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.
Fĭ'nite-ly, adv. p. 513Within limits; to a certain degree only. Stillingfleet.Fĭ'nite-ness, n. p. 513The state of being finite; as, the finiteness of our natural powers.Fin'i-tūde, n. p. 513Limitation. [Obs.] Cheyne.Fin'less, a. p. 513Destitute of fins; as, finless fish. Shak.Fĭnn, n. p. 513(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Finland.Finned, a. p. 513Having a broad edge on either side; — said of a plow. Mortimer.Fīn'ner, n. p. 513A kind of whale; a finback.Fĭn’-ni-kĭn, n. p. 513A sort of pigeon, with a crest somewhat resembling the mane of a horse.Fin'nish, a. p. 513(Geog.) Pertaining to Finland, or to the language of its inhabitants.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.FĪ-nō’chi-o, n. p. 513(Bot.) A variety of fennel; Anethum fæniculum dulce. London.Fī'nōs, n. pl. p. 514Second best wool from Merino sheep. Gardner.Fin'-seāle, n. p. 514(Ichth.) A kind of river fish, the rudd. [Eng.]Fin'-tōed, a. p. 514Having toes connected by a membrane, as aquatic fowls; palmiped; palmated.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.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.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.Fip'pen-ny-bīt, n. p. 514Five pence, or a piece of money of that value;—often contracted to fip. [U. S.] Bartlett.Fĭp’ple, n. p. 514A stopper, as in a wind-instrument of music. [Obs.] Bacon.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.…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.…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.…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 .…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.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.Fire'-ārm, n. p. 514A weapon which acts by the force of gunpowder.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.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…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.Fire'-bāre, n. p. 514A beacon. [Obs.] Burritt.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.Fire'-bārs, n. pl. p. 514The bars on which the fuel rests in the fire-box or furnace of a steam-engine.Fire'-băw'in, n. p. 514A bundle of brush-wood used in fire-ships.Fire'-blāst, n. p. 514A disease of plants and trees, in which they appear as if burnt by fire.Fire'-bōard, n. p. 514A chimney-board, used to close a fire-place in summer.Fire'-bōte, n. p. 514(Law.) An allowance of fuel, to which a tenant is entitled. [Eng.]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.]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.Fire'-brick, n. p. 514A brick capable of sustaining intense heat without fusion, usually made of fire-clay.Fire'-bridge, n. p. 514A partition in furnaces over which the flame, &c., passes to the flues.Fire'-brīēf, n. p. 514A circular letter desiring help for sufferers by fire. Cartwright.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.Fire'-brūsh, n. p. 514A brush used to sweep the hearth.Fire'-bŭck'et, n. p. 514A bucket to convey water to engines for extinguishing fire.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.Fire'-cŏck, n. p. 514A cock or spout to let out water for extinguishing fire.Fire'-cōm'pa-ny, n. p. 514A company of men for managing an engine to extinguish fires.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…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 . .…Fire'-dămp, n. p. 514The explosive carbureted hydrogen of coal-mines. See DAMP. Ure.Fire'-dŏg, n. p. 514A support for wood in a fire-place; an andiron.Fire'-drake, n. p. 514A fiery dragon. Beau. & Fl. 2. A fiery meteor; an ignis fatuus; a rocket. 3. A worker at a furnace or fire. B. Jonson.Fire'-eat'er, n. p. 514One who pretends to eat fire; hence, a fighting character; a hotspur.Fire'-ên/gine, n. p. 514An hydraulic or forcing pump for throwing water to extinguish fires.Fīre'-es-cāpe', n. p. 514A machine for escaping from the upper part of a building when on fire.Fire'-fānged, a. p. 514Dried up;—said of manure or compost when it assumes a baked appearance and ashy color from the heat generated by decomposition.Fire'-fāng'ing, n. p. 514State of being fire-fanged.Fīre'-flāire, n. p. 514(Ichth.) A fish of the ray kind, and of the genus Trygon (T. pastinaca); the trygon; sting-ray. Baird.Fire'-fly, n. p. 514(Entom.) A winged, luminous insect, as the Elater noctilucus, of South America, which emits a brilliant light from a yellow spot on each side of the thorax, and from other parts of the body; also…Fire'-guārd, n. p. 514A framework of iron wire, to be placed in front of a fire-place; a fender.