Chapter XVII: Part 17

For*sooth", v. t. To address respectfully with the term forsooth. [Obs.]

The captain of the "Charles" had forsoothed her, though he knew her
well enough and she him.

Pepys.

For*sooth", n. A person who used forsooth much; a very ceremonious and deferential person. [R.]

You sip so like a forsooth of the city.

B. Jonson.

For*speak" (?), v. t. [Pref. for- + speak.] 1. To forbid; to prohibit. Shak.

2. To bewitch. [Obs.] Drayton.

For*spent" (?), a. [AS. forspendan to consume; pref. for- + spendan to spend.] Wasted in strength; tired; exhausted. [Archaic]

A gentleman almost forspent with speed.

Shak.

For*stall" (?), v. t. To forestall. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fors"ter (?), n. A forester. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*straught" (?), p. p. & a. [Pref. for- + straught; cf. distraught.] Distracted. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*swat" (?), a. [See Sweat.] Spent with heat; covered with sweat. [Obs.] P. Sidney.

For*swear" (?), v. t. [imp. Forswore (?); p. p. Forsworn (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Forswearing.] [OE. forsweren, forswerien, AS. forswerian; pref. for- + swerian to swear. See For-, and Swear, v. i.] 1. To reject or renounce upon oath; hence, to renounce earnestly, determinedly, or with protestations.

I . . . do forswear her.

Shak.

2. To deny upon oath.

Like innocence, and as serenely bold As truth, how loudly he
forswears thy gold!

Dryden.

To forswear one's self, to swear falsely; to perjure one's self. "Thou shalt not forswear thyself." Matt. v. 33.

Syn. -- See Perjure.

For*swear", v. i. To swear falsely; to commit perjury. Shak.

For*swear"er (?), n. One who rejects of renounces upon oath; one who swears a false oath.

For*swonk" (?), a. [Pref. for- + swonk, p. p. of swinkto labor. See Swink.] Overlabored; exhausted; worn out. [Obs.] Spenser.

For*swore" (?), imp. of Forswear.

For*sworn" (?), p. p. of Forswear.

For*sworn"ness, n. State of being forsworn. [R.]

||For*syth"i*a (?), a. [NL. Named after William Forsyth, who brought in ||from China.] (Bot.) A shrub of the Olive family, with yellow ||blossoms.

Fort (?), n. [F., from fort strong, L. fortis; perh. akin to Skr. darh to fix, make firm, and to E. firm Cf. Forte, Force, Fortalice, Comfort, Effort.] (Mil.) A strong or fortified place; usually, a small fortified place, occupied only by troops, surrounded with a ditch, rampart, and parapet, or with palisades, stockades, or other means of defense; a fortification.

Detached works, depending solely on their own strength, belong to
the class of works termed forts.

Farrow.

Fort"a*lice (?), n. [LL. fortalitia, or OF. fortelesce. See Fortress.] (Mil.) A small outwork of a fortification; a fortilage; - - called also fortelace.

Forte (frt), n. [IT. forte: cf. F. fort. See Fort.] 1. The strong point; that in which one excels.

The construction of a fable seems by no means the forte of our
modern poetical writers.

Jeffrey.

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

||For"te (fÙr"t or fr"t), adv. [It. forte, a. & adv., fr. L. fortis ||strong.] (Mus.) Loudly; strongly; powerfully.

Fort"ed (?), a. Furnished with, or guarded by, forts; strengthened or defended, as by forts. [R.] Shak.

Forth (?), v.[AS. for, fr. for akin to D. voort, G. fort √78. See Fore, For, and cf. Afford, Further, adv.] 1. Forward; onward in time, place, or order; in advance from a given point; on to end; as, from that day forth; one, two, three, and so forth.

Lucas was Paul's companion, at the leastway from the sixteenth of
the Acts forth.

Tyndale.

From this time forth, I never will speak word.

Shak.

I repeated the Ave Maria; the inquisitor bad me say forth; I said I
was taught no more.

Strype.

2. Out, as from a state of concealment, retirement, confinement, nondevelopment, or the like; out into notice or view; as, the plants in spring put forth leaves.

