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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.

  1. For-wāste', v. t.p. 538To lay waste; to desolate; to destroy. [Obs.] Spenser.
  2. For-wêa'ry, v. t.p. 538To weary extremely; to dispirit. [Obs.] Spenser.
  3. For-weep', v. i.p. 538To weep much. [Obs.] Chaucer.
  4. Fôr'word, n.p. 538A promise. [Obs.] Spenser.
  5. For-wōrn’, a.p. 538Much worn. [Obs.] A silly man, in simple weeds forworn. Spenser.
  6. For-zan'do, adv.p. 538(Mus.) Sudden and forcible; explosive;—used to designate a tone which is produced suddenly and forcibly, and instantly diminished;—usually indicated by the mark > over each note of the passage, or by…
  7. Fŏsse, n.p. 538(Fort.) A ditch or moat. 2. (Anat.) (a.) A non-articular depression in a bone, wider at the margin than at the bottom; as, temporal fosse. (b.) One of variously shaped cavities in the soft parts; as…
  8. Fŏs'set, n.p. 538A faucet. [Obs.] Shak.
  9. Fôs'sil, a.p. 538Dug out of the earth; as, fossil coal; fossil salt. 2. Pertaining to, or resembling, fossils; changed into stone; petrified; as, fossil shells, bones, or wood. Fossil copal, a kind of resinous…
  10. Fŏs'sil, n.p. 538A substance dug from the earth. Warburton. 2. (Palæon.) The petrified form of a plant or animal in the strata composing the surface of our globe.
  11. Fŏs'sil-īf'er-oŭs, a.p. 538(Paleon.) Containing fossil or organic remains; as, fossiliferous rocks.
  12. Fŏs'sil-i-fi-cā'tion, n.p. 538Act of becoming fossil.
  13. Fŏs'sil-ism, n.p. 538The science or quality of fossils. Coleridge.
  14. Fôs'sil-îst, n.p. 538One who studies the nature and properties of fossils; one who is versed in the science of fossils; a paleontologist. Black.
  15. Fŏs'sil-i-zā'tion, n.p. 538The act or process of converting into a fossil or petrifaction.
  16. Fōs'sil-īze, v. t.p. 538To convert into a fossil or petrifaction; as, to fossilize bones or wood. 2. To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by fossilization; to cause to lose the characteristics proper to the…
  17. Fōs'sil-ize, v. i.p. 538To become, or be changed into, a fossil or petrifaction. 2. To become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, beyond the influence of change or progress.
  18. Fōs'sil-īzed, p. a.p. 538Converted into a fossil or petrifaction. 2. Fixed or hardened beyond the reach of change or progress.
  19. Fos-sō'rēs, n. pl.p. 538(Entom.) A group of insects which excavate cells in earth or wood, where they deposit their eggs, with the bodies of other insects for the support of the young when hatched.
  20. Fos-sō'ri-al, a.p. 538Fitted for digging, or accustomed to dig; as, a fossorial limb or instrument; a fossorial animal.
  21. Fos-sō'ri-al, n.p. 538(Zoöl.) An animal which digs into the earth for a retreat or lodge, and whose locomotive extremities are adapted for that purpose.
  22. Fōss'-rōad, n.p. 538A Roman military way in England, from Totnes to Barton;—so called from the ditches on each side. [Written also foss-way.]
  23. Fōs'su-late, a.p. 538Having trenches, or depressions like trenches. Brande.
  24. Fôss'-wày, n.p. 538See FOSS-ROAD.
  25. Fōs'ter, v. t.p. 538To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak. 2. To cherish; to forward; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to…
  26. Fōs'ter, v. i.p. 538To be nourished or trained up together. [Obs.] Spenser.
  27. Fōs'ter, n.p. 538A forester. [Obs.] Spenser.
  28. Fōs'ter-age, n.p. 538The charge of nursing. Raleigh.
  29. Fōs'ter-brōth'er, n.p. 538A male nursed at the same breast, or fed by the same nurse, but not the offspring of the same parents.
