F F (êf) (continued 10)

FORGETIVE For"ge*tive, a. Etym: [From Forge.]

Defn: Inventive; productive; capable. [Obs.] Shak.

FORGET-ME-NOT For*get"-me-not`, n. Etym: [Cf. G. vergissmeinnicht.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small herb, of the genus Myosotis (M. palustris, incespitosa, etc.), bearing a beautiful blue flower, and extensively considered the emblem of fidelity.

Note: Formerly the name was given to the Ajuga Chamæpitus.

FORGETTABLE For*get"ta*ble, a.

Defn: Liable to be, or that may be, forgotten. Carlyle.

FORGETTER For*get"ter, n.

Defn: One who forgets; a heedless person. Johnson.

FORGETTINGLY For*get"ting*ly, adv.

Defn: By forgetting.

FORGING For"ging, n.

1. The act of shaping metal by hammering or pressing.

2. The act of counterfeiting.

3. (Mach.)

Defn: A piece of forged work in metal; — a general name for a piece of hammered iron or steel. There are very few yards in the world at which such forgings could be turned out. London Times.

FORGIVABLE For*giv"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being forgiven; pardonable; venial. Sherwood.

FORGIVE For*give", v. t. [imp. Forgave; p. p. Forgiven; p. pr. & vb. n. Forgiving] Etym: [OE. forgiven, foryiven, foryeven, AS. forgiefan, forgifan; perh. for- + giefan, gifan to give; cf. D. vergeven, G. vergeben, Icel. fyrirgefa, Sw. f, Goth. fragiban to give, grant. See For-, and Give, v. t.]

1. To give wholly; to make over without reservation; to resign. To them that list the world's gay shows I leave, And to great ones such folly do forgive. Spenser.

2. To give up resentment or claim to requital on account of (an offense or wrong); to remit the penalty of; to pardon; — said in reference to the act forgiven. And their sins should be forgiven them. Mark iv. 12. He forgive injures so readily that he might be said to invite them. Macaulay.

3. To cease to feel resentment against, on account of wrong committed; to give up claim to requital from or retribution upon (an offender); to absolve; to pardon; — said of the person offending. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke xxiii. 34. I as free forgive you, as I would be fforgiven. Shak.

Note: Sometimes both the person and the offense follow as objects of the verb, sometimes one and sometimes the other being the indirect object. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Matt. vi. 12. "Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." Matt. ix. 2.

Syn. — See excuse.

FORGIVENESS For*give"ness, n. Etym: [AS. forgifnes.]

1. The act of forgiving; the state of being forgiven; as, the forgiveness of sin or of injuries. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses. Dan. ix. 9. In whom we have . . . the forgiveness of sin. Eph. i. 7.

2. Disposition to pardon; willingness to forgive. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Ps. cxxx. 3, 4.

FORGIVER For*giv"er, n.

Defn: One who forgives. Johnson.

FORGIVING For*giv"ing, a.

Defn: Disposed to forgive; inclined to overlook offenses; mild; merciful; compassionate; placable; as, a forgiving temper. — For*giv"ing*ly, adv. — For*giv"ing*ness, n. J. C. Shairp.

FORGO For*go", v. t. [imp. Forwent; p. p. Forgone; p. pr. & vb. n. Forgoing.] Etym: [OE. forgan, forgon, forgoon, AS. forgan, prop., to go past, hence, to abstain from; pref. for- + gan to go; akin to G. vergehen to pass away, to transgress. See Go, v. i.]

Defn: To pass by; to leave. See 1st Forego. For sith [since] I shall forgoon my liberty At your request. Chaucer. And four [days] since Florimell the court forwent. Spenser.

Note: This word in spelling has been confused with, and almost superseded by, forego to go before. Etymologically the form forgo is correct.

FORGOT For*got",

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Forget.

FORGOTTEN For*got"ten,

Defn: p. p. of Forget.

FORHALL For*hall", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + hale to draw.]

Defn: To harass; to torment; to distress. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORHEND For*hend", v. t.

Defn: To seize upon. [Obs.]

FORINSECAL Fo*rin"se*cal, a. Etym: [L. forinsecus from without.]

Defn: Foreign; alien. [Obs.] Bp. Burnet.

FORISFAMILIATE Fo`ris*fa*mil"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Forisfamiliated; p. pr. & vb. n. Forisfamiliating.] Etym: [LL. forisfamiliatus, p.p. of forisfamiliater to forisfamiliate; L. foris abroad, without + familia family.] (LAw)

Defn: Literally, to put out of a family; hence, to portion off, so as to exclude further claim of inheritance; to emancipate (as a with his own consent) from paternal authority. Blackstone.

FORISFAMILIATE Fo`ris*fa*mil"i*ate, v. i. (Law)

Defn: To renounce a legal title to a further share of paternal inheritance.

FORISFAMILIATION Fo`ris*fa*mil`i*a"tion, n. (Law)

Defn: The act of forisfamiliating.

FORK Fork, n. Etym: [AS. forc, fr. L. furca. Cf. Fourch, Furcate.]

1. An instrument consisting consisting of a handle with a shank terminating in two or more prongs or tines, which are usually of metal, parallel and slightly curved; — used from piercing, holding, taking up, or pitching anything.

2. Anything furcate or like of a fork in shape, or furcate at the extremity; as, a tuning fork.

3. One of the parts into which anything is furcated or divided; a prong; a branch of a stream, a road, etc.; a barbed point, as of an arrow. Let it fall . . . though the fork invade The region of my heart. Shak. A thunderbolt with three forks. Addison.

4. The place where a division or a union occurs; the angle or opening between two branches or limbs; as, the fork of a river, a tree, or a road.

5. The gibbet. [Obs.] Bp. Butler. Fork beam (Shipbuilding), a half beam to support a deck, where hatchways occur. — Fork chuck (Wood Turning), a lathe center having two prongs for driving the work. — Fork head. (a) The barbed head of an arrow. (b) The forked end of a rod which forms part of a knuckle joint. — In fork. (Mining) A mine is said to be in fork, or an engine to "have the water in fork," when all the water is drawn out of the mine. Ure. — The forks of a river or a road, the branches into which it divides, or which come together to form it; the place where separation or union takes place.

FORK Fork, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Forked; p. pr. & vb. n. Forking.]

1. To shoot into blades, as corn. The corn beginneth to fork. Mortimer. 1

2. To divide into two or more branches; as, a road, a tree, or a stream forks.

FORK Fork, v. t.

Defn: To raise, or pitch with a fork, as hay; to dig or turn over with a fork, as the soil. Forking the sheaves on the high-laden cart. Prof. Wilson. To fork over or out, to hand or pay over, as money. [Slang] G. Eliot.

FORKBEARD Fork"beard`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) A European fish (Raniceps raninus), having a large flat head; — also called tadpole fish, and lesser forked beard. (b) The European forked hake or hake's-dame (Phycis blennoides); — also called great forked beard.

FORKED Forked, a.

1. Formed into a forklike shape; having a fork; dividing into two or more prongs or branches; furcated; bifurcated; zigzag; as, the forked lighting. A serpent seen, with forked tongue. Shak.

2. Having a double meaning; ambiguous; equivocal. Cross forked (Her.), a cross, the ends of whose arms are divided into two sharp points; — called also cross double fitché. A cross forked of three points is a cross, each of whose arms terminates in three sharp points. — Forked counsel, advice pointing more than one way; ambiguous advice. [Obs.] B. Jonson. — Fork"ed*ly, adv. — Fork"ed*ness, n.

FORKERVE For*kerve, v. t. [Obs.]

Defn: See Forcarve, v. t.

FORKINESS Fork"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state or dividing in a forklike manner.

FORKLESS Fork"less, a.

Defn: Having no fork.

FORKTAIL Fork"tail`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) One of several Asiatic and East Indian passerine birds, belonging to Enucurus, and allied genera. The tail is deeply forking. (b) A salmon in its fourth year's growth. [Prov. Eng.]

FORK-TAILED Fork"-tailed`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the outer tail feathers longer than the median ones; swallow-tailed; — said of many birds. Fork-tailed flycatcher (Zoöl.), a tropical American flycatcher (Milvulus tyrannus). — Fork-tailed gull (Zoöl.), a gull of the genus Xema, of two species, esp. X. Sabinii of the Arctic Ocean. — Fork-tailed kite (Zoöl.), a graceful American kite (Elanoides forficatus); — called also swallow-tailed kite.

FORKY Fork"y, a.

Defn: Opening into two or more parts or shoots; forked; furcated. "Forky tongues." Pope.

FORLAFT For*laft", obs.

Defn: p. p. of Forleave. Chaucer.

FORLAY For*lay", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + lay.]

Defn: To lie in wait for; to ambush. An ambushed thief forlays a traveler. Dryden.

FORLEAVE For*leave", v. t. Etym: [OE. forleven; pref. for- + leven to leave.]

Defn: To leave off wholly. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORLEND For*lend", v. t.

Defn: To give up wholly. [Obs.]

FORLESE For*lese", v. t. [p. p. Forlore, Forlorn (.] Etym: [OE. forlesen. See Forlorn.]

Defn: To lose utterly. [Obs.] haucer.

FORLET For*let", v. t. Etym: [OE. forleten, AS. forl; pref. for- + l to allow; akin to G. verlassen to leave. See Let to allow.]

Defn: To give up; to leave; to abandon. [Obs.] "To forlet sin." Chaucer.

FORLIE For*lie", v. i.

Defn: See Forlie.

FORLORE For*lore", imp. pl. & p. p.

Defn: oForlese. [Obs.] The beasts their caves, the birds their neforlore. Fairfax.

FORLORN For*lorn", a. Etym: [OE., p.p. of forlesen to lose utterly, AS. forleósan (p.p. forloren); pref. for- + leósan (in comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw. förlora, Dan. forloren, Goth. fraliusan to lose. See For-, and Lorn, a., Lose, v. t.]

1. Deserted abandoned; lost. Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn. Spenser. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak.

2. Destitute; helpless; in pitiful plight; wretched; miserable; almost hopeless; desperate. For here forlorn and lost I tread. Goldsmith. The condition of the besieged in the mean time was forlorn in the extreme. Prescott. She cherished the forlorn hope that he was still living. Thomson. A forlorn hope Etym: [D. verloren hoop, prop., a lost band or troop; verloren, p.p. of verliezen to lose + hoop band; akin to E. heap. See For-, and Heap.] (Mil.), a body of men (called in F. enfants perdus, in G. verloren posten) selected, usually from volunteers, to attempt a breach, scale the wall of a fortress, or perform other extraordinarily perilous service; also, a desperate case or enterprise.

Syn. — Destitute, lost; abandoned; forsaken; solitary; helpless; friendless; hopeless; abject; wretched; miserable; pitiable.

FORLORN For*lorn", n.

1. A lost, forsaken, or solitary person. Forced to live in Scotland a forlorn. Shak.

2. A forlorn hope; a vanguard. [Obs.] Our forlorn of horse marched within a mile of the enemy. Oliver Cromvell.

FORLORNLY For*lorn"ly, adv.

Defn: In a forlorn manner. Pollok.

FORLORNNESS For*lorn"ness, n.

Defn: State of being forlorn. Boyle.

FORLYE For*lye", v. i.

Defn: Same as Forlie. [Obs.]

FORM form (. Etym: [See Form, n.]

Defn: A suffix used to denote in the form or shape of, resembling, etc.; as, valiform; oviform.

FORM Form (form; in senses 8 & 9, often form in England), n. Etym: [OE. & F. forme, fr. L. forma; cf. Skr. dhariman. Cf. Firm.]

1. The shape and structure of anything, as distinguished from the material of which it is composed; particular disposition or arrangement of matter, giving it individuality or distinctive character; configuration; figure; external appearance. The form of his visage was changed. Dan. iii. 19. And woven close close, both matter, form, and style. Milton.

2. Constitution; mode of construction, organization, etc.; system; as, a republican form of government.

3. Established method of expression or practice; fixed way of proceeding; conventional or stated scheme; formula; as, a form of prayer. Those whom form of laws Condemned to die. Dryden.

