a charge of one coulomb.—adj. '.—n. '.—v.t. '.—ns. '; , the millionth part of a farad. [From Michael Faraday (1791-1867).]

Farand, Farrand, far′and, adj. (Scot.) having a certain favour or appearance, esp. in such compound forms as auld-farand, old-fashioned; ill-faured, ill-favoured, &c. [M. E. farand, comely. Origin obscure; most prob. the verb fare (q.v.).]

Farce, färs, n. a style of comedy marked by low humour and extravagant wit: ridiculous or empty show.—n. ', a joker.—adj. '.—n. ', farcical quality.—adv. '.—v.t. , to turn into a farce. [Fr. farce, stuffing, from L. farcīre, to stuff, applied, acc. to H. Bradley, to words put between Kyrie and Eleison in religious services, then to the interpolated gag in a religious play, next a buffoon performance.]

Farce, färs, v.t. to cram: to stuff, fill with stuffing: (Shak.) to swell out.—n. , stuffing. [O. Fr. farsir—L. farcīre, to cram.]

Farcy, fär′si, n. a disease of horses like glanders—(obs.) '.—adj. '.—n. , a swollen lymphatic gland, as in farcy. [Fr. farcin—Low L. farciminum.]

Fard, färd, n. white paint for the face.—v.t. to paint with such, to embellish. [Fr., of Teut. origin, Old High Ger. farwjan, to colour.]

Fardage, fär′dāj, n. (naut.) loose wood or other material stowed among the cargo to keep it from shifting, or put under it to keep it above the bilge. [Fr.]

Fardel, fär′del, n. a pack: anything cumbersome or irksome.—adj. , constipated, esp. of cattle and sheep, by the retention of food in the third stomach. [O. Fr. fardel (Fr. fardeau), dim. of farde, a burden—Ar. fardah, a package (Devic).]

Farding-bag, fär′ding-bag, n. the first stomach of a cow or other ruminant.

Fare, fār, v.i. to get on or succeed: to happen well or ill to: to be in any particular state, to be, to go on: to feed.—n. the price of passage—(orig.) a course or passage: those conveyed in a carriage: food or provisions for the table.—interj. , may you fare well! a wish for safety or success.—n. well-wishing at parting: the act of departure.—adj. parting: final. [A.S. faran; Ger. fahren.]

Farina, fa-rī′na, or fa-rē′na, n. ground corn: meal: starch: pollen of plants.—adjs. ', mealy; ', yielding farina. [L.,—far.]

Farl, färl, n. (Scot.) the quarter of a round cake of flour or oatmeal. [Fardel, a fourth part.]

Farm, färm, n. land let or rented for cultivation or pasturage, with the necessary buildings: (Spens.) habitation: (Shak.) a lease.—v.t. to let out as lands to a tenant: to take on lease: to grant certain rights in return for a portion of what they yield, as to farm the taxes: to cultivate, as land.—adj. '.—ns. '; ', one who farms or cultivates land: the tenant of a farm: one who collects taxes, &c., for a certain rate per cent.:—fem. '; ', the business of a farmer.—n.pl. ', the name given before the French Revolution to the members of a privileged association in France, who leased the public revenues of the nation.—ns. ', the buildings of a farm; ', a house attached to a farm in which the farmer lives; ', the business of cultivating land; '.—n.pl. ', the offices or outbuildings on a farm.—ns. ', a farm with the buildings belonging to it; , the yard or enclosure surrounded by the farm buildings. [A.S. feorm, goods, entertainment, from Low L. firma—L. firmus, firm. The Low L. firma meant a fixed payment, also a signature (whence our 'firm' in business); from 'rent' farm passed to 'lease,' then to 'a tract of land held on lease.' Farm is therefore a doublet of firm.]

Faro, fār′o, n. a game of chance played by betting on the order in which certain cards will appear when taken singly from the top of the pack. [Perh. from King Pharaoh on one of the cards.]

Farrago, far-rā′gō, n. a confused mass.—adj. , miscellaneous, jumbled. [L., far, grain.]

Farrier, far′i-ėr, n. one who shoes horses: one who cures the diseases of horses.—n. , the art of curing the diseases of cattle. [O. Fr. ferrier, through Low L. ferrarius, from L. ferrum, iron.]

Farrow, far′ō, n. a litter of pigs.—v.i. or v.t. to bring forth pigs. [A.S. fearh, a pig; Ger. ferkel.]

