F F (êf) (continued 6)

Syn. — Primary; primordial; primitive; primeval; pristine; highest; chief; principal; foremost.

FIRST First, adv.

Defn: Before any other person or thing in time, space, rank, etc.; — much used in composition with adjectives and participles. Adam was first formed, then Eve. 1 Tim. ii. 13. At first, At the first, at the beginning or origin. — First or last, at one time or another; at the beginning or end. And all are fools and lovers first or last. Dryden.

FIRST First, n. (Mus.)

Defn: The upper part of a duet, trio, etc., either vocal or instrumental; — so called because it generally expresses the air, and has a preëminence in the combined effect.

FIRSTBORN First"born`, a.

Defn: First brought forth; first in the order of nativity; eldest; hence, most excellent; most distinguished or exalted.

FIRST-CLASS First"-class`, a.

Defn: Of the best class; of the highest rank; in the first division; of the best quality; first-rate; as, a first-class telescope. First- class car or First-class railway carriage, any passenger car of the highest regular class, and intended for passengers who pay the highest regular rate; — distinguished from a second-class car.

FIRST-HAND First"-hand`, a.

Defn: Obtained directly from the first or original source; hence, without the intervention of an agent. One sphere there is . . . where the apprehension of him is first-hand and direct; and that is the sphere of our own mind. J. Martineau.

FIRSTLING First"ling, n. Etym: [First + -ling.]

1. The first produce or offspring; — said of animals, especially domestic animals; as, the firstlings of his flock. Milton.

2. The thing first thought or done. The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. Shak.

FIRSTLING First"ling, a.

Defn: Firstborn. All the firstling males. Deut. xv. 19.

FIRSTLY First"ly, adv.

Defn: In the first place; before anything else; — sometimes improperly used for first.

FIRST-RATE First"-rate`, a.

Defn: Of the highest excellence; preëminent in quality, size, or estimation. Our only first-rate body of contemporary poetry is the German. M. Arnold. Hermocrates . . . a man of first-rate ability. Jowett (Thucyd).

FIRST-RATE First"-rate`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A war vessel of the highest grade or the most powerful class.

FIRTH Firth, n. Etym: [Scot. See Frith.] (geog.)

Defn: An arm of the sea; a frith.

FIR TREE Fir" tree`

Defn: . See Fir.

FISC Fisc, n. Etym: [F. fisc, fr. L. fiscus basket, money basket, treasury; prob. akin to fascis bundle. See Fasces.]

Defn: A public or state treasury. Burke.

FISCAL Fis"cal, a. Etym: [F. fiscal, L. fiscalis, fr. fiscus. See Fisc.]

Defn: Pertaining to the public treasury or revenue. The fiscal arreangements of government. A. Hamilton.

FISCAL Fis"cal, n.

1. The income of a prince or a state; revenue; exchequer. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. A treasurer. H. Swinburne.

3. A public officer in Scotland who prosecutes in petty criminal cases; — called also procurator fiscal.

4. The solicitor in Spain and Portugal; the attorney-general.

FISETIC Fi*set"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to fustet or fisetin.

FISETIN Fis"e*tin, n. Etym: [G. fisettholz a species of fustic.] (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow crystalline substance extracted from fustet, and regarded as its essential coloring principle; — called also fisetic acid.

FISH Fish, n. Etym: [F. fiche peg, mark, fr. fisher to fix.]

Defn: A counter, used in various games.

FISH Fish, n.; pl. Fishes, or collectively, Fish. Etym: [OE. fisch, fisc, fis, AS. fisc; akin to D. visch, OS. & OHG. fisk, G. fisch, Icel. fiskr, Sw. & Dan. fisk, Goth. fisks, L. piscis, Ir. iasg. Cf. Piscatorial. In some cases, such as fish joint, fish plate, this word has prob. been confused with fish, fr. F. fichea peg.]

1. A name loosely applied in popular usage to many animals of diverse characteristics, living in the water.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An oviparous, vertebrate animal usually having fins and a covering scales or plates. It breathes by means of gills, and lives almost entirely in the water. See Pisces.

Note: The true fishes include the Teleostei (bony fishes), Ganoidei, Dipnoi, and Elasmobranchii or Selachians (sharks and skates). Formerly the leptocardia and Marsipobranciata were also included, but these are now generally regarded as two distinct classes, below the fishes.

3. pl.

Defn: The twelfth sign of the zodiac; Pisces.

4. The flesh of fish, used as food.

5. (Naut.) (a) A purchase used to fish the anchor. (b) A piece of timber, somewhat in the form of a fish, used to strengthen a mast or yard.

Note: Fish is used adjectively or as part of a compound word; as, fish line, fish pole, fish spear, fish-bellied. Age of Fishes. See under Age, n., 8. — Fish ball, fish (usually salted codfish) shared fine, mixed with mashed potato, and made into the form of a small, round cake. [U.S.] — Fish bar. Same as Fish plate (below). — Fish beam (Mech.), a beam one of whose sides (commonly the under one) swells out like the belly of a fish. Francis. — Fish crow (Zoöl.), a species of crow (Corvus ossifragus), found on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It feeds largely on fish. — Fish culture, the artifical breeding and rearing of fish; pisciculture. — Fish davit. See Davit. — Fish day, a day on which fish is eaten; a fast day. — Fish duck (Zoöl.), any species of merganser. — Fish fall, the tackle depending from the fish davit, used in hauling up the anchor to the gunwale of a ship. — Fish garth, a dam or weir in a river for keeping fish or taking them easily. — Fish glue. See Isinglass. — Fish joint, a joint formed by a plate or pair of plates fastened upon two meeting beams, plates, etc., at their junction; — used largely in connecting the rails of railroads. — Fish kettle, a long kettle for boiling fish whole. — Fish ladder, a dam with a series of steps which fish can leap in order to ascend falls in a river. — Fish line, or Fishing line, a line made of twisted hair, silk, etc., used in angling. — Fish louse (Zoöl.), any crustacean parasitic on fishes, esp. the parasitic Copepoda, belonging to Caligus, Argulus, and other related genera. See Branchiura. — Fish maw (Zoöl.), the stomach of a fish; also, the air bladder, or sound. — Fish meal, fish desiccated and ground fine, for use in soups, etc. — Fish oil, oil obtained from the bodies of fish and marine animals, as whales, seals, sharks, from cods' livers, etc. — Fish owl (Zoöl.), a fish-eating owl of the Old World genera Scotopelia and Ketupa, esp. a large East Indian species (K. Ceylonensis). — Fish plate, one of the plates of a fish joint. — Fish pot, a wicker basket, sunk, with a float attached, for catching crabs, lobsters, etc. — Fish pound, a net attached to stakes, for entrapping and catching fish; a weir. [Local, U.S.] Bartlett. — Fish slice, a broad knife for dividing fish at table; a fish trowel. — Fish slide, an inclined box set in a stream at a small fall, or ripple, to catch fish descending the current. Knight. — Fish sound, the air bladder of certain fishes, esp. those that are dried and used as food, or in the arts, as for the preparation of isinglass. — Fish story, a story which taxes credulity; an extravagant or incredible narration. [Colloq. U.S.] Bartlett. — Fish strainer. (a) A metal colander, with handles, for taking fish from a boiler. (b) A perforated earthenware slab at the bottom of a dish, to drain the water from a boiled fish. — Fish trowel, a fish slice. — Fish weir or wear, a weir set in a stream, for catching fish. — Neither fish nor flesh (Fig.), neither one thing nor the other.

FISH Fish, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fished; p. pr. & vb. n. Fishing.]

1. To attempt to catch fish; to be employed in taking fish, by any means, as by angling or drawing a net.

2. To seek to obtain by artifice, or indirectly to seek to draw forth; as, to fish for compliments. Any other fishing question. Sir W. Scott.

FISH Fish, v. t. Etym: [OE. fischen, fisken, fissen, AS. fiscian; akin to G. fischen, OHG. fisc, Goth. fisk. See Fish the animal.]

1. To catch; to draw out or up; as, to fish up an anchor.

2. To search by raking or sweeping. Swift.

3. To try with a fishing rod; to catch fish in; as, to fish a stream. Thackeray.

4. To strengthen (a beam, mast, etc.), or unite end to end (two timbers, railroad rails, etc.) by bolting a plank, timber, or plate to the beam, mast, or timbers, lengthwise on one or both sides. See Fish joint, under Fish, n. To fish the anchor. (Naut.) See under Anchor.

FISH-BELLIED Fish"-bel`lied, a.

Defn: Bellying or swelling out on the under side; as, a fish-bellied rail. Knight.

FISH-BLOCK Fish"-block`, n.

Defn: See Fish-tackle.

FISHER Fish"er, n. Etym: [AS. fiscere.]

1. One who fishes.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A carnivorous animal of the Weasel family (Mustela Canadensis); the pekan; the "black cat."

FISHERMAN Fish"er*man, n.; pl. Fishermen (.

1. One whose occupation is to catch fish.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A ship or vessel employed in the business of taking fish, as in the cod fishery.

FISHERY Fish"er*y, n.; pl. Fisheries (.

1. The business or practice of catching fish; fishing. Addison.

2. A place for catching fish.

3. (Law)

Defn: The right to take fish at a certain place, or in particular waters. Abbott.

FISHFUL Fish"ful, a.

Defn: Abounding with fish. [R.] "My fishful pond." R. Carew.

FISHGIG Fish"gig`, n.

Defn: A spear with barbed prongs used for harpooning fish. Knight.

FISHHAWK Fish"hawk`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The osprey (Pandion haliaëtus), found both in Europe and America; — so called because it plunges into the water and seizes fishes in its talons. Called also fishing eagle, and bald buzzard.

FISHHOOK Fish"hook`, n.

1. A hook for catching fish.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A hook with a pendant, to the end of which the fish-tackle is hooked. Dana.

FISHIFY Fish"i*fy, v. t.

Defn: To change to fish. [R.] Shak.

FISHINESS Fish"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being fishy or fishlike. Pennant.

FISHING Fish"ing, n.

1. The act, practice, or art of one who fishes.

2. A fishery. Spenser.

FISHING Fish"ing, a. Etym: [From Fishing, n.]

Defn: Pertaining to fishing; used in fishery; engaged in fishing; as, fishing boat; fishing tackle; fishing village. Fishing fly, an artificial fly for fishing. — Fishing line, a line used in catching fish. — Fishing net, a net of various kinds for catching fish; including the bag net, casting net, drag net, landing net, seine, shrimping net, trawl, etc. — Fishing rod, a long slender rod, to which is attached the line for angling. — Fishing smack, a sloop or other small vessel used in sea fishing. — Fishing tackle, apparatus used in fishing, as hook, line, rod, etc. — Fishing tube (Micros.), a glass tube for selecting a microscopic object in a fluid.

FISHLIKE Fish"like, a.

Defn: Like fish; suggestive of fish; having some of the qualities of fish. A very ancient and fishlike smell. Shak.

FISHMONGER Fish"mon`ger, n.

Defn: A dealer in fish.

FISHSKIN Fish"skin`, n.

1. The skin of a fish (dog fish, shark, etc.)

2. (Med.)

Defn: See Ichthyosis.

FISH-TACKLE Fish"-tac`kle, n.

Defn: A tackle or purchase used to raise the flukes of the anchor up to the gunwale. The block used is called the fish-block.

FISH-TAIL Fish"-tail`, a.

Defn: Like the of a fish; acting, or producing something, like the tail of a fish. Fish-tail burner, a gas burner that gives a spreading flame shaped somewhat like the tail of a fish. — Fish-tail propeller (Steamship), a propeller with a single blade that oscillates like the tail of a fish when swimming.

FISHWIFE Fish"wife`, n.

Defn: A fishwoman.

FISHWOMAN Fish"wom`an, n.; pl. Fishwomen (.

Defn: A woman who retails fish.

FISHY Fish"y, a.

1. Consisting of fish; fishlike; having the qualities or taste of fish; abounding in fish. Pope.

2. Extravagant, like some stories about catching fish; improbable; also, rank or foul. [Colloq.]

FISK Fisk, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Sw. fjeska to bustle about.]