4. Show without substance; empty, outside appearance; vain, trivial, or conventional ceremony; conventionality; formality; as, a matter of mere form. Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice. Shak.

5. Orderly arrangement; shapeliness; also, comeliness; elegance; beauty. The earth was without form and void. Gen. i. 2. He hath no form nor comeliness. Is. liii. 2.

6. A shape; an image; a phantom.

7. That by which shape is given or determined; mold; pattern; model.

8. A long seat; a bench; hence, a rank of students in a school; a class; also, a class or rank in society. "Ladies of a high form." Bp. Burnet.

9. The seat or bed of a hare. As in a form sitteth a weary hare. Chaucer.

10. (Print.)

Defn: The type or other matter from which an impression is to be taken, arranged and secured in a chase.

11. (Fine Arts)

Defn: The boundary line of a material object. In painting, more generally, the human body.

12. (Gram.)

Defn: The particular shape or structure of a word or part of speech; as, participial forms; verbal forms.

13. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The combination of planes included under a general crystallographic symbol. It is not necessarily a closed solid.

14. (Metaph.)

Defn: That assemblage or disposition of qualities which makes a conception, or that internal constitution which makes an existing thing to be what it is; — called essential or substantial form, and contradistinguished from matter; hence, active or formative nature; law of being or activity; subjectively viewed, an idea; objectively, a law.

15. Mode of acting or manifestation to the senses, or the intellect; as, water assumes the form of ice or snow. In modern usage, the elements of a conception furnished by the mind's own activity, as contrasted with its object or condition, which is called the matter; subjectively, a mode of apprehension or belief conceived as dependent on the constitution of the mind; objectively, universal and necessary accompaniments or elements of every object known or thought of.

16. (Biol.)

Defn: The peculiar characteristics of an organism as a type of others; also, the structure of the parts of an animal or plant.

Good form or Bad form, the general appearance, condition or action, originally of horses, atterwards of persons; as, the members of a boat crew are said to be in good form when they pull together uniformly. The phrases are further used colloquially in description of conduct or manners in society; as, it is not good form to smoke in the presence of a lady.

FORM Form, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Formed; p. pr. & vb. n. Forming.] Etym: [F. former, L. formare, fr. forma. See Form, n.]

1. To give form or shape to; to frame; to construct; to make; to fashion. God formed man of the dust of the ground. Gen. ii. 7. The thought that labors in my forming brain. Rowe.

2. To give a particular shape to; to shape, mold, or fashion into a certain state or condition; to arrange; to adjust; also, to model by instruction and discipline; to mold by influence, etc.; to train. 'T is education forms the common mind. Pope. Thus formed for speed, he challenges the wind. Dryden.

3. To go to make up; to act as constituent of; to be the essential or constitutive elements of; to answer for; to make the shape of; — said of that out of which anything is formed or constituted, in whole or in part. The diplomatic politicians . . . who formed by far the majority. Burke.

4. To provide with a form, as a hare. See Form, n., 9. The melancholy hare is formed in brakes and briers. Drayton.

5. (Gram.)

Defn: To derive by grammatical rules, as by adding the proper suffixes and affixes.

FORM Form, v. i.

1. To take a form, definite shape, or arrangement; as, the infantry should form in column.

2. To run to a form, as a hare. B. Jonson. To form on (Mil.), to form a lengthened line with reference to (any given object) as a basis.

FORMAL For"mal, a. Etym: [L. formalis: cf. F. formel.]

1. Belonging to the form, shape, frame, external appearance, or organization of a thing.

2. Belonging to the constitution of a thing, as distinguished from the matter composing it; having the power of making a thing what it is; constituent; essential; pertaining to oe depending on the forms, so called of the human intellect. Of [the sounds represented by] letters, the material part is breath and voice; the formal is constituted by the motion and figure of the organs of speech. Holder.

3. Done is due form, or with solemnity; according to regular method; not incidental, sudden or irregular; express; as, he gave his formal consent. His obscure funeral . . . No noble rite nor formal ostentation. Shak.

4. Devoted to, or done in accordance with, forms or rules; punctilious; regular; orderly; methodical; of a prescribed form; exact; prim; stiff; ceremonious; as, a man formal in his dress, his gait, his conversation. A cold-looking, formal garden, cut into angles and rhomboids. W. Irwing. She took off the formal cap that confined her hair. Hawthorne.

5. Having the form or appearance without the substance or essence; external; as, formal duty; formal worship; formal courtesy, etc.

6. Dependent in form; conventional. Still in constraint your suffering sex remains, Or bound in formal or in real chains. Pope.

7. Sound; normal. [Obs.] To make of him a formal man again. Shak. Formal cause. See under Cause.

Syn. — Precise; punctilious; stiff; starched; affected; ritual; ceremonial; external; outward. — Formal, Ceremonious. When applied to things, these words usually denote a mere accordance with the rules of form or ceremony; as, to make a formal call; to take a ceremonious leave. When applied to a person or his manners, they are used in a bad sense; a person being called formal who shapes himself too much by some pattern or set form, and ceremonious when he lays too much stress on the conventional laws of social intercourse. Formal manners render a man stiff or ridiculous; a ceremonious carriage puts a stop to the ease and freedom of social intercourse.

FORMALDEHYDE For*mal"de*hyde, n. Etym: [Formic + aldehyde.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless, volatile liquid, H2CO, resembling acetic or ethyl aldehyde, and chemically intermediate between methyl alcohol and formic acid.

FORMALIN For"ma*lin, n. [Formic + aldehyde + -in.] (Chem.)

Defn: An aqueous solution of formaldehyde, used as a preservative in museums and as a disinfectant.

FORMALISM Form"al*ism, n.

Defn: The practice or the doctrine of strict adherence to, or dependence on, external forms, esp. in matters of religion. Official formalism. Sir H. Rawlinson.

FORMALIST Form"al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. formaliste.]

Defn: One overattentive to forms, or too much confined to them; esp., one who rests in external religious forms, or observes strictly the outward forms of worship, without possessing the life and spirit of religion. As far a formalist from wisdom sits, In judging eyes, as libertines from wits. Young.

FORMALITY For*mal"i*ty, n.; pl. Formalities. Etym: [Cf. F. formalité.]

1. The condition or quality of being formal, strictly ceremonious, precise, etc.

2. Form without substance. Such [books] as are mere pieces of formality, so that if you look on them, you look though them. Fuller.

3. Compliance with formal or conventional rules; ceremony; conventionality. Nor was his attendance on divine offices a matter of formality and custom, but of conscience. Atterbury.

4. An established order; conventional rule of procedure; usual method; habitual mode. He was installed with all the usual formalities. C. Middleton.

5. pl.

Defn: The dress prescribed for any body of men, academical, municipal, or sacerdotal. [Obs.] The doctors attending her in their formalities as far as Shotover. Fuller.

6. That which is formal; the formal part. It unties the inward knot of marriage, . . . while it aims to keep fast the outward formality. Milton.

7. The quality which makes a thing what it is; essence. The material part of the evil came from our father upon us, but the formality of it, the sting and the curse, is only by ourselves. Jer. Taylor. The formality of the vow lies in the promise made to God. Bp. Stillingfleet.

8. (Scholastic. Philos.)

Defn: The manner in which a thing is conceived or constituted by an act of human thinking; the result of such an act; as, animality and rationality are formalities.

FORMALIZE Form"al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Formalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Formalizing.]

1. To give form, or a certain form, to; to model. [R.]

2. To render formal.

FORMALIZE Form"al*ize, v. i.

Defn: To affect formality. [Obs.] ales.

FORMALLY Form"al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a formal manner; essentially; characteristically; expressly; regularly; ceremoniously; precisely. That which formally makes this [charity] a Christian grace, is the spring from which it flows. Smalridge. You and your followers do stand formally divided against the authorized guides of the church and rest of the people. Hooker.

FORMAT For`mat" (for`ma" or for`mät"), n. [F. or G. Cf. Formation.] (Print.)

Defn: The shape and size of a book; hence, its external form.

The older manuscripts had been written in a much larger format than that found convenient for university work. G. H. Putnam.

One might, indeed, protest that the format is a little too luxurious. Nature.

FORMATE For"mate, n. Etym: [See Formic.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of formic acid. [Written also formiate.]

FORMATION For*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. formatio: cf. F. formation.]

1. The act of giving form or shape to anything; a forming; a shaping. Beattie.

2. The manner in which a thing is formed; structure; construction; conformation; form; as, the peculiar formation of the heart.

3. A substance formed or deposited.

4. (Geol.) (a) Mineral deposits and rock masses designated with reference to their origin; as, the siliceous formation about geysers; alluvial formations; marine formations. (b) A group of beds of the same age or period; as, the Eocene formation.

5. (Mil.)

Defn: The arrangement of a body of troops, as in a square, column, etc. Farrow.

FORMATIVE Form"a*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. formatif.]

1. Giving form; having the power of giving form; plastic; as, the formative arts. The meanest plant can not be raised without seed, by any formative residing in the soil. Bentley.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: Serving to form; derivative; not radical; as, a termination merely formative.

3. (Biol.)

Defn: Capable of growth and development; germinal; as, living or formative matter.

FORMATIVE Form"a*tive, n. (Gram.) (a) That which serves merely to give form, and is no part of the radical, as the prefix or the termination of a word. (b) A word formed in accordance with some rule or usage, as from a root.

FORME For`mé", a. (Her.)

Defn: Same as Paté or Patté.

FORME For"me, a. Etym: [OE., fr. AS. forma. See Foremost.]

Defn: First. [Obs.] "Adam our forme father." Chaucer.

FORMED Formed, a.

1. (Astron.)

Defn: Arranged, as stars in a constellation; as, formed stars. [R.]

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Having structure; capable of growth and development; organized; as, the formed or organized ferments. See Ferment, n. Formed material (Biol.), a term employed by Beale to denote the lifeless matter of a cell, that which is physiologically dead, in distinction from the truly germinal or living matter.

FORMEDON For"me*don, n. Etym: [OF., fr. Latin. So called because the plaintiff claimed "by the form of the gift,: L. per formam doni.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A writ of right for a tenant in tail in case of a discontinuance of the estate tail. This writ has been abolished.

FORMELL For"mell, n. Etym: [Dim. of F. forme the female of a bird of prey.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The female of a hawk or falcon.

FORMER Form"er, n.

1. One who forms; a maker; a creator.

2. (Mech.) (a) A shape around which an article is to be shaped, molded, woven wrapped, pasted, or otherwise constructed. (b) A templet, pattern, or gauge by which an article is shaped. (c) A cutting die.

FORMER For"mer, a. Etym: [A compar. due to OE. formest. See Foremost.]

1. Preceding in order of time; antecedent; previous; prior; earlier; hence, ancient; long past. For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age. Job. viii. 8. The latter and former rain. Hosea vi. 3.

3. Near the beginning; preceeding; as, the former part of a discourse or argument.

3. Earlier, as between two things mentioned together; first mentioned. A bad author deserves better usage than a bad critic; a man may be the former merely through the misfortune of an ill judgment; but he can not be latter without both that and an ill temper. Pope.

Syn. — Prior; previous; anterior; antecedent; preceding; foregoing.

FORMERET For`me*ret", n. Etym: [F.] (Arch.)

Defn: One of the half ribs against the walls in a ceiling vaulted with ribs.

FORMERLY For"mer*ly, adv.

Defn: In time past, either in time immediately preceding or at any indefinite distance; of old; heretofore.

FORMFUL Form"ful, a.

Defn: Creative; imaginative. [R.] "The formful brain." Thomson.

FORMIC For"mic, a. Etym: [L. formica an ant: cf. F. formique.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, ants; as, formic acid; in an extended sense, pertaining to, or derived from, formic acid; as, formic ether. Amido formic acid, carbamic acid. — Formic acid, a colorless, mobile liquid, HCO.OH, of a sharp, acid taste, occurring naturally in ants, nettles, pine needles, etc., and produced artifically in many ways, as by the oxidation of methyl alcohol, by the reduction of carbonic acid or the destructive distillation of oxalic acid. It is the first member of the fatty acids in the paraffin series, and is homologous with acetic acid.