Farrow, far′rō, adj. not producing young in a particular season, said of cows. [Ety. dub.; with farrow cow cf. Flem. verwekoe, varwekoe.]

Farse, färs, n. an explanation of the Latin epistle in the vernacular.—v.t. to extend by interpolation.

Fart, fart, v.i. to break wind.—n. a noisy expulsion of wind. [A.S. feortan; Ger. farzen.]

Farther, fär′thėr, adj. (comp. of Far) more far or distant: tending to a greater distance: longer: additional.—adv. at or to a greater distance; more remotely: beyond: moreover.—adjs. and advs. ', furthermore; ', furthermost.—adj. Farthest (superl. of Far), most far, distant, or remote.—adv. at or to the greatest distance. [A rather recent form, comp. of far, the euphonic th being inserted from the analogy of further.]

Farthing, fär′thing, n. the fourth of a penny: anything very small: (B.) the rendering for two names of coins, one the fourth part of the other—assarion, used as the Gr. equivalent of the L. as, and kodrantes (L. quadrans), a coin equivalent to two lepta.—n. . [A.S. féorthing, a fourth part—féortha, fourth, and dim. -ing, or -ling.]

Farthingale, fär′thing-gāl, n. a kind of crinoline of whalebone for distending women's dress. [O. Fr. verdugale—Sp. verdugado, hooped, verdugo, rod.]

Fasces, fas′ēz, n.pl. a bundle of rods with an axe in the middle, borne before the ancient Roman principal magistrates. [L. fascis, a bundle.]

Fascia, fash′i-a, n. (archit.) a flat space or band between mouldings: (anat.) a layer of condensed connective tissue between some muscle and any other tissue.—adjs. '; '.—n.  (bot.), a form of monstrosity by the flattening of a single stem, or the lateral union of several stems. [L.]

Fascicle, fas′i-kl, n. a little bundle: (bot.) a close cluster, the flowers crowded together, as in the sweet-william—also '.—adjs. ', ', ', ', united as in a bundle.—n. ', a fascicle: a part of a book issued in parts. [L. fasciculus, dim. of fascis, a bundle.]

Fascinate, fas′i-nāt, v.t. to control by the glance: to charm: to captivate: to enchant, esp. by the evil eye.—adj. ', charming, delightful.—n. ', the act of charming: power to harm by looks or spells: mysterious attractive power exerted by a man's words or manner: irresistible power of alluring: state of being fascinated. [L. fascināre, -ātum; perh. allied to Gr. baskainein, to bewitch.]

Fascine, fas-sēn′, n. (fort.) a brushwood faggot bound together with wire, yarn, or withes, used to fill ditches, &c. [Fr.,—L. fascina—fascis, a bundle.]

Fash, fash, v.t. (Scot.) to trouble, annoy.—v.i. to be vexed at, to take trouble or pains.—n. pains, trouble.—adj. ', troublesome, vexatious.—ns. ', . [O. Fr. fascher (Fr. fâcher)—L. fastidium, fastidiosus, fastidious.]

Fashion, fash′un, n. the make or cut of a thing: form or pattern: prevailing mode or shape of dress: a prevailing custom: manner: genteel society: appearance.—v.t. to make: to mould according to a pattern: to suit or adapt.—adj. ', made according to prevailing fashion: prevailing or in use at any period: observant of the fashion in dress or living: moving in high society: patronised by people of fashion.—n. a person of fashion.—n. '.—adv. '.—ns. '; '.—adjs. ',  (Shak.), behaving like a fop.—After, or In, a fashion, in a way: to a certain extent; In the fashion, in accordance with the prevailing style of dress, &c.—opp. to Out of fashion. [O. Fr. fachon—L. faction-em—facĕre, to make.]

Fast, fast, adj. firm: fixed: steadfast: fortified: (of sleep) sound (Shak.).—adv. firmly, unflinchingly: soundly or sound (asleep): quickly: close, near.—n. Fast-and-loose, the name of a cheating game practised at fairs—called also Prick-the-garter.—adj. ', close-fisted.—adv. ' (Shak.), firmly.—n. , fixedness: a stronghold, fortress, castle.—Fast by, close to.—Play fast and loose (from the foregoing), to be unreliable, to say one thing and do another; Hard-and-fast (see Hard). [A.S. fæst; Ger. fest.]