Defn: To run about; to frisk; to whisk. [Obs.] He fisks abroad, and stirreth up erroneous opinions. Latimer.

FISSIGEMMATION Fis`si*gem*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. fissus (p.p. of findere to split) + E. gemmation.] (Biol.)

Defn: A process of reproduction intermediate between fission and gemmation.

FISSILE Fis"sile, a. Etym: [L. fissilis, fr. fissus, p.p. of findere to split. See Fissure.]

Defn: Capable of being split, cleft, or divided in the direction of the grain, like wood, or along natural planes of cleavage, like crystals. This crystal is a pellucid, fissile stone. Sir I. Newton.

FISSILINGUAL Fis`si*lin"gual, a. Etym: [L. fissus (p.p. of findere to split) + E. lingual.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the tongue forked.

FISSILINGUIA Fis`si*lin"gui*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. fissus (p.p. o f findere to split) + lingua tongue.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of Lacertilia having the tongue forked, including the common lizards. [Written also Fissilingues.]

FISSILITY Fis*sil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Quality of being fissile.

FISSION Fis"sion, n. Etym: [L. fissio. See Fissure.]

1. A cleaving, splitting, or breaking up into parts.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: A method of asexual reproduction among the lowest (unicellular) organisms by means of a process of self-division, consisting of gradual division or cleavage of the into two parts, each of which then becomes a separate and independent organisms; as when a cell in an animal or plant, or its germ, undergoes a spontaneous division, and the parts again subdivide. See Segmentation, and Cell division, under Division.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A process by which certain coral polyps, echinoderms, annelids, etc., spontaneously subdivide, each individual thus forming two or more new ones. See Strobilation.

FISSIPALMATE Fis`si*pal"mate, a. Etym: [L. fissus (p.p. of findere to split) + palma palm.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Semipalmate and loboped, as a grebe's foot. See Illust. under Aves.

FISSIPARA Fis*sip"a*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Fissiparous.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Animals which reproduce by fission.

FISSIPARISM Fis*sip"a*rism, n. Etym: [See Fissiparous.] (Biol.)

Defn: Reproduction by spontaneous fission.

FISSIPARITY Fis`si*par"i*ty, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Quality of being fissiparous; fissiparism.

FISSIPAROUS Fis*sip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. fissus (p.p. of findere to split) + parere to bring forth: cf. F. fissipare.] (Biol.)

Defn: Reproducing by spontaneous fission. See Fission. — Fis*sip"a*rous*ly, adv.

FISSIPATION Fis`si*pa"tion, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Reproduction by fission; fissiparism.

FISSIPED; FISSIPEDAL Fis"si*ped, Fis*sip"e*dal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. fissipède.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the toes separated to the base. [See Aves.]

FISSIPED Fis"si*ped, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Fissipedia.

FISSIPEDIA Fis`si*pe"di*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. fissus (p.p. of findere to cleave) + pes, pedis, a foot.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of the Carnivora, including the dogs, cats, and bears, in which the feet are not webbed; — opposed to Pinnipedia.

FISSIROSTRAL Fis`si*ros"tral, a. Etym: [Cf. F. fissirostre.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the bill cleft beyond the horny part, as in the case of swallows and goatsuckers.

FISSIROSTRES Fis`si*ros"tres, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. fissus (p.p. of findere to cleave) + rostrum beak.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of birds having the bill deeply cleft.

FISSURAL Fis"sur*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a fissure or fissures; as, the fissural pattern of a brain.

FISSURATION Fis`su*ra"tion, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The act of dividing or opening; the state of being fissured.

FISSURE Fis"sure, n. Etym: [L. fissura, fr. findere, fissum, to cleave, split; akin to E. bite: cf. F. fissure.]

Defn: A narrow opening, made by the parting of any substance; a cleft; as, the fissure of a rock. Cerebral fissures (Anat.), the furrows or clefts by which the surface of the cerebrum is divided; esp., the furrows first formed by the infolding of the whole wall of the cerebrum. — Fissure needle (Surg.), a spiral needle for catching together the gaping lips of wounds. Knight. — Fissure of rolando (Anat.), the furrow separating the frontal from the parietal lobe in the cerebrum. — Fissure of Sylvius (Anat.), a deep cerebral fissure separating the frontal from the temporal lobe. See Illust. under Brain. — Fissure vein (Mining), a crack in the earth's surface filled with mineral matter. Raymond.

FISSURE Fis"sure, v. t.

Defn: To cleave; to divide; to crack or fracture.

FISSURELLA Fis`su*rel"la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. fissura a fissure.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of marine gastropod mollusks, having a conical or limpetlike shell, with an opening at the apex; — called also keyhole limpet.

FIST Fist, n. Etym: [OE. fist, fust, AS. f; akin to D. vuist, OHG. f, G. faust, and prob. to L. pugnus, Gr. Pugnacious, Pigmy.]

1. The hand with the fingers doubled into the palm; the closed hand, especially as clinched tightly for the purpose of striking a blow. Who grasp the earth and heaven with my fist. Herbert.

2. The talons of a bird of prey. [Obs.] More light than culver in the falcon's fist. Spenser.

3. (print.)

Defn: the index mark [], used to direct special attention to the passage which follows. Hand over fist (Naut.), rapidly; hand over hand.

FIST Fist, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Fisting.]

1. To strike with the fist. Dryden.

2. To gripe with the fist. [Obs.] Shak.

FISTIC Fist"ic, a. Etym: [From Fist.]

Defn: Pertaining to boxing, or to encounters with the fists; puglistic; as, fistic exploits; fistic heroes. [Colloq.]

FISTICUFF Fist"i*cuff, n.

Defn: A cuff or blow with the fist or hand; (pl.)

Defn: a fight with the fists; boxing. Swift.

FISTINUT Fis"ti*nut, n. Etym: [Cf. Fr. fistinq, fistuq. See Pistachio.]

Defn: A pistachio nut. [Obs.] Johnson.

FISTUCA Fis*tu"ca, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: An instrument used by the ancients in driving piles.

FISTULA Fis"tu*la, n.; pl. Fistulæ. Etym: [L.]

1. A reed; a pipe.

2. A pipe for convejing water. [Obs.] Knight.

3. (Med.)

Defn: A permanent abnormal opening into the soft parts with a constant discharge; a deep, narrow, chronic abscess; an abnormal opening between an internal cavity and another cavity or the surface; as, a salivary fistula; an anal fistula; a recto-vaginal fistula. Incomplete fistula (Med.), a fistula open at one end only.

FISTULAR Fis"tu*lar, a. Etym: [L. fistularis: cf. F. fistulaire.]

Defn: Hollow and cylindrical, like a pipe or reed. Johnson.

FISTULARIA Fis`tu*la"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. fistula pipe.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of fishes, having the head prolonged into a tube, with the mouth at the extremity.

FISTULARIOID Fis`tu*la"ri*oid, a. Etym: [Fistularia + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the genus Fistularia.

FISTULATE Fis"tu*late, v. t. & i. Etym: [Cf. L. fistulatus furnished with pipes.]

Defn: To make hollow or become hollow like a fistula, or pipe. [Obs.] "A fistulated ulcer." Fuller.

FISTULE Fis"tule, n.

Defn: A fistula.

FISTULIFORM Fis"tu*li*form ( or ), a. Etym: [Fistula + -form.]

Defn: Of a fistular form; tubular; pipe-shaped. Stalactite often occurs fistuliform. W. Philips.

FISTULOSE Fis"tu*lose`, a. Etym: [L. fistulosus.]

Defn: Formed like a fistula; hollow; reedlike. Craig.

FISTULOUS Fis"tu*lous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. fistuleux.]

1. Having the form or nature of a fistula; as, a fistulous ulcer.

2. Hollow, like a pipe or reed; fistulose. Lindley.

FIT Fit,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Fight. [Obs. or Colloq.]

FIT Fit, n. Etym: [AS. fitt a song.]

Defn: In Old English, a song; a strain; a canto or portion of a ballad; a passus. [Written also fitte, fytte, etc.] To play some pleasant fit. Spenser.

FIT Fit, a. [Compar. Fitter; superl. Fittest.] Etym: [OE. fit, fyt; cf. E. feat neat, elegant, well made, or icel. fitja to web, knit, OD. vitten to suit, square, Goth. f to adorn.

1. Adapted to an end, object, or design; suitable by nature or by art; suited by character, qualitties, circumstances, education, etc.; qualified; competent; worthy. That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in. Shak. Fit audience find, though few. Milton.

2. Prepared; ready. [Obs.] So fit to shoot, she singled forth among her foes who first her quarry's strength should feel. Fairfax.

3. Conformed to a standart of duty, properiety, or taste; convenient; meet; becoming; proper. Is it fit to say a king, Thou art wicked Job xxxiv. 18.

Syn. — Suitable; proper; appropriate; meet; becoming; expedient; congruous; correspondent; apposite; apt; adapted; prepared; qualified; competent; adequate.

FIT Fit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Fitting.]

1. To make fit or suitable; to adapt to the purpose intended; to qualify; to put into a condition of readiness or preparation. The time is fitted for the duty. Burke. The very situation for which he was peculiarly fitted by nature. Macaulay.

2. To bring to a required form and size; to shape aright; to adapt to a model; to adjust; — said especially of the work of a carpenter, machinist, tailor, etc. The carpenter . . . marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes. Is. xliv. 13.

3. To supply with something that is suitable or fit, or that is shaped and adjusted to the use required. No milliner can so fit his customers with gloves. Shak.

4. To be suitable to; to answer the requirements of; to be correctly shaped and adjusted to; as, if the coat fits you, put it on. That's a bountiful answer that fits all questions. Shak. That time best fits the work. Shak. To fit out, to supply with necessaries or means; to furnish; to equip; as, to fit out a privateer. — To fit up, to firnish with things suitable; to make proper for the reception or use of any person; to prepare; as, to fit up a room for a guest.

FIT Fit, v. i.

1. To be proper or becoming. Nor fits it to prolong the feast. Pope.

2. To be adjusted to a particular shape or size; to suit; to be adapted; as, his coat fits very well.

FIT Fit, n.

1. The quality of being fit; adjustment; adaptedness; as of dress to the person of the wearer.

2. (Mach.) (a) The coincidence of parts that come in contact. (b) The part of an object upon which anything fits tightly. Fit rod (Shipbuilding), a gauge rod used to try the depth of a bolt hole in order to determine the length of the bolt required. Knight.

FIT Fit, n. Etym: [AS. fit strife, fight; of uncertain origin. sq. root 77.]

1. A stroke or blow. [Obs. or R.] Curse on that cross, quoth then the Sarazin, That keeps thy body from the bitter fit. Spenser.

2. A sudden and violent attack of a disorder; a stroke of disease, as of epilepsy or apoplexy, which produces convulsions or unconsciousness; a convulsion; a paroxysm; hence, a period of exacerbation of a disease; in general, an attack of disease; as, a fit of sickness. And when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did shake. Shak.

3. A mood of any kind which masters or possesses one for a time; a temporary, absorbing affection; a paroxysm; as, a fit melancholy, of passion, or of laughter. All fits of pleasure we balanced by an equal degree of pain. Swift. The English, however, were on this subject prone to fits of jealously. Macaulay.

4. A passing humor; a caprice; a sudden and unusual effort, activity, or motion, followed by relaxation or insction; an impulse and irregular action. The fits of the season. Shak.

5. A darting point; a sudden emission. [R.] A tongue of light, a fit of flame. Coleridge. By fits, By fits and starts, by intervals of action and re

FITCH Fitch (; 224), n.; pl. Fitches. Etym: [See Vetch.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A vetch. [Obs.]

2. pl. (Bot.)

Defn: A word found in the Authorized Version of the Bible, representing different Hebrew originals. In Isaiah xxviii. 25, 27, it means the black aromatic seeds of Nigella sativa, still used as a flavoring in the East. In Ezekiel iv. 9, the Revised Version now reads spelt.

FITCH Fitch, n. Etym: [Contr. of fitched.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European polecat; also, its fur.