FORMICA For*mi"ca, n. Etym: [L., an ant.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A Linnæan genus of hymenopterous insects, including the common ants. See Ant.

FORMICAROID For`mi*ca"roid, a. Etym: [NL. Formicarius, the typical genus + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the family Formicaridæ or ant thrushes.

FORMICARY For"mi*ca*ry, n. Etym: [LL. formicarium, fr. L. formica an ant.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The nest or dwelling of a swarm of ants; an ant-hill.

FORMICATE For"mi*cate, a. Etym: [L. formica an ant.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Resembling, or pertaining to, an ant or ants.

FORMICATION For`mi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. formicatio, fr. formicare to creep like an ant, to feel as if ants were crawling on one's self, fr. formica ant: cf. F. formication.] (Med.)

Defn: A sensation resembling that made by the creeping of ants on the skin. Dunglison.

FORMICID For"mi*cid, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the ants. — n.

Defn: One of the family Formicidæ, or ants.

FORMIDABILITY For`mi*da*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Formidableness. Walpole.

FORMIDABLE For"mi*da*ble, a. Etym: [L. formidabilis, fr. formidare to fear, dread: cf. F. formidable.]

Defn: Exciting fear or apprehension; impressing dread; adapted to excite fear and deter from approach, encounter, or undertaking; alarming. They seemed to fear the formodable sight. Dryden. I swell my preface into a volume, and make it formidable, when you see so many pages behind. Drydn.

Syn. — Dreadful; fearful; terrible; frightful; shocking; horrible; terrific; tremendous.

FORMIDABLENESS For"mi*da*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being formidable, or adapted to excite dread. Boyle.

FORMIDABLY For"mi*da*bly, adv.

Defn: In a formidable manner.

FORMIDOLOSE For*mid"o*lose, a. Etym: [L. formidolosus, fr. formido fear.]

Defn: Very much afraid. [Obs.] Bailey.

FORMING Form"ing, n.

Defn: The act or process of giving form or shape to anything; as, in shipbuilding, the exact shaping of partially shaped timbers.

FORMLESS Form"less, a.

Defn: Shapeless; without a determinate form; wanting regularity of shape. — Form"less*ly, adv. — Form"less*ness, n.

FORMULA For"mu*la, n.; pl. E. Formulas, L. Formulæ. Etym: [L., dim. of forma form, model. SeeForm, n.]

1. A prescribed or set form; an established rule; a fixed or conventional method in which anything is to be done, arranged, or said.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: A written confession of faith; a formal statement of foctrines.

3. (Math.)

Defn: A rule or principle expressed in algebraic language; as, the binominal formula.

4. (Med.)

Defn: A prescription or recipe for the preparation of a medicinal compound.

5. (Chem.)

Defn: A symbolic expression (by means of letters, figures, etc.) of the constituents or constitution of a compound.

Note: Chemical formulæ consist of the abbreviations of the names of the elements, with a small figure at the lower right hand, to denote the number of atoms of each element contained. Empirical formula (Chem.), an expression which gives the simple proportion of the constituents; as, the empirical formula of acetic acid is C2H4O2. — Graphic formula, Rational formula (Chem.), an expression of the constitution, and in a limited sense of the structure, of a compound, by the grouping of its atoms or radicals; as, a rational formula of acetic acid is CH3.(C:O).OH; — called also structural formula, constitutional formula, etc. See also the formula of Benzene nucleus, under Benzene. — Molecular formula (Chem.), a formula indicating the supposed molecular constitution of a compound.

FORMULARISTIC For`mu*la*ris"tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or exhibiting, formularization. Emerson.

FORMULARIZATION For`mu*lar*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of formularizing; a formularized or formulated statement or exhibition. C. Kingsley.

FORMULARIZE For"mu*lar*ize, v. t.

Defn: To reduce to a forula; to formulate.

FORMULARY For"mu*la*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. formulaire. See Formula.]

Defn: Stated; prescribed; ritual.

FORMULARY For"mu*la*ry, n.; pl. Formularies. Etym: [Cf. F. formulaire.]

1. A book containing stated and prescribed forms, as of oaths, declarations, prayers, medical formulaæ, etc.; a book of precedents.

2. Prescribed form or model; formula.

FORMULATE For"mu*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Formulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Formulating.]

Defn: To reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression. G. P. Marsh.

FORMULATION For`mu*la"tion, n.

Defn: The act, process, or result of formulating or reducing to a formula.

FORMULE For"mule, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A set or prescribed model; a formula. [Obs.] Johnson.

FORMULIZATION For`mu*li*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of reducing to a formula; the state of being formulized.

FORMULIZE For"mu*lize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Formulized; p. pr. & vb. n. Formulizing.]

Defn: To reduce to a formula; to formulate. Emerson.

FORMYL For"myl, n. Etym: [Formic + -yl.] (Chem.) (a) A univalent radical, H.C:O, regarded as the essential residue of formic acid and aldehyde. (b) Formerly, the radical methyl, CH3.

FORNCAST Forn*cast", p. p. Etym: [OE. foren + cast. See Forecast.]

Defn: Predestined. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORNICAL For"ni*cal, a.

Defn: Relating to a fornix.

FORNICATE; FORNICATED For"ni*cate, For"ni*ca`ted, a. Etym: [L. fornicatus, fr. fornix, - icis, an arch, vault.]

1. Vaulted like an oven or furnace; arched.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Arching over; overarched. Gray.

FORNICATE For"ni*cate, v. i. Etym: [L. fornicatus, p. p. of fornicari to fornicate, fr. fornix, -icis, a vault, a brothel in an underground vault.]

Defn: To commit fornication; to have unlawful sexual intercourse.

FORNICATION For`ni*ca"tion, n. Etym: [F. fornication, L. fornicatio.]

1. Unlawful sexual intercourse on the part of an unmarried person; the act of such illicit sexual intercourse between a man and a woman as does not by law amount to adultery.

Note: In England, the offense, though cognizable in the ecclesiastical courts, was not at common law subject to secular prosecution. In the United States it is indictable in some States at common law, in others only by statute. Whartyon.

2. (Script.) (a) Adultery. (b) Incest. (c) Idolatry.

FORNICATOR For"ni*ca`tor, n. Etym: [F. fornicateur, OF. fornicator, from L. fornicator.]

Defn: An unmarried person, male or female, who has criminal intercourse with the other sex; one guilty of fornication.

FORNICATRESS For"ni*ca`tress, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fornicatrice, L. fornicatrix.]

Defn: A woman guilty of fornication. Shak.

FORNIX For"nix, n.; pl. Fornices. Etym: [L., an arch.] (Anat.) (a) An arch or fold; as, the fornix, or vault, of the cranium; the fornix, or reflection, of the conjuctiva. (b) Esp., two longitudinal bands of white nervous tissue beneath the lateral ventricles of the brain.

FOROLD For*old", a.

Defn: Very old. [Obs.] A bear's skin, coal-black, forold. Chaucer.

FORPASS For*pass", v. t. & i.

Defn: To pass by or along; to pass over. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORPINE For*pine", v. t.

Defn: To waste away completely by suffering or torment. [Archaic] "Pale as a forpined ghost." Chaucer.

FORRAY For"ray ( or ), v. t. Etym: [OE. forrayen. See Foray.]

Defn: To foray; to ravage; to pillage. For they that morn had forrayed all the land. Fairfax.

FORRAY For"ray, n.

Defn: The act of ravaging; a ravaging; a predatory excursion. See Foray.

FORRILL For"rill, n. Etym: [See Forel.]

Defn: Lambskin parchment; vellum; forel. McElrath.

FORSAKE For*sake", v. t. [imp. Forsook; p. p. Forsaken; p. pr. & vb. n. Forsaking.] Etym: [AS. forsacan to oppose, refuse; for- + sacan to contend, strive; akin to Goth. sakan. See For-, and Sake.]

1. To quit or leave entirely; to desert; to abandon; to depart or withdraw from; to leave; as, false friends and flatterers forsake us in adversity. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments. Ps. lxxxix. 30.

2. To renounce; to reject; to refuse. If you forsake the offer of their love. Shak.

Syn. — To abandon; quit; desert; fail; relinquish; give up; renounce; reject. See Abandon.

FORSAKER For*sak"er, n.

Defn: One who forsakes or deserts.

FORSAY For*say", v. t. Etym: [AS. forsecgan to accuse; pref. for- + secgan to say.]

Defn: To forbid; to renounce; to forsake; to deny. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORSHAPE For*shape", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + shape, v.t.]

Defn: To render misshapen. [Obs.] Gower.

FORSLACK For*slack", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + slack to neglect.]

Defn: To neglect by idleness; to delay or to waste by sloth. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORSLOUTHE For*slouth"e, v. t. Etym: [See For-, and Slouth.]

Defn: To lose by sloth or negligence. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORSLOW For*slow", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + slow.]

Defn: To delay; to hinder; to neglect; to put off. [Obs.] Bacon.

FORSLOW For*slow", v. i.

Defn: To loiter. [Obs.] Shak.

FORSLUGGE For*slug"ge, v. t. Etym: [See Slug to be idle.]

Defn: To lsoe by idleness or slotch. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORSOOTH For*sooth", adv. Etym: [AS. forso\'eb; for, prep. + so\'eb sooth, truth. See For, prep., and Sooth.]

Defn: In truth; in fact; certainly; very well; — formerly used as an expression of deference or respect, especially to woman; now used ironically or contemptuously. A fit man, forsooth, to govern a realm! Hayward. Our old English word forsooth has been changed for the French madam. Guardian.

FORSOOTH For*sooth", v. t.

Defn: To address respectfully with the term forsooth. [Obs.] The captain of the "Charles" had forsoothed her, though he knew her well enough and she him. Pepys.

FORSOOTH For*sooth", n.

Defn: A person who used forsooth much; a very ceremonious and deferential person. [R.] You sip so like a forsooth of the city. B. Jonson.

FORSPEAK For*speak", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + speak.]

1. To forbid; to prohibit. Shak.

2. To bewitch. [Obs.] Drayton.

FORSPENT For*spent", a. Etym: [AS. forspendan to consume; pref. for- + spendan to spend.]

Defn: Wasted in strength; tired; exhausted. [Archaic] A gentleman almost forspent with speed. Shak.

FORSTALL For*stall", v. t.

Defn: To forestall. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORSTER Fors"ter, n.

Defn: A forester. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORSTRAUGHT For*straught", p. p. & a. Etym: [Pref. for- + straught; cf. distraught.]

Defn: Distracted. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORSWAT For*swat", a. Etym: [See Sweat.]

Defn: Spent with heat; covered with sweat. [Obs.] P. Sidney.

FORSWEAR For*swear", v. t. [imp. Forswore; p. p. Forsworn; p. pr. & vb. n. Forswearing.] Etym: [OE. forsweren, forswerien, AS. forswerian; pref. for- + swerian to swear. See For-, and Swear, v. i.]

1. To reject or renounce upon oath; hence, to renounce earnestly, determinedly, or with protestations. I . . . do forswear her. Shak.

2. To deny upon oath. Like innocence, and as serenely bold As truth, how loudly he forswears thy gold! Dryden. To forswear one's self, to swear falsely; to peforswear thyself."

Syn. — See Perjure.

FORSWEAR For*swear", v. i.

Defn: To swear falsely; to commit perjury. Shak.

FORSWEARER For*swear"er, n.

Defn: One who rejects of renounces upon oath; one who swears a false oath.

FORSWONK For*swonk", a. Etym: [Pref. for- + swonk, p.p. of swinkto labor. See Swink.]

Defn: Overlabored; exhausted; worn out. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORSWORE For*swore",

Defn: imp. of Forswear.

FORSWORN For*sworn",

Defn: p. p. of Forswear.

FORSWORNNESS For*sworn"ness, n.

Defn: State of being forsworn. [R.]

FORSYTHIA For*syth"i*a, a. Etym: [NL. Named after William Forsyth, who brought in from China.] (Bot.)