When winter past, and summer scarce begun, Invites them forth to
labor in the sun.

Dryden.

3. Beyond a (certain) boundary; away; abroad; out.

I have no mind of feasting forth to- night.

Shak.

4. Throughly; from beginning to end. [Obs.] Shak.

And so forth, Back and forth, From forth. See under And, Back, and From. -- Forth of, Forth from, out of. [Obs.] Shak. -- To bring forth. See under Bring.

Forth, prep. Forth from; out of. [Archaic]

Some forth their cabins peep.

Donne.

Forth, n. [OE., a ford. &?; 78. See Frith.] A way; a passage or ford. [Obs.] Todd.

Forth`by" (?), adv. [Obs.] See Forby.

Forth"com`ing (? or ?), a. Ready or about to appear; making appearance.

Forth"go`ing (? or ?), n. A going forth; an utterance. A. Chalmers.

Forth"go`ing, a. Going forth.

For*think" (?), v. t. To repent; to regret; to be sorry for; to cause regret. [Obs.] "Let it forthink you." Tyndale.

That me forthinketh, quod this January.

Chaucer.

Forth"put`ing (? or ?), a. Bold; forward; aggressive.

Forth"right` (? or ?), adv. [Forth, adv. + right, adv.] Straight forward; in a straight direction. [Archaic] Sir P. Sidney.

Forth"right`, a. Direct; straightforward; as, a forthright man. [Archaic] Lowell.

They were Night and Day, and Day and Night, Piligrims wight with
steps forthright.

Emerson.

Forth"right`, n. A straight path. [Archaic]

Here's a maze trod, indeed, Through forthrights and meanders!

Shak.

Forth"right`ness, n. Straightforwardness; explicitness; directness. [Archaic]

Dante's concise forthrightness of phrase.

Hawthorne.

Forth"ward (?), adv. [Forth, adv. + -ward.] Forward. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher.

Forth`with" (? or ?; see With), adv. 1. Immediately; without delay; directly.

Immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he
received sight forthwith.

Acts ix. 18.

2. (Law) As soon as the thing required may be done by reasonable exertion confined to that object. Bouvier.

For*thy" (?), adv. [AS. for; for, prep. + , instrumental neut. of se, seÛ, Êt, pron. demonstrative and article. See The.] Therefore. [Obs.] Spenser.

For"ties (?), n. pl. See Forty.

For"ti*eth (?), a. [AS. feÛwertigo&?;a. See Forty.] 1. Following the thirty-ninth, or preceded by thirty-nine units, things, or parts.

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

For"ti*eth, n. One of forty equal parts into which one whole is divided; the quotient of a unit divided by forty; one next in order after the thirty-ninth.

For"ti*fi`a*ble (?), a. [Cf. OF. fortifiable.] Capable of being fortified. Johnson.

For`ti*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [L. fortificatio : cf. F. fortification.] 1. The act of fortifying; the art or science of fortifying places in order to defend them against an enemy.

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

Fortification agate, Scotch pebble.

Syn. -- Fortress; citadel; bulwark. See Fortress.

For"ti*fi`er (?), n. One who, or that which, fortifies, strengthens, supports, or upholds.

For"ti*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fortified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fortifying.] [F. fortifier, L. fortificare; fortis strong + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Fort, and -fy.] 1. To add strength to; to strengthen; to confirm; to furnish with power to resist attack.

Timidity was fortified by pride.

Gibbon.

Pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to fortify his
resolution.

Sir W. Scott.

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

For"ti*fy, v. i. To raise defensive works. Milton.

For"ti*lage (?; 48), n. [Cf. Fortalice.] A little fort; a blockhouse. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fort"in (?), n. [F. See Fort, n.] A little fort; a fortlet. [Obs.]

||For*tis"si*mo (? or ?), adv. [It., superl. of forte, adv. See Forte, ||adv.] (Mus.) Very loud; with the utmost strength or loudness.

For*ti"tion (?), n. [See Fortuitous.] Casual choice; fortuitous selection; hazard. [R.]

No mode of election operating in the spirit of fortition or
rotation can be generally good.

Burke.