FITCHE Fitch"é, a. Etym: [Cf. F. fiché, lit. p.p. of ficher to fasten, OF. fichier to pierce. Cf. 1st Fish.] (Her.)

Defn: Sharpened to a point; pointed. Cross fitché, a cross having the lower arm pointed.

FITCHED Fitched, a. (her.)

Defn: Fitché. [Also fiched.]

FITCHET; FITCHEW Fitch"et, Fitch"ew, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. fisseau, fissel, OD. fisse, visse, vitsche, D. vies nasty, loathsome, E. fizz.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European polecat (Putorius foetidus). See Polecat.

FITCHY Fitch"y, a.

Defn: Having fitches or vetches.

FITCHY Fitch"y, a. Etym: [See Fitché.] (Her.)

Defn: Fitché.

FITFUL Fit"ful, a. Etym: [From 7th Fit.]

Defn: Full of fits; irregularly variable; impulsive and unstable. After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well. Shak. — Fit"ful*ly, adv. — Fit"ful*ness, n. The victorius trumpet peal Dies fitfully away. Macaulay.

FITHEL; FITHUL Fith"el, Fith"ul, n. Etym: [OE. See Fiddle.]

Defn: A fiddle [Obs.] Chaucer.

FITLY Fit"ly, adv.

Defn: In a fit manner; suitably; properly; conveniently; as, a maxim fitly applied.

FITMENT Fit"ment, n.

Defn: The act of fitting; that which is proper or becoming; equipment. [Obs.] Shak.

FITNESS Fit"ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being fit; as, the fitness of measures or laws; a person's fitness for office.

FITT Fitt, n.

Defn: See 2d Fit.

FITTABLE Fit"ta*ble, a.

Defn: Suitable; fit. [Obs.] Sherwood.

FITTEDNESS Fit"ted*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being fitted; adaptation. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

FITTER Fit"ter, n.

1. One who fits or makes to fit; esp.: (a) One who tries on, and adjusts, articles of dress. (b) One who fits or adjusts the different parts of machinery to each other.

2. A coal broker who conducts the sales between the owner of a coal pit and the shipper. [Eng.] Simmonds.

FITTER Fit"ter, n.

Defn: A little piece; a flitter; a flinder. [Obs.] Where's the Frenchman Alas, he's all fitters. Beau. & Fl.

FITTING Fit"ting, n.

Defn: Anything used in fitting up; especially (pl.),

Defn: necessary fixtures or apparatus; as, the fittings of a church or study; gas fittings.

FITTING Fit"ting, a.

Defn: Fit; appropriate; suitable; proper. — Fit"ting*ly, adv. — Fit"ting*ness, n. Jer. Taylor.

FITWEED Fit"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant (Eryngium foetidum) supposed to be a remedy for fits.

FITZ Fitz, n. Etym: [OF. fils, filz, fiz, son, F. fils, L. filius. See Filial.]

Defn: A son; — used in compound names, to indicate paternity, esp. of the illegitimate sons of kings and princes of the blood; as, Fitzroy, the son of the king; Fitzclarence, the son of the duke of Clarence.

FIVE Five, a. Etym: [OE. fif, five, AS. fif, fife; akin to D. vijf, OS. fif, OHG. finf, funf, G. fünf, Icel. fimm, Sw. & Sw. Dan. fem, Goth. fimf, Lith. penki, W. pump, OIr. cóic, L. quinque, Gr. pa. Fifth, Cinque, Pentagon, Punch the drink, Quinary.]

Defn: Four and one added; one more than four.

Five nations (Ethnol.), a confederacy of the Huron-Iroquois Indians, consisting of five tribes: Mohawks, Onondagas, Cayugas, Oneidas, and Senecas. They inhabited the region which is now the State of new York.

FIVE Five, n.

1. The number next greater than four, and less than six; five units or objects. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Matt. xxv. 2.

2. A symbol representing this number, as 5, or V.

FIVE-FINGER Five"-fin`ger, n.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: See Cinquefoil.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A starfish with five rays, esp. Asterias rubens.

FIVEFOLD Five"fold`, a. & adv.

Defn: In fives; consisting of five in one; five repeated; quintuple.

FIVE-LEAF Five"-leaf`, n.

Defn: Cinquefoil; five-finger.

FIVE-LEAFED; FIVE-LEAVED Five"-leafed`, Five"-leaved`, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having five leaflets, as the Virginia creeper.

FIVELING Five"ling, n. (Min.)

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

FIVES Fives, n. pl.

Defn: A kind of play with a ball against a wall, resembling tennis; - - so named because three fives, or fifteen, are counted to the game. Smart. Fives court, a place for playing fives.

FIVES Fives, n. Etym: [See Vives.]

Defn: A disease of the glands under the ear in horses; the vives. Shak.

FIVE-TWENTIES Five`-twen"ties, n. pl.

Defn: Five-twenty bonds of the United States (bearing six per cent interest), issued in 1862, '64, and '65, redeemable after five and payable in twenty years.

FIX Fix, a. Etym: [OE., fr. L. fixus, p.p. of figere to fix; cf. F. fixe.]

Defn: Fixed; solidified. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FIX Fix, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fixed; p. pr. & vb. n. Fixing.] Etym: [Cf. F. fixer.]

1. To make firm, stable, or fast; to set or place permanently; to fasten immovably; to establish; to implant; to secure; to make efinite. An ass's nole I fixed on his head. Shak. O, fix thy chair of grace, that all my powers May also fix their reverence. Herbert. His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Ps. cxii. 7. And fix far deeper in his head their stings. Milton.

2. To hold steadily; to direct unwaveringly; to fasten, as the eye on an object, the attention on a speaker. Sat fixed in thought the mighty Stagirite. Pope. One eye on death, and one full fix'd on heaven. Young.

3. To transfix; to pierce. [Obs.] Sandys.

4. (Photog.)

Defn: To render (an impression) permanent by treating with such applications a will make it insensible to the action of light. Abney.

5. To put in prder; to arrange; to dispose of; to adjust; to set to rights; to set or place in the manner desired or most suitable; hence, to repair; as, to fix the clothes; to fix the furniture of a room. [Colloq. U.S.]

6. (Iron Manuf.)

Defn: To line the hearth of (a puddling furnace) with fettling.

Syn. — To arrange; prepare; adjust; place; establis; settle; determine.

FIX Fix, v. i.

1. To become fixed; to settle or remain permanently; to cease from wandering; to rest. Your kindness banishes your fear, Resolved to fix forever here. Waller.

2. To become firm, so as to resist volatilization; to cease to flow or be fluid; to congeal; to become hard and malleable, as a metallic substance. Bacon. To fix on, to settle the opinion or resolution about; to determine regarding; as, the contracting parties have fixed on certain leading points.

FIX Fix, n.

1. A position of difficulty or embarassment; predicament; dillema. [Colloq.] Is he not living, then No. is he dead, then No, nor dead either. Poor Aroar can not live, and can not die, — so that he is in an almighty fix. De Quincey.

2. (Iron Manuf.)

Defn: fettling. [U.S.]

FIXABLE Fix"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being fixed.

FIXATION Fix*a"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fixation.]

1. The act of fixing, or the state of being fixed. An unalterable fixation of resolution. Killingbeck. To light, created in the first day, God gave no proper place or fixation. Sir W. Raleigh. Marked stiffness or absolute fixation of a joint. Quain. A fixation and confinement of thought to a few objects. Watts.

2. The act of uniting chemically with a solid substance or in a solid form; reduction to a non-volatile condition; — said of gaseous elements.

3. The act or process of ceasing to be fluid and becoming firm. Glanvill.

4. A state of resistance to evaporation or volatilization by heat; — said of metals. Bacon.

FIXATIVE Fix"a*tive, n.

Defn: That which serves to set or fix colors or drawings, as a mordant.

FIXED Fixed, a.

1. Securely placed or fastened; settled; established; firm; imovable; unalterable.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Stable; non-volatile. Fixed air (Old Chem.), carbonic acid or carbon dioxide; — so called by Dr. Black because it can be absorbed or fixed by strong bases. See Carbonic acid, under Carbonic. — Fixed alkali (Old Chem.), a non-volatile base, as soda, or potash, in distinction from the volatile alkali ammonia. — Fixed ammunition (Mil.), a projectile and powder inclosed together in a case ready for loading. — Fixed battery (Mil.), a battery which contains heavy guns and mortars intended to remain stationary; — distinguished from movable battery. — Fixed bodies, those which can not be volatilized or separated by a common menstruum, without great difficulty, as gold, platinum, lime, etc. — Fixed capital. See the Note under Capital, n., 4. — Fixed fact, a well established fact. [Colloq.] — Fixed light, one which emits constant beams; — distinguished from a flashing, revolving, or intermittent light. — Fixed oils (Chem.), non-volatile, oily substances, as stearine and olein, which leave a permanent greasy stain, and which can not be distilled unchanged; — distinguished from volatile or essential oils. — Fixed pivot (Mil.), the fixed point about which any line of troops wheels. — Fixed stars (Astron.), such stars as always retain nearly the same apparent position and distance with respect to each other, thus distinguished from planets and comets.

FIXEDLY Fix"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a fixed, stable, or constant manner.

FIXEDNESS Fix"ed*ness, n.

1. The state or quality of being fixed; stability; steadfastness.

2. The quality of a body which resists evaporation or volatilization by heat; solidity; cohesion of parts; as, the fixedness of gold.

FIXIDITY Fix*id"i*ty, n.

Defn: Fixedness. [Obs.] Boyle.

FIXING Fix"ing, n.

1. The act or process of making fixed.

2. That which is fixed; a fixture.

3. pl.

Defn: Arrangements; embellishments; trimmings; accompaniments. [Colloq. U.S.]

FIXITY Fix"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. fixité.]

1. Fixedness; as, fixity of tenure; also, that which is fixed.

2. Coherence of parts. Sir I. Newton.

FIXTURE Fix"ture, n. Etym: [Cf. Fixture.]

1. That which is fixed or attached to something as a permanent appendage; as, the fixtures of a pump; the fixtures of a farm or of a dwelling, that is, the articles which a tenant may not take away.

2. State of being fixed; fixedness. The firm fixture of thy foot. Shak.

3. (Law)

Defn: Anything of an accessory character annexed to houses and lands, so as to constitute a part of them. This term is, however, quite frequently used in the peculiar sense of personal chattels annexed to lands and tenements, but removable by the person annexing them, or his personal representatives. In this latter sense, the same things may be fixtures under some circumstances, and not fixtures under others. Wharton (Law Dict. ). Bouvier.

Note: This word is frequently substituted for fixure (formerly the word in common use) in new editions of old works.

FIXURE Fix"ure, n. Etym: [L. fixura a fastening, fr. figere to fix. See Fix, and cf. Fixture.]

Defn: Fixed position; stable condition; firmness. [Obs.] Shak.

FIZGIG Fiz"gig`, n.

Defn: A fishing spear. [Obs.] Sandys.

FIZGIG Fiz"gig`, n. Etym: [Fizz + gig whirling thing.]

Defn: A firework, made of damp powder, which makes a fizzing or hissing noise when it explodes.

FIZGIG Fiz"gig`, n. Etym: [See Gig a flirt.]

Defn: A gadding, flirting girl. Gosson.

FIZZ Fizz, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fizzed; p. pr. & vb. n. Fizzing.] Etym: [Cf. Icel. fisa to break wind, Dan. fise to foist, fizzle, OSw. fisa, G. fisten, feisten. Cf. Foist.]

Defn: To make a hissing sound, as a burning fuse.

FIZZ Fizz, n.

Defn: A hising sound; as, the fizz of a fly.

FIZZLE Fiz"zle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fizzled; p. pr. & vb. n. Fizzling.] Etym: [See Fizz.]

1. To make a hissing sound. It is the easfizzling. B. Jonson.

2. To make a ridiculous failure in an undertaking. [Colloq. or Low] To fizzle out, to burn with a hissing noise and then go out, like wet gunpowder; hence, to fail completely and ridicuously; to prove a failure. [Colloq.]

FIZZLE Fiz"zle, n.

Defn: A failure or abortive effort. [Colloq.]

