Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Fig'ent, a. p. 510Unsteady; fidgety; restless. [Obs.] He was somewhat figent with me. Beau. & Fl.Fig'-gnăt, n. p. 510An insect of the fly kind.Fig'gum, n. p. 510A juggler's trick; conjuring. [Obs.] O. no, he plays at figgum; The devil is the author of wicked figgum. B. Jonson.Fight, v. i. p. 510To strive or contend for victory, in battle or in single combat; to attempt to defeat, subdue, or destroy an enemy, either by blows or weapons; to contend in arms; — followed by with or against. You…Fīght, v. t. p. 510To carry on, or wage, as a conflict, or battle; to win or gain by struggle, as one's way; to sustain by fighting, as a cause. He had to fight his way through the world. Macaulay. I have fought a good…Fīght, n. p. 510A battle; an engagement; a contest in arms; a struggle for victory, either between individuals or between armies, ships, or navies. A duel is called a single fight, or combat. Who now defies thee…Fīght'er, n. p. 510One who fights; a combatant; a warrior.Fight'ing, p. a. p. 510Qualified for war; fit for battle. “An host of fighting men.” 2 Chron. xxvi. 11. 2. Occupied in war; being the scene of war; as, a fighting field. Pope.Fight'ing-ly, adv. p. 510Pugnaciously.Fight'wite, n. p. 510(O. Eng. Law.) A mulet or fine imposed on a person for making a fight or quarrel to the disturbance of the peace.Fig'-leaf, n. p. 510The leaf of a fig-tree; hence, a thin covering, in allusion to the first covering of Adam and Eve.Fig-mär'i-gōld, n. p. 510(Bot.) A plant of several species, of the genus Mesembryanthemum, some of which are prized for the brilliancy and beauty of their flowers.Fig'ment, n. p. 510An invention; a fiction; something feigned or imagined. “Social figments, feints, and formalisms.” E. B. Browning. Especially when the figments presented to them involve the fearful and the terrible.…Fig'-pēck'er, n. p. 510(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Sylvia (S. hortensis); the fig-eater, or beccafico.Fig'-shĕll, n. p. 510(Conch.) A univalve shell having a form somewhat like that of a fig.Fig'-tree, n. p. 510(Bot.) A tree of several species of the genus Ficus, especially F. carica, which produces the fig of commerce.Fig′ū-late or Fig′ū-lā′ted, a. p. 510Made of potter’s clay; molded; shaped. [Rare.]Fig'ū-ra-bil'i-ty, n. p. 510The quality of being figurable.Fig'ū-ra-ble, a. p. 510Capable of being brought to, or of retaining, a certain fixed form or shape; as, lead is figurable, but water is not.Fĭg'ū-ral, a. p. 510Represented by figure or delineation; consisting of figures; as, figural resemblances; figural ornaments. Browne. 2. (Mus.) Figurate. See FIGURATE. Figural numbers. See FIGURATE NUMBERS.Fĭg'ū-ränt' or Fĭg'ū-ränte', n. m. p. 510Fĭg'ū-ränte', n. f. [Fr., properly p. pr. of figurer, to figure, to represent, to make a figure, to appear, to dance in figures.] One who dances at the opera, not singly, but in groups or figures; an…Fĭg'ū-rate, a. p. 510Of a certain determinate form or figure. Plants are all figurate and determinate, which inanimate bodies are not. Bacon. 2. Figurative. [Obs.] 3. (Mus.) Relating to discords; discordant; figurative.…Fĭg'ū-rā'ted, a. p. 510Having a determinate form. Potter.Fĭg'ū-rate-ly, adv. p. 510In a figurate manner.Fĭg'ū-rā'tion, n. p. 510The act of giving figure or determinate form; determination to a certain form. Bacon. 2. (Mus.) Mixture of concords and discords.Fig'ū-ra-tive, a. p. 510Representing by a figure, or by resemblance; typical; representative. This, they will say, was figurative, and served, by God's appointment, but for a time, to shadow out the true glory of a more…Fig'ū-ra-tive-ly, adv. p. 510In a figurative manner; by a figure; in a metaphorical sense.Fig'ū-ra-tive-ness, n. p. 510State of being figurative.Fig'ūre, n. p. 510The form of any thing; shape; fashion; outline; structure; appearance; hence, an imaginary phantom. Enjoy the heavy honey-dew of slumber; Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies. Shak. 2. The…Fig'ū're, v. t. p. 510To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, by drawing or modeling. 