Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Fâir'-nāt'ūred, a. p. 492Endowed with good qualities; well disposed; good-natured. “A fair-natured prince.” Ford.Fâir'ness, n. p. 492The state of being fair, or free from spots or stains, as of the skin; agreeableness, as of form and features; clearness, as of water; honesty, as of dealing; candor, as of an argument; distinctness…Fâir'-seem'ing, a. p. 492Appearing fair. Hemans.Fâir'-spōk'en, a. p. 492Using fair speech, or uttered with fairness; bland; civil; courteous; plausible. “A fair-spoken man.” Hooker.Fâir'-wây, n. p. 492The part of a river, bay, &c., through which vessels enter or depart. Totten.Fâir'-wĕath'er, a. p. 492In pleasant weather; in circumstances involving but little exposure or sacrifice; as, a fair-weather voyage. Pope.Fâir'-world, n. p. 492A good time; state of prosperity. [Obs.] They think it was never fair-world with them since. Milton.Fâir'y, n. p. 492Enchantment; illusion. The God of her has made an end, And fro this world's fairy Hath taken her into company. Gower. 2. The land of illusions; the abode or country of the Fays. [Obs.] He [Arthur] is…Fāir'y, a. p. 492Pertaining or relating to fairies. 2. Given by fairies; as, fairy money. Dryden. Fairy ring, or circle, a bare circular path, or a ring of grass higher, greener, softer, than the surrounding grass; a…Fāir'y-lănd, n. p. 492The imaginary land or abode of fairies.Fâir'y-stōne, n. p. 492The fossil echinite, abundant in chalk-pits.Fāith, n. p. 492Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony. 2. The assent of the mind to the…Faith, interj. p. 492By my faith; in truth; verily. [Colloq.]Faith'-breach, n. p. 492Breach of fidelity; disloyalty; perfidy. Shak.Fāithed, a. p. 492Honest; sincere. [Obs.] “Make thy words faithed.” Shak.Fāith'ful, a. p. 492Full of faith; disposed to believe, especially in the declarations and promises of God. “You are not faithful, sir.” B. Jonson. 2. Firm in adherence to promises, oaths, contracts, treaties, or other…Fāith'ful-ly, adv. p. 492In a faithful manner.Fāith'ful-ness, n. p. 492The quality or character of being faithful; fidelity; truth; loyalty; constancy; as, the faithfulness of God, of a subject, of a wife, of a friend.Fāith'less, a. p. 492Not believing; not giving credit. 2. Not believing in God or religion; specifically, not believing in the Christian religion. “A faithless Jew.” Shak. 3. Not observant of promises. 4. Not true to…Fāith'less-ly, adv. p. 492In a faithless manner.Fāith'less-ness, n. p. 492The state of being faithless; as, (a.) Unbelief in God, religion, or Christianity. (b.) Perfidy; treachery; disloyalty, as in subjects. (c.) Violation of promises or covenants; inconstancy, as of a…Făĭ'tour, n. p. 492A doer or actor; hence, an evil-doer; a scoundrel. [Obs.] Lo! faitour, there thy need unto thee take. Spenser.Fāke, n. p. 492(Naut.) One of the circles or windings of a cable or hawser, as it lies in a coil; a single turn or coil. Totten.Fā'kir or Fā-quīr', n. p. 492An Oriental religious ascetic or begging monk.Fal-cāde', n. p. 492(Man.) The position of a horse, as when he throws himself on his haunches two or three times, bending himself, as it were, in very quick curvets. Harris.Fāl'cāte or Fāl'cā-ted, a. p. 492Hooked or bent like a sickle or scythe; — said of the moon, or a planet, when horned or crescent-formed; (Bot.) said of leaves.Fal-cā'tion, n. p. 492The state of being falcate or crooked; a bending in the form of a sickle. Bronze.Fal'chion, n. p. 492A broad sword, with a slightly curved point, shorter than the ordinary military sword, and less heavy, much used in the middle ages. Fairholt.Fāl'ci-fōrm, a. p. 492In the shape of a sickle; resembling a reaping-hook.Fal'con, n. p. 492(Ornith.) One of