FJORD Fjord, n.

Defn: See Fiord.

FLABBERGAST Flab"ber*gast, v. t. Etym: [Cf. Flap, and Aghast.]

Defn: To astonish; to strike with wonder, esp. by extraordinary statements. [Jocular] Beaconsfield.

FLABBERGASTATION Flab`ber*gas*ta"tion, n.

Defn: The state of being flabbergasted. [Jocular] London Punch.

FLABBILY Flab"bi*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flabby manner.

FLABBINESS Flab"bi*ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being flabby.

FLABBY Flab"by, a. Etym: [See Flap.]

Defn: Yielding to the touch, and easily moved or shaken; hanging loose by its own weight; wanting firmness; flaccid; as, flabby flesh.

FLABEL Fla"bel, n. Etym: [L. flabellum a fan, dim. of flabrum a breeze, fr. flare to blow.]

Defn: A fan. [Obs.] Huloet.

FLABELLATE Fla*bel"late, a. Etym: [L. flabellatus, p.p. of flabellare to fan, fr. flabellum. See Flabbel.] (Bot.)

Defn: Flabelliform.

FLABELLATION Flab`el*la"tion, n.

Defn: The act of keeping fractured limbs cool by the use of a fan or some other contrivance. Dunglison.

FLABELLIFORM Fla*bel"li*form, a. Etym: [L. flabellum a fan + -fform: cf. F. flabeliforme.]

Defn: Having the form of a fan; fan-shaped; flabellate.

FLABELLINERVED Fla*bel"li*nerved`, a. Etym: [L. flabellum a fan + E. nerve.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having many nerves diverging radiately from the base; — said of a leaf.

FLABELLUM Fla*bel"lum, n. Etym: [L. See Flabel.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A fan; especially, the fan carried before the pope on state occasions, made in ostrich and peacock feathers. Shipley.

FLABILE Flab"ile, a. Etym: [L. flabilis.]

Defn: Liable to be blown about. Bailey.

FLACCID Flac"cid, a. Etym: [L. flaccidus, fr. flaccus flabby: cf. OF. flaccide.]

Defn: Yielding to pressure for want of firmness and stiffness; soft and weak; limber; lax; drooping; flabby; as, a flaccid muscle; flaccid flesh. Religious profession . . . has become flacced. I. Taylor. — Flac"cid*ly, adv. — Flac"cid*ness, n.

FLACCIDITY Flac*cid"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. flaccidité.]

Defn: The state of being flaccid.

FLACHERIE Flache`rie" (flash`re"), n. [F.]

Defn: A bacterial disease of silkworms, supposed to be due to eating contaminated mulberry leaves.

FLACKER Flack"er, v. i. Etym: [OE. flakeren, fr. flacken to move quickly to and fro; cf. icel. flakka to rove about, AS. flacor fluttering, flying, G. flackern to flare, flicker.]

Defn: To flutter, as a bird. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.

FLACKET Flack"et, n. Etym: [OF. flasquet little flask, dim. of flasque a flask.]

Defn: A barrel-shaped bottle; a flagon.

FLACON Fla"con (fla"kôn), n. [F. See Flagon.]

Defn: A small glass bottle; as, a flacon for perfume. "Two glass flacons for the ink." Longfellow.

FLAG Flag, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flagged; p. pr. & vb. n. Flagging.] Etym: [Cf. Icel. flaka to droop, hang loosely. Cf. Flacker, Flag an ensign.]

1. To hang loose without stiffness; to bend down, as flexible bodies; to be loose, yielding, limp. As loose it [the sail] flagged around the mast. T. Moore.

2. To droop; to grow spiritless; to lose vigor; to languish; as, the spirits flag; the streugth flags. The pleasures of the town begin to flag. Swift.

Syn. — To droop; decline; fail; languish; pine.

FLAG Flag, v. t.

1. To let droop; to suffer to fall, or let fall, into feebleness; as, to flag the wings. prior.

2. To enervate; to exhaust the vigor or elasticity of. Nothing so flags the spirits. Echard.

FLAG Flag, n. Etym: [Cf. LG. & G. flagge, Sw. flagg, Dan. flag, D. vlag. See Flag to hang loose.]

1. That which flags or hangs down loosely.

2. A cloth usually bearing a device or devices and used to indicate nationality, party, etc., or to give or ask information; — commonly attached to a staff to be waved by the wind; a standard; a banner; an ensign; the colors; as, the national flag; a military or a naval flag.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) A group of feathers on the lower part of the legs of certain hawks, owls, etc. (b) A group of elongated wing feathers in certain hawks. (c) The bushy tail of a dog, as of a setter. Black flag. See under Black. — Flag captain, Flag leutenant, etc., special officers attached to the flagship, as aids to the flag officer. — Flag officer, the commander of a fleet or squadron; an admiral, or commodore. — Flag of truse, a white flag carried or displayed to an enemy, as an invitation to conference, or for the purpose of making some communication not hostile. — Flag share, the flag officer's share of prize money. — Flag station (Railroad), a station at which trains do not stop unless signaled to do so, by a flag hung out or waved. — National flag, a flag of a particular country, on which some national emblem or device, is emblazoned. — Red flag, a flag of a red color, displayed as a signal of danger or token of defiance; the emblem of anarchists. — To dip, the flag, to mlower it and quickly restore it to its place; — done as a mark of respect. — To hang out the white flag, to ask truce or quarter, or, in some cases, to manifest a friendly design by exhibiting a white flag. — To hang the flag half-mast high or half-staff, to raise it only half way to the mast or staff, as a token or sign of mourning. — To strike, or lower, the flag, to haul it down, in token of respect, submission, or, in an engagement, of surrender. — Yellow flag, the quarantine flag of all nations; also carried at a vessel's fore, to denote that an infectious disease is on board.

FLAG Flag, v. t. Etym: [From Flag an ensign.]

1. To signal to with a flag; as, to flag a train.

2. To convey, as a message, by means of flag signals; as, to flag an order to troops or vessels at a distance.

FLAG Flag, n. Etym: [From Flag to hang loose, to bend down.] (Bot.)

Defn: An aquatic plant, with long, ensiform leaves, belonging to either of the genera Iris and Acorus. Cooper's flag, the cat-tail (Typha latifolia), the long leaves of which are placed between the staves of barrels to make the latter water-tight. — Corn flag. See under 2d Corn. — Flag broom, a coarse of broom, originally made of flags or rushes. — Flag root, the root of the sweet flag. — Sweet flag. See Calamus, n., 2.

FLAG Flag, v. t.

Defn: To furnish or deck out with flags.

FLAG Flag, n. Etym: [Icel. flaga, cf. Icel. flag spot where a turf has been cut out, and E. flake layer, scale. Cf. Floe.]

1. A flat stone used for paving. Woodward.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: Any hard, evenly stratified sandstone, which splits into layers suitable for flagstones.

FLAG Flag, v. t.

Defn: To lay with flags of flat stones. The sides and floor are all flagged with . . . marble. Sandys.

FLAGELLANT Flag"el*lant, n. Etym: [L. flagellans, p.p. of flagellare: cf.F. flagellant. See Flagellate.] (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of a fanatical sect which flourished in Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries, and maintained that flagellation was of equal virtue with baptism and the sacrament; — called also disciplinant.

FLAGELLATA Flag`el*la"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr.L. flagellatus, p. p. See Flagellate, v. t.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of Infusoria, having one or two long, whiplike cilia, at the anterior end. It includes monads. See Infusoria, and Monad.

FLAGELLATE Flag"el*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flagellated; p. pr. & vb. n. Flagellating.] Etym: [L. flagellatus, p.p. of flagellare to scoure, fr. flagellum whip, dim. of flagrum whip, scoure; cf. fligere to strike. Cf. Flall.]

Defn: To whip; to scourge; to flog.

FLAGELLATE Fla*gel"late, a.

1. Flagelliform.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Flagellata.

FLAGELLATION Flag`el*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. flagellatio: cf. F. flagellation.]

Defn: A beating or flogging; a whipping; a scourging. Garth.

FLAGELLATOR Flag"el*la`tor, n.

Defn: One who practices flagellation; one who whips or scourges.

FLAGELLIFORM Fla*gel"li*form, a. Etym: [L. flagellum a whip + -form.]

Defn: Shaped like a whiplash; long, slender, round, flexible, and (comming) tapering.

FLAGELLUM Fla*gel"lum, n.; pl. E. Flagellums, L. Flagella. Etym: [L., a whip. See Flagellate, v. t.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A young, flexible shoot of a plant; esp., the long trailing branch of a vine, or a slender branch in certain mosses.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) A long, whiplike cilium. See Flagellata. (b) An appendage of the reproductive apparatus of the snail. (c) A lashlike appendage of a crustacean, esp. the terminal ortion of the antennæ and the epipodite of the maxilipeds. See Maxilliped.

FLAGEOLET Flag"eo*let`, n. Etym: [F. flageolet, dim. of OF. flaj (as if fr. a LL. flautio;us), of flaüte, flahute, F. fl. See Flute.] (Mus.)

Defn: A small wooden pipe, having six or more holes, and a mouthpiece inserted at one end. It produces a shrill sound, softer than of the piccolo flute, and is said to have superseded the old recorder. Flageolet tones (Mus.), the naturel harmonics or overtones of stringed instruments.

FLAGGINESS Flag"gi*ness, n.

Defn: The condition of being flaggy; laxity; limberness. Johnson.

FLAGGING Flag"ging, n.

Defn: A pavement or sidewalk of flagstones; flagstones, collectively.

FLAGGING Flag"ging, a.

Defn: Growing languid, weak, or spiritless; weakening; delaying. — Flag"ging*ly, adv.

FLAGGY Flag"gy, a.

1. Weak; flexible; limber. "Flaggy wings." Spenser.

2. Tasteless; insipid; as, a flaggy apple. [Obs.] Bacon.

FLAGGY Flag"gy, a. Etym: [From 5th Flag.]

Defn: Abounding with the plant called flag; as, a flaggy marsh.

FLAGITATE Flag"i*tate, v. t. Etym: [L. flagitatus, p.p. of flagitare to demand. See Flagitious.]

Defn: To importune; to demand fiercely or with passion. [Archaic] Carcyle.

FLAGITATION Flag`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. flagitatio.]

Defn: Importunity; urgent demand. [Archaic] Carlyle.

FLAGITIOUS Fla*gi"tious, a. Etym: [L. flagitiosus, fr. flagitium a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare to burn, E. flagrant.]

1. Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; — said of acts, crimes, etc. Debauched principles and flagitious practices. I. Taylor.

2. Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; — said of persons. Pope.

3. Characterized by scandalous crimes or vices; as, flagitious times. Pope.

Syn. — Atrocious; villainous; flagrant; heinous; corrupt; profligate; abandoned. See Atracious. — Fla*gi"tious*ly, adv. — Fla*gi"tious*ness, n. A sentence so flagitiously unjust. Macaulay.

FLAGMAN Flag"man, n.; pl. Flagmen (.

Defn: One who makes signals with a flag.

FLAGON Flag"on, n. Etym: [F. flacon, for flascon, fr. OF. flasche, from LL. flasco. See Flask.]

Defn: A vessel with a narrow mouth, used for holding and conveying liquors. It is generally larger than a bottle, and of leather or stoneware rather than of glass. A trencher of mutton chops, and a flagon of ale. Macaulay.

FLAGRANCE Fla"grance, n.

Defn: Flagrancy. Bp. Hall.

FLAGRANCY Fla"gran*cy, n.; pl. Flagrancies. Etym: [L. flagrantia a burning. See Flagrant.]

1. A burning; great heat; inflammation. [Obs.] Lust causeth a flagrancy in the eyes. Bacon.

2. The condition or quality of being flagrant; atrocity; heiniousness; enormity; excess. Steele.

FLAGRANT Fla"grant, a. Etym: [L. flagrans, -antis, p.pr. of flagrate to burn, akin to Gr. flagrant. Cf. Flame, Phlox.]