Fast, fast, adj. quick: rapid: rash: dissipated.—adv. swiftly: in rapid succession: extravagantly.—adj. , somewhat fast. [A special use of fast, firm, derived from the Scand., in the sense of urgent.]

Fast, fast, v.i. to keep from food: to go hungry: to abstain from food in whole or part, as a religious duty.—n. abstinence from food: special abstinence enjoined by the church: the day or time of fasting.—ns. ', a day of religious fasting: (Scot.) a day for humiliation and prayer, esp. before celebrations of the Lord's Supper; ', short for Fastens-eve (Scot. Fasten-e'en and Fastern's-e'en), Fastens Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday; ', one who fasts: ', religious abstinence. [A.S. fæstan, to fast; Ger. fasten, to keep: perh. allied with fast, firm, in the sense of making strict.]

Fasten, fas′n, v.t. to make fast or tight: to fix securely: to attach firmly one thing to another: to confirm.—v.i. to fix itself.—n. , that which fastens.

Fasti, fas′tī, n.pl. those days among the ancient Romans on which it was lawful to transact legal or public business—opp. to Nefasti: an enumeration of the days of the year, a calendar. [L.]

Fastidious, fas-tid′i-us, adj. affecting superior taste: over-nice: difficult to please.—adv. '.—n. '. [L. fastidiosus—fastidium, loathing—fastus, pride, tædium, loathing.]

Fastigiate, fas-tij′i-āt, adj. pointed, sloping to a point or edge—also '.—n. ', the apex of a building: the pediment of a portico. [L. fastigāre, -ātum—fastigium, a gable-end, roof.]

Fat, fat, adj. plump, fleshy: fruitful, esp. profitable: gross: thick, full-bodied, esp. of printing-types.—n. an oily substance under the skin: solid animal oil: the richest part of anything.—v.t. to make fat.—v.i. to grow fat:—pr.p. pa.p. —adj. ' (Shak.), dull of apprehension.—ns. ' (prov.), any one of various plants of thick succulent foliage, esp. pigweed, orach, and ground-ivy; ', a young animal fattened for slaughter.—adj. small and fat.—n. ', a mixture of pipe-clay and linseed-oil, for filling joints, &c.—adv. ', grossly: in a lumbering manner.—n. ', quality or state of being fat: fullness of flesh: richness: fertility: that which makes fertile.—v.t. ', to make fat or fleshy: to make fertile.—v.i. to grow fat.—ns. ', he who, or that which, fattens; ', the process of making fat: state of growing fat; '.—adjs. ', somewhat fat; ', dull, stupid; , containing fat or having the qualities of fat.—Fat images, those in relief.—The fat is in the fire, things have gone to confusion. [A.S. fæt; Ger. fett.]

Fat, fat, n. a vessel for holding liquids: a vat: a dry measure of nine bushels. [See Vat.]

Fata Morgana, fä′tä mor-gä′nä, a striking kind of mirage seen most often in the Strait of Messina. [Supposed to be caused by the fairy (fata) Morgana of Arthurian romance.]

Fate, fāt, n. inevitable destiny or necessity: appointed lot: ill-fortune: doom: final issue: (pl.) the three goddesses of fate, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, who determined the birth, life, and death of men—the Fatal Sisters.—adj. ', belonging to or appointed by fate: causing ruin or death: mortal: calamitous.—ns. ', the doctrine that all events are subject to fate, and happen by unavoidable necessity; ', one who believes in fatalism.—adj. ', belonging to or partaking of fatalism.—n. ', the state of being fatal or unavoidable: the decree of fate: fixed tendency to disaster or death: mortality: a fatal occurrence.—adv. '.—adjs. ', doomed: destined: (Shak.) invested with the power of destiny: (Dryden) enchanted; ', charged with fate.—adv. '.—n. '. [L. fatum, a prediction—fatus, spoken—fāri, to speak.]

Father, fä′thėr, n. a male parent: an ancestor or forefather: a fatherly protector: a contriver or originator: a title of respect applied to a venerable man, to confessors, monks, priests, &c.: a member of certain fraternities, as 'Fathers of the Oratory,' &c.: the oldest member of any profession or other body: one of a group of ecclesiastical writers of the early centuries, usually ending with Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine: the first person of the Trinity.—v.t. to adopt: to ascribe to one as his offspring or production.—ns. ', state of being a father: fatherly authority; ', the father of one's husband or wife; , the land of one's fathers—from the Ger. Vaterland; ', a name applied to two bull-heads found on the British coasts, belonging to the Gurnard family.—adj. ', destitute of a living father: without a known author.—ns. '; '.—adj. ', like a father in affection and care: paternal.—n. '.—Holy Father, the Pope.—Be gathered to one's fathers (B.), to die and be buried. [A.S. fæder; Ger. vater, L. pater, Gr. patēr.]