Defn: A shrub of the Olive family, with yellow blossoms.

FORT Fort, n. Etym: [F., from fort strong, L. fortis; perh. akin to Skr. darh to fix, make firm, and to E. firm Cf. Forte, Force, Fortalice, Comfort, Effort.] (Mil.)

Defn: A strong or fortified place; usually, a small fortified place, occupied only by troops, surrounded with a ditch, rampart, and parapet, or with palisades, stockades, or other means of defense; a fortification. Detached works, depending solely on their own strength, belong to the class of works termed forts. Farrow.

FORTALICE Fort"a*lice, n. Etym: [LL. fortalitia, or OF. fortelesce. See Fortress.] (Mil.)

Defn: A small outwork of a fortification; a fortilage; — called also fortelace.

FORTE Forte (fort), n. Etym: [IT. forte: cf. F. fort. See Fort.]

1. The strong point; that in which one excels. fort"a The construction of a fable seems by no means the forte of our modern poetical writers. Jeffrey.

2. The stronger part of the blade of a sword; the part of half nearest the hilt; — opposed to foible.

FORTE For"te (fôr"tay or for"tay), adv. Etym: [It. forte, a. & adv., fr. L. fortis strong.] (Mus.)

Defn: Loudly; strongly; powerfully.

FORTED Fort"ed, a.

Defn: Furnished with, or guarded by, forts; strengthened or defended, as by forts. [R.] Shak.

FORTH Forth, v.Etym: [AS. foredh, fr. for akin to D. voort, G. fort sq. root78. See Fore, For, and cf. Afford, Further, adv.]

1. Forward; onward in time, place, or order; in advance from a given point; on to end; as, from that day forth; one, two, three, and so forth. Lucas was Paul's companion, at the leastway from the sixteenth of the Acts forth. Tyndale. From this time forth, I never will speak word. Shak. I repeated the Ave Maria; the inquisitor bad me say forth; I said I was taught no more. Strype.

2. Out, as from a state of concealment, retirement, confinement, nondevelopment, or the like; out into notice or view; as, the plants in spring put forth leaves. When winter past, and summer scarce begun, Invites them forth to labor in the sun. Dryden.

3. Beyond a (certain) boundary; away; abroad; out. I have no mind of feasting forth to-night. Shak.

4. Throughly; from beginning to end. [Obs.] Shak. And so forth, Back and forth, From forth. See under And, Back, and From. — Forth of, Forth from, out of [Obs.] Shak. — To bring forth. See under Bring.

FORTH Forth, prep.

Defn: Forth from; out of. [Archaic] Some forth their cabins peep. Donne.

FORTH Forth, n. Etym: [OE., a ford. Frith.]

Defn: A way; a passage or ford. [Obs.] Todd.

FORTHBY Forth`by", adv. [Obs.]

Defn: See Forby.

FORTHCOMING Forth"com`ing ( or ), a.

Defn: Ready or about to appear; making appearance.

FORTHGOING Forth"go`ing ( or ), n.

Defn: A going forth; an utterance. A. Chalmers.

FORTHGOING Forth"go`ing, a.

Defn: Going forth.

FORTHINK For*think", v. t.

Defn: To repent; to regret; to be sorry for; to cause regret. [Obs.] "Let it forthink you." Tyndale. That me forthinketh, quod this January. Chaucer.

FORTHPUTING Forth"put`ing ( or ), a.

Defn: Bold; forward; aggressive.

FORTHRIGHT Forth"right` ( or ), adv. Etym: [Forth, adv. + right, adv.]

Defn: Straight forward; in a straight direction. [Archaic] Sir P. Sidney.

FORTHRIGHT Forth"right`, a.

Defn: Direct; straightforward; as, a forthright man. [Archaic] Lowell. They were Night and Day, and Day and Night, Piligrims wight with steps forthright. Emerson.

FORTHRIGHT Forth"right`, n.

Defn: A straight path. [Archaic] Here's a maze trod, indeed, Through forthrights and meanders! Shak.

FORTHRIGHTNESS Forth"right`ness, n.

Defn: Straightforwardness; explicitness; directness. [Archaic] Dante's concise forthrightness of phrase. Hawthorne.

FORTHWARD Forth"ward, adv. Etym: [Forth, adv. + -ward.]

Defn: Forward. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher.

FORTHWITH Forth`with" ( or ; see With), adv.

1. Immediately; without delay; directly. Immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he received sight forthwith. Acts ix. 18.

2. (Law)

Defn: As soon as the thing required may be done by reasonable exertion confined to that object. Bouvier.

FORTHY For*thy", adv. Etym: [AS. foredhy; for, prep. + edhy, instrumental neut. of se, seó, edhæt, pron. demonstrative and article. See The.]

Defn: Therefore. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORTIES For"ties, n. pl.

Defn: See Forty.

FORTIETH For"ti*eth, a. Etym: [AS. feówertigo. See Forty.]

1. Following the thirty-ninth, or preceded by thirty-nine units, things, or parts.

2. Constituting one of forty equal parts into which anything is divided.

FORTIETH For"ti*eth, n.

Defn: One of forty equal parts into which one whole is divided; the quotient of a unit divided by forty; one next in order after the thirty-ninth.

FORTIFIABLE For"ti*fi`a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. fortifiable.]

Defn: Capable of being fortified. Johnson.

FORTIFICATION For`ti*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. fortificatio : cf. F. fortification.]

1. The act of fortifying; the art or science of fortifying places in order to defend them against an enemy.

2. That which fortifies; especially, a work or works erected to defend a place against attack; a fortified place; a fortress; a fort; a castle. Fortification agate, Scotch pebble.

Syn. — Fortress; citadel; bulwark. See Fortress.

FORTIFIER For"ti*fi`er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, fortifies, strengthens, supports, or upholds.

FORTIFY For"ti*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fortified; p. pr. & vb. n. Fortifying.] Etym: [F. fortifier, L. fortificare; fortis strong + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See Fort, and -fy.]

1. To add strength to; to strengthen; to confirm; to furnish with power to resist attack. Timidity was fortified by pride. Gibbon. Pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to fortify his resolution. Sir W. Scott.

2. To strengthen and secure by forts or batteries, or by surrounding with a wall or ditch or other military works; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces.

FORTIFY For"ti*fy, v. i.

Defn: To raise defensive works. Milton.

FORTILAGE For"ti*lage (; 48), n. Etym: [Cf. Fortalice.]

Defn: A little fort; a blockhouse. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORTIN Fort"in, n. Etym: [F. See Fort, n.]

Defn: A little fort; a fortlet. [Obs.]

FORTISSIMO For*tis"si*mo ( or ), adv. Etym: [It., superl. of forte, adv. See Forte, adv.] (Mus.)

Defn: Very loud; with the utmost strength or loudness.

FORTITION For*ti"tion, n. Etym: [See Fortuitous.]

Defn: Casual choice; fortuitous selection; hazard. [R.] No mode of election operating in the spirit of fortition or rotation can be generally good. Burke.

FORTITUDE For"ti*tude, n. Etym: [L. fortitudo, fr. fortis strong. See Fort.]

1. Power to resist attack; strength; firmness. [Obs.] The fortitude of the place is best known to you. Shak.

2. That strength or firmness of mind which enables a person to encounter danger with coolness and courage, or to bear pain or adversity without murmuring, depression, or despondency; passive courage; resolute endurance; firmness in confronting or bearing up against danger or enduring trouble. Extolling patience as the truest fortitude. Milton. Fortitude is the guard and support of the other virtues. Locke.

Syn. — Courage; resolution; resoluteness; endurance; bravery. See Courage, and Heroism.

FORTITUDINOUS For`ti*tu"di*nous, a.

Defn: Having fortitude; courageous. [R.] Gibbon.

FORTLET Fort"let, n.

Defn: A little fort. [R.] Bailey.

FORTNIGHT Fort"night` (; in U.S. often ; 277), n. Etym: [Contr. fr. fourteen nights, our ancestors reckoning time by nights and winters; so, also, seven nights, sennight, a week.]

Defn: The space of fourteen days; two weeks.

FORTNIGHTLY Fort"night`ly, a.

Defn: Occurring or appearing once in a fortnight; as, a fortnightly meeting of a club; a fortnightly magazine, or other publication. — adv.

Defn: Once in a fortnight; at intervals of a fortnight.

FORTREAD For*tread", v. t.

Defn: To tread down; to trample upon. [Obs.] In hell shall they be all fortroden of devils. Chaucer.

FORTRESS For"tress, n.; pl. Fortresses. Etym: [F. forteresse, OF. forteresce, fortelesce, LL. foralitia, fr. L. fortis strong. See Fort, and cf. Fortalice.]

Defn: A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; a fort; a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.

Syn. — Fortress, Fortification, Castle, Citadel. A fortress is constructed for military purposes only, and is permanently garrisoned; a fortification is built to defend harbors, cities, etc.; a castle is a fortress of early times which was ordinarily a palatial dwelling; a citadel is the stronghold of a fortress or city, etc.

FORTRESS For"tress, v. t.

Defn: To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard; to fortify. Shak.

FORTUITOUS For*tu"i*tous, a. Etym: [L. fortuitus; akin to forte, adv., by chance, prop. abl. of fors, fortis, chance. See Fortune.]

1. Happening by chance; coming or occuring unexpectedly, or without any known cause; chance; as, the fortuitous concourse of atoms. It was from causes seemingly fortuitous . . . that all the mighty effects of the Reformation flowed. Robertson. So as to throw a glancing and fortuitous light upon the whole. Hazlitt.

2. (LAw)

Defn: Happening independently of human will or means of foresight; resulting from unavoidable physical causes. Abbott.

Syn. — Accidental; casual; contingent; incidental. See Accidental. — For*tu"i*tous*ly, adv. — For*tu"i*tous*ness, n.

FORTUITY For*tu"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fortuité.]

Defn: Accident; chance; casualty. D. Forbes (1750).

FORTUNATE For"tu*nate, a. Etym: [L. fortunatus, p.p. of fortunare to make fortunate or prosperous, fr. fortuna. See Fortune, n.]

1. Coming by good luck or favorable chance; bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain; presaging happiness; auspicious; as, a fortunate event; a fortunate concurrence of circumstances; a fortunate investment.

2. Receiving same unforeseen or unexpected good, or some good which was not dependent on one's own skill or efforts; favored with good forune; lucky.

Syn. — Auspicious; lucky; prosperous; successful; favored; happy. — Fortunate, Successful, Prosperous. A man is fortunate, when he is favored of fortune, and has unusual blessings fall to his lot; successful when he gains what he aims at; prosperous when he succeeds in those things which men commonly desire. One may be fortunate, in some cases, where he is not successful; he may be successful, but, if he has been mistaken in the value of what he has aimed at, he may for that reason fail to be prosperous.

FORTUNATELY For"tu*nate*ly, adv.

Defn: In a fortunate manner; luckily; successfully; happily.

FORTUNATENESS For"tu*nate*ness, n.

Defn: The condition or quality of being fortunate; good luck; success; happiness.

FORTUNE For"tune, n. Etym: [F. fortune, L. fortuna; akin to fors, fortis, chance, prob. fr. ferre to bear, bring. See Bear to support, and cf. Fortuitous.]

1. The arrival of something in a sudden or unexpected manner; chance; accident; luck; hap; also, the personified or deified power regarded as determining human success, apportioning happiness and unhappiness, and distributing arbitrarily or fortuitously the lots of life. 'T is more by fortune, lady, than by merit. Shak. O Fortune, Fortune, all men call thee fickle. Shak.

2. That which befalls or is to befall one; lot in life, or event in any particular undertaking; fate; destiny; as, to tell one's fortune. You, who men's fortunes in their faces read. Cowley.

3. That which comes as the result of an undertaking or of a course of action; good or ill success; especially, favorable issue; happy event; success; prosperity as reached partly by chance and partly by effort. Our equal crimes shall equal fortune give. Dryden. There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Shak. His father dying, he was driven to seek his fortune. Swift.