1. Flaming; inflamed; glowing; burning; ardent. The beadle's lash still flagrant on their back. Prior. A young man yet flagrant from the lash of the executioner or the beadle. De Quincey. Flagrant desires and affections. Hooker.

2. Actually in preparation, execution, or performance; carried on hotly; raging. A war the most powerful of the native tribes was flagrant. Palfrey.

3. Flaming into notice; notorious; enormous; heinous; glaringly wicked.

Syn. — Atrocious; flagitious; glaring. See Atrocious.

FLAGRANTLY Fla"grant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flagrant manner.

FLAGRATE Fla"grate, v. t. Etym: [L. flagrare, flagratum, v.i. & t., to burn.]

Defn: To burn. [Obs.] Greenhill.

FLAGRATION Fla*gra"tion, n.

Defn: A conflagration. [Obs.]

FLAGSHIP Flag"ship`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The vessel which carries the commanding officer of a fleet or squadron and flies his distinctive flag or pennant.

FLAGSTAFF Flag"staff`, n.; pl. -staves ( or -staffs (.

Defn: A staff on which a flag is hoisted.

FLAGSTONE Flag"stone`, n.

Defn: A flat stone used in paving, or any rock which will split into such stones. See Flag, a stone.

FLAGWORM Flag"worm`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A worm or grub found among flags and sedge.

FLAIL Flail, n. Etym: [L. flagellum whip, scourge, in LL., a threshing flail: cf. OF. flael, flaiel, F. fléau. See Flagellum.]

1. An instrument for threshing or beating grain from the ear by hand, consisting of a wooden staff or handle, at the end of which a stouter and shorter pole or club, called a swipe, is so hung as to swing freely. His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn. Milton.

2. An ancient military weapon, like the common flail, often having the striking part armed with rows of spikes, or loaded. Fairholt. No citizen thought himself safe unless he carried under his coat a small flail, loaded with lead, to brain the Popish assassins. Macaulay.

FLAILY Flail"y, a.

Defn: Acting like a flail. [Obs.] Vicars.

FLAIN Flain, obs.

Defn: p. p. of Flay. Chaucer.

FLAIR Flair (flâr), n. [OE. flaireodor, fr. OF. & F. flair, fr. OF. flairier, F. flairer, to smell, LL. flagrare for L. fragrare. See Flagrant.]

1. Smell; odor. [Obs.]

2. Sense of smell; scent; fig., discriminating sense.

FLAKE Flake, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. flaki, fleki, Dan. flage, D. vlaak.]

1. A paling; a hurdle. [prov. Eng.]

2. A platform of hurdles, or small sticks made fast or interwoven, supported by stanchions, for drying codfish and other things. You shall also, after they be ripe, neither suffer them to have straw nor fern under them, but lay them either upon some smooth table, boards, or flakes of wands, and they will last the longer. English Husbandman.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: A small stage hung over a vessel's side, for workmen to stand on in calking, etc.

FLAKE Flake, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. flakna to flake off, split, flagna to flake off, Sw. flaga flaw, flake, flake plate, Dan. flage snowflake. Cf. Flag a flat stone.]

1. A loose filmy mass or a thin chiplike layer of anything; a film; flock; lamina; layer; scale; as, a flake of snow, tallow, or fish. "Lottle flakes of scurf." Addison. Great flakes of ice encompassing our boat. Evelyn.

2. A little particle of lighted or incandescent matter, darted from a fire; a flash. With flakes of ruddy fire. Somerville.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: A sort of carnation with only two colors in the flower, the petals having large stripes. Flake knife (Archæol.), a cutting instrument used by savage tribes, made of a flake or chip of hard stone. Tylor. — Flake stand, the cooling tub or vessel of a still worm. Knight. — Flake white. (Paint.) (a) The purest white lead, in the form of flakes or scales. (b) The trisnitrate of bismuth. Ure.

FLAKE Flake, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flaked; p. pr. & vb. n. Flaking.]

Defn: To form into flakes. Pope.

FLAKE Flake, v. i.

Defn: To separate in flakes; to peel or scale off.

FLAKINESS Flak"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being flaky.

FLAKY Flak"y, a.

Defn: Consisting of flakes or of small, loose masses; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes or layers; flakelike. What showers of mortal hail, what flaky fires! Watts. A flaky weight of winter's purest snows. Wordsworth.

FLAM Flam, n. Etym: [Cf. AS. fleám, fl, floght. sq. root 84 . Cf. Flimflam.]

Defn: A freak or whim; also, a falsehood; a lie; an illusory pretext; deception; delusion. [Obs.] A perpetual abuse and flam upon posterity. South.

FLAM Flam, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flammed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Flamming.]

Defn: To deceive with a falsehood. [Obs.] God is not to be flammed off with lies. South.

FLAMBE Flam`bé", a. [F., p.p. of flamber to singe, pass (a thing) through flame. Cf. Flambeau.] (Ceramics)

Defn: Decorated by glaze splashed or irregularly spread upon the surface, or apparently applied at the top and allowed to run down the sides; — said of pieces of Chinese porcelain.

FLAMBEAU Flam"beau; n.; pl. Flambeaux or Flambeaus. Etym: [F., fr. OF. flambe flame, for flamble, from L. flammula a little flame, dim. of flamma flame. See Flame.]

Defn: A flaming torch, esp. one made by combining together a number of thick wicks invested with a quick-burning substance (anciently, perhaps, wax; in modern times, pitch or the like); hence, any torch.

FLAMBOYANT Flam*boy"ant, a. Etym: [F.] (Arch.)

Defn: Characterized by waving or flamelike curves, as in the tracery of windows, etc.; — said of the later (15th century) French Gothic style.

FLAMBOYER Flam*boy"er, n. Etym: [F. flamboyer to be bright.] (Bot.)

Defn: A name given in the East and West Indies to certain trees with brilliant blossoms, probably species of Cæsalpinia.

FLAME Flame, n. Etym: [OE. flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF. flame, flambe, F. flamme, fr. L. flamma, fr. flamma, fr. flagrare to burn. See Flagrant, and cf. Flamneau, Flamingo.]

1. A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire.

2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger. "In a flame of zeal severe." Milton. Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow. Pope. Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame. Pope.

3. Ardor of affection; the passion of love. Coleridge.

4. A person beloved; a sweetheart. Thackeray.

Syn. — Blaze; brightness; ardor. See Blaze. Flame bridge, a bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5. — Flame color, brilliant orange or yellow. B. Jonson. — Flame engine, an early name for the gas engine. — Flame manometer, an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See Manometer. — Flame reaction (Chem.), a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic color imparted to a flame; as, sodium colors a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Cf. Spectrum analysis, under Spectrum. — Flame tree (Bot.), a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the Rhododendron arboreum in India, and the Brachychiton acerifolium of Australia.

FLAME Flame, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Flaming.] Etym: [OE. flamen, flaumben, F. flamber, OF. also, flamer. See Flame, n.]

1. To burn with a flame or blaze; to burn as gas emitted from bodies in combustion; to blaze. The main blaze of it is past, but a small thing would make it flame again. Shak.

2. To burst forth like flame; to break out in violence of passion; to be kindled with zeal or ardor. He flamed with indignation. Macaulay.

FLAME Flame, v. t.

Defn: To kindle; to inflame; to excite. And flamed with zeal of vengeance inwardly. Spenser.

FLAME-COLORED Flame"-col`ored, a.

Defn: Of the color of flame; of a bright orange yellow color. Shak.

FLAMELESS Flame"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of flame. Sandys.

FLAMELET Flame"let, n. Etym: [Flame + -let.]

Defn: A small flame. The flamelets gleamed and flickered. Longfellow.

FLAMEN Fla"men, n.; pl. E. Flammens, L. Flamines. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A priest devoted to the service of a particular god, from whom he received a distinguishing epithet. The most honored were those of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus, called respectively Flamen Dialis, Flamen Martialis, and Flamen Quirinalis. Affrights the flamens at their service quaint. Milton.

FLAMINEOUS Fla*min"e*ous, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a flamen; flaminical.

FLAMING Flam"ing, a.

1. Emitting flames; afire; blazing; consuming; illuminating.

2. Of the color of flame; high-colored; brilliant; dazzling. "In flaming yellow bright." Prior.

3. Ardent; passionate; burning with zeal; irrepressibly earnest; as, a flaming proclomation or harangue.

FLAMINGLY Flam"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flaming manner.

FLAMINGO Fla*min"go, n.; pl. Flamingoes. Etym: [Sp. flamenco, cf. Pg. flamingo, Prov. flammant, F. flamant; prop. a p.pr. meaning flaming. So called in allusion to its color. See Flame.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any bird of the genus Phoenicopterus. The flamingoes have webbed feet, very long legs, and a beak bent down as if broken. Their color is usually red or pink. The American flamingo is P. ruber; the European is P. antiquorum.

FLAMINICAL Fla*min"i*cal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a flamen. Milton.

FLAMMABILITY Flam`ma*bil"ity, n.

Defn: The quality of being flammable; inflammability. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

FLAMMABLE Flam"ma*ble, a.

Defn: Inflammable. [Obs.]

FLAMMATION Flam*ma"tion, n.

Defn: The act of setting in a flame or blaze. [Obs.] Sir. T. Browne.

FLAMMEOUS Flam"me*ous, a. Etym: [L. flammeus from flamma flame.]

Defn: Pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling, flame. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

FLAMMIFEROUS Flam*mif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. flammifer; flamma flame + ferre to bear.]

Defn: Producing flame.

FLAMMIVOMOUS Flam*miv"o*mous, a. Etym: [L. flammivomus; flamma flame + vomere to vomit.]

Defn: Vomiting flames, as a volcano. W. Thompson. (1745).

FLAMMULATED Flam"mu*la`ted, a. Etym: [L. flammula little flame, dim. fr. flamma flame.]

Defn: Of a reddish color.

FLAMY Flam"y, a. Etym: [From Flame.]

Defn: Flaming; blazing; flamelike; flame-colored; composed of flame. Pope.

FLANCH Flanch, n.; pl. Flanches. Etym: [Prov. E., a projection, OF. flanche flank. See Flank.]

1. A flange. [R.]. (Her.)

Defn: A bearing consisting of a segment of a circle encroaching on the field from the side.

Note: Flanches are always in pairs. A pair of flanches is considered one of the subordinaries.

FLANCHED Flanched, a. (Her.)

Defn: Having flanches; — said of an escutcheon with those bearings.

FLANCONADE Flan`co*nade", n. Etym: [F.] (Fencing)

Defn: A thrust in the side.

FLANERIE Flâ`ne*rie", n. [F. flânerie. See Flaneur.]

Defn: Lit., strolling; sauntering; hence, aimless; idleness; as, intellectual flânerie.

FLANEUR Fla`neur", n. Etym: [F., fr. flâner to stroll.]

Defn: One who strolls about aimlessly; a lounger; a loafer.

FLANG Flang, n.

Defn: A miner's two-pointed pick.

FLANGE Flange, n. Etym: [Prov. E. flange to project, flanch a projection. See Flanch, Flank.]

1. An external or internal rib, or rim, for strength, as the flange of an iron beam; or for a guide, as the flange of a car wheel (see Car wheel.); or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc. Knight.

2. A plate or ring to form a rim at the end of a pipe when fastened to the pipe. Blind flange, a plate for covering or closing the end of a pipe. — Flange joint, a joint, as that of pipes, where the connecting pieces have flanges by which the parts are bolted together. Knight. - Flange rail, a rail with a flange on one side, to keep wheels, etc. from running off. — Flange turning, the process of forming a flange on a wrought iron plate by bending and hammering it wh

FLANGE Flange, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flanged; p. pr. & vb. n. Flanging.] (Mach.)

Defn: To make a flange on; to furnish with a flange.

FLANGE Flange, v. i.

Defn: To be bent into a flange.

FLANGED Flanged, a.

Defn: Having a flange or flanges; as, a flanged wheel.

FLANK Flank, n. Etym: [F. flanc, prob. fr. L. flaccus flabby, with n inserted. Cf. Flaccid, Flanch, Flange.]