  30. Fŏs'ter-chīld, n.p. 538A child nursed by a woman not the mother, or bred by a man not the father. Addison.
  31. Fōs'ter-dām, n.p. 538One who performs the office of a mother by giving food to a child; a nurse. Dryden.
  32. Fōs'ter-ēarth, n.p. 538Earth by which a plant is nourished, though not its native soil. Philips.
  33. Fōs'ter-er, n.p. 538One who feeds and nourishes in the place of parents; a nurse. Davies.
  34. Fōs'ter-fä'ther, n.p. 538One who takes the place of a father in feeding and educating a child. Bacon.
  35. Fōs'ter-ling, n.p. 538A foster-child. B. Jonson.
  36. Fōs'ter-ment, n.p. 538Food; nourishment. [Obs.]
  37. Fōs'ter-mōth'er, n.p. 538One who takes the place of a mother in the care of a child; a nurse.
  38. Fōs'ter-nurse, n.p. 538A nurse. [Rare.] Shak.
  39. Fōs'ter-pār'ent, n.p. 538One who rears up a child in place of its own parent.
  40. Fōs'ter-sis'ter, n.p. 538One not a sister, but brought up as such by the same parent or parents.
  41. Fōs'ter-sōn, n.p. 538One fed and educated like a son, though not a son by birth. Dryden.
  42. Fōs'tress, n.p. 538A female who feeds and cherishes; a nurse. B. Johnson.
  43. Fōth'er, n.p. 538A fodder.
  44. Fōth'er, v. t.p. 538To endeavor to stop, as a leak in the bottom of a ship, while afloat, by letting down a sail under her bottom, by its corners, and putting between it and the ship’s sides oakum to be sucked into the…
  45. Fōt'ive, a.p. 538Nourishing. [Obs.] T. Carew, 1633.
  46. Fōt'māl, n.p. 538The weight of seventy pounds of lead. Simmonds.
  47. Fōu-gāde′ or Fōu-gāsse′, n.p. 538(Mil.) A small mine, formed by sinking a pit from the surface, charged with powder, or powder and shells, and covered with stones or earth.
  48. Fought, imp. & p. p.p. 538of fight.
  49. Fought'en, p. p.p. 538of fight. [Obs.]
  50. Foul, a.p. 538Covered with or containing extraneous matter which is injurious, noxious, or offensive; filthy; dirty; not clean; polluted; nasty; defiled; as, a foul cloth; foul hands; a foul chimney. My face is…
  51. Foul, v. t.p. 538To make filthy; to defile; to daub; to dirty; to bemire; to soil; as, to foul the clothes; to foul the face or hands. Shak. 2. To entangle or bring into collision with something that impedes motion.
  52. Foul, v. i.p. 538To become entangled or clogged; to come into collision with something; as, the two boats fouled; one of the blocks fouled.
  53. Fou-lärd', n.p. 538A thin fabric of silk or silk-cotton, originally brought from India, used for handkerchiefs and ladies' dresses.
  54. Foul'der, v. i.p. 538To flame, as lightning; to lighten; to gleam. [Obs.] Seemed that loud thunder, with amazement great, Did rend the rattling skies with flames of fouldering heat. Spenser.
  55. Foul'ly, adv.p. 538In a foul manner; filthily; nastily; hatefully; shamefully; unfairly; dishonorably. Thou play'dst most foully for it. Shak. I foully wronged him; do forgive me, do. Gay.
  56. Foul'-mouthed, a.p. 538Using language scurrilous, opprobrious, obscene, or profane; abusive. So foul-mouthed a witness never appeared in any cause. Addison.
  57. Foul'ness, n.p. 538The quality of being foul; filthiness; defilement; pollution; hatefulness; ugliness; unfairness; dishonesty. There is not so chaste a nation as this, nor so free from all pollution or foulness.…
  58. Foul'-spōk'en, a.p. 538Using profane, scurrilous, slanderous, or obscene language. Shak.
  59. Fou'märt, n.p. 538The polecat; the fitchew.
  60. Found, imp. & pp.p. 538of find.