4. Wealth; large possessions; large estate; riches; as, a gentleman of fortune.

Syn. — Chance; accident; luck; fate. Fortune book, a book supposed to reveal future events to those who consult it. Crashaw. - Fortune hunter, one who seeks to acquire wealth by marriage. — Fortune teller, one who professes to tell future events in the life of another. — Fortune telling, the practice or art of professing to reveal future events in the life of another.

FORTUNE For"tune, v. t. Etym: [OF. fortuner, L. fortunare. See Fortune, n.]

1. To make fortunate; to give either good or bad fortune to. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To provide with a fortune. Richardson.

3. To presage; to tell the fortune of. [Obs.] Dryden.

FORTUNE For"tune, v. i.

Defn: To fall out; to happen. It fortuned the same night that a Christian, serving a Turk in the camp, secretely gave the watchmen warning. Knolles.

FORTUNELESS For"tune*less, a.

Defn: Luckless; also, destitute of a fortune or portion. Spenser.

FORTUNIZE For"tun*ize, v. t.

Defn: To regulate the fortune of; to make happy. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORTY For"ty, a. Etym: [OE. forti, fourti, fowerty, AS. feówertig; feówer four + suff. -tig ten; akin to OS. fiwartig, fiartig, D. veertig, G. vierzig, Icel. fjörutiu, Sw. fyratio, Dan. fyrretyve, Goth. fidw. See Four, and Ten, and cf. Fourteen.]

Defn: Four times ten; thirtynine and one more.

FORTY For"ty, n.; pl. Forties (.

1. The sum of four tens; forty units or objects.

2. A symbol expressing forty units; as, 40, or xl.

FORTY-NINER For`ty-nin"er, n.

Defn: One of those who went to California in the rush for gold in 1849; an argonaut. [Colloq., U. S.]

FORTY-SPOT For"ty-spot`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Tasmanian forty-spotted diamond bird (Pardalotus quadragintus).

FORUM Fo"rum, n.; pl. E. Forums, L. Fora. Etym: [L.; akin to foris, foras, out of doors. See Foreign.]

1. A market place or public place in Rome, where causes were judicially tried, and orations delivered to the people.

2. A tribunal; a court; an assembly empowered to hear and decide causes. He [Lord Camden] was . . . more eminent in the senate than in the forum. Brougham.

FORWAKED For*waked" ( or ), p. p. & a.

Defn: Tired out with excessive waking or watching. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORWANDER For*wan"der, v. i.

Defn: To wander away; to go astray; to wander far and to weariness. [Obs.]

FORWARD For"ward, n. Etym: [OE., fr. AS. foreweard; fore before + weard a ward. See Ward, n.]

Defn: An agreement; a covenant; a promise. [Obs.] Tell us a tale anon, as forward is. Chaucer.

FORWARD; FORWARDS For"ward, For"wards, adv. Etym: [AS. forweard, foreweard; for, fore + -weardes; akin to G. vorwärts. The s is properly a genitive ending. See For, Fore, and -ward, -wards.]

Defn: Toward a part or place before or in front; onward; in advance; progressively; — opposed to backward.

FORWARD For"ward, a.

1. Near, or at the fore part; in advance of something else; as, the forward gun in a ship, or the forward ship in a fleet.

2. Ready; prompt; strongly inclined; in an ill sense, overready; to hasty. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. Gal. ii. 10. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded. Shak.

3. Ardent; eager; earnest; in an ill sense, less reserved or modest than is proper; bold; confident; as, the boy is too forward for his years. I have known men disagreeably forward from their shyness. T. Arnold.

4. Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for season; as, the grass is forward, or forward for the season; we have a forward spring. early. The most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow. Shak.

FORWARD For"ward, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Forwarded; p.pr. & vb.n. Forwarding.]

1. To help onward; to advance; to promote; to accelerate; to quicken; to hasten; as, to forward the growth of a plant; to forward one in improvement.

2. To send forward; to send toward the place of destination; to transmit; as, to forward a letter.

FORWARDER For"ward*er, n.

1. One who forwards or promotes; a promoter. Udall.

2. One who sends forward anything; (Com.) one who transmits goods; a forwarding merchant.

3. (Bookbinding)

Defn: One employed in forwarding.

FORWARDING For"ward*ing, n.

1. The act of one who forwards; the act or occupation of transmitting merchandise or other property for others.

2. (Bookbinding)

Defn: The process of putting a book into its cover, and making it ready for the finisher.

FORWARDLY For"ward*ly, adv.

Defn: Eagerly; hastily; obtrusively.

FORWARDNESS For"ward*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being forward; cheerful readiness; promtness; as, the forwardness of Christians in propagating the gospel.

2. An advanced stage of progress or of preparation; advancement; as, his measures were in great forwardness. Robertson.

3. Eagerness; ardor; as, it is difficult to restrain the forwardness of youth.

3. Boldness; confidence; assurance; want of due reserve or modesty. In France it is usual to bring children into company, and cherish in them, from their infancy, a kind of forwardness and assurance. Addison.

5. A state of advance beyond the usual degree; prematureness; precocity; as, the forwardnessof spring or of corn; the forwardness of a pupil. He had such a dexterous proclivity, as his teachers were fain to restrain his forwardness. Sir H. Wotton.

Syn. — Promptness; promptitude; eagerness; ardor; zeal; assurance; confidence; boldness; impudence; presumption.

FORWARDS For"wards, adv.

Defn: Same as Forward.

FORWASTE For*waste", v. t. Etym: [Pref. for- + waste.]

Defn: To desolate or lay waste utterly. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORWEARY For*wea"ry, v. t.

Defn: To weary extremely; to dispirit. [Obs.] Spenser.

FORWEEP For*weep", v. i.

Defn: To weep much. [Obs.]

FORWETE For*wete", v. t.

Defn: See Forewite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORWHY For*why", conj. Etym: [For + why, AS. hw, instrumental case of hwa who.]

Defn: Wherefore; because. [Obs.]

FORWORN For*worn", a.

Defn: Much worn. [Obs.] A silly man, in simple weeds forworn. Spenser.

FORWOT For*wot",

Defn: pres. indic. 1st & 3d pers. sing. of Forwete. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORWRAP For*wrap", v. t.

Defn: To wrap up; to conceal. [Obs.] All mote be said and nought excused, nor hid, nor forwrapped. Chaucer.

FORYELDE For*yelde", v. t. Etym: [AS. forgieldan.]

Defn: To repay; to requite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORYETE For*yete", v. t.

Defn: To forget. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORYETTEN For*yet"ten, obs.

Defn: p. p. of Foryete. Chaucer.

FORZANDO For*zan"do, adv. Etym: [It., prop. p.p. of forzare to force.] (Mus.)

Defn: See Sforzato.

FOSSA Fos"sa, n.; pl. FossÆ. Etym: [L., a ditch. See Fosse.] (Anat.)

Defn: A pit, groove, cavity, or depression, of greater or less depth; as, the temporal fossa on the side of the skull; the nasal fossæ containing the nostrils in most birds.

FOSSANE Fos"sane`, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fossane.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A species of civet (Viverra fossa) resembling the genet.

FOSSE Fosse, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. fossa, fr. fodere, fossum, to dig.]

1. (Fort.)

Defn: A ditch or moat.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: See Fossa. Fosse road. See Fosseway.

FOSSET Fos"set, n.

Defn: A faucet. [Obs.] Shak.

FOSSETTE Fos`sette" ( or ), n. Etym: [F., dim. of fosse a fosse.]

1. A little hollow; hence, a dimple.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A small, deep-centered ulcer of the transparent cornea.

FOSSEWAY Fosse"way`, n.

Defn: One of the great military roads constructed by the Romans in England and other parts of Europe; — so called from the fosse or ditch on each side for keeping it dry.

FOSSICK Fos"sick, v. i. [Dial. E. fossick, fossuck, a troublesome person, fussick to potter over one's work, fussock to bustle about; of uncertain origin. Cf. Fuss.]

1. (Mining)

Defn: To search for gold by picking at stone or earth or among roots in isolated spots, picking over abandoned workings, etc.; hence, to steal gold or auriferous matter from another's claim. [Australia]

2. To search about; to rummage.

A man who has fossicked in nature's byways. D. Macdonald.

FOSSIL Fos"sil, a. Etym: [L. fossilis, fr. fodere to dig: cf. F. fossile. See Fosse.]

1. Dug out of the eart; as, fossil coal; fossil salt.

2. (Paleon.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to fossils; contained in rocks. whether petrified or not; as, fossil plants, shells. Fossil copal, a resinous substance, first found in the blue clay at Highgate, near London, and apparently a vegetable resin, partly changed by remaining in the earth. — Fossil cork, flax, paper, or wood, varieties of amianthus. — Fossil farina, a soft carbonate of lime. — Fossil ore, fossiliferous red hematite. Raymond.

FOSSIL Fos"sil, n.

1. A substance dug from the earth. [Obs.]

Note: Formerly all minerals were called fossils, but the word is now restricted to express the remains of animals and plants found buried in the earth. Ure.

2. (Paleon.)

Defn: The remains of an animal or plant found in stratified rocks. Most fossils belong to extinct species, but many of the later ones belong to species still living.

3. A person whose views and opinions are extremely antiquated; one whose sympathies are with a former time rather than with the present. [Colloq.]

FOSSILIFEROUS Fos`sil*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [Fossil + -ferous.] (Paleon.)

Defn: Containing or composed of fossils.

FOSSILIFICATION Fos*sil`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Fossil + L. facere to make.]

Defn: The process of becoming fossil.

FOSSILISM Fos"sil*ism, n.

1. The science or state of fossils. Coleridge.

2. The state of being extremely antiquated in views and opinions.

FOSSILIST Fos"sil*ist, n.

Defn: One who is versed in the science of fossils; a paleontologist. Joseph Black.

FOSSILIZATION Fos`sil*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fossilisation.]

Defn: The process of converting, or of being converted, into a fossil.

FOSSILIZE Fos"sil*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fossilized; p. pr. & vb. n. Fossilizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. fossiliser.]

1. To convert into a fossil; to petrify; as, to fossilize bones or wood.

2. To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by fossilization; to mummify; to deaden. Ten layers of birthdays on a woman's head Are apt to fossilize her girlish mirth. Mrs. Browning.

FOSSILIZE Fos"sil*ize, v. i.

1. To become fossil.

2. To become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, beyond the influence of change or progress.

FOSSILIZED Fos"sil*ized, a.

Defn: Converted into a fossil; antiquated; firmly fixed in views or opinions. A fossilized sample of confused provincialism. Earle.

FOSSORES Fos*so"res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. fossor digger, fr. fodere to dig.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of hymenopterous insects including the sand wasps. They excavate cells in earth, where they deposit their eggs, with the bodies of other insects for the food of the young when hatched. [Written also Fossoria.]

FOSSORIA Fos*so"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Fossores.

FOSSORIAL Fos*so"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. fossor a digger.]

Defn: Fitted for digging, adapted for burrowing or digging; as, a fossorial foot; a fossorial animal.

FOSSORIOUS Fos*so"ri*ous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Adapted for digging; — said of the legs of certain insects.

FOSSULATE Fos"su*late, a. Etym: [L. fossula little ditch, dim. of fossa. See Fosse.]

Defn: Having, or surrounded by, long, narrow depressions or furrows.

FOSTER Fos"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fostered, p. pr. & vb. n. Fostering.] Etym: [OE. fostren, fr. AS. foster, fostor, food, nourishment, fr. foda food. *75. See Food.]

1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak.

2. To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster genius.

FOSTER Fos"ter, v. i.

Defn: To be nourished or trained up together. [Obs.] Spenser.

FOSTER Fos"ter, a. Etym: [AS. foster, fostor, nourishment. See Foster, v. t.]