1. The fleshy or muscular part of the side of an animal, between the rids and the hip. See Illust. of Beef.

2. (Mil.) (a) The side of an army, or of any division of an army, as of a brigade, regiment, or battalion; the extreme right or left; as, to attack an enemy in flank is to attack him on the side. When to right and left the front Divided, and to either flank retired. Milton. (b) (Fort.)

Defn: That part of a bastion which reaches from the curtain to the face, and defends the curtain, the flank and face of the opposite bastion; any part of a work defending another by a fire along the outside of its parapet. See Illust. of Bastion.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: The side of any building. Brands.

4. That part of the acting surface of a gear wheel tooth that lies within the pitch line. Flank attack (Mil.), an attack upon the side of an army or body of troops, distinguished from one upon its front or rear. — Flank company (Mil.), a certain number of troops drawn up on the right or left of a battalion; usually grenadiers, light infantry, or riflemen. — Flank defense (Fort.), protection of a work against undue exposure to an enemy's direct fire, by means of the fire from other works, sweeping the ground in its front. — Flank en potence (Mil.), any part of the right or left wing formed at a projecting angle with the line. — Flank files, the first men on the right, and the last on the left, of a company, battalion, etc. — Flank march, a march made parallel or obliquely to an enemy's position, in order to turn it or to attack him on the flank. — Flank movement, a change of march by an army, or portion of one, in order to turn one or both wings of the enemy, or to take up a new position. — Flanks of a frontier, salient points in a national boundary, strengthened to protect the frontier against hostile incursion. — Flank patrol, detachments acting independently of the column of an army, but patrolling along its flanks, to secure it against surprise and to observe the movements of the enemy.

FLANK Flank, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flanked; p. pr. & vb. n. Flanking.] Etym: [Cf. F. flanquer. See Flank, n., and cf. Flanker, v. t.]

1. To stand at the flank or side of; to border upon. Stately colonnades are flanked with trees. Pitt.

2. To overlook or command the flank of; to secure or guard the flank of; to pass around or turn the flank of; to attack, or threaten to attack; the flank of.

FLANK Flank, v. i.

1. To border; to touch. Bp. Butler.

2. To be posted on the side.

FLANKER Flank"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, flanks, as a skirmisher or a body of troops sent out upon the flanks of an army toguard a line of march, or a fort projecting so as to command the side of an assailing body. They threw out flankers, and endeavored to dislodge their assailants. W. Irwing.

FLANKER Flank"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flankered; p. pr. & vb. n. Flankering.] Etym: [See Flank, v. t.]

1. To defend by lateral fortifications. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.

2. To attack sideways. [Obs.] Evelyn.

FLANNEL Flan"nel, n. Etym: [F. flanelle, cf. OF. flaine a pillowcase, a mattress; fr. W. gwlanen flannel, fr. gwlan wool; prob. akin to E. wool. Cf. Wool.]

Defn: A soft, nappy, woolen cloth, of loose texture. Shak. Adam's flannel. (Bot.) See under Adam. — Canton flannel, Cotton flannel. See Cotton flannel, under Cotton.

FLANNELED Flan"neled, a.

Defn: Covered or wrapped in flannel.

FLANNEL FLOWER Flan"nel flow`er. (Bot.) (a) The common mullein. (b) A Brazilian apocynaceous vine (Macrosiphonia longiflora) having woolly leaves. (c) An umbelliferous Australian flower (Actinotus helianthi), often erroneously thought to be composite. The involucre looks as if cut out of white flannel.

FLANNEN Flan"nen, a.

Defn: Made or consisting of flannel. [Obs.] "Flannen robes." Dryden.

FLAP Flap, n. Etym: [OE. flappe, flap, blow, bly-flap; cf. D. flap, and E. flap, v.]

Defn: Anything broad and limber that hangs loose, or that is attached by one side or end and is easily moved; as, the flap of a garment. A cartilaginous flap upon the opening of the larynx. Sir T. Browne.

2. A hinged leaf, as of a table or shutter.

3. The motion of anything broad and loose, or a stroke or sound made with it; as, the flap of a sail or of a wing.

4. pl. (Far.)

Defn: A disease in the lips of horses. Flap tile, a tile with a bent up portion, to turn a corner or catch a drip. — Flap valve (Mech.), a valve which opens and shuts upon one hinged side; a clack valve.

FLAP Flap, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flapped; p. pr. & vb. n. Flapping.] Etym: [Prob. of imitative origin; cf. D. flappen, E. flap, n., flop, flippant, fillip.]

1. To beat with a flap; to strike. Yet let me flap this bug with gilded wings. Pope.

2. To move, as something broad and flaplike; as, to flap the wings; to let fall, as the brim of a hat. To flap in the mouth, to taunt. [Obs.] W. Cartwright.

FLAP Flap, v. i.

1. To move as do wings, or as something broad or loose; to fly with wings beating the air. The crows flapped over by twos and threes. Lowell.

2. To fall and hang like a flap, as the brim of a hat, or other broad thing. Gay.

FLAPDRAGON Flap"drag`on, n.

1. A game in which the players catch raisins out burning brandy, and swallow them blazing. Johnson.

2. The thing thus caught abd eaten. Johnson. Cakes and ale, and flapdragtons and mummer's plays, and all the happy sports of Christians night. C. Kingsley.

FLAPDRAGON Flap"drag`on, v. t.

Defn: To swallow whole, as a flapdragon; to devour. [Obs.] See how the sea flapdragoned it. Shak.

FLAP-EARED Flap"-eared`, a.

Defn: Having broad, loose, dependent ears. Shak.

FLAPJACK Flap"jack`, n.

1. A fklat cake turned on the griddle while cooking; a griddlecake or pacake.

2. A fried dough cake containing fruit; a turnover. [Prov. Eng.]

FLAP-MOUTHED Flap"-mouthed`, a.

Defn: Having broad, hangling lips. [R.] Shak.

FLAPPER Flap"per, n.

1. One who, or that which, flaps.

2. See Flipper. "The flapper of a porpoise." Buckley. Flapper skate (Zoöl.), a European skate (Raia intermedia).

FLARE Flare, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flared; p. pr. & vb. n. Flaring.] Etym: [Cf. Norw. flara to blaze, flame, adorn with tinsel, dial. Sw. flasa upp, and E. flash, or flacker.]

1. To burn with an unsteady or waving flame; as, the candle flares.

2. To shine out with a sudden and unsteady light; to emit a dazzling or painfully bright light.

3. To shine out with gaudy colors; to flaunt; to be offensively bright or showy. With ribbons pendant, flaring about her head. Shak.

4. To be exosed to too much light. [Obs.] Flaring in sunshine all the day. Prior.

5. To open or spread outwards; to project beyond the perpendicular; as, the sides of a bowl flare; the bows of a ship flare. To flare up, to become suddenly heated or excited; to burst into a passion. [Colloq.] Thackeray.

FLARE Flare, n.

1. An unsteady, broad, offensive light.

2. A spreading outward; as, the flare of a fireplace.

FLARE Flare, n.

Defn: Leaf of lard. "Pig's flare." Dunglison.

FLARE-UP Flare"-up`, n.

Defn: A sudden burst of anger or passion; an angry dispute. [Colloq.]

FLARING Flar"ing, a.

1. That flares; flaming or blazing unsteadily; shining out with a dazzling light. His [the sun's] flaring beams. Milton.

2. Opening or speading outwards.

FLARINGLY Flar"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flaring manner.

FLASH Flash, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flashed; p. pr. & vb. n. Flashing.] Etym: [Cf. OE. flaskien, vlaskien to pour, sprinkle, dial. Sw. flasa to blaze, E. flush, flare.]

1. To burst or break forth with a sudden and transient flood of flame and light; as, the lighting flashes vividly; the powder flashed.

2. To break forth, as a sudden flood of light; to burst instantly and brightly on the sight; to show a momentary brilliancy; to come or pass like a flash. Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch words of unumbered struggles. Talfourd. The object is made to flash upon the eye of the mind. M. Arnold. A thought floashed through me, which I clothed in act. Tennyson.

3. To burst forth like a sudden flame; to break out violently; to rush hastily. Every hour He flashes into one gross crime or other. Shak. To flash in the pan, to fail of success. [Colloq.] See under Flash, a burst of light. Bartlett.

Syn. — Flash, Glitter, Gleam, Glisten, Glister. Flash differs from glitter and gleam, denoting a flood or wide extent of light. The latter words may express the issuing of light from a small object, or from a pencil of rays. Flash differs from other words, also, in denoting suddenness of appearance and disappearance. Flashing differs from exploding or disploding in not being accompanied with a loud report. To glisten, or glister, is to shine with a soft and fitful luster, as eyes suffused with tears, or flowers wet with dew.

FLASH Flash, v. t.

1. To send out in flashes; to cause to burst forth with sudden flame or light. The chariot of paternal Deity, Flashing thick flames. Milton.

2. To convey as by a flash; to light up, as by a sudden flame or light; as, to flash a message along the wires; to flash conviction on the mind.

3. (Glass Making)

Defn: To cover with a thin layer, as objects of glass with glass of a different color. See Flashing, n., 3 (b).

4. To trick up in a showy manner. Limning and flashing it with various dyes. A. Brewer.

5. Etym: [Perh. due to confusion between flash of light and plash, splash.]

Defn: To strike and throw up large bodies of water from the surface; to splash. [Obs.] He rudely flashed the waves about. Spenser. Flashed glass. See Flashing, n., 3.

FLASH Flash, n.; pl. Flashes (.

1. A sudden burst of light; a flood of light instantaneously appearing and disappearing; a momentary blaze; as, a flash of lightning.

2. A sudden and brilliant burst, as of wit or genius; a momentary brightness or show. The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind. Shak. No striking sentiment, no flash of fancy. Wirt.

3. The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a very brief period. The Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash. Bacon.

4. A preparation of capsicum, burnt sugar, etc., for coloring and giving a fictious strength to liquors. Flash light, or Flashing light, a kind of light shown by lighthouses, produced by the revolution of reflectors, so as to show a flash of light every few seconds, alternating with periods of dimness. Knight. — Flash in the pan, the flashing of the priming in the pan of a flintlock musket without discharging the piece; hence, sudden, spasmodic effort that accomplishes nothing.

FLASH Flash, a.

1. Showy, but counterfeit; cheap, pretentious, and vulgar; as, flash jewelry; flash finery.

2. Wearing showy, counterfeit ornaments; vulgarly pretentious; as, flash people; flash men or women; — applied especially to thieves, gamblers, and prostitutes that dress in a showy way and wear much cheap jewelry. Flash house, a house frequented by flash people, as thieves and whores; hence, a brothel. "A gang of footpads, reveling with their favorite beauties at a flash house." Macaulay.

FLASH Flash, n.

Defn: Slang or cant of thieves and prostitutes.

FLASH Flash, n. Etym: [OE. flasche, flaske; cf. OF. flache, F. flaque.]

1. A pool. [Prov. Eng.] Haliwell.

2. (Engineering)

Defn: A reservoir and sluiceway beside a navigable stream, just above a shoal, so that the stream may pour in water as boats pass, and thus bear them over the shoal. Flash wheel (Mech.), a paddle wheel made to revolve in a breast or curved water way, by which water is lifted from the lower to the higher level.

FLASHBOARD Flash"board`, n.

Defn: A board placed temporarily upon a milldam, to raise the water in the pond above its usual level; a flushboard. [U.S.]

FLASH BOILER Flash boiler.

Defn: A variety of water-tube boiler, used chiefly in steam automobiles, consisting of a nest of strong tubes with very little water space, kept nearly red hot so that the water as it trickles drop by drop into the tubes is immediately flashed into steam and superheated.

FLASH BURNER Flash burner.

Defn: A gas burner with a device for lighting by an electric spark.

FLASHER Flash"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, flashes.

2. A man of more appearance of wit than reality.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) A large sparoid fish of the Atlantic coast and all tropical seas (Lobotes Surinamensis). (b) The European red-backed shrile (Lanius collurio); — called also flusher.

FLASHILY Flash"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flashy manner; with empty show.

FLASHINESS Flash"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being flashy.

FLASHING Flash"ing, n.