For"ti*tude (?), n. [L. fortitudo, fr. fortis strong. See Fort.] 1. Power to resist attack; strength; firmness. [Obs.]

The fortitude of the place is best known to you.

Shak.

2. That strength or firmness of mind which enables a person to encounter danger with coolness and courage, or to bear pain or adversity without murmuring, depression, or despondency; passive courage; resolute endurance; firmness in confronting or bearing up against danger or enduring trouble.

Extolling patience as the truest fortitude.

Milton.

Fortitude is the guard and support of the other virtues.

Locke.

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

For`ti*tu"di*nous (?), a. Having fortitude; courageous. [R.] Gibbon.

Fort"let (?), n. A little fort. [R.] Bailey.

Fort"night` (?; in U.S. often ?; 277), n. [Contr. fr. fourteen nights, our ancestors reckoning time by nights and winters; so, also, seven nights, sennight, a week.] The space of fourteen days; two weeks.

Fort"night`ly (?), a. Occurring or appearing once in a fortnight; as, a fortnightly meeting of a club; a fortnightly magazine, or other publication. -- adv. Once in a fortnight; at intervals of a fortnight.

For*tread" (?), v. t. To tread down; to trample upon. [Obs.]

In hell shall they be all fortroden of devils.

Chaucer.

For"tress (?), n.; pl. Fortresses (#). [F. forteresse, OF. forteresce, fortelesce, LL. foralitia, fr. L. fortis strong. See Fort, and cf. Fortalice.] A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; a fort; a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.

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

For"tress, v. t. To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard; to fortify. Shak.

For*tu"i*tous (?), a. [L. fortuitus; akin to forte, adv., by chance, prop. abl. of fors, fortis, chance. See Fortune.] 1. Happening by chance; coming or occuring unexpectedly, or without any known cause; chance; as, the fortuitous concourse of atoms.

It was from causes seemingly fortuitous . . . that all the mighty
effects of the Reformation flowed.

Robertson.

So as to throw a glancing and fortuitous light upon the whole.

Hazlitt.

2. (LAw) Happening independently of human will or means of foresight; resulting from unavoidable physical causes. Abbott.

Syn. -- Accidental; casual; contingent; incidental. See Accidental.

-- For*tu"i*tous*ly, adv. -- For*tu"i*tous*ness, n.

For*tu"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. fortuitÈ.] Accident; chance; casualty. D. Forbes (1750).

For"tu*nate (?; 135), a. [L. fortunatus, p. p. of fortunare to make fortunate or prosperous, fr. fortuna. See Fortune, n.] 1. Coming by good luck or favorable chance; bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain; presaging happiness; auspicious; as, a fortunate event; a fortunate concurrence of circumstances; a fortunate investment.

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

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

For"tu*nate*ly, adv. In a fortunate manner; luckily; successfully; happily.

For"tu*nate*ness, n. The condition or quality of being fortunate; good luck; success; happiness.

<! p. 589 !>

For"tune (fÙr"tn; 135), n. [F. fortune, L. fortuna; akin to fors, fortis, chance, prob. fr. ferre to bear, bring. See Bear to support, and cf. Fortuitous.] 1. The arrival of something in a sudden or unexpected manner; chance; accident; luck; hap; also, the personified or deified power regarded as determining human success, apportioning happiness and unhappiness, and distributing arbitrarily or fortuitously the lots of life.

'T is more by fortune, lady, than by merit.

Shak.

O Fortune, Fortune, all men call thee fickle.

Shak.

2. That which befalls or is to befall one; lot in life, or event in any particular undertaking; fate; destiny; as, to tell one's fortune.

You, who men's fortunes in their faces read.

Cowley.

3. That which comes as the result of an undertaking or of a course of action; good or ill success; especially, favorable issue; happy event; success; prosperity as reached partly by chance and partly by effort.

Our equal crimes shall equal fortune give.

Dryden.

There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune.

Shak.

His father dying, he was driven to seek his fortune.

Swift.

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

Syn. -- Chance; accident; luck; fate.

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

For"tune, v. t. [OF. fortuner, L. fortunare. See Fortune, n.] 1. To make fortunate; to give either good or bad fortune to. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To provide with a fortune. Richardson.