Defn: Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; — applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc., as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood. Foster babe, or child, an infant of child nursed by a woman not its mother, or bred by a man not its father. — Foster brother, Foster sister, one who is, or has been, nursed at the same breast, or brought up by the same nurse as another, but is not of the same parentage. — Foster dam, one who takes the place of a mother; a nurse. Dryden. — Foster earth, earth by which a plant is nourished, though not its native soil. J. Philips. — Foster father, a man who takes the place of a father in caring for a child. Bacon. — Foster land. (a) Land allotted for the maintenance of any one. [Obs.] (b) One's adopted country. — Foster lean Etym: [foster + AS. læn a loan See Loan.], remuneration fixed for the rearing of a foster child; also, the jointure of a wife. [Obs.] Wharton. — Foster mother, a woman who takes a mother's place in the nurture and care of a child; a nurse. — Foster nurse, a nurse; a nourisher. [R.] Shak. — Foster parent, a foster mother or foster father. — Foster son, a male foster child.

FOSTER Fos"ter, n.

Defn: A forester. [Obs.] Spenser.

FOSTER Fos"ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, fosters.

FOSTERAGE Fos"ter*age (; 48), n.

Defn: The care of a foster child; the charge of nursing. Sir W. Raleigh.

FOSTERER Fos"ter*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, fosters.

FOSTERLING Fos"ter*ling, n. Etym: [AS. fostorling.]

Defn: A foster child.

FOSTERMENT Fos"ter*ment, n.

Defn: Food; nourishment. [Obs.]

FOSTRESS Fos"tress, n. Etym: [For fosteress.]

Defn: A woman who feeds and cherishes; a nurse. B. Jonson.

FOTHER Foth"er, n. Etym: [OE. fother, foder, AS. fo a cartload; akin to G. fuder a cartload, a unit of measure, OHG. fuodar, D. voeder, and perh. to E. fathom, or cf. Skr. patra vessel, dish. Cf. Fodder a fother.]

1. A wagonload; a load of any sort. [Obs.] Of dung full many a fother. Chaucer.

2. See Fodder, a unit of weight.

FOTHER Foth"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fothered; p. pr. & vb. n. Fothering.] Etym: [Cf. Fodder food, and G. füttern, futtern, to cover within or without, to line. *75.]

Defn: To stop (a leak in a ship at sea) by drawing under its bottom a thrummed sail, so that the pressure of the water may force it into the crack. Totten.

FOTIVE Fo"tive, a. Etym: [L. fovere, fotum, to keep warm, to cherish.]

Defn: Nourishing. [Obs.] T. Carew (1633).

FOTMAL Fot"mal, n. (Com.)

Defn: Seventy pounds of lead.

FOUCAULT CURRENT Fou`cault" cur`rent. [After J. B. L. Foucault (1819-68), French physicist.] (Elec.)

Defn: An eddy current.

FOUGADE; FOUGASSE Fou`gade", Fou`gasse", n. (Mil.)

Defn: A small mine, in the form of a well sunk from the surface of the ground, charged with explosive and projectiles. It is made in a position likely to be occupied by the enemy.

FOUGHT Fought,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Fight.

FOUGHTEN Fought"en,

Defn: p. p. of Fight. [Archaic]

FOUL Foul, n. Etym: [See Fowl.]

Defn: A bird. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FOUL Foul, a. [Compar. Fouler (-er); superl. Foulest.] Etym: [OE. foul, ful, AS. ful; akin to D. vuil, G. faul rotten, OHG. ful, Icel. ful foul, fetid; Dan. fuul, Sw. ful foul, Goth. fuls fetid, Lith. puti to be putrid, L. putere to stink, be putrid, pus pus, Gr. py`on pus, to cause to rot, Skr. puy to stink. *82. Cf. Defile to foul, File to foul, Filth, Pus, Putrid.]

1. Covered with, or containing, extraneous matter which is injurious, noxious, offensive, or obstructive; filthy; dirty; not clean; polluted; nasty; defiled; as, a foul cloth; foul hands; a foul chimney; foul air; a ship's bottom is foul when overgrown with barnacles; a gun becomes foul from repeated firing; a well is foul with polluted water. My face is foul with weeping. Job. xvi. 16.

2. Scurrilous; obscene or profane; abusive; as, foul words; foul language.

3. Hateful; detestable; shameful; odious; wretched. "The foul with Sycorax." Shak. Who first seduced them to that foul revolt Milton.

4. Loathsome; disgusting; as, a foul disease.

5. Ugly; homely; poor. [Obs.] Chaucer. Let us, like merchants, show our foulest wares. Shak.

6. Not favorable; unpropitious; not fair or advantageous; as, a foul wind; a foul road; cloudy or rainy; stormy; not fair; — said of the weather, sky, etc. So foul a sky clears not without a storm. Shak.

7. Not conformed to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict, test, etc.; unfair; dishonest; dishonorable; cheating; as, foul play.

8. Having freedom of motion interfered with by collision or entanglement; entangled; — opposed to clear; as, a rope or cable may get foul while paying it out.

Foul anchor. (Naut.) See under Anchor. — Foul ball (Baseball), a ball that first strikes the ground outside of the foul ball lines, or rolls outside of certain limits. — Foul ball lines (Baseball), lines from the home base, through the first and third bases, to the boundary of the field. — Foul berth (Naut.), a berth in which a ship is in danger of fouling another vesel. — Foul bill, or Foul bill of health, a certificate, duly authenticated, that a ship has come from a place where a contagious disorder prevails, or that some of the crew are infected. — Foul copy, a rough draught, with erasures and corrections; — opposed to fair or clean copy. "Some writers boast of negligence, and others would be ashamed to show their foul copies." Cowper. — Foul proof, an uncorrected proof; a proof containing an excessive quantity of errors. — Foul strike (Baseball), a strike by the batsman when any part of his person is outside of the lines of his position. — To fall foul, to fall out; to quarrel. [Obs.] "If they be any ways offended, they fall foul." Burton. — To fall, or run, foul of. See under Fall. — To make foul water, to sail in such shallow water that the ship's keel stirs the mud at the bottom.

FOUL Foul, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fouled; p. pr. & vb. n. Fouling.]

1. To make filthy; to defile; to daub; to dirty; to soil; as, to foul the face or hands with mire.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To incrust (the bore of a gun) with burnt powder in the process of firing.

3. To cover (a ship's bottom) with anything that impered its sailing; as, a bottom fouled with barnacles.

4. To entangle, so as to impede motion; as, to foul a rope or cable in paying it out; to come into collision with; as, one boat fouled the other in a race.

FOUL Foul, v. i.

1. To become clogged with burnt powder in the process of firing, as a gun.

2. To become entagled, as ropes; to come into collision with something; as, the two boats fouled.

FOUL Foul, n.

1. An entanglement; a collision, as in a boat race.

2. (Baseball)

Defn: See Foul ball, under Foul, a.

FOULARD Fou`lard", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A thin, washable material of silk, or silk and cotton, originally imported from India, but now also made elsewhere.

FOULDER Foul"der, v. i. Etym: [OE. fouldre lightning, fr. F. foudre, OF. also fouldre, fr. L. fulgur. See Fulgor.]

Defn: To flash, as lightning; to lighten; to gleam; to thunder. [Obs.] "Flames of fouldering heat." Spenser.

FOULE Foul"e, adv.

Defn: Foully. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FOULLY Foul"ly, v.

Defn: In a foul manner; filthily; nastily; shamefully; unfairly; dishonorably. I foully wronged him; do forgive me, do. Gay.

FOUL-MOUTHED Foul"-mouthed`, a.

Defn: Using language scurrilous, opprobrious, obscene, or profane; abusive. So foul-mouthed a witness never appeared in any cause. Addison.

FOULNESS Foul"ness, n. Etym: [AS. f.]

Defn: The quality or condition of being foul.

FOUL-SPOKEN Foul"-spo`ken, a.

Defn: Using profane, scurrilous, slanderous, or obscene language. Shak.

FOUMART Fou"mart`, n. Etym: [OE. folmard, fulmard; AS. f foul + mear, meard, marten: cf. F. marte, martre. See Foul, a., and Marten the quadruped.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European polecat; — called also European ferret, and fitchew. See Polecat. [Written also foulmart, foulimart, and fulimart.]

FOUND Found,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Find.

FOUND Found, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Founded; p. pr. & vb. n. Founding.] Etym: [F. fondre, L. fundere to found, pour.]

Defn: To form by melting a metal, and pouring it into a mold; to cast. "Whereof to found their engines." Milton.

FOUND Found, n.

Defn: A thin, single-cut file for combmakers.

FOUND Found, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Founded; p. pr. & vb. n. Founding.] Etym: [F. fonder, L. fundare, fr. fundus bottom. See 1st Bottom, and cf. Founder, v. i., Fund.]

1. To lay the basis of; to set, or place, as on something solid, for support; to ground; to establish upon a basis, literal or figurative; to fix firmly. I had else been perfect, Whole as the marble, founded as the rock. Shak. A man that all his time Hath founded his good fortunes on your love. Shak. It fell not, for it was founded on a rock. Matt. vii. 25.

2. To take the ffirst steps or measures in erecting or building up; to furnish the materials for beginning; to begin to raise; to originate; as, to found a college; to found a family. There they shall found Their government, and their great senate choose. Milton.

Syn. — To base; ground; institute; establish; fix. See Predicate.

FOUNDATION Foun*da"tion, n. Etym: [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

1. The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.

2. That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork; basis. Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation. Is. xxviii. 16. The foundation of a free common wealth. Motley.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course (see Base course (a), under Base, n.) and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry.

4. A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment. He was entered on the foundation of Westminster. Macaulay.

5. That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity. Against the canon laws of our foundation. Milton. Foundation course. See Base course, under Base, n. — Foundation muslin, an open-worked gummed fabric used for stiffening dresses, bonnets, etc. — Foundation school, in England, an endowed school. — To be on a foundation, to be entitled to a support from the proceeds of an endowment, as a scholar or a fellow of a college.

FOUNDATIONER Foun*da"tion*er, n.

Defn: One who derives support from the funds or foundation of a college or school. [Eng.]

FOUNDATIONLESS Foun*da"tion*less, a.

Defn: Having no foundation.

FOUNDER Found"er, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. fondeor, F. fondateur, L. fundator.]

Defn: One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom anything originates; one who endows.

FOUNDER Found"er, n. Etym: [From Found to cast.]

Defn: One who founds; one who casts metals in various forms; a caster; as, a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or types. Fonder's dust. Same as Facing, 4. — Founder's sand, a kind of sand suitable for purposes of molding.

FOUNDER Found"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Foundered; p. pr. & vb. n. Foundering.] Etym: [OF. fondrer to fall in, cf. F. s'effondrer, fr. fond bottom, L. fundus. See Found to establish.]

1. (Naut.)

Defn: To become filled with water, and sink, as a ship.

2. To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse. For which his horse fearé gan to turn, And leep aside, and foundrede as he leep. Chaucer.

3. To fail; to miscarry. "All his tricks founder." Shak.

FOUNDER Found"er, v. t.

Defn: To cause internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs of (a horse), so as to disable or lame him.

FOUNDER Found"er, n. (Far.) (a) A lameness in the foot of a horse, occasioned by inflammation; closh. (b) An inflammatory fever of the body, or acute rheumatism; as, chest founder. See Chest ffounder. James White.

FOUNDEROUS Foun"der*ous, a.

Defn: Difficult to travel; likely to trip one up; as, a founderous road. [R.] Burke.

FOUNDERSHAFT Found"er*shaft`, n. (Mining)

Defn: The first shaft sunk. Raymond.

FOUNDERY Found"er*y, n.; pl. Founderies. Etym: [F. fonderie, fr. fondre. See Found to cast, and cf. Foundry.]

Defn: Same as Foundry.

FOUNDING Found"ing, n.

Defn: The art of smelting and casting metals.

FOUNDLING Found"ling, n. Etym: [OE. foundling, fundling; finden to find + - ling; cf. fündling, findling. See Find, v. t., and -ling.]

Defn: A deserted or exposed infant; a child found without a parent or owner. Foundling hospital, a hospital for foundlings.

FOUNDRESS Found"ress, n.

Defn: A female founder; a woman who founds or establishes, or who endows with a fund.

FOUNDRY Found"ry, n.; pl. Foundries. Etym: [See Foundery.]