Fathom, fath′um, n. a nautical measure=6 feet: depth: (Shak.) penetration.—v.t. to try the depth of: to comprehend or get to the bottom of.—adjs. '; '.—n. , a sailor's line and lead for taking soundings. [A.S. faethm; Dut. vadem, Ger. faden.]

Fatidical, fa-tid′ik-al, adj. having power to foretell future events: prophetical.—adv. . [L. fatidicus—fatum, fate, dicĕre, to tell.]

Fatigue, fa-tēg′, n. weariness from labour of body or of mind: toil: military work, distinct from the use of arms.—v.t. to reduce to weariness: to exhaust one's strength: to harass.—pr.p. pa.p. —adj. ' (Shak.), fatigued.—n. ', the part of a soldier's work distinct from the use of arms—also in fatigue-dress, &c.—adv. . [Fr.,—L. fatigāre, to weary.]

Fatiscent, fā-tis′ent, adj. gaping.—n. .

Fattrels, fat′relz, n.pl. (Scot.) ends of ribbon. [O. Fr. fatraille, trumpery.]

Fatuous, fat′ū-us, adj. silly: imbecile: without reality—also .—n. Fatūity, unconscious stupidity: imbecility. [L. fatuus.]

Faubourg, fō′bōōrg, n. a suburb just beyond the walls, or a district recently included within a city. [O. Fr. forbourg, lit. 'out-town'—fors (Fr. hors)—L. foris, out of doors, and O. Fr. bourg, town.]

Fauces, faw′sēz, n.pl. the upper part of the throat, from the root of the tongue to the entrance of the gullet.—adj. , produced in the fauces, as certain Semitic guttural sounds. [L.]

Faucet, faw′set, n. a pipe inserted in a barrel to draw liquid. [Fr. fausset.]

Faugh, faw, interj. an exclamation of contempt or disgust. [Prob. from the sound.]

Faulchion, an obsolete form of falchion.

Fault, fawlt, n. a failing: error: blemish: imperfection: a slight offence: (geol., min.) a displacement of strata or veins: (tennis) a stroke in which the player fails to serve the ball into the proper place.—adj. ' (Shak.), full of faults or crimes.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', without fault or defect.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. , imperfect, defective: guilty of a fault: blamable.—At fault, open to blame: (of dogs) unable to find the scent; Find fault (with), to censure for some defect. [O. Fr. faute, falte—L. fallĕre, to deceive.]

Fauna, fawn′a, n. animals collectively, or those of a particular country, or of a particular geological period:—pl. ', '.—n. Faun, a Roman rural deity, protector of shepherds.—adj. '.—n. ', one who studies a fauna. [L. faunus, from favēre, fautum, to favour.]

Fauteuil, fō-tey′, n. an arm-chair, esp. a president's chair, the seat of one of the forty members of the French Academy. [Fr.]

Fautor, faw′tor, n. a favourer or supporter. [O. Fr. fauteur—L. fautor—favēre, to favour.]

Faveolate, fā-vē′ō-lāt, adj. honeycombed.—Also .

Fauvette, fō-vet′, n. a name applied to warblers in general. [Fr.]

Favonian, fav-ō′ni-an, adj. pertaining to the west wind, favourable. [L. Favonius, the west wind.]

Favour, fā′vur, n. countenance: good-will: a kind deed: an act of grace or lenity: indulgence: partiality: advantage: a knot of ribbons worn at a wedding, or anything worn publicly as a pledge of a woman's favour: (arch.) countenance, appearance: a letter or written communication: (Shak.) an attraction or grace.—v.t. to regard with good-will: to be on the side of: to treat indulgently: to afford advantage to: (coll.) to resemble.—adj. ', friendly: propitious: conducive to: advantageous.—n. '.—adv. '.—p.adj. ', having a certain appearance, featured—as in ill-favoured, well-favoured.—ns. '; '; ', a person or thing regarded with favour or preference: one unduly loved: a kind of curl of the hair, affected by ladies of the 18th century.—adj. esteemed, preferred.—n. ', the practice of showing partiality.—adj. , without favour: (Spens.) not favouring.—Favours to come, favours still expected; Curry favour (see Curry). [O. Fr.,—L. favor—favēre, to favour, befriend.]