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

For"tune, v. i. To fall out; to happen.

It fortuned the same night that a Christian, serving a Turk in the
camp, secretely gave the watchmen warning.

Knolles.

For"tune*less, a. Luckless; also, destitute of a fortune or portion. Spenser.

For"tun*ize (?), v. t. To regulate the fortune of; to make happy. [Obs.] Spenser.

For"ty (fÙr"t), a. [OE. forti, fourti, fowerti, AS. feÛwertig; feÛwer four + suff. - tig ten; akin to OS. fiwartig, fiartig, D. veertig, G. vierzig, Icel. fjˆrutu, Sw. fyratio, Dan. fyrretyve, Goth. fidwr tigjus. See Four, and Ten, and cf. Fourteen.] Four times ten; thirty-nine and one more.

For"ty, n.; pl. Forties (-tz). 1. The sum of four tens; forty units or objects.

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

For"ty-spot` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The Tasmanian forty-spotted diamond bird (Pardalotus quadragintus).

Fo"rum (?), n.; pl. E. Forums (#), L. Fora (#). [L.; akin to foris, foras, out of doors. See Foreign.] 1. A market place or public place in Rome, where causes were judicially tried, and orations delivered to the people.

2. A tribunal; a court; an assembly empowered to hear and decide causes.

He [Lord Camden] was . . . more eminent in the senate than in the
forum.

Brougham.

For*waked" (? or ?), p. p. & a. Tired out with excessive waking or watching. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*wan"der (?), v. i. To wander away; to go astray; to wander far and to weariness. [Obs.]

For"ward (?), n. [OE., fr. AS. foreweard; fore before + weard a ward. See Ward, n.] An agreement; a covenant; a promise. [Obs.]

Tell us a tale anon, as forward is.

Chaucer.

{ For"ward (?), For"wards (?) }, adv. [AS. forweard, foreweard; for, fore + -weardes; akin to G. vorw‰rts. The s is properly a genitive ending. See For, Fore, and -ward, -wards.] Toward a part or place before or in front; onward; in advance; progressively; -- opposed to backward.

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

2. Ready; prompt; strongly inclined; in an ill sense, overready; too hasty.

Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I
also was forward to do.

Gal. ii. 10.

Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.

Shak.

3. Ardent; eager; earnest; in an ill sense, less reserved or modest than is proper; bold; confident; as, the boy is too forward for his years.

I have known men disagreeably forward from their shyness.

T. Arnold.

4. Advanced beyond the usual degree; advanced for the season; as, the grass is forward, or forward for the season; we have a forward spring.

The most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.

Shak.

For"ward (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Forwarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Forwarding.] 1. To help onward; to advance; to promote; to accelerate; to quicken; to hasten; as, to forward the growth of a plant; to forward one in improvement.

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

For"ward*er (?), n. 1. One who forwards or promotes; a promoter. Udall.

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

3. (Bookbinding) One employed in forwarding.

For"ward*ing, n. 1. The act of one who forwards; the act or occupation of transmitting merchandise or other property for others.

2. (Bookbinding) The process of putting a book into its cover, and making it ready for the finisher.

For"ward*ly (?), adv. Eagerly; hastily; obtrusively.

For"ward*ness, n. The quality of being forward; cheerful readiness; promtness; as, the forwardness of Christians in propagating the gospel.

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

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

3. Boldness; confidence; assurance; want of due reserve or modesty.

In France it is usual to bring children into company, and cherish
in them, from their infancy, a kind of forwardness and assurance.

Addison.

5. A state of advance beyond the usual degree; prematureness; precocity; as, the forwardnessof spring or of corn; the forwardness of a pupil.

He had such a dexterous proclivity, as his teachers were fain to
restrain his forwardness.

Sir H. Wotton.

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

For"wards (?), adv. Same as Forward.

For*waste" (?), v. t. [Pref. for- + waste.] To desolate or lay waste utterly. [Obs.] Spenser.

For*wea"ry (?), v. t. To weary extremely; to dispirit. [Obs.] Spenser.

For*weep" (?), v. i. To weep much. [Obs.]