2. To embellish with designs; to mark upon. “My figured goblet.” Shak. The vaulty top of heaven Figured…Fig'ûre, v. i. p. 511To make a figure; to be distinguished; as, the envoy figured at the court of St. Cloud.Fig'ûre-cāst'er, n. p. 511A pretender to astrology. [Obs.]Fig'ûred, p. a. p. 511Adorned with figures; marked with figures. 2. (Mus.) (a.) Free and florid; as, a figured descant. (b.) Indicated or noted by figures. Figured bass (Mus.), an accompaniment indicated by figures over…Fig'ûre-fling'er, n. p. 511An astrologer; a figure-caster. [Obs.] Rowlands.Fig'ûre-fling'ing, n. p. 511The practice of the tricks of astrology. [Obs.] I shall spoil your figure-flinging. Beau. & Fl.Fig’ure-hĕad, n. p. 511(Naut.) The figure, statue, or bust, on the projecting part of the head of a ship. Brande.Fig'ūre-stōne, n. p. 511(Min.) The agalmatolite, or bildstein. See AGALMATOLITE.Fi-gū'ri-al, a. p. 511Represented by figure or delineation.Fig'ū-rīst, n. p. 511One who uses or interprets figures. Waterland.Fig'wort, n. p. 511(Bot.) A plant of several species of the genus Scrophularia, especially S. nodosa.Fike, n. p. 511See FYKE.Fi-lā'ceoûs, a. p. 511Composed or consisting of threads. Bacon.Fĭl'a-cer, n. p. 511(Eng. Law.) An officer in the English Court of Common Pleas, or of the Queen’s Bench;—so called from filing the writs on which he made out process. The office is now abolished. Burrill.Fī-lū'go, n. p. 511(Bot.) A genus of plants, the parts of which are covered with delicate threads or filaments; cotton-rose.Fil'a-ment, n. p. 511A thread, or thread-like object or appendage; a fiber; especially (Bot.), the thread-like part of the stamens supporting the anther.Fĭl'a-mĕnt'oid, a. p. 511Filament-like.Fĭl'a-mĕnt'ous, a. p. 511Like a thread; consisting of fine filaments.Fil'an-der, n. p. 511(Zoöl.) An animal of the genus Macropus (M. Brunii), a kind of kangaroo found in Australia and the other East Indian islands. 2. (pl.) [Fr. filandres, from Lat. filum, thread.] A disease in hawks…Fī'lar, a. p. 511Of, or pertaining to a thread or line; constructed with a thread or threads; as, a filar micrometer.Fil'a-to-ry, n. p. 511A machine which forms or spins threads. [Obs.] This manufactory has three filatories. Tooke.Fil'a-tûre, n. p. 511A drawing out into threads; hence, the reeling of silk from cocoons. 2. A reel for drawing off silk from cocoons, or an establishment for reeling.Fil'bert, n. p. 511(Bot.) The fruit of the cultivated Corylus or hazel; an oval nut, containing a kernel that has a mild, farinaceous, oily taste, agreeable to the palate.Filch, v. t. p. 511To steal or take privily;—applied to that which is of little value; to take wrongfully from another; to pilfer; to steal; to pillage. But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which…Filch'er, n. p. 511One who filches; a thief.Filch'ing-ly, adv. p. 511In a filching manner; by pilfering.File, n. p. 511An orderly succession; a line; a row; as, (a.) (Mil.) A row of soldiers ranged behind one another; a number constituting the depth of a body of troops; as, in rank and file. (b.) An orderly…File, v. t. p. 511To set in order; to arrange, especially as papers in a methodical manner for preservation and reference; to place on file; to insert in its proper place in an arranged body of papers. I would have my…File, v. i. p. 511(Mil.) To march in a file or line, as soldiers, not abreast, but one after another; — generally with off. To file with, to follow closely, as one soldier after another in file. My endeavors Have ever…File, n. p. 511A steel instrument, having the surface covered with sharp-edged furrows or teeth, used for abrading or smoothing other substances, as metals, wood, &c. ☞ A file differs from a rasp in having the…File, v. t. p. 511To rub, smooth, or cut away, with a file, or as with a file; to polish; as, to file a saw, a tooth, &c. 2. To smooth; to polish; to improve. File your tongue to a little more courtesy. W. Scott.