Favus, fāv′us, n. a disease of the skin, chiefly of the hairy scalp. [L. 'a honeycomb.']

Faw, faw, n. a gipsy. [From the surname Faa.]

Fawn, fawn, n. a young deer.—adj. resembling a fawn in colour.—v.i. to bring forth a fawn. [O. Fr. faon, through Low L. from L. fœtus, offspring.]

Fawn, fawn, v.i. to cringe, to flatter in a servile way (with upon).—n. (rare) a servile cringe or bow: mean flattery.—ns. ', one who flatters to gain favour; ', mean flattery: sycophancy.—adv. '.—n. '. [A variant of fain, to rejoice—A.S. fægen, glad.]

Fay, fā, n. a fairy. [O. Fr. fee—L. fata, a fairy—L. fatum, fate.]

Fay, fā, n. (Shak.) faith.

Fay, fā, v.i. to fit, unite closely.—v.t. to fit together closely. [A.S. fégan; Ger. fügen.]

Fay, Fey, fā, v.t. (prov.) to clean out, as a ditch.

Feague, fēg, v.t. (obs.) to whip: to perplex. [Cog. with Dut. vegen, Ger. fegen.]

Feal, fē′al, adj. (obs.) loyal, faithful.

Feal, fēl, v.t. (prov.) to conceal.

Fealty, fē′al-ti, or fēl′ti, n. the vassal's oath of fidelity to his feudal lord: loyalty. [O. Fr. fealte—L. fidelitat-em—fidelis, faithful—fidĕre, to trust.]

Fear, fēr, n. a painful emotion excited by danger: apprehension of danger or pain: alarm: the object of fear: aptness to cause fear: (B.) deep reverence: piety towards God.—v.t. to regard with fear: to expect with alarm: (B.) to stand in awe of: to venerate: (obs.) to terrify: to make afraid.—v.i. to be afraid: to be in doubt.—adj. ', timorous: exciting intense fear: terrible.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', without fear: daring: brave.—adv. '.—ns. '; ' (same as Dreadnaught).—adj. ', causing fear, frightful.—adv. . [A.S. fǽr, fear, fǽran, to terrify; cf. Ger. gefahr, Ice. fár, harm, mischief.]

Fear, fēr, n. (Spens.) a companion. [See Fere.]

Feasible, fēz′i-bl, adj. practicable.—ns. ', '.—adv. . [Fr. faisable, that can be done—faire, faisant—L. facĕre, to do.]

Feast, fēst, n. a day of unusual solemnity or joy: a festival in commemoration of some event—movable, such as occurs on a specific day of the week succeeding a certain day of the month, as Easter; immovable, at a fixed date, as Christmas: a rich and abundant repast: rich enjoyment for the mind or heart.—v.i. to hold a feast: to eat sumptuously: to receive intense delight.—v.t. to entertain sumptuously.—ns. '; '.—adj. ', festive, joyful, luxurious.—ns. '; ', a rite or custom observed at feasts.—adj. ' (Shak.), won or bribed by feasting.—Feast of fools, Feast of asses, medieval festivals, held between Christmas and Epiphany, in which a burlesque bishop was enthroned in church, and a burlesque mass said by his orders, and an ass driven round in triumph.—Double feast (eccles.), one on which the antiphon is doubled. [O. Fr. feste (Fr. fête)—L. festum, a holiday, festus, solemn, festal.]

Feat, fēt, n. a deed manifesting extraordinary strength, skill, or courage.—v.t. (Shak.) to fashion.—adj. neat, deft.—adj. ', dexterous, neat.—adv. ', neatly, dexterously—(Spens.) . [Fr. fait—L. factum—L. facĕre, to do.]