1. (Engineering)

Defn: The creation of an artifical flood by the sudden letting in of a body of water; — called also flushing.

2. (Arch.)

Defn: Pieces of metal, built into the joints of a wall, so as to lap over the edge of the gutters or to cover the edge of the roofing; also, similar pieces used to cover the valleys of roofs of slate, shingles, or the like. By extension, the metal covering of ridges and hips of roofs; also, in the United States, the protecting of angles and breaks in walls of frame houses with waterproof material, tarred paper, or the like. Cf. Filleting.

3. (Glass Making) (a) The reheating of an article at the furnace aperture during manufacture to restore its plastic condition; esp., the reheating of a globe of crown glass to allow it to assume a flat shape as it is rotated. (b) A mode of covering transparent white glass with a film of colored glass. Knight. Flashing point (Chem.), that degree of temperature at which a volatile oil gives off vapor in sufficient quantity to burn, or flash, on the approach of a flame, used as a test of the comparative safety of oils, esp. kerosene; a flashing point of 100º F. is regarded as a fairly safe standard. The burning point of the oil is usually from ten to thirty degree above the flashing point of its vapor.

FLASHY Flash"y, a.

1. Dazzling for a moment; making a momentary show of brilliancy; transitorily bright. A little flashy and transient pleasure. Barrow.

2. Fiery; vehement; impetuous. A temper always flashy. Burke.

3. Showy; gay; gaudy; as, a flashy dress.

4. Without taste or spirit. Lean and flashy songs. Milton.

FLASK Flask, n. Etym: [AS. flasce, flaxe; akin to D. flesch, OHG. flasca, G. flasche, Icel. & Sw. flaska, Dan. flaske, OF. flasche, LL. flasca, flasco; of uncertain origin; cf. L. vasculum, dim. of vas a vessel, Gr. Flagon, Flasket.]

1. A small bottle-shaped vessel for holding fluids; as, a flask of oil or wine.

2. A narrow-necked vessel of metal or glass, used for various purposes; as of sheet metal, to carry gunpowder in; or of wrought iron, to contain quicksilver; or of glass, to heat water in, etc.

3. A bed in a gun carriage. [Obs.] Bailey.

4. (Founding)

Defn: The wooden or iron frame which holds the sand, etc., forming the mold used in a foundry; it consists of two or more parts; viz., the cope or top; sometimes, the cheeks, or middle part; and the drag, or bottom part. When there are one or more cheeks, the flask is called a three part flask, four part flask, etc. Erlenmeyer flask, a thin glass flask, flat-bottomed and cone-shaped to allow of safely shaking its contents laterally without danger of spilling; — so called from Erlenmeyer, a German chemist who invented it. — Florence flask. Etym: [From Florence in Italy.] (a) Same as Betty, n., 3. (b) A glass flask, round or pear-shaped, with round or flat bottom, and usually very thin to allow of heating solutions. — Pocket flask, a kind of pocket dram bottle, often covered with metal or leather to protect it from breaking.

FLASKET Flask"et, n. Etym: [Cf. W. fflasged a vessel of straw or wickerwork, fflasg flask, basket, and E. flask.]

1. A long, shallow basket, with two handles. [Eng.] In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket. Spenser.

2. A small flask.

3. A vessel in which viands are served. [Obs.] Pope.

FLAT Flat, a. [Compar. Flatter; superl. Flattest.] Etym: [Akin to Icel. flatr, Sw. flat, Dan. flad, OHG. flaz, and AS. flet floor, G. flötz stratum, layer.]

1. Having an even and horizontal surface, or nearly so, without prominences or depressions; level without inclination; plane. Though sun and moon Were in the flat sea sunk. Milton.

2. Lying at full length, or spread out, upon the ground; level with the ground or earth; prostrate; as, to lie flat on the ground; hence, fallen; laid low; ruined; destroyed. What ruins kingdoms, and lays cities flat! Milton. I feel . . . my hopes all flat. Milton.

3. (Fine Arts)

Defn: Wanting relief; destitute of variety; without points of prominence and striking interest. A large part of the work is, to me, very flat. Coleridge.

4. Tasteless; stale; vapid; insipid; dead; as, fruit or drink flat to the taste.

5. Unanimated; dull; uninteresting; without point or spirit; monotonous; as, a flat speech or composition. How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world. Shak.

6. Lacking liveliness of commercial exchange and dealings; depressed; dull; as, the market is flat.

7. Clear; unmistakable; peremptory; absolute; positive; downright. Flat burglary as ever was committed. Shak. A great tobacco taker too, — that's flat. Marston.

8. (Mus.) (a) Below the true pitch; hence, as applied to intervals, minor, or lower by a half step; as, a flat seventh; A flat. (b) Not sharp or shrill; not acute; as, a flat sound.

9. (Phonetics)

Defn: Sonant; vocal; — applied to any one of the sonant or vocal consonants, as distinguished from a nonsonant (or sharp) consonant. Flat arch. (Arch.) See under Arch, n., 2. (b). — Flat cap, cap paper, not folded. See under Paper. — Flat chasing, in fine art metal working, a mode of ornamenting silverware, etc., producing figures by dots and lines made with a punching tool. Knight. — Flat chisel, a sculptor's chisel for smoothing. — Flat file, a file wider than its thickness, and of rectangular section. See File. — Flat nail, a small, sharp-pointed, wrought nail, with a flat, thin head, larger than a tack. Knight. — Flat paper, paper which has not been folded. — Flat rail, a railroad rail consisting of a simple flat bar spiked to a longitudinal sleeper. — Flat rods (Mining), horizontal or inclined connecting rods, for transmitting motion to pump rods at a distance. Raymond. — Flat rope, a rope made by plaiting instead of twisting; gasket; sennit.

Note: Some flat hoisting ropes, as for mining shafts, are made by sewing together a number of ropes, making a wide, flat band. Knight. — Flat space. (Geom.) See Euclidian space. — Flat stitch, the process of wood engraving. [Obs.] — Flat tint (Painting), a coat of water color of one uniform shade. — To fall flat (Fig.), to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect; as, his speech fell flat. Of all who fell by saber or by shot, Not one fell half so flat as Walter Scott. Lord Erskine.

FLAT Flat, adv.

1. In a flat manner; directly; flatly. Sin is flat opposite to the Almighty. Herbert.

2. (Stock Exchange)

Defn: Without allowance for accrued interest. [Broker's Cant]

FLAT Flat, n.

1. A level surface, without elevation, relief, or prominences; an extended plain; specifically, in the United States, a level tract along the along the banks of a river; as, the Mohawk Flats. Envy is as the sunbeams that beat hotter upon a bank, or steep rising ground, than upon a flat. Bacon.

2. A level tract lying at little depth below the surface of water, or alternately covered and left bare by the tide; a shoal; a shallow; a strand. Half my power, this night Passing these flats, are taken by the tide. Shak.

3. Something broad and flat in form; as: (a) A flat-bottomed boat, without keel, and of small draught. (b) A straw hat, broad-brimmed and low-crowned. (c) (Railroad Mach.) A car without a roof, the body of which is a platform without sides; a platform car. (d) A platform on wheel, upon which emblematic designs, etc., are carried in processions.

4. The flat part, or side, of anything; as, the broad side of a blade, as distinguished from its edge.

5. (Arch.)

Defn: A floor, loft, or story in a building; especially, a floor of a house, which forms a complete residence in itself.

6. (Mining)

Defn: A horizontal vein or ore deposit auxiliary to a main vein; also, any horizontal portion of a vein not elsewhere horizontal. Raymond.

7. A dull fellow; a simpleton; a numskull. [Colloq.] Or if you can not make a speech, Because you are a flat. Holmes.

8. (Mus.)

Defn: A character [] before a note, indicating a tone which is a half step or semitone lower.

9. (Geom.)

Defn: A homaloid space or extension.

FLAT Flat, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flatted; p. pr. & vb. n. Flatting.]

1. To make flat; to flatten; to level.

2. To render dull, insipid, or spiritless; to depress. Passions are allayed, appetites are flatted. Barrow.

3. To depress in tone, as a musical note; especially, to lower in pitch by half a tone.

FLAT Flat, v. i.

1. To become flat, or flattened; to sink or fal to an even surface. Sir W. Temple.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: To fall form the pitch. To flat out, to fail from a promising beginning; to make a bad ending; to disappoint expectations. [Colloq.]

FLATBILL Flat"bill`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any bird of the genus Flatyrynchus. They belong to the family of flycatchers.

FLATBOAT Flat"boat`, n.

Defn: A boat with a flat bottom and square ends; — used for the transportation of bulky freight, especially in shallow waters.

FLAT-BOTTOMED Flat"-bot`tomed, a.

Defn: Having an even lower surface or bottom; as, a flat-bottomed boat.

FLAT-CAP Flat"-cap`, n.

Defn: A kind of low-crowned cap formerly worn by all classes in England, and continued in London after disuse elsewhere; — hence, a citizen of London. Marston.

FLATFISH Flat"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any fish of the family Pleuronectidæ; esp., the winter flounder (Pleuronectes Americanus). The flatfishes have the body flattened, swim on the side, and have eyes on one side, as the flounder, turbot, and halibut. See Flounder.

FLAT FOOT Flat" foot`. (Med.)

Defn: A foot in which the arch of the instep is flattened so that the entire sole of the foot rests upon the ground; also, the deformity, usually congential, exhibited by such a foot; splayfoot.

FLAT-FOOTED Flat"-foot`ed, a.

1. Having a flat foot, with little or no arch of the instep.

2. Firm-footed; determined. [Slang, U.S.]

FLATHEAD Flat"head`, a.

Defn: Characterized by flatness of head, especially that produced by artificial means, as a certain tribe of American Indians.

FLATHEAD Flat"head`, n. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A Chinook Indian. See Chinook, n., 1.

FLAT-HEADED Flat"-head`ed, a.

Defn: Having a head with a flattened top; as, a flat-headed nail.

FLATIRON Flat"i`ron, n.

Defn: An iron with a flat, smooth surface for ironing clothes.

FLATIVE Fla"tive, a. Etym: [L. flare, flatum to blow.]

Defn: Producing wind; flatulent. [Obs.] A. Brewer.

FLATLING Flat"ling, adv. Etym: [Flat, a. + adverbial suff. -ing.]

Defn: With the flat side, as of a sword; flatlong; in a prostrate position. [Obs.] Spenser.

FLATLONG Flat"long

Defn: ; 115), adv. With the flat side downward; not edgewise. Shak.

FLATLY Flat"ly, adv.

Defn: In a flat manner; evenly; horizontally; without spirit; dully; frigidly; peremptori;y; positively, plainly. "He flatly refused his aid." Sir P. Sidney. He that does the works of religion slowly, flatly, and without appetite. Jer. Taylor.

FLATNESS Flat"ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being flat.

2. Eveness of surface; want of relief or prominence; the state of being plane or level.

3. Want of vivacity or spirit; prostration; dejection; depression.

4. Want of variety or flavor; dullness; inspidity.

5. Depression of tone; the state of being below the true pitch; — opposed to sharpness or acuteness.

FLATOUR Fla*tour", n. Etym: [OF.]

Defn: A flatterer. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FLATTEN Flat"ten, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flattened; p. pr. & vb. n. Flattening.] Etym: [From Flat, a.]

1. To reduce to an even surface or one approaching evenness; to make flat; to level; to make plane.

2. To throw down; to bring to the ground; to prostrate; hence, to depress; to deject; to dispirit.

3. To make vapid or insipid; to render stale.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: To lower the pitch of; to cause to sound less sharp; to let fall from the pitch. To flatten a sail (Naut.), to set it more nearly fore-and-aft of the vessel. — Flattening oven, in glass making, a heated chamber in which split glass cylinders are flattened for window glass.

FLATTEN Flat"ten, v. i.

Defn: To become or grow flat, even, depressed dull, vapid, spiritless, or depressed below pitch.

FLATTER Flat"ter, n.

1. One who, or that which, makes flat or flattens.

2. (Metal Working) (a) A flat-faced fulling hammer. (b) A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips, as watch springs, etc.