a family of raptorial birds, characterized by a short, hooked beak, powerful claws, and great destructive power; especially, one of this family trained to the pursuit of other birds…Fal'con-er, n. p. 492A person who breeds and trains hawks for taking wild fowls; one who follows the sport of fowling with hawks. Johnson.Făl'co-nēt, n. p. 492(Gun.) A small cannon anciently used, a little exceeding six feet in length, and carrying a ball of two pounds in weight. Tomlinson.Fal’con-gēn’til, n. p. 492(Ornith.) The female and young of the goshawk (Astur palumbarius). Eng. Cyc.Fal-cōn’i-dæ, n. pl. p. 493(Ornith.) A family of birds of prey, characterized by a strong and hooked beak, and very sharp and strong talons, which are retractile and much incurved.Fal'con-ry, n. p. 493The art of training hawks to the exercise of hawking. 2. The practice of taking wild fowls or game by means of hawks.Fald'age, n. p. 493(O. Eng. Law.) A privilege of setting up folds for sheep, in any fields within manors, in order to manure them; foldage. Spelman.Fald'fee, n. p. 493(Law.) A fee or composition paid anciently by tenants for the privilege of faldage on his own ground. Blount.Fald'ing, n. p. 493A kind of coarse cloth. [Obs.] Chaucer.Fald'is-to-ry, n. p. 493The throne or seat of a bishop. [Obs.]Făld'stōol, n. p. 493[A-S. fold, feald, fold, and stool. See supra. 1. A folding-stool, or portable seat, made to fold up in the manner of a camp-stool. It was formerly placed in the choir for a bishop, when he…Fa-lĕr'ni-an, a. p. 493Pertaining to Mount Falernus, in Italy.Fall, v. i. p. 493To descend from a higher position to a lower, either suddenly or gradually; to drop down; to sink; to make a descent by the force of gravity alone; as, the apple falls; the tide falls; the mercury…Făll, v. t. p. 493To let fall; to drop. [Obs.] For every tear he falls, a Trojan bleeds. Shak. 2. To sink; to depress; as, to raise or fall the voice. 3. To diminish; to lessen or lower; as, to fall the price of…Fall, n. p. 493The act of dropping or descending from a higher to a lower place by gravity; descent; as, a fall from a horse, or from the yard of a ship. 2. The act of dropping or tumbling from an erect posture…Fal-lā'ciŏŭs, a. p. 493Embodying or pertaining to a fallacy; fitted to deceive; as, a fallacious argument.Fal-lā'cioŭs-ly, adv. p. 493In a fallacious manner. We have seen how fallaciously the author has stated the cause. Addison.Fal-lā'ciōŭs-ness, n. p. 493The state of being fallacious; tendency to deceive or mislead; as, the fallaciousness of an argument.Fāl'la-cy, n. p. 493Deceptive or false appearance; deceitfulness; that which misleads the eye or the mind; deception; mistake. I'll entertain the offered fallacy. Shak. Winning by conquest what the first man lost, By…Făl'lal's, n. pl. p. 493Gay ornaments; frippery. Halliwell.Făl'lax, n. p. 493Cavillation. [Obs.] Abp. Cranmer.Fallen, p. a. p. 493Dropped; descended; degraded; decreased; ruined.Fāl'len-cy, n. p. 493Mistake; error; blunder. [Obs.] Bp. Taylor.Fāl'ler, n. p. 493One who falls.Făl'li-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 493The state of being fallible; liableness to deceive or to be deceived; as, the fallibility of an argument or of an advisor.Făl'li-ble, a. p. 493Liable to fail or mistake; liable to deceive or be deceived; as, all men are fallible; our opinions and hopes are fallible.Fāl'li-bly, adv. p. 493In a fallible manner.Fāll'ing, n. p. 493An indenting or hollow; — opposed to rising or prominence. [Rare.] Addison.Fāl'ling-sick'ness, n. p. 493(Med.) The epilepsy; a disease in which the patient suddenly loses his senses and falls.Fāl'ling-stār, n. p. 493See SHOOTING-STAR.Fāl'ling-stōne, n. p. 493A stone falling from the atmosphere; a meteorite; an aërolite.