1. The act, process, or art of casting metals.

2. The buildings and works for casting metals. Foundry ladle, a vessel for holding molten metal and conveying it from cupola to the molds.

FOUNT Fount, n. Etym: [See Font.] (Print.)

Defn: A font.

FOUNT Fount, n. Etym: [OF. font, funt, fr. L. fons, fontis, a fountain; of uncertain origin, perh. akin to fundere to pour, E. found to cast. Cf. Font.]

Defn: A fountain.

FOUNTAIN Foun"tain, n. Etym: [F. fontaine, LL. fontana, fr. L. fons, fontis. See 2d Fount.]

1. A spring of water issuing from the earth.

2. An artificially produced jet or stream of water; also, the structure or works in which such a jet or stream rises or flows; a basin built and constantly supplied with pure water for drinking and other useful purposes, or for ornament.

3. A reservoir or chamber to contain a liquid which can be conducted or drawn off as needed for use; as, the ink fountain in a printing press, etc.

4. The source from which anything proceeds, or from which anything is supplied continuously; origin; source. Judea, the fountain of the gospel. Fuller. Author of all being, Fountain of light, thyself invisible. Milton. Air fountain. See under Air. — Fountain heead, primary source; original; first principle. Young. — Fountain inkstand, an inkstand having a continual supply of ink, as from elevated reservoir. — Fountain lamp, a lamp fed with oil from an elevated reservoir. — Fountain pen, a pen with a reservoir in the handle which furnishes a supply of ink. — Fountain pump. (a) A structure for a fountain, having the form of a pump. (b) A portable garden pump which throws a jet, for watering plants, etc. — Fountain shell (Zoöl.), the large West Indian conch shell (Strombus gigas). — Fountain of youth, a mythical fountain whose waters were fabled to have the property of renewing youth.

FOUNTAINLESS Foun"tain*less, a.

Defn: Having no fountain; destitute of springs or sources of water. Barren desert, fountainless and dry. Milton.

FOUNTFUL Fount"ful, a.

Defn: Full of fountains. Pope.

FOUR Four, a. Etym: [OE. four, fower, feower, AS. feówer; akin to OS. fiwar, D. & G. vier, OHG. fior, Icel. fj, Sw. fyra, Dan. fire, Goth. fidw, Russ. chetuire, chetvero, W. pedwar, L. quatuor, Gr. catur. Farthing, Firkin, Forty, Cater four, Quater-cousin, Quatuor, Quire of paper, tetrarch.]

Defn: One more than three; twice two.

FOUR Four, n.

1. The sum of four units; four units or objects.

2. A symbol representing four units, as 4 or iv.

3. Four things of the same kind, esp. four horses; as, a chariot and four. All fours. See All fours, in the Vocabulary.

FOURB; FOURBE Fourb, Fourbe, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A trickly fellow; a cheat. [Obs.] Evelyn. Denham.

FOURCHE Four`ché", a. Etym: [F. See Fo.] (Her.)

Defn: Having the ends forked or branched, and the ends of the branches terminating abruptly as if cut off; — said of an ordinary, especially of a cross.

FOURCHETTE Four`chette", n. Etym: [F., dim. of fourche. See Fork.]

1. A table fork.

2. (Anat.) (a) A small fold of membrane, connecting the labia in the posterior part of the vulva. (b) The wishbone or furculum of birds. (c) The frog of the hoof of the horse and allied animals.

3. (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument used to raise and support the tongue during the cutting of the frænum.

4. (Glove Making)

Defn: The forked piece between two adjacent fingers, to which the front and back portions are sewed. Knight.

FOUR-CORNERED Four"-cor`nered, a.

Defn: Having four corners or angles.

FOUR-CYCLE Four"-cy`cle, n. (Thermodynamics)

Defn: A four-stroke cycle, as the Otto cycle, for an internal- combustion engine. — Four"-cy`cle, a.

FOURDRINIER Four`dri`nier", n.

Defn: A machine used in making paper; — so named from an early inventor of improvements in this class of machinery.

FOURFOLD Four"fold`, a. & adv. Etym: [AS. feówerfeold.]

Defn: Four times; quadruple; as, a fourfold division. He snall restore the lamb fourfold. 2 Sam. xii. 6.

FOURFOLD Four"fold`, n.

Defn: Four times as many or as much.

FOURFOLD Four"fold`, v. t.

Defn: To make four times as much or as many, as an assessment,; to quadruple.

FOURFOOTED Four"foot`ed, a.

Defn: Having four feet; quadruped; as, fourfooted beasts.

FOURGON Four`gon", n. Etym: [F.] (Mil.) (a)An ammunition wagon. (b) A French baggage wagon.

FOURHANDED Four"hand`ed, a.

1. Having four hands; quadrumanous. Goldsmith.

2. Requiring four "hands" or players; as, a fourhanded game at cards.

FOURIERISM Fou"ri*er*ism, n.

Defn: The coöperative socialistic system of Charles Fourier, a Frenchman, who recommended the reorganization of society into small communities, living in common.

FOURIERIST; FOURIERITE Fou"ri*er*ist, Fou"ri*er*ite, n.

Defn: One who adopts the views of Fourier.

FOUR-IN-HAND Four"-in-hand, a.

Defn: Consisting of four horses controlled by one person; as, a four- in-hand team; drawn by four horses driven by one person; as, a four- in-hand coach. — n.

Defn: A team of four horses driven by one person; also, a vehicle drawn by such a team. As quaint a four-in-hand As you shall see. Tennyson.

FOURLING Four"ling, n.

1. One of four children born at the same time.

2. (Crystallog.)

Defn: A compound or twin crystal consisting of four individuals.

FOURNEAU Four`neau", n. Etym: [F.] (Mil.)

Defn: The chamber of a mine in which the powder is placed.

FOUR-O'CLOCK Four"-o'clock`, n.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Mirabilis. There are about half a dozen species, natives of the warmer parts of America. The common four- o'clock is M. Jalapa. Its flowers are white, yellow, and red, and open toward sunset, or earlier in cloudy weather; hence the name. It is also called marvel of Peru, and afternoon lady.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The friar bird; — so called from its cry, which resembles these words.

FOURPENCE Four"pence, n.

1. A British silver coin, worth four pence; a groat.

2. A name formerly given in New England to the Spanish half real, a silver coin worth six and a quarter cents.

FOUR-POSTER Four"-post`er, n.

Defn: A large bedstead with tall posts at the corners to support curtains. [Colloq.]

FOURRIER Four"rier (; F. , n. Etym: [F., fr. OF. forre. See Forage, n.]

Defn: A harbinger. [Obs.]

FOURSCORE Four"score`, a. Etym: [Four + core, n.]

Defn: Four times twenty; eighty.

FOURSCORE Four"score`, n.

Defn: The product of four times twenty; eighty units or objects.

FOURSOME Four"some, a. [Four + 2d -some.]

Defn: Consisting of four; requiring four participants. [Scot. or Golf]

FOURSOME Four"some, n. (Golf)

Defn: A game between four players, with two on each side and each side playing but one ball, the partners striking alternately. It is called a mixed foursome when each side consists of a man and a woman.

FOURSQUARE Four"square`, a.

Defn: Having four sides and four equal angles. Sir W. Raleigh.

FOURTEEN Four"teen`, a. Etym: [OE. fourtene, feowertene, AS. feówert, feówert. See Four, and Ten, and cf. Forty.]

Defn: Four and ten more; twice seven.

FOURTEEN Four"teen`, n.

1. The sum of ten and four; forteen units or objects.

2. A symbol representing fourteen, as 14 or xiv.

FOURTEENTH Four"teenth`, a. Etym: [Cf. OE. fourtende, fourtethe, AS. feówerteoedha.]

1. Next in order after the thirteenth; as, the fourteenth day of the month.

2. Making or constituting one of fourteen equal parts into which anything may be derived.

FOURTEENTH Four"teenth`, n.

1. One of fourteen equal parts into which one whole may be divided; the quotient of a unit divided by fourteen; one next after the thirteenth.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: The octave of the seventh.

FOURTH Fourth, a. Etym: [OE. fourthe, ferthe, feorthe, AS. feóredha, fr. feówer four.]

1. Next in order after the third; the ordinal of four.

2. Forming one of four equal parts into which anything may be divided.

FOURTH Fourth, n.

1. One of four equal parts into which one whole may be divided; the quotient of a unit divided by four; one coming next in order after the third.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: The interval of two tones and a semitone, embracing four diatonic degrees of the scale; the subdominant of any key. The Fourth, specifically, un the United States, the fourth day of July, the anniversary of the declaration of American independence; as, to celebrate the Fourth.

FOURTHLY Fourth"ly, adv.

Defn: In the fourth place.

FOUR-WAY Four"-way`, a.

Defn: Allowing passage in either of four directions; as, a four-way cock, or valve. Francis. Four-way cock, a cock connected with four pipes or ports, and having two or more passages in the plug, by which the adjacent pipes or ports may be made to communicate; formerly used as a valve in the steam engine, and now for various other purposes. In the illustration, a leads to the upper end of a steam engine cylinder, and b to the lower end; c is the steam pipe, and d the exhaust pipe.

FOUR-WHEELED Four"-wheeled`, a.

Defn: Having four wheels.

FOUR-WHEELER Four"-wheel`er, n.

Defn: A vehicle having four wheels. [Colloq.]

FOUSSA Fous"sa, n. Etym: [Natibe name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A viverrine animal of Madagascar (Cryptoprocta ferox). It resembles a cat in size and form, and has retractile claws.

FOUTER Fou"ter, n. Etym: [F. foutre to lecher, L. futuere. Cf. Fouty.]

Defn: A despicable fellow. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.

FOUTRA Fou"tra, n. Etym: [See Fouter.]

Defn: A fig; — a word of contempt. [Obs.] A foutra for the world and wordlings base! Shak.

FOUTY Fou"ty, a. Etym: [Cf. F. foutu, p.p. of foutre; OF. foutu scoundrel. See Fouter.]

Defn: Despicable. [Obs.]

FOVEA Fo"ve*a, n.; pl. Foveæ. Etym: [L., a small pit.]

Defn: A slight depression or pit; a fossa.

FOVEATE Fo"ve*ate, a. Etym: [L. fovea a pit.]

Defn: Having pits or depressions; pitted.

FOVEOLA Fo*ve"o*la, n.; pl. Foveolæ. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. fovea.]

Defn: A small depression or pit; a fovea.

FOVEOLATE Fo"ve*o*late ( or ), a.

Defn: Having small pits or depression, as the receptacle in some composite flowers.

FOVEOLATED Fo"ve*o*la`ted, a.

Defn: Foveolate.

FOVILLA Fo*vil"la, n.; pl. Fovillæ. Etym: [Dim. fr. L. fovere to cherish.] (Bot.)

Defn: One of the fine granules contained in the protoplasm of a pollen grain.

FOWL Fowl, n.

Note: Instead of the pl. Fowls the singular is often used collectively. Etym: [OE. foul, fowel, foghel, fuhel, fugel, AS. fugol; akin to OS. fugal D. & G. vogel, OHG. fogal, Icel. & Dan. fugl, Sw. fogel, fågel, Goth. fugls; of unknown origin, possibly by loss of l, from the root of E. fly, or akin to E. fox, as being a tailed animal.]

1. Any bird; esp., any large edible bird. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air. Gen. i. 26. Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not. Matt. vi. 26. Like a flight of fowl Scattered by winds and high tempestuous gusts. Shak.

2. Any domesticated bird used as food, as a hen, turkey, duck; in a more restricted sense, the common domestic cock or hen (Gallus domesticus). Barndoor fowl, or Barnyard fowl, a fowl that frequents the barnyard; the common domestic cock or hen.

FOWL Fowl, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fowled; p. pr. & vb. n. Fowling.]

Defn: To catch or kill wild fowl, for game or food, as by shooting, or by decoys, nets, etc. Such persons as may lawfully hunt, fish, or fowl. Blackstone. Fowling piece, a light gun with smooth bore, adapted for the use of small shot in killing birds or small quadrupeds.

FOWLER Fowl"er, n.