FLATTER Flat"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flattered; p. pr. & vb. n. Flattering.] Etym: [OE. flateren, cf. OD. flatteren; akin to G. flattern to flutter, Icel. fla to fawn, flatter: cf. F. flatter. Cf. Flitter, Flutter, Flattery.]

1. To treat with praise or blandishments; to gratify or attempt to gratify the self-love or vanity of, esp. by artful and interested commendation or attentions; to blandish; to cajole; to wheedle. When I tell him he hates flatterers, He says he does, being then most flattered. Shak. A man that flattereth his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet. Prov. xxix. 5. Others he flattered by asking their advice. Prescott.

2. To raise hopes in; to encourage or favorable, but sometimes unfounded or deceitful, representations.

3. To portray too favorably; to give a too favorable idea of; as, his portrait flatters him.

FLATTER Flat"ter, v. i.

Defn: To use flattery or insincere praise. If it may stand him more in stead to lie, Say and unsay, feign, flatter, or adjure. Milton.

FLATTERER Flat"ter*er, n.

Defn: One who flatters. The most abject flaterers degenerate into the greatest tyrants. Addison.

FLATTERING Flat"ter*ing, a.

Defn: That flatters (in the various senses of the verb); as, a flattering speech. Lay not that flattering unction to your soul. Shak. A flattering painter, who made it his care, To draw men as they ought be, not as they are. Goldsmith.

FLATTERINGLY Flat"ter*ing*ly, adv.

Defn: With flattery.

FLATTERY Flat"ter*y, n.; pl. Flatteries. Etym: [OE. flaterie, OF. flaterie, F. flaterie, fr. flater to flatter, F. flatter; of uncertain origin. See Flatter, v. t.]

Defn: The act or practice of flattering; the act of pleasing by artiful commendation or compliments; adulation; false, insincere, or excessive praise. Just praise is only a debt, but flattery is a present. Rambler. Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver. Burke.

Syn. — Adulation; compliment; obsequiousness. See Adulation.

FLATTING Flat"ting, n.

1. The process or operation of making flat, as a cylinder of glass by opening it out.

2. A mode of painting,in which the paint, being mixed with turpentine, leaves the work without gloss. Gwilt.

3. A method of preserving gilding unburnished, by touching with size. Knolles.

4. The process of forming metal into sheets by passing it between rolls. Flatting coat, a coat of paint so put on as to have no gloss. — Flatting furnace. Same as Flattening oven, under Flatten. — Flatting mill. (a) A rolling mill producing sheet metal; esp., in mints, the ribbon from which the planchets are punched. (b) A mill in which grains of metal are flatted by steel rolls, and reduced to metallic dust, used for purposes of ornamentation.

FLATTISH Flat"tish, a.

Defn: Somewhat flat. Woodward.

FLATULENCE; FLATULENCY Flat"u*lence, Flat"u*len*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. flatulence.]

Defn: The state or quality of being flatulent.

FLATULENT Flat"u*lent, a. Etym: [L. flatus a blowing, flatus ventris windiness, flatulence, fr. flare to blow: cf. F. flatulent. See Blow.]

1. Affected with flatus or gases generated in the alimentary canal; windy.

2. Generating, or tending to generate, wind in the stomach. Vegetables abound more with aërial particles than animal substances, and therefore are more flatulent. Arbuthnot.

3. Turgid with flatus; as, a flatulent tumor. Quincy.

4. Pretentious without substance or reality; puffy; empty; vain; as, a flatulent vanity. He is too flatulent sometimes, and sometimes too dry. Dryden.

FLATULENTLY Flat"u*lent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flatulent manner; with flatulence.

FLATUOSITY Flat`u*os"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. flatuosité.]

Defn: Flatulence. [Obs.] Bacon.

FLATUOUS Flat"u*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. flatueux.]

Defn: Windy; generating wind. [Obs.] Bacon.

FLATUS Fla"tus, n.; pl. E. Flatuses, L. Flatus. Etym: [L., fr. flare to blow.]

1. A breath; a puff of wind. Clarke.

2. Wind or gas generated in the stomach or other cavities of the body. Quincy.

FLATWARE Flat"ware`, n.

Defn: Articles for the table, as china or silverware, that are more or less flat, as distinguished from hollow ware.

FLATWARE Flat"ware`, n.

Defn: Articles for the table, as china or silverware, that are more or less flat, as distinguished from hollow ware. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

FLATWISE Flat"wise`, a. or adv.

Defn: With the flat side downward, or next to another object; not edgewise.

FLATWORM Flat"worm`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any worm belonging to the Plathelminthes; also, sometimes applied to the planarians.

FLAUNDRISH Flaun"drish ( or ), a.

Defn: Flemish. [Obs.]

FLAUNT Flaunt ( or ; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flaunted; p. pr. & vb. n.. Flaunting.] Etym: [Cf. dial. G. flandern to flutter, wave; perh. akin to E. flatter, flutter.]

Defn: To throw or spread out; to flutter; to move ostentatiously; as, a flaunting show. You flaunt about the streets in your new gilt chariot. Arbuthnot. One flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade. Pope.

FLAUNT Flaunt, v. t.

Defn: To display ostentatiously; to make an impudent show of.

FLAUNT Flaunt, n.

Defn: Anything displayed for show. [Obs.] In these my borrowed flaunts. Shak.

FLAUNTINGLY Flaunt"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a flaunting way.

FLAUTIST Flau"tist, n. Etym: [It. flauto a flute See Flute.]

Defn: A player on the flute; a flutist.

FLAUTO Flau"to, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: A flute. Flaute piccolo ( Etym: [It., little flute], an octave flute. — Flauto traverso ( Etym: [It., transverse flute], the German flute, held laterally, instead of being played, like the old flûte a bec, with a mouth piece at the end.

FLAVANILINE Fla*van"i*line ( or ; 104), n. Etym: [L. flavus yellow + E. aniline.] (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow, crystalline, organic dyestuff, C16H14N2, of artifical production. It is a strong base, and is a complex derivative of aniline and quinoline.

FLAVESCENT Fla*ves"cent, a. Etym: [L. flavescens, p.pr. of flavescere to turn yellow.]

Defn: Turning yellow; yellowish.

FLAVICOMOUS Fla*vic"o*mous, a. Etym: [L. flavicomus; flavus yellow + coma hair.]

Defn: Having yellow hair. [R.]

FLAVIN Fla"vin, n. Etym: [L. flavus yellow.] (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow, vegetable dyestuff, resembling quercitron.

FLAVINE Fla"vine (; 104), n. (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow, crystalline, organic base, C13H12N2O, obtained artificially.

FLAVOL Fla"vol, n. Etym: [L. flavus yellow + -oil.] (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow, crystalline substance, obtained from anthraquinone, and regarded as a hydroxyl derivative of it.

FLAVOR Fla"vor, n. Etym: [OF. fleur, flaur (two syllables), odor, cf. F. fleurer to emit an odor, It. flatore a bad odor, prob. fr. L. flare to bow, whence the sense of exhalation. Cf. Blow.] [Written also flavour.]

1. That quality of anything which affects the smell; odor; fragrances; as, the flavor of a rose.

2. That quality of anything which affects the taste; that quality which gratifies the palate; relish; zest; savor; as, the flavor of food or drink.

3. That which imparts to anything a peculiar odor or taste, gratifying to the sense of smell, or the nicer perceptions of the palate; a substance which flavors.

4. That quality which gives character to any of the productions of literature or the fine arts.

FLAVOR Fla"vor, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flavored; p. pr. & vb. n. Flavoring.]

Defn: To give flavor to; to add something (as salt or a spice) to, to give character or zest.

FLAVORED Fla"vored, a.

Defn: Having a distinct flavor; as, high-flavored wine.

FLAVORLESS Fla"vor*less, a.

Defn: Without flavor; tasteless.

FLAVOROUS Fla"vor*ous, a.

Defn: Imparting flavor; pleasant to the taste or smell; sapid. Dryden.

FLAVOUS Fla"vous, a. Etym: [L. flavus.]

Defn: Yellow. [Obs.]

FLAW Flaw, n. Etym: [OE. flai, flaw flake; cf. Sw. flaga flaw, crack, breach, flake, D. vlaag gust of wind, Norw. flage, flaag, and E. flag a flat stone.]

1. A crack or breach; a gap or fissure; a defect of continuity or cohesion; as, a flaw in a knife or a vase. This heart Shall break into a hundered thousand flaws. Shak.

2. A defect; a fault; as, a flaw in reputation; a flaw in a will, in a deed, or in a statute. Has not this also its flaws and its dark side South.

3. A sudden burst of noise and disorder; a tumult; uproar; a quarrel. [Obs.] And deluges of armies from the town Came pouring in; I heard the mighty flaw. Dryden.

4. A sudden burst or gust of wind of short duration. Snow, and hail, and stormy gust and flaw. Milton. Like flaws in summer laying lusty corn. Tennyson.

Syn. — Blemish; fault; imoerfection; spot; speck.

FLAW Flaw, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flawed; p. pr. & vb. n. Flawing.]

1. To crack; to make flaws in. The brazen caldrons with the frosts are flawed. Dryden.

2. To break; to violate; to make of no effect. [Obs.] France hath flawed the league. Shak.

FLAWLESS Flaw"less, a.

Defn: Free from flaws. Boyle.

FLAWN Flawn, n. Etym: [OF. flaon, F. flan, LL. flado, fr. OHG. flado, G. fladen, a sort of pancake; cf. Gr. Place.]

Defn: A sort of flat custard or pie. [Obs.] Tusser.

FLAWTER Flaw"ter, v. t. Etym: [Cf. Flay.]

Defn: To scrape o [Obs.] Johnson.

FLAWY Flaw"y, a.

1. Full of flaws or cracks; broken; defective; faulty. Johnson.

2. Subject to sudden flaws or gusts of wind.

FLAX Flax, n. Etym: [AS. fleax; akin to D. vlas, OHG. flahs, G. flachs, and prob. to flechten to braid, plait,m twist, L. plectere to weave, plicare to fold, Gr. Ply.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Linum, esp. the L. usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. The fiber of the bark is used for making thread and cloth, called linen, cambric, lawn, lace, etc. Linseed oil is expressed from the seed.

2. The skin or fibrous part of the flax plant, when broken and cleaned by hatcheling or combing. Earth flax (Min.), amianthus. — Flax brake, a machine for removing the woody portion of flax from the fibrous. — Flax comb, a hatchel, hackle, or heckle. — Flax cotton, the fiber of flax, reduced by steeping in bicarbinate of soda and acidulated liquids, and prepared for bleaching and spinning like cotton. Knight. — Flax dresser, one who breaks and swingles flax, or prepares it for the spinner. — Flax mill, a mill or factory where flax is spun or linen manufactured. — Flax puller, a machine for pulling flax plants in the field. — Flax wench. (a) A woman who spins flax. [Obs.] (b) A prostitute. [Obs.] Shak. — Mountain flax (Min.), amianthus. — New Zealand flax (Bot.) See Flax-plant.

FLAXEN Flax"en, a.

Defn: Made of flax; resembling flax or its fibers; of the color of flax; of a light soft straw color; fair and flowing, like flax or tow; as, flaxen thread; flaxen hair.

FLAX-PLANT Flax"-plant`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant in new Zealand (Phormium tenax), allied to the lilies and aloes. The leaves are two inches wide and several feet long, and furnish a fiber which is used for making ropes, mats, and coarse cloth.

FLAXSEED Flax"seed`, n.

Defn: The seed of the flax; linseed.

FLAXWEED Flax"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Toadflax.

FLAXY Flax"y, a.

Defn: Like flax; flaxen. Sir M. Sandys.

FLAY Flay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Flaying.] Etym: [OE. flean, flan, AS. fleán; akin to D. vlaen, Icel. fla, Sw. flå, Dan. flaae, cf. Lith. ples to tear, plyszti, v.i., to burst tear; perh. akin to E. flag to flat stone, flaw.]

Defn: To skin; to strip off the skin or surface of; as, to flay an ox; to flay the green earth. With her nails She 'll flay thy wolfish visage. Shak.