For*wete" (?), v. t. See Forewite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*why" (?), conj. [For + why, AS. hw&?;, instrumental case of hw who.] Wherefore; because. [Obs.]

For*worn" (?), a. Much worn. [Obs.]

A silly man, in simple weeds forworn.

Spenser.

For*wot" (?), pres. indic. 1st & 3d pers. sing. of Forwete. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*wrap" (?), v. t. To wrap up; to conceal. [Obs.]

All mote be said and nought excused, nor hid, nor forwrapped.

Chaucer.

For*yelde" (?), v. t. [AS. forgieldan.] To repay; to requite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*yete" (?), v. t. To forget. [Obs.] Chaucer.

For*yet"ten (?), obs. p. p. of Foryete. Chaucer.

||For*zan"do (?), adv. [It., prop. p. p. of forzare to force.] (Mus.) ||See Sforzato.

||Fos"sa (?), n.; pl. Foss∆ (#). [L., a ditch. See Fosse.] (Anat.) A ||pit, groove, cavity, or depression, of greater or less depth; as, the ||temporal fossa on the side of the skull; the nasal fossÊ containing ||the nostrils in most birds.

Fos"sane` (?), n. [Cf. F. fossane.] (Zoˆl.) A species of civet (Viverra fossa) resembling the genet.

Fosse (?), n. [F., fr. L. fossa, fr. fodere, fossum, to dig.] 1. (Fort.) A ditch or moat.

2. (Anat.) See Fossa.

Fosse road. See Fosseway.

Fos"set (?), n. A faucet. [Obs.] Shak.

||Fos`sette" (? or ?), n. [F., dim. of fosse a fosse.] 1. A little ||hollow; hence, a dimple.

2. (Med.) A small, deep-centered ulcer of the transparent cornea.

Fosse"way` (?), n. One of the great military roads constructed by the Romans in England and other parts of Europe; -- so called from the fosse or ditch on each side for keeping it dry.

Fos"sil (?), a. [L. fossilis, fr. fodere to dig: cf. F. fossile. See Fosse.] 1. Dug out of the earth; as, fossil coal; fossil salt.

2. (Paleon.) Like or pertaining to fossils; contained in rocks, whether petrified or not; as, fossil plants, shells.

Fossil copal, a resinous substance, first found in the blue clay at Highgate, near London, and apparently a vegetable resin, partly changed by remaining in the earth. -- Fossil cork, flax, paper, or wood, varieties of amianthus. -- Fossil farina, a soft carbonate of lime. -- Fossil ore, fossiliferous red hematite. Raymond.

Fos"sil, n. 1. A substance dug from the earth. [Obs.]

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

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

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

Fos`sil*if"er*ous (?), a. [Fossil + -ferous.] (Paleon.) Containing or composed of fossils.

Fos*sil`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Fossil + L. facere to make.] The process of becoming fossil.

Fos"sil*ism (?), n. 1. The science or state of fossils. Coleridge.

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

Fos"sil*ist, n. One who is versed in the science of fossils; a paleontologist. Joseph Black.

Fos`sil*i*za"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. fossilisation.] The process of converting, or of being converted, into a fossil.

Fos"sil*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fossilized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fossilizing (?).] [Cf. F. fossiliser.] 1. To convert into a fossil; to petrify; as, to fossilize bones or wood.

2. To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by fossilization; to mummify; to deaden.

Ten layers of birthdays on a woman's head Are apt to fossilize her
girlish mirth.

Mrs. Browning.

Fos"sil*ize, v. i. 1. To become fossil.

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

Fos"sil*ized (?), a. Converted into a fossil; antiquated; firmly fixed in views or opinions.

A fossilized sample of confused provincialism.

Earle.

||Fos*so"res (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. fossor&?; digger, fr. fodere to ||dig.] (Zoˆl.) A group of hymenopterous insects including the sand ||wasps. They excavate cells in earth, where they deposit their eggs, ||with the bodies of other insects for the food of the young when ||hatched. [Written also Fossoria.]

||Fos*so"ri*a (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoˆl.) See Fossores.

Fos*so"ri*al (?), a. [L. fossor a digger.] Fitted for digging, adapted for burrowing or digging; as, a fossorial foot; a fossorial animal.