Feather, feth′ėr, n. one of the growths which form the covering of a bird: a feather-like ornament: the feathered end of an arrow: nature, kind, as in 'birds of a feather:' birds collectively: anything light or trifling.—v.t. to furnish or adorn with feathers.—ns. ', a mattress filled with feathers; ' (same as Weather-boarding, q.v.).—p.adj. ', covered or fitted with feathers, or anything feather-like: like the flight of a feathered animal, swift: smoothed as with feathers.—ns. ', an edge of a board or plank thinner than the other edge; ', a perennial grass, so called from the feathery appearance of its awns; ', ', a frivolous person; '; ', plumage: the fitting of feathers to arrows: (archit.) an arrangement of small arcs or foils separated by projecting cusps, frequently forming the feather-like ornament on the inner mouldings of arches; ', a crinoid of feathery appearance and radiate structure; ', the lightest weight that may be carried by a racing-horse: a boxer, wrestler, &c., of a class below the light-weights—hence one of small importance or ability.—adj. ', pertaining to, resembling, or covered with feathers.—Feather an oar, to turn the blade of the oar horizontally as it comes out of the water, thus lessening the resistance of the air; Feather one's nest, to accumulate wealth for one's self while serving others in a position of trust.—A feather in one's cap, some striking mark of distinction; Be in high feather, to be greatly elated or in high spirits; Make the feathers fly, to throw into confusion by a sudden attack; Show the white feather, to show signs of cowardice—a white feather in a gamecock's tail being considered as a sign of degeneracy. [A.S. feðer; Ger. feder; L. penna, Gr. pteron.]

Feature, fēt′ūr, n. the marks by which anything is recognised: the prominent traits of anything: the cast of the face: (pl.) the countenance.—v.t. (coll.) to have features resembling.—adjs. ', with features well marked; ', destitute of distinct features; , handsome. [O. Fr. faiture, from fut. part. of L. facĕre, to make.]

Febricule, feb′ri-kūl, n. a slight fever.—adj. '.—n. '. [L. febricula, dim. of febris, fever.]

Febrific, fe-brif′ik, adj. producing fever, feverish.—Also . [L. febris, fever, facĕre, to make.]

Febrifuge, feb′ri-fūj, n. a medicine for removing fever.—adj.  (or [L. febris, fever, fugāre, to put to flight.]

Febrile, fē′bril, or feb′ril, adj. pertaining to fever: feverish.—n. . [Fr.,—L. febris, fever.]

Febronianism, feb-rō′ni-an-izm, n. a system of doctrine antagonistic to the claims of the Pope and asserting the independence of national churches, propounded in 1763 by Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim under the pseudonym 'Justinus Febronius.'

February, feb′rōō-ar-i, n. the second month of the year. [L. Februarius (mensis), the month of expiation, februa, the feast of expiation.]

Feces, Fecal. See Fæces, Fæcal.

Fecial. See Fetial.

Feck, fek, n. (Scot.) strength, value, quantity, number: the bulk of anything.—adj. ', spiritless.—adv. ', mostly. [Corr. of effect.]

Fecula, fek′ū-la, n. starch obtained as a sediment by breaking down certain plants or seeds in water. [L. fæcula, dim. of fæx, dregs.]

Feculent, fek′ū-lent, adj. containing fæces or sediment: muddy: foul.—ns. ', '.

Fecund, fek′und, adj. fruitful: fertile: prolific.—v.t. ', ', to make fruitful: to impregnate.—ns. ', the act of impregnating: the state of being impregnated; ', fruitfulness: prolificness in female animals. [Fr.,—L. fecundus, fruitful.]

Fed, pa.t. and pa.p. of Feed.

Fedary, fed′ar-i (Shak.). Same as Federary.

Federal, fed′ėr-al, adj. pertaining to or consisting of a treaty or covenant: confederated, founded upon mutual agreement: of a union or government in which several states, while independent in home affairs, combine for national or general purposes, as in the United States (in the American Civil War, Federal was the name applied to the states of the North which defended the Union against the Confederate separatists of the South).—n. a supporter of federation: a Unionist soldier in the American Civil War.—n. '.—v.t. '.—ns. ', the principles or cause maintained by federalists; ', a supporter of a federal constitution or union; ' (Shak.), a confederate.—adj. ', united by league: confederated.—n. ', the act of uniting in league: a federal union.—adj. ', united in league.—Federal (or Covenant) theology, that first worked out by Cocceius (1603-69), based on the idea of two covenants between God and man—of Works and of Grace (see Covenant). [Fr. fédéral—L. fœdus, fœderis, a treaty, akin to fidĕre, to trust.]

