Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Fē'ri-er, a., compar. p. 506of fere. “Rhenus ferier than the cataract.” Marston.Fē'rīne, a. p. 506Wild; untamed; savage; as, lions, tigers, wolves, and bears are ferine beasts. Hale.Fē'rīne, n. p. 506A wild beast; a beast of prey.Fē'rīne-ly, adv. p. 506In a wild or savage manner. [Obs.]Fē'rīne-ness, n. p. 506The state of being ferine or wild. [Obs.] Hale.Fĕr'i-ty, n. p. 506Wildness; savageness; cruelty. [Obs.] Woodward.Fĕrm, n. p. 506A farm or rent; a place of residence. [Obs.] Out of her fleshly ferm fled to the place of pain. Spenser.Fēr'ment, n. p. 506That which causes fermentation, as yeast, barm, or fermenting beer. 2. Intestine motion; heat; tumult; agitation. Subdue and cool the ferment of desire. Rogers. The nation is in a ferment. H.…Fer-mĕnt', v. t. p. 506To cause ferment or fermentation in; to set in motion; to excite to internal emotion; to raise by intestine motion; to heat. While youth ferments the blood. Pope.Fer-mĕnt', v. i. p. 506To undergo fermentation; to be in motion, or to be excited into sensible internal motion, as the constituent particles of an animal or vegetable fluid; to work; to effervesce. 2. To be active or…Fer-mĕnt'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 506Capability of being fermented.Fer-mĕnt'a-ble, a. p. 506Capable of fermentation; thus, cider and other vegetable liquors are fermentable.Fer-mĕnt'al, a. p. 506Having power to cause fermentation; fermentative. [Obs.] Browne.Fēr′-men-tā′tion, n. p. 506That change of organic substances by which their starch, sugar, gluten, &c., under the influence of water, air, and warmth, are decomposed, usually with evolution of gas and heat, and their elements…Fer-mĕnt'a-tive, a. p. 506Causing, or consisting in, fermentation; as, fermentative heat or process.Fer-mĕnt'a-tive-ness, n. p. 506The state of being fermentative.Fēr'men-tēs'ci-ble, n. p. 506A body that enters into fermentation when in contact with a fermenting or putrescent body.Fĕr'mil-let, n. p. 506A buckle or clasp. [Obs.] Donne.Fērn, n. p. 506(Bot.) An order of cryptogamous plants, the Filices, which have their fructification on the back of the fronds or leaves. They are usually found in humid soil, sometimes grow parasitically on trees…Fērn'er-y, n. p. 506A place for rearing ferns.Fērn'-owl, n. p. 506(Ornith.) The European goatsucker, or nightjar, a bird of the genus Caprimulgus.Fērn'ti-ile, n. p. 506A freckle on the skin, resembling the seed of fern. [Prov. Eng.]Fērn'y, a. p. 506Abounding in fern; overgrown with fern. Barret.Fe-rō'cioŭs, a. p. 506Fierce; savage; wild; indicating cruelty; ravenous; rapacious; as, a ferocious look or features; a ferocious lion. Syn.—FEROCIOUS, FIERCE, SAVAGE, BARBAROUS. When these words are applied to human…Fe-rō'ciōŭs-ly, adv. p. 506Fiercely; with savage cruelty.Fe-rō'ciŏus-ness, n. p. 506The state of being ferocious; savage fierceness; ferocity.Fe-rō'ci-ty, n. p. 506Savage wildness or fierceness; fury; cruelty; as, ferocity of countenance. “The pride and ferocity of a Highland chief.” Macaulay.Fē'rōŭs, a. p. 506Wild; savage. Wilson.Fer-rān'dine, n. p. 506A stuff made of silk and wool. “I did buy a colored silk ferrandine.” Pepys.Fer-rä'ra, n. p. 506A sword of excellent temper, made of steel from Ferrara, Italy. The kind most prized was manufactured by Andrea di Ferrara; hence such a sword was often called an Andrea Ferrara. W. Scott.Fēr'ra-rēse', a. p. 506(Geog.) Pertaining to Ferrara, in Italy.Fĕr'ra-rēse', n., sing. & pl. p. 506(Geog.) A native, or naturalized inhabitant, of Ferrara; collectively, the inhabitants of Ferrara.Fē'r'ra-ry, n. p. 506The art of working in iron. [Obs.] Chapman.Fē'r're-ous, a. p. 506Partaking of, made of, or pertaining to, iron; like iron. Browne.Fēr'ret, n. p. 506(Zoöl.) An animal of the weasel kind (Mustela or Putorius furo), about 14 inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been domesticated in…