Fos*so"ri*ous (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Adapted for digging; -- said of the legs of certain insects.

Fos"su*late (?), a. [L. fossula little ditch, dim. of fossa. See Fosse.] Having, or surrounded by, long, narrow depressions or furrows.

Fos"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fostered (?), p. pr. & vb. n. Fostering.] [OE. fostren, fr. AS. fster, fstor, food, nourishment, fr. fda food. &radic;75. See Food.] 1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up.

Some say that ravens foster forlorn children.

Shak.

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

Fos"ter, v. i. To be nourished or trained up together. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fos"ter, a. [AS. fster, fstor, nourishment. See Foster, v. t.] Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; -- applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc., as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood.

Foster babe, or child, an infant of child nursed by a woman not its mother, or bred by a man not its father. -- Foster brother, Foster sister, one who is, or has been, nursed at the same breast, or brought up by the same nurse as another, but is not of the same parentage. -- Foster dam, one who takes the place of a mother; a nurse. Dryden. -- Foster earth, earth by which a plant is nourished, though not its native soil. J. Philips. -- Foster father, a man who takes the place of a father in caring for a child. Bacon. -- Foster land. (a) Land allotted for the maintenance of any one. [Obs.] (b) One's adopted country. -- Foster lean [foster + AS. lÊn a loan See Loan.], remuneration fixed for the rearing of a foster child; also, the jointure of a wife. [Obs.] Wharton. -- Foster mother, a woman who takes a mother's place in the nurture and care of a child; a nurse. -- Foster nurse, a nurse; a nourisher. [R.] Shak. -- Foster parent, a foster mother or foster father. -- Foster son, a male foster child.

Fos"ter, n. A forester. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fos"ter*age (?; 48), n. The care of a foster child; the charge of nursing. Sir W. Raleigh.

Fos"ter*er (?), n. One who, or that which, fosters.

Fos"ter*ling, n. [AS. fstorling.] A foster child.

Fos"ter*ment (?), n. Food; nourishment. [Obs.]

Fos"tress (?), n. [For fosteress.] A woman who feeds and cherishes; a nurse. B. Jonson.

Foth"er (?), n. [OE. fother, foder, AS. f&?;er a cartload; akin to G. fuder a cartload, a unit of measure, OHG. fuodar, D. voeder, and perh. to E. fathom, or cf. Skr. ptr vessel, dish. Cf. Fodder a fother.] 1. A wagonload; a load of any sort. [Obs.]

Of dung full many a fother.

Chaucer.

2. See Fodder, a unit of weight.

Foth"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fothered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fothering.] [Cf. Fodder food, and G. f¸ttern, futtern, to cover within or without, to line. &radic;75.] To stop (a leak in a ship at sea) by drawing under its bottom a thrummed sail, so that the pressure of the water may force it into the crack. Totten.

Fo"tive (?), a. [L. fovere, fotum, to keep warm, to cherish.] Nourishing. [Obs.] T. Carew (1633).

Fot"mal (?), n. (Com.) Seventy pounds of lead.

{ ||Fou`gade" (?), ||Fou`gasse" (?) }, n. (Mil.) A small mine, in the form of a well sunk from the surface of the ground, charged with explosive and projectiles. It is made in a position likely to be occupied by the enemy.

Fought (?), imp. & p. p. of Fight.

Fought"en (?), p. p. of Fight. [Archaic]

Foul (foul), n. [See Fowl.] A bird. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Foul (foul), a. [Compar. Fouler (-r); superl. Foulest.] [OE. foul, ful, AS. fl; akin to D. vuil, G. faul rotten, OHG. fl, Icel. fl foul, fetid; Dan. fuul, Sw. ful foul, Goth. fls fetid, Lith. puti to be putrid, L. putere to stink, be putrid, pus pus, Gr. py`on pus, to cause to rot, Skr. py to stink. &radic;82. Cf. Defile to foul, File to foul, Filth, Pus, Putrid.] 1. Covered with, or containing, extraneous matter which is injurious, noxious, offensive, or obstructive; filthy; dirty; not clean; polluted; nasty; defiled; as, a foul cloth; foul hands; a foul chimney; foul air; a ship's bottom is foul when overgrown with barnacles; a gun becomes foul from repeated firing; a well is foul with polluted water.