Fee, fē, n. price paid for services, as to a lawyer or physician: recompense, wages: the sum exacted for any special privilege: a grant of land for feudal service: an unconditional inheritance—', possession: ownership.—v.t. to pay a fee to: to hire:—pr.p. pa.p. feed.—ns. ' (Shak.), a private grief; ' (Scot.), a fair or market at which farm-servants are hired for the year or half-year following; ', an entailed estate, which on failure of heirs reverts to the donor.—Base fee, a qualified fee, a freehold estate of inheritance to which a qualification is annexed; Conditional fee, a fee granted on condition, or limited to particular heirs: the estate of a mortgagee of land, possession of which is conditional on payment; Great fee, the holding of a tenant of the Crown. [A.S. feoh, cattle, property: a special kind of property, property in land; Ger. vieh, Ice. fé; allied to L. pecus, cattle, pecunia, money.]

Feeble, fē′bl, adj. weak: wanting in strength of body, energy, or efficiency: showing weakness or incapacity: faint: dull.—adj. ', weak-minded: irresolute.—n. '—(Spens.) '.—adv. '. [O. Fr. foible, for floible—L. flebilis, lamentable, from flēre, to weep.]

Feed, fēd, v.t. to give food to: to nourish: to furnish with necessary material: to foster.—v.i. to take food: to nourish one's self by eating:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. fed.—n. an allowance of provender, esp. to cattle: the motion forward of anything being fed to a machine: (Milt.) a meal: (Shak.) pasture land.—ns. ', he who feeds, or that which supplies: an eater: one who abets another: one who fattens cattle: (obs.) a parasite; ', the cistern that supplies water to the boiler of a steam-engine; ', an apparatus for heating the water supplied to a steam-boiler; ', act of eating: that which is eaten: pasture: the placing of the sheets of paper in position for a printing or ruling machine; ', a bottle for supplying liquid food to an infant; ', a pipe for supplying a boiler or cistern with water; , a force-pump for supplying a steam-engine boiler with water. [A.S. fédan, to feed.]

Fee-faw-fum, fē′-faw′-fum′, n. a nursery word for anything frightful.

Feel, fēl, v.t. to perceive by the touch: to handle or try by touch: to be conscious of: to be keenly sensible of: to have an inward persuasion of.—v.i. to know by the touch: to have the emotions excited: to produce a certain sensation when touched, as to feel hard or hot:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. felt.—n. the sensation of touch.—ns. ', a remark cautiously dropped, or any indirect stratagem, to sound the opinions of others: (pl.) jointed fibres in the heads of insects, &c., possessed of a delicate sense of touch, termed antennæ; ', the sense of touch: perception of objects by touch: consciousness of pleasure or pain: tenderness: emotion: sensibility, susceptibility, sentimentality: opinion as resulting from emotion: (pl.) the affections or passions.—adj. expressive of great sensibility or tenderness: easily affected.—adv. .—Feel after (B.), to search for. [A.S. félan, to feel; Ger. fühlen; prob. akin to L. palpāre, to quiver.]

Feer, fēr, n. (Spens.) a companion, a spouse. [A.S. ge-féra, a companion—ge-féran, to travel.]

Fee-simple, Fee-tail. See under Fee.

Feet, fēt, pl. of Foot.—adj. , without feet.

Feign, fān, v.t. to invent: to imagine: to make a show or pretence of, to counterfeit, simulate.—adj. Feigned, pretended: simulating.—adv. '.—ns. '; . [Fr. feindre, pr.p. feignant, to feign.—L. fingĕre, fictum, to form.]

Feint, fānt, n. a false appearance: a pretence: a mock-assault: a deceptive movement in fencing, boxing, &c.—v.i. to make a feint. [Fr., see above.]

Feldspar, feld′spär, n. (min.) a general term for the most important rock-forming group of minerals—all anhydrous silicates of alumina—divided into those in which the minerals crystallise in monoclinic and in triclinic forms—also ', '.—adjs. ', '. [Ger. feldspath—feld, a field, spath, spar.]

Felicity, fe-lis′i-ti, n. happiness: delight: a blessing: a happy event.—v.t. ', to express joy or pleasure to: to congratulate.—n. ', the act of congratulating.—adj. ', happy: prosperous: delightful: appropriate.—adv. '. [Fr.,—L. felicitat-em, from felix, -icis, happy.]

Feline, fē′līn, adj. pertaining to the cat or the cat kind: like a cat.—ns. '; ', the cats as a genus, the typical genus of family ' and subfamily '. [L. felinus—felis, a cat.]

Fell, fel, n. a barren hill. [Ice. fjall; Dan. fjeld.]

Fell, fel, pa.t. of Fall.