Defn: A sportsman who pursues wild fowl, or takes or kills for food.

FOWLERITE Fow"ler*ite, n. Etym: [From Dr. Samuel Fowler.] (Min.)

Defn: A variety of rhodonite, from Franklin Furnace, New Jersey, containing some zinc.

FOWLER'S SOLUTION Fow"ler's so*lu"tion

Defn: . An Fowler, an English physician who first brought it into use.

FOX Fox, n.; pl. Foxes. Etym: [AS. fox; akin to D. vos, G. fuchs, OHG. fuhs, foha, Goth. faúh, Icel. f fox, fox fraud; of unknown origin, cf. Skr. puccha tail. Cf. Vixen.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A carnivorous animal of the genus Vulpes, family Canidæ, of many species. The European fox (V. vulgaris or V. vulpes), the American red fox (V. fulvus), the American gray fox (V. Virginianus), and the arctic, white, or blue, fox (V. lagopus) are well-known species.

Note: The black or silver-gray fox is a variety of the American red fox, producing a fur of great value; the cross-gray and woods-gray foxes are other varieties of the same species, of less value. The common foxes of Europe and America are very similar; both are celebrated for their craftiness. They feed on wild birds, poultry, and various small animals. Subtle as the fox for prey. Shak.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European dragonet.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The fox shark or thrasher shark; — called also sea fox. See Thrasher shark, under Shark.

4. A sly, cunning fellow. [Colloq.] We call a crafty and cruel man a fox. Beattie.

5. (Naut.)

Defn: Rope yarn twisted together, and rubbed with tar; — used for seizings or mats.

6. A sword; — so called from the stamp of a fox on the blade, or perhaps of a wolf taken for a fox. [Obs.] Thou diest on point of fox. Shak.

7. pl. (Enthnol.)

Defn: A tribe of Indians which, with the Sacs, formerly occupied the region about Green Bay, Wisconsin; — called also Outagamies. Fox and geese. (a) A boy's game, in which one boy tries to catch others as they run one goal to another. (b) A game with sixteen checkers, or some substitute for them, one of which is called the fox, and the rest the geese; the fox, whose first position is in the middle of the board, endeavors to break through the line of the geese, and the geese to pen up the fox. — Fox bat (Zoöl.), a large fruit bat of the genus Pteropus, of many species, inhabiting Asia, Africa, and the East Indies, esp. P. medius of India. Some of the species are more than four feet across the outspread wings. See Fruit bat. — Fox bolt, a bolt having a split end to receive a fox wedge. — Fox brush (Zoöl.), the tail of a fox. — Fox evil, a disease in which the hair falls off; alopecy. — Fox grape (Bot.), the name of two species of American grapes. The northern fox grape (Vitis Labrusca) is the origin of the varieties called Isabella, Concord, Hartford, etc., and the southern fox grape (Vitis vulpina) has produced the Scuppernong, and probably the Catawba. — Fox hunter. (a) One who pursues foxes with hounds. (b) A horse ridden in a fox chase. — Fox shark (Zoöl.), the thrasher shark. See Thrasher shark, under Thrasher. — Fox sleep, pretended sleep. — Fox sparrow (Zoöl.), a large American sparrow (Passerella iliaca); — so called on account of its reddish color. — Fox squirrel (Zoöl.), a large North American squirrel (Sciurus niger, or S. cinereus). In the Southern States the black variety prevails; farther north the fulvous and gray variety, called the cat squirrel, is more common. — Fox terrier (Zoöl.), one of a peculiar breed of terriers, used in hunting to drive foxes from their holes, and for other purposes. There are rough- and smooth-haired varieties. — Fox trot, a pace like that which is adopted for a few steps, by a horse, when passing from a walk into a trot, or a trot into a walk. — Fox wedge (Mach. & Carpentry), a wedge for expanding the split end of a bolt, cotter, dowel, tenon, or other piece, to fasten the end in a hole or mortise and prevent withdrawal. The wedge abuts on the bottom of the hole and the piece is driven down upon it. Fastening by fox wedges is called foxtail wedging. — Fox wolf (Zoöl.), one of several South American wild dogs, belonging to the genus Canis. They have long, bushy tails like a fox.

FOX Fox, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Foxed; p. pr. & vb. n. Foxing.] Etym: [See Fox, n., cf. Icel. fox imposture.]

1. To intoxicate; to stupefy with drink. I drank . . . so much wine that I was almost foxed. Pepys.

2. To make sour, as beer, by causing it to ferment.

3. To repair the feet of, as of boots, with new front upper leather, or to piece the upper fronts of.

FOX Fox, v. i.

Defn: To turn sour; — said of beer, etc., when it sours in fermenting.

FOXEARTH Fox"earth`, n.

Defn: A hole in the earth to which a fox resorts to hide himself.

FRACAS Fra"cas (; F. , n. Etym: [F., crash, din, tumult, It. fracasso, fr. fracassare to break in pieces, perh. fr. fra within, among (L. infra) + cassare to annul, cashier. Cf. Cashier, v. t.]

Defn: An uproar; a noisy quarrel; a disturbance; a brawl.

FOXED Foxed, a.

1. Discolored or stained; — said of timber, and also of the paper of books or engravings.

2. Repaired by foxing; as, foxed boots.

FOXERY Fox"e*ry, n.

Defn: Behavior like that of a fox; [Obs.] Chaucer.

FOXES Fox"es, n. pl. (Ethnol.)

Defn: See Fox, n., 7.

FOXFISH Fox"fish`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The fox shark; — called also sea fox. See Thrasher shark, under Shark. (b) The european dragonet. See Dragonet.

FOXGLOVE Fox"glove`, n. Etym: [AS. foxes-gl, foxes-clife.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Digitalis. The common English foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a handsome perennial or biennial plant, whose leaves are used as a powerful medicine, both as a sedative and diuretic. See Digitalis. Pan through the pastures oftentimes hath run To pluck the speckled foxgloves from their stem. W. Browne.

FOXHOUND Fox"hound`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a special breed of hounds used for chasing foxes.

FOX-HUNTING Fox"-hunt`ing, a.

Defn: Pertaining to or engaged in the hunting of foxes; fond of hunting foxes.

FOXINESS Fox"i*ness, n.

1. The state or quality of being foxy, or foxlike; craftiness; shrewdness.

2. The state of being foxed or discolored, as books; decay; deterioration.

3. A coarse and sour taste in grapes.

FOXISH Fox"ish, a.

Defn: Foxlike. [Obs.]

FOXLIKE Fox"like`, a.

Defn: Resembling a fox in his characteristic qualities; cunning; artful; foxy.

FOXLY Fox"ly, a.

Defn: Foxlike. [Obs.] "Foxly craft." Latimer.

FOXSHIP Fox"ship, n.

Defn: Foxiness; craftiness. [R.] Shak.

FOXTAIL Fox"tail`, n.

1. The tail or brush of a fox.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The name of several kinds of grass having a soft dense head of flowers, mostly the species of Alopecurus and Setaria.

3. (Metal.)

Defn: The last cinders obtained in the fining process. Raymond. Foxtail saw, a dovetail saw. — Foxtail wedging. See Fox wedge, under Fox.

FOXY Fox"y, a.

1. Like or pertaining to the fox; foxlike in disposition or looks; wily. Modred's narrow, foxy face. Tennyson.

2. Having the color of a fox; of a yellowish or reddish brown color; — applied sometimes to paintings when they have too much of this color.

3. Having the odor of a fox; rank; strong smeelling.

4. Sour; unpleasant in taste; — said of wine, beer, etc., not properly fermented; — also of grapes which have the coarse flavor of the fox grape.

FOY Foy, n. Etym: [F. foi, old spelling foy, faith. See Faith.]

1. Faith; allegiance; fealty. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. A feast given by one about to leave a place. [Obs.] He did at the Dog give me, and some other friends of his, his foy, he being to set sail to-day. Pepys.

FOYER Foy`er", n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. focarium fireplace. See Focus, n.]

1. A lobby in a theater; a greenroom.

2. The crucible or basin in a furnace which receives the molten metal. Knight.

FOYSON Foy"son, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Foison.

FOZINESS Fo"zi*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being fozy; spiritlessness; dullness. [Scot.] [The Whigs'] foziness can no longer be concealed. Blackwood's.

FOZY Fo"zy, a.

Defn: Spongy; soft; fat and puffy. [Scot.]

FRA Fra, adv. & prep. Etym: [OE.]

Defn: Fro. [Old Eng. & Scot.]

FRA Fra, n. Etym: [It., for frate. See Friar.]

Defn: Brother; — a title of a monk of friar; as, Fra Angelo. Longfellow.

FRAB Frab, v. i. & t.

Defn: To scold; to nag. [Prov. Eng.]

FRABBIT Frab"bit, a.

Defn: Crabbed; peevish. [Prov. Eng.]

FRACHO Fracho, n.

Defn: A shallow iron pan to hold glass ware while being annealed.

FRACID Frac"id, a. Etym: [L. fracidus mellow, soft.]

Defn: Rotten from being too ripe; overripe. [Obs.] Blount.

FRACT Fract, v. t. Etym: [L. fractus, p.p. of frangere to break.]

Defn: To break; to violate. [Obs.] Shak.

FRACTED Frac"ted, a. (Her.)

Defn: Having a part displaced, as if broken; — said of an ordinary. Macaulay.

FRACTION Frac"tion, n. Etym: [F. fraction, L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to break. See Break.]

1. The act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence. [Obs.] Neither can the natural body of Christ be subject to any fraction or breaking up. Foxe.

2. A portion; a fragment. Some niggard fractions of an hour. Tennyson.

3. (Arith. or Alg.)

Defn: One or more aliquot parts of a unit or whole number; an expression for a definite portion of a unit or magnitude. Common, or Vulgar, fraction, a fraction in which the number of equal parts into which the integer is supposed to be divided is indicated by figures or letters, called the denominator, written below a line, over which is the numerator, indicating the number of these parts included in the fraction; as — Complex fraction, a fraction having a fraction or mixed number in the numerator or denominator, or in both. Davies & Peck. — Compound fraction, a fraction of a fraction; two or more fractions connected by of. — Continued fraction, Decimal fraction, Partial fraction, etc. See under Continued, Decimal, Partial, etc. — Improper fraction, a fraction in which the numerator is greater than the denominator. — Proper fraction, a fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator.

FRACTION Frac"tion, v. t. (Chem.)

Defn: To separate by means of, or to subject to, fractional distillation or crystallization; to fractionate; — frequently used with out; as, to fraction out a certain grade of oil from pretroleum.

FRACTIONAL Frac"tion*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to fractions or a fraction; constituting a fraction; as, fractional numbers.

2. Relatively small; inconsiderable; insignificant; as, a fractional part of the population. Fractional crystallization (Chem.), a process of gradual and approximate purification and separation, by means of repeated solution and crystallization therefrom. — Fractional currency, small coin, or paper notes, in circulation, of less value than the monetary unit. — Fractional distillation (Chem.), a process of distillation so conducted that a mixture of liquids, differing considerably from each other in their boiling points, can be separated into its constituents.

FRACTIONALLY Frac"tion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: By fractions or separate portions; as, to distill a liquid fractionally, that is, so as to separate different portions.

FRACTIONARY Frac"tion*a*ry, a.

Defn: Fractional. [Obs.]

FRACTIONATE Frac"tion*ate, v. t.

Defn: To separate into different portions or fractions, as in the distillation of liquids.

FRACTIOUS Frac"tious, a. Etym: [Cf. Prov. E. frack forward, eager, E. freak, fridge; or Prov. E. fratch to squabble, quarrel.]

Defn: Apt to break out into a passion; apt to scold; cross; snappish; ugly; unruly; as, a fractious man; a fractious horse.

Syn. — Snappish; peevish; waspish; cross; irritable; perverse; pettish. — Frac"tious*ly, v. — Frac"tious*ness, n.

FRACTURAL Frac"tur*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or consequent on, a fracture. [R.]

FRACTURE Frac"ture, n. Etym: [L. fractura, fr. frangere, fractum, to break: cf. F. fracture. See Fraction.]