My face is foul with weeping.

Job. xvi. 16.

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

3. Hateful; detestable; shameful; odious; wretched. "The foul with Sycorax." Shak.

Who first seduced them to that foul revolt?

Milton.

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

5. Ugly; homely; poor. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Let us, like merchants, show our foulest wares.

Shak.

6. Not favorable; unpropitious; not fair or advantageous; as, a foul wind; a foul road; cloudy or rainy; stormy; not fair; -- said of the weather, sky, etc.

So foul a sky clears not without a storm.

Shak.

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

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

<! p. 590 !>

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

Foul (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fouled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fouling.] 1. To make filthy; to defile; to daub; to dirty; to soil; as, to foul the face or hands with mire.

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. (Baseball) See Foul ball, under Foul, a.

||Fou`lard" (?), n. [F.] A thin, washable material of silk, or silk and ||cotton, originally imported from India, but now also made elsewhere.

Foul"der (?), v. i. [OE. fouldre lightning, fr. F. foudre, OF. also fouldre, fr. L. fulgur. See Fulgor.] To flash, as lightning; to lighten; to gleam; to thunder. [Obs.] "Flames of fouldering heat." Spenser.

Foul"e (?), adv. Foully. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Foul"ly (?), v. In a foul manner; filthily; nastily; shamefully; unfairly; dishonorably.

I foully wronged him; do forgive me, do.

Gay.

Foul"-mouthed` (?), a. Using language scurrilous, opprobrious, obscene, or profane; abusive.

So foul-mouthed a witness never appeared in any cause.

Addison.

Foul"ness, n. [AS. flnes.] The quality or condition of being foul.

Foul"-spo`ken (?), a. Using profane, scurrilous, slanderous, or obscene language. Shak.

Fou"mart` (?), n. [OE. folmard, fulmard; AS. f&?;l foul + mear, meard, marten: cf. F. marte, martre. See Foul, a., and Marten the quadruped.] (Zoˆl.) The European polecat; -- called also European ferret, and fitchew. See Polecat. [Written also foulmart, foulimart, and fulimart.]

Found (?), imp. & p. p. of Find.

Found, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Founded; p. pr. & vb. n. Founding.] [F. fondre, L. fundere to found, pour.] To form by melting a metal, and pouring it into a mold; to cast. "Whereof to found their engines." Milton.

Found, n. A thin, single-cut file for combmakers.

Found, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Founded; p. pr. & vb. n. Founding.] [F. fonder, L. fundare, fr. fundus bottom. See 1st Bottom, and cf. Founder, v. i., Fund.] 1. To lay the basis of; to set, or place, as on something solid, for support; to ground; to establish upon a basis, literal or figurative; to fix firmly.

I had else been perfect, Whole as the marble, founded as the rock.

Shak.

A man that all his time Hath founded his good fortunes on your
love.

Shak.

It fell not, for it was founded on a rock.

Matt. vii. 25.

2. To take the ffirst steps or measures in erecting or building up; to furnish the materials for beginning; to begin to raise; to originate; as, to found a college; to found a family.

There they shall found Their government, and their great senate
choose.

Milton.

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

Foun*da"tion (?), n. [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.] 1. The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.

2. That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork; basis.

Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation.

Is. xxviii. 16.

The foundation of a free common wealth.

Motley.

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

4. A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.

He was entered on the foundation of Westminster.

Macaulay.

5. That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity.

Against the canon laws of our foundation.

Milton.

Foundation course. See Base course, under Base, n. -- Foundation muslin, an open-worked gummed fabric used for stiffening dresses, bonnets, etc. -- Foundation school, in England, an endowed school. -- To be on a foundation, to be entitled to a support from the proceeds of an endowment, as a scholar or a fellow of a college.

Foun*da"tion*er (?), n. One who derives support from the funds or foundation of a college or school. [Eng.]

Foun*da"tion*less, a. Having no foundation.