Fell, fel, v.t. to cause to fall: to bring to the ground: to cut down.—adj. '.—n. ', a cutter of wood. [A.S. fellan, causal form of feallan, to fall.]

Fell, fel, n. a skin.—n. , a dealer in skins. [A.S. fel; cf. L. pellis, Gr. pella, Ger. fell.]

Fell, fel, n. (Spens.) anger, melancholy. [L. fel, bile.]

Fell, fel, adj. cruel: fierce: bloody: deadly: keen, eager, spirited: (Scot.) very great, huge.—adj. ' (Shak.), lurking with treacherous purpose.—n. '.—adv. . [O. Fr. fel, cruel—L. fello. See Felon.]

Fellah, fel′ä, n. an Arabic name applied contemptuously by the Turks to the labouring or agricultural population of Egypt—descendants of the ancient Egyptian, intermingled with Syrians, Arabs, &c.:—pl. ', '. [Ar., 'tiller of the soil.']

Fellic, fel′ik, adj. obtained from bile—also '.—adj. ', flowing with gall. [L. fel, gall.]

Felloe. See Felly.

Fellonous, fel′lon-us, adj. (Spens.) fell.—adj. , most fell.

Fellow, fel′ō, n. an associate: a companion and equal: one of a pair, a mate: a member of a university who enjoys a fellowship: a member of a scientific or other society: an individual, a person generally: a worthless person.—ns. ', one belonging to the same city; ', at Cambridge and elsewhere, a privileged class of undergraduates, dining at the Fellows' table; ', one of the same race; ', feeling between fellows or equals: sympathy; ', a joint-heir.—adv. ' (Shak.), companionable.—ns. ', a man of the same common nature with one's self; ', one who has the same master; , the state of being a fellow or partner: friendly intercourse: communion: an association: an endowment in a college for the support of graduates called Fellows: the position and income of a fellow: (arith.) the proportional division of profit and loss among partners.—Good fellowship, companionableness; Right hand of fellowship, the right hand given by one minister or elder to another at an ordination in some churches. [M. E. felawe—Ice. félagi, a partner in goods, from fé (Ger. vieh), cattle, property, and lag, a laying together, a law. Cf. Eng. Fee, and Law.]

Felly, fel′ī, Felloe, fel′ō, n. one of the curved pieces in the circumference of a wheel: the circular rim of the wheel. [A.S. felg; Ger. felge.]

Felon, fel′on, n. one guilty of felony: a convict: a wicked person: an inflamed sore.—adj. wicked or cruel.—adj. ', wicked: depraved: done with the deliberate intention to commit crime.—adv. '.—n. ', the quality of being felonious.—adj. ' (Spens.), felonious.—ns. ', a body of felons; ', (orig.) a crime punished by total forfeiture of lands, &c.: a grave crime, beyond a misdemeanour, as that punishable by penal servitude or death. [O. Fr.,—Low L. fellonem, fello, a traitor, prob. L. fel, gall.]

Felsite, fel′sīt, n. a fine-grained, compact rock, a variety of quartz-porphyry—also '.—adj. '. [Fr.,—Ger. fels, rock.]

Felspar. Same as Feldspar.

Felt, felt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Feel.

Felt, felt, n. a fabric formed without weaving, by means of the natural tendency of the fibres of wool and certain kinds of hair to interlace with and cling to each other.—v.t. to make into felt: to cover with felt.—v.t. ', to mat together like felt.—n. ', the art or process of making felt: the felt itself. [A.S. felt; cf. Dut. vilt, Ger. filz.]

Felucca, fe-luk′a, n. a class of small merchant-vessels, used in the Mediterranean, with two masts, lateen sails, and often a rudder at each end. [It. feluca, which, like Fr. felouque, is from Ar. fulk, a ship.]

Female, fē′māl, adj. of the sex that produces young: pertaining to females: (bot.) having a pistil or fruit-bearing organ.—n. one of the female sex, a woman.—ns. ', ', the female nature.—adj. '.—n. ', the quality of being female.—adj. ', pertaining to women: tender: womanly: (gram.) the gender denoting females.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', the nature of the female sex.—Female screw, a screw cut upon the inward surface of a cylindrical hole in wood or metal; Feminine rhyme, a rhyme between words that terminate each in an unaccented syllable. [Fr. femelle—L. femella, dim. of femina, a woman.]

Femerell, fem′er-el, n. a louvre or covering on the roof of a kitchen, &c., to allow the smoke to escape.