Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Fen, n. p. 505Low land overflowed, or covered wholly or partially with water, but producing sedge, coarse grasses, or other aquatic plants; boggy land; moor; marsh; — used in composition; as, fen-cress; fen-fowl…Fēn'-bĕr'ry, n. p. 505A kind of blackberry. Skinner.Fĕnce, n. p. 505That which fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; cover; security; shield. Let us be backed with God and with the seas, Which he hath given for fence impregnable. Shak. A fence betwixt…Fēnce, v. t. p. 505Fĕnce, v. i. p. 505To make a fence; to guard any thing; to give protection or security; to keep out danger. Vice is . . . to be fenced against. Locke. 2. To defend one's self by the use of the sword; to practice at…Fēnce'ful, a. p. 505Affording defense. [Obs.] Congreve.Fēnce'less, a. p. 505Without a fence; open; unguarded.Fēnce'-month, n. p. 505(Law.) The month in which hunting in any forest is prohibited. Bullokar.Fĕn'cer, n. p. 505One who fences; one who teaches or practices the art of fencing with sword or foil. “As blunt as the fencer's foils.” Shak.Fēnce'-rōōf, n. p. 505A covering of defense. Holland.Fĕn'ci-ble, a. p. 505Capable of being defended, or of making or affording defense. No fort so fencible, nor walls so strong. Spenser.Fēn'ci-ble, n. p. 505(Mil.) A soldier enlisted for the defense of the country, and not liable to be sent abroad.Fēn'cing, n. p. 505The art of using skilfully a sword or foil in attack or defense; the art or practice of self-defense with the sword. 2. The materials of fences for farms. [U. S.] 3. A system of fences; as, the…Fēn′-erĭck′et, n. p. 505(Entom.) A kind of insect that digs for itself a little hole in the ground; Gryllotalpa vulgaris. Johnson.Fēnd, v. t. p. 505To keep off; to prevent from entering; to ward off; to shut out;—often with off; as, to fend off a boat. With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold. Dryden.Fĕnd, v. i. p. 505To act in opposition; to resist; to parry; to shift off. Locke.Fend'er, n. p. 505One who, or that which, fends or wards off; especially, (a.) A metallic frame employed to hinder coals of fire from rolling forward to the floor. (b.) A piece of timber, old rope made up into a mass…Fēn'-dăck, n. p. 505(Ornith.) A species of wild duck inhabiting marshy ground.Fēn'er-āte, v. i. p. 505To put to use, as money; to lend on interest. [Obs.] Cockram.}Fēn’er-ā’tiōn, n. p. 505The act of fenerating; interest. [Obs.] Browne.Fēn'es-tēl'la, n. p. 505(Rom. Cath. Church.) The niche on the south side of an altar, containing the piscina and frequently the credence. Oxf. Gloss.Fe-nēs'tral, n. p. 505A casement or window-blind, closed with cloth or paper instead of glass. Weale.Fe-nĕs'tral, a. p. 505Pertaining to a window, or to windows. Nicholson.Fe-nĕs'trate, a. p. 505Perforated, or apparently perforated, with large holes; window-like;—said especially of transparent spots on the wings of some insects.Fe-nĕs'trā-ted, a. p. 505(Arch.) Having windows; characterized by windows.Fēn'es-trā'ition, n. p. 505(Arch.) The arrangement and proportion of windows. Weale.Fēn'gite, n. p. 505(Min.) A kind of marble or alabaster, sometimes used for windows on account of its transparency.Fēnks, n. p. 505The ultimate refuse of the blubber of the whale. Simmonds.Fēn'nee, n. p. 505(Zoöl.) An animal of the genus Canis (C. zerda), found in Africa. It resembles a small fox, but has very long ears.Fēn'nel, n. p. 505(Bot.) A plant of the genus Fœniculum (F. vulgare), cultivated in gardens for the agreeable aromatic flavor of its seeds. “Smell of sweetest fennel.” Milton.Fēn'nel-flow'er, n. p. 505(Bot.) A plant of the genus Nigella, having leaves finely divided, like those of the fennel.Fēn'nel-gī'ant, n. p. 505See FERULA.Fēn'nish, a. p. 505Abounding in, or belonging to, fens; fenny; boggy.Fĕn'ny, a. p. 505Pertaining to, or inhabiting, a fen; abounding in fens; swampy; boggy. Think all the world breathes a breath as fenny and moorish as themselves. Bp. Taylor.Fēn'ny-stōnes, n. p. 505A plant. Johnson.Fēn'ōwed, a. p. 505Corrupted; decayed; moldy. [Obs.] Br. Favour.Fēn'si-ble, a. p. 505Fencible. [Obs.] Spenser.Fēn'-sŭcked, a. p. 505Sucked out of marshes. “Fen-sucked fogs.” Shak.Fēn'ū-greek, n. p. 505(Bot.) A plant (Fœnum Græcum) cultivated for its seeds, which are used by farriers.Feod, n. p. 505A feud. See FEUD. Blackstone.Feod'al, a. p. 505Feudal. See FEUDAL.Feo-dāl'i-ty, n. p. 505Feudal tenure; the feudal system. See FEUDALITY. Burke.Feod'a-ry, n. p. 505See FEUDARY. 1. A confederate. “Art thou a feudary for this act.” Shak. 2. (Eng. Law.) An ancient officer of the court of wards. Burrill.Feod'a-to-ry, n. p. 505Feudatory. See FEUDATORY.Fēoff, v. t. p. 505(Law.) To invest with a fee or feud; to give or grant a corporeal hereditament to; to enfeoff.Fēoff, n. p. 505(Law.) A fief. See FIEF.Fēof-fee′, n. p. 505(Law.) The person to whom a feoffment is made; the person enfeoffed.Fēoff'er or Fēoff'or, n. p. 505(Law.) One who enfeoffs or grants a fee.Fēoff'ment, n. p. 505(Law.) (a.) The grant of a feud or fee. (b.) (Eng. Law.) A gift or conveyance in fee of land or other corporeal hereditaments, accompanied by actual delivery of possession. Burrill. (c.) The…Fe-rā'ciōus, a. p. 505Fruitful; producing abundantly. [Rare.] Thomson.Fe-răc'i-ty, n. p. 505The state of being feracious or fruitful. [Obs.] Beattie.Fē'ral, a. p. 505Funereal; deadly; fatal; dangerous. [Rare.] Feral madness committed betwixt men of the same nation. Burton.Fērd'ness, n. p. 505Fearfulness. [Obs.] Chaucer.Fēre, n. p. 505A mate or companion; sometimes, a husband or wife. [Obs.] Hath won the laurel quite from all his feres. Spenser.Fēre, a. p. 505Fierce. [Obs.]Fēr'e-to-ry, n. p. 505A portable bier or shrine of wood, gold, &c., variously adorned, for containing relics of saints; also, the fixed shrine or tomb in which their bodies are deposited.Fēr'gū-son'ite, n. p. 505(Min.) An ore, of a brownish-black color, consisting of columbic acid and yttria, with some oxide of cerium and zirconia;—so called after Robert Ferguson.Fē'ri-al, a. p. 505Pertaining to holidays. Gregory.Fē'ri-ā'tion, n. p. 505The act of keeping holiday; cessation from work. [Obs.] Browne.Fē'rie, n. p. 506A holiday. [Obs.] Bullokar.