Found"er (?), n. [Cf. OF. fondeor, F. fondateur, L. fundator.] One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom anything originates; one who endows.

Found"er, n. [From Found to cast.] One who founds; one who casts metals in various forms; a caster; as, a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or types.

Fonder's dust. Same as Facing, 4. -- Founder's sand, a kind of sand suitable for purposes of molding.

Found"er (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Foundered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Foundering.] [OF. fondrer to fall in, cf. F. s'effondrer, fr. fond bottom, L. fundus. See Found to establish.] 1. (Naut.) To become filled with water, and sink, as a ship.

2. To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse.

For which his horse fearÈ gan to turn, And leep aside, and
foundrede as he leep.

Chaucer.

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

Found"er, v. t. To cause internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs of (a horse), so as to disable or lame him.

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

Foun"der*ous (?), a. Difficult to travel; likely to trip one up; as, a founderous road. [R.] Burke.

Found"er*shaft` (?), n. (Mining) The first shaft sunk. Raymond.

Found"er*y (?), n.; pl. Founderies (#). [F. fonderie, fr. fondre. See Found to cast, and cf. Foundry.] Same as Foundry.

Found"ing, n. The art of smelting and casting metals.

Found"ling (?), n. [OE. foundling, fundling; finden to find + - ling; cf. f¸ndling, findling. See Find, v. t., and -ling.] A deserted or exposed infant; a child found without a parent or owner.

Foundling hospital, a hospital for foundlings.

Found"ress (?), n. A female founder; a woman who founds or establishes, or who endows with a fund.

Found"ry (?), n.; pl. Foundries (#). [See Foundery.] 1. The act, process, or art of casting metals.

2. The buildings and works for casting metals.

Foundry ladle, a vessel for holding molten metal and conveying it from cupola to the molds.

Fount (?), n. [See Font.] (Print.) A font.

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

Foun"tain (foun"tn), n. [F. fontaine, LL. fontana, fr. L. fons, fontis. See 2d Fount.] 1. A spring of water issuing from the earth.

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

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

4. The source from which anything proceeds, or from which anything is supplied continuously; origin; source.

Judea, the fountain of the gospel.

Fuller.

Author of all being, Fountain of light, thyself invisible.

Milton.

Air fountain. See under Air. -- Fountain heead, primary source; original; first principle. Young. -- Fountain inkstand, an inkstand having a continual supply of ink, as from elevated reservoir. -- Fountain lamp, a lamp fed with oil from an elevated reservoir. -- Fountain pen, a pen with a reservoir in the handle which furnishes a supply of ink. -- Fountain pump. (a) A structure for a fountain, having the form of a pump. (b) A portable garden pump which throws a jet, for watering plants, etc. -- Fountain shell (Zoˆl.), the large West Indian conch shell (Strombus gigas). -- Fountain of youth, a mythical fountain whose waters were fabled to have the property of renewing youth.

Foun"tain*less, a. Having no fountain; destitute of springs or sources of water.

Barren desert, fountainless and dry.

Milton.

Fount"ful (?), a. Full of fountains. Pope.

Four (fr), a. [OE. four, fower, feower, AS. feÛwer; akin to OS. fiwar, D. & G. vier, OHG. fior, Icel. fjrir, Sw. fyra, Dan. fire, Goth. fidwr, Russ. chetuire, chetvero, W. pedwar, L. quatuor, Gr. te`ttares, te`ssares, pi`syres, Skr. catur. &radic;302. Cf. Farthing, Firkin, Forty, Cater four, Quater-cousin, Quatuor, Quire of paper, tetrarch.] One more than three; twice two.

Four, n. 1. The sum of four units; four units or objects.

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

3. Four things of the same kind, esp. four horses; as, a chariot and four.

All fours. See All fours, in the Vocabulary.

{ Fourb, Fourbe (?) }, n. [F.] A tricky fellow; a cheat. [Obs.] Evelyn. Denham.

||Four`chÈ" (fr`sh"), a. [F. See Fork.] (Her.) Having the ends forked ||or branched, and the ends of the branches terminating abruptly as if ||cut off; -- said of an ordinary, especially of a cross.

||Four`chette" (fr`sht"), n. [F., dim. of