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.
Fil-trā'tion, n. p. 512The act or process of filtering; the mechanical separation of a liquid from the undissolved particles floating in it. Ure.Fim'ble-hemp, n. p. 512Light summer hemp, that bears no seed. Mortimer.Fīm'brī-ā, n. p. 512(Anat.) A fringe, or fringed border; especially, in the plural, the fringe-like extremities of the Fallopian tubes. 2. (Bot.) A toothed or fringed ring bordering the operculum of mosses, and serving…Fim'bri-ate, a. p. 512(Bot.) Having the margin bordered by filiform processes thicker than hairs; fringed. Lindley.Fĭm′bri-āte, v. t. p. 512To hem; to fringe.Fĭm’bri-ā’ted, a. p. 512(Bot. & Conch.) Having the border fringe-like. Dana. 2. (Her.) Ornamented as an ordinary, with a narrow border belonging to another charge.Fim’bri-cate, a. p. 512Fringed; jagged; fimbriate.Fin, n. p. 512(Ichth.) An organ of a fish, consisting of a membrane supported by rays, or little bony or cartilaginous ossicles, and serving to balance and propel it in the water. Fins. 1, ventral; 2, anal; 3…Fĭn, v. t. p. 512To carve or cut up, as a chub.Fĭn, n. p. 512(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Finland; a Finn.Fin'a-ble, a. p. 512Liable or subject to a fine; as, a finable person or offense.Fī'nal, a. p. 512Pertaining to the end or conclusion; last; terminating; ultimate; as, the final issue or event of things; final hope; final salvation. Yet despair not of his final pardon. Milton. 2. Conclusive…Fĭ-năl'e, n. p. 512(Mus.) The last note, or end, of a piece of music; the last composition performed in any act of an opera, or part of a concert; close; termination.Fī-năl′i-ty, n. p. 512Final state; a final or conclusive arrangement; a settlement. Baxter.Fi'nal-ly, adv. p. 512At the end or conclusion; ultimately; lastly; as, the contest was long, but the Romans finally conquered. “Whom patience finally must crown.” Milton. 2. Completely; beyond recovery. The enemy was…Fĭ-nănce′, n. p. 512The income of a ruler or of a state; revenue; public money; sometimes, the income of an individual; — often used in the plural, funds. All the finances or revenues of the imperial crown. Bacon.…Fī-năn'cial, a. p. 512Pertaining to finance or public revenue. “Our financial and commercial system.” Macaulay.Fi-năn'cial-ist, n. p. 512One skilled in financial matters; a financier.Fī-năn'cial-ly, adv. p. 512In a financial manner; in relation to finances or public revenue.Fī-năn'cian, n. p. 512A financier. [Rare.]Fĭn'an-ciēr', n. p. 512One who is charged with the administration of finance; an officer who administers the public revenue; a treasurer. Burke. 2. One who is skilled in financial operations; one who is acquainted with…Fin-an-ciēr', v. i. p. 512To conduct financial operations.Fin'a-ry, n. p. 512Finery. See FINERY.Fĭ'na-tīve, a. p. 512Conclusive; decisive; definitive; final. [Obs.] Greene, 1593.Fin′back, n. p. 512(Zoöl.) A whale of the genera Balænoptera or Physalus, characterized by a prominent fin on the back.Finch, n. p. 512(Ornith.) A small singing bird, belonging to the genus Fringilla. The word is often used in composition, as in chaff-finch, goldfinch.Finch'-bäcked, a. p. 512Having a white streak, or white spots, upon the back; — said of cattle.Finched, a. p. 512Having a spot or streak of white; — applied to cattle.Find, v. t. p. 512To meet with, or light upon, accidentally; to gain the first sight or knowledge of, as of something new, or unknown, or unexpected; hence, to fall in with, as a person. I found this paper, thus…Find, v. i. p. 512(Law.) To determine an issue of fact, and to declare such a determination to a court; as, the jury find for the plaintiff. Burrill.Find'er, n. p. 512One who, or that which, finds; specifically (Astron.), a small telescope, attached to a larger telescope, for the purpose of finding an object more readily.Find'-fault, n. p. 512A censurer or caviler. [Obs.] Shak.Find'-fault'ing, a. p. 512Apt to censure or cavil; captious. [Obs.] Whitlock.Find'ing, n. p. 512That which is found, come upon, or provided; discovery; especially, in the plural, that which a journeyman finds or provides for himself, as a shoemaker his tools, thread, and wax. When a man hath…Find'ing-stōre, n. p. 512A store or shop where the tools, &c., used by shoemakers, are kept for sale; — called in England grindery-warehouse. [U.S.] Simmonds.Fin'dy, a. p. 512Full; heavy; or firm, solid, substantial. [Obs.] A cold May and a windy Makes the barn fat and findy. Old Proverb.Fine, a. p. 512Finished; brought to perfection; refined; — hence, excellent; superior; elegant; worthy of admiration; beautiful; showy. The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste. Shak. Not only the finest…Fine, v. t. p. 513To make fine; to refine; to purify; to clarify. “The fining of wines.” Evelyn. “The furnaces where gold is fined.” Holland. It hath been fined and refined by ... grave and learned men. Hobbes. 2. To…Fīne, n. p. 513End; termination; extinction. [Obs.] “To see their fatal fine.” Spenser. 2. A sum of money paid as the settlement of a claim, or by way of terminating a matter in dispute; especially, a payment of…Fīne, v. t. p. 513To impose a pecuniary penalty upon for an offense or breach of law; to set a fine on by judgment of a court; to punish by fine; to mulct; as, the trespassers were fined ten dollars, and imprisoned a…Fīne, v. i. p. 513To pay a fine. [Rare.] Men fined for the king's good-will; or that he would remit his anger. Hallam.Fīne'-draw, v. t. p. 513To sew up, as a rent, without doubling the edges, so that the seam is not perceived; to renter. Johnson.Fine'-draw'er, n. p. 513One who fine-draws.Fine'-drawn, p. a. p. 513Drawn out with too much subtilty; as, fine-drawn speculations.Fī-neer′, v. i. p. 513To run in debt by getting goods made up in a way unsuitable for the use of others, and then threatening not to take them except on credit. [Rare.] Goldsmith.Fine'-fing'gered, a. p. 513Nice in workmanship; dexterous at fine work. Johnson.Fīne'less, a. p. 513Endless; boundless. [Obs.] Shak.Fine'ly, adv. p. 513In a fine or finished manner; admirably; beautifully; as, he was finely attired. Plutarch says, very finely, that a man should not allow himself to hate even his enemies. Addison. 2. Delicately; with…Fine'ness, n. p. 513The quality or condition of being fine. 2. Freedom from foreign matter; clearness; purity; as, the fineness of liquor. The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion. Shak. 3. Perfectedness…Fīn'er, n. p. 513One who fines or purifies.Fin'er-y, n. p. 513Fineness; beauty. [Obs.] Don't choose your place of study by the finery of the prospects. Watts. 2. Ornament; decoration; especially, showy or excessive decoration. “Her mistress' cast-off finery.”…Fine'-spŭn, a. p. 513Drawn to a fine thread; minute; hence, subtile.Finesse, n. p. 513Subtility of contrivance to gain a point; artifice; stratagem. This is the artificialest piece of finesse to persuade men into slavery. Milton.Fī-nèsse′, v. i. p. 513To use artifice or stratagem. Goldsmith.Fine'-still, v. t. p. 513To distill, as spirit from molasses, treacle, or some preparation of saccharine matter.Fine'-still'er, n. p. 513One who distills spirit from treacle or molasses.Fine'-stûff, n. p. 513The second coat of plaster for the walls of a room, made of finely sifted lime with sand and hair. Gwilt.Fīn'ew, n. p. 513The state of being fenowed or moldy; moldiness. See FENOWED. Scott.Fīn'-fish, n. p. 513A species of slender whale.Fin'-fōōt'ed, a. p. 513Having palmated feet, or feet with toes connected by a membrane. [Obs.] Browne.