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.
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.Fire'-hōōk, n. p. 514A large hook for pulling down buildings in conflagrations.Fire'-in-sūr'ance, n. p. 514An indemnity against loss by fire, obtained by payment of a premium or small percentage — usually made periodically — to an insurance company. Simmonds.Fire'-ī/rons, n. pl. p. 514Utensils for a fire-place or grate, as tongs, poker, and shovel.Fire'-kiln, n. p. 514An oven or place for heating any thing. Simmonds.Fire'-less, a. p. 514Destitute of fireFire'-lock, n. p. 514A gun-lock, which is discharged by striking fire with flint and steel; hence, a musket furnished with such a lock.Fire'-man, n. p. 514A man whose business is to extinguish fires in towns; a member of a fire-company. 2. A man who tends the fires, as of a steam-engine.Fire'-mas'ter, n. p. 514An officer of artillery, who superintends the composition of fire-works. [Rare.]Fire'-new, a. p. 514Fresh from the forge; bright; quite new. Your fire-new stamp of honor is scarce current. Shak.Fire'-ŏf/fice, n. p. 514An office for making insurance against fire.Fire'-păn, n. p. 514A pan for holding or conveying fire; especially, the receptacle for the priming in a gun.Fire'-place, n. p. 514The part of a chimney appropriated to the fire; a hearth.Fire'-plug, n. p. 514A plug for drawing water from a pipe to extinguish fire.Fire'-pŏl/i-cy, n. p. 514The writing or instrument by which insurers engage to pay the insured for a loss sustained by fire. Simmonds.Fire'-pŏt, n. p. 514(Mil.) A small earthen pot filled with combustibles, used as a missile in war. 2. The part of a furnace in which the fire is made.Fire'-proof, a. p. 514Proof against fire; incombustible.Fire'-proof'ing, n. p. 514The act or process of rendering fire-proof. 2. Materials for rendering any thing fire-proof.Fir'er, n. p. 514One who sets fire to any thing; an incendiary.Fire'-screen, n. p. 514A movable screen to intercept the light or heat of the fire; a fire-guard. Clarke. 2. (Naut.) A screen of baize or flannel placed in the passage way from the powder magazine whenever this is opened.…Fire'-sĕt, n. p. 514A set of fire-irons, including, commonly, tongs, shovel, and poker. Simmonds.Fire'-ship, n. p. 514A vessel filled with combustibles, and furnished with grappling-irons, to hook and set fire to an enemy's ships.Fire'-shōv'el, n. p. 514A shovel or instrument for taking up or removing coals of fire.Fire'-side, n. p. 514A place near the fire or hearth; home; domestic life or retirement.Fire'-steel, n. p. 514A steel used with a flint for striking fire.Fire'-stick, n. p. 514A lighted stick or brand. Digby.Fire'-stōne, n. p. 514Iron pyrites. [Obs.] 2. A kind of sandstone which bears a high degree of heat.Fire'-sûr'face, n. p. 514See HEATING-SURFACE.Fire'-tĕl'e-grāph, n. p. 514A telegraph used to convey intelligence of fire to different parts of a city.Fire'-ward or Fire'-ward'en, n. p. 514An officer who has authority to direct in the extinguishing of fires, or the proper precautions against fires.Fire'-weed, n. p. 514(Bot.) An American plant (Senecio hieracifolius), very troublesome in spots where brushwood has been burned.Fire'-wood, n. p. 514Wood for fuel.Fire'-work, n. p. 514Preparations of gunpowder, sulphur, and other inflammable materials, used for making explosions in the air, on occasions of public rejoicing; pyrotechnical exhibitions; also, various combustible…Fire'-work'er, n. p. 514An officer of artillery subordinate to the fire-master. [Rare.]Fire'-wor/ship, n. p. 514The worship of fire, which prevails chiefly in Persia, among the followers of Zoroaster, called Ghebers, or Guebers, and among the Parsees of India.Fire'-wor'ship-er, n. p. 514One who worships fire.Fīr'ing, n. p. 514The act of discharging fire-arms. 2. The application of fire, or of a cautery. 3. Fuel; fire-wood or coal. Mortimer.Fir'ing-ī'ron, n. p. 514An instrument used in farriery for cauterizing.Fĭrk, v. t. p. 514To beat; to strike; to chastise. [Obs.] Hudibras.Fĭrk, v. i. p. 514To fly out; to turn out; to go off. [Obs.] A wench is a rare bait, with which a man No sooner's taken but he firks mad. B. Jonson.F'irk, n. p. 514A freak; trick; quirk. [Obs.] Ford.Fĭr'kin, n. p. 514A measure of capacity, being the fourth part of a barrel, and equal to nine ale gallons, or seven and a half imperial gallons. 2. A small vessel or cask of indeterminate size; — used chiefly for…Fir'lot, n. p. 514A dry measure used in Scotland. The Linlithgow wheat firlot is to the imperial bushel as 995 to 1000; the Linlithgow barley firlot is to the imperial bushel as 1456 to 1000. McCulloch.Firm, a. p. 515Fixed; hence, closely compressed; compact; hard; solid; — applied to the matter of bodies; as, firm flesh; firm muscles; firm wood; firm cloth. 2. Not easily excited or disturbed; unchanging in…Firm, n. p. 515The name, title, or style, under which a company transacts business; hence, a partnership or house; as, the firm of Hope & Co.Firm, v. t. p. 515To fix; to settle; to confirm; to establish. And love has firmed it with an awful nod. Dryden. 2. To fix or direct with firmness. Upon his card and compass firms his eye. Spenser.Fir'ma-ment, n. p. 515Fixed foundation; well-established basis. [Obs.] Custom is the ... firmament of the law. Bp. Taylor. 2. The region of the air; the sky or heavens. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst…Fir'ma-mĕnt'al, a. p. 515Pertaining to the firmament; celestial; being of the upper regions. Dryden.Fir'man or Fir-mān', n. p. 515A decree of the Turkish or other Oriental government: a royal order or grant; — generally given for special objects, as to a traveler to insure him protection and assistance. [Written also firmam.]Firm'i-tūde, n. p. 515Strength; solidity. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Firm'i-ty, n. p. 515Strength; firmness; stability. [Obs.] Chillingworth.