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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

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.

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  1. Fĭn′i-kĭn, a.p. 513Precise in trifles; idly busy. [Colloq.] Smart.
  2. Fin'i-kin, n.p. 513Same as FINNIKIN, q. v.
  3. Fin'ing, n.p. 513The act of imposing a fine. 2. The process of fining or refining; clarification. 3. That which is used to refine, especially a solution of gelatine.
  4. Fin'ing-pôt, n.p. 513A vessel for refining.
  5. Fĭ'nis, n.p. 513An end; conclusion.
  6. Fin’ish, v. t.p. 513To arrive at the end of; to bring to an end; to put an end to; to make an end of; to terminate. “And finish all foul thoughts.” Shak. And heroically hath finished a life heroic. Milton. 2. To bestow…
  7. Fĭn'ish, n.p. 513That which finishes, puts an end to, or perfects; especially, the last hard, smooth coat of plaster on a wall.
  8. Fin'ished, p. a.p. 513Polished to the highest degree of excellence; complete; perfect; as, a finished poem; a finished education. Finished work (Mach.), work that is made smooth or polished, though not necessarily…
  9. Fĭn'ish-er, n.p. 513One who finishes, puts an end to, completes, or perfects. A prophet of glad tidings, finisher Of utmost hope. Milton. 2. A machinist. See BENCH-HAND.
  10. Fĭ'nīte, a.p. 513Having a limit; limited in quantity, degree, or capacity; bounded; — opposed to infinite; as, finite number; finite existence; a finite being; finite duration.
  11. Fĭ'nīte-less, a.p. 513Having no limit; infinite. [Obs.] Browne.
  12. Fĭ'nite-ly, adv.p. 513Within limits; to a certain degree only. Stillingfleet.
  13. Fĭ'nite-ness, n.p. 513The state of being finite; as, the finiteness of our natural powers.
  14. Fin'i-tūde, n.p. 513Limitation. [Obs.] Cheyne.
  15. Fin'less, a.p. 513Destitute of fins; as, finless fish. Shak.
  16. Fĭnn, n.p. 513(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Finland.
  17. Finned, a.p. 513Having a broad edge on either side; — said of a plow. Mortimer.
  18. Fīn'ner, n.p. 513A kind of whale; a finback.
  19. Fĭn’-ni-kĭn, n.p. 513A sort of pigeon, with a crest somewhat resembling the mane of a horse.
  20. Fin'nish, a.p. 513(Geog.) Pertaining to Finland, or to the language of its inhabitants.
  21. Fin'ny, a.p. 513Furnished with fins; pertaining to fins or fish; as, finny fish; finny tribes. With patient angle trolls the finny deep. Goldsmith.
  22. FĪ-nō’chi-o, n.p. 513(Bot.) A variety of fennel; Anethum fæniculum dulce. London.
  23. Fī'nōs, n. pl.p. 514Second best wool from Merino sheep. Gardner.
  24. Fin'-seāle, n.p. 514(Ichth.) A kind of river fish, the rudd. [Eng.]
  25. Fin'-tōed, a.p. 514Having toes connected by a membrane, as aquatic fowls; palmiped; palmated.
  26. Fiôrd, n.p. 514(Geog.) A long, narrow inlet, bounded by high banks or rocks, often opening again into the sea, such as are common on the coast of Norway.
  27. Fī'o-rīn, n.p. 514(Bot.) A species of creeping bent-grass; the Agrostis stolonifera;—called also fiorin-grass and black couch-grass. London.
  28. Fī'o-rīte, n.p. 514(Min.) A variety of opal occurring in the cavities of volcanic tufa, in smooth and shining globular and botryoidal masses, having a pearly luster;—so called from Fiora, in Ischia.
  29. Fip'pen-ny-bīt, n.p. 514Five pence, or a piece of money of that value;—often contracted to fip. [U. S.] Bartlett.
  30. Fĭp’ple, n.p. 514A stopper, as in a wind-instrument of music. [Obs.] Bacon.
  31. Fir (18), n.p. 514(Bot.) A tree of several species of the genus Abies, allied to the pines, and valued for its timber. These species are distinguished as the balsam fir, the silver fir, &c. The Scotch fir is a Pinus.…
  32. Fire, n.p. 514The evolution of light and heat in the combustion of bodies, or that active natural process by which burning bodies are decomposed with the evolution of heat and light; combustion; state of ignition.…
  33. Fire, v. t.p. 514To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney; to fire a pile. 2. To inflame; to irritate, as the passions; as, to fire with anger or revenge. “Then soonest fired with zeal.” Milton. 3.…
  34. Fire, v. i.p. 514To take fire; to be kindled; to kindle. 2. To be irritated or inflamed with passion. 3. To discharge artillery or fire-arms; as, they fired on the town. To fire up, to grow irritated or angry. “He .…
  35. Fire'-a-lärm', n.p. 514An alarm given of a fire or conflagration. 2. An apparatus for giving or communicating an alarm of fire, as by telegraphic signals.
  36. Fire'-an-ni'hi-lā'tor, n.p. 514A contrivance for extinguishing fires by means of large volumes of gases and steam poured forth from a hollow vessel, in which a chemical composition has been ignited.
  37. Fire'-ārm, n.p. 514A weapon which acts by the force of gunpowder.
  38. Fire′-ār′rōw, n.p. 514A small iron dart, furnished with a match impregnated with powder and sulphur, used to fire the sails of ships.
  39. Fire'-ball, n.p. 514(Mil.) 1. A ball filled with powder or other combustibles, intended to be thrown among enemies, and to injure by explosion; also to set fire to their works and light these up, so that movements may…
  40. Fire'-bal-lōon', n.p. 514A balloon raised in the air by the buoyancy of air heated by a fire placed in the lower part. 2. A balloon sent up at night with fire-works which ignite at a regulated height. Simmonds.
  41. Fire'-bāre, n.p. 514A beacon. [Obs.] Burritt.
  42. Fire'-bàr'rel, n.p. 514A hollow cylinder, filled with various kinds of combustibles, used in fire-ships, to convey the fire to the shrouds.
  43. Fire'-bārs, n. pl.p. 514The bars on which the fuel rests in the fire-box or furnace of a steam-engine.
  44. Fire'-băw'in, n.p. 514A bundle of brush-wood used in fire-ships.
  45. Fire'-blāst, n.p. 514A disease of plants and trees, in which they appear as if burnt by fire.
  46. Fire'-bōard, n.p. 514A chimney-board, used to close a fire-place in summer.
  47. Fire'-bōte, n.p. 514(Law.) An allowance of fuel, to which a tenant is entitled. [Eng.]
  48. Fire'-bŏx, n.p. 514The chamber of a steam-boiler in which the fire is placed. In a locomotive it is often of copper, surrounded by an iron case, leaving an intervening space for water. [See Illust. of Boiler.]
  49. Fire'-brānd, n.p. 514A piece of wood kindled or on fire. 2. One who inflames factions, or causes contention and mischief; an incendiary. Bacon.
  50. Fire'-brick, n.p. 514A brick capable of sustaining intense heat without fusion, usually made of fire-clay.
  51. Fire'-bridge, n.p. 514A partition in furnaces over which the flame, &c., passes to the flues.
  52. Fire'-brīēf, n.p. 514A circular letter desiring help for sufferers by fire. Cartwright.
  53. Fire'-brĭ-gāde', n.p. 514An organized and trained body of firemen, especially a corps in London, composed of men who are paid by fire insurance offices.
  54. Fire'-brūsh, n.p. 514A brush used to sweep the hearth.
  55. Fire'-bŭck'et, n.p. 514A bucket to convey water to engines for extinguishing fire.
  56. Fire'-clay, n.p. 514A kind of clay, chiefly pure silicate of alumina, capable of sustaining intense heat, and hence used in making fire-bricks.
  57. Fire'-cŏck, n.p. 514A cock or spout to let out water for extinguishing fire.
  58. Fire'-cōm'pa-ny, n.p. 514A company of men for managing an engine to extinguish fires.
  59. Fire'-crăck'er, n.p. 514A small paper cylinder, charged with a preparation of gunpowder, and furnished with a short fuse, which, being lighted, explodes with a loud report. Fire-crackers were originally imported from China…
  60. Fire'-crōss, n.p. 514A cross constructed of two fire-brands, and pitched upon the point of a spear, formerly used in Scotland as a signal to take up arms. To blow a trumpet, and proclaim a fire-cross to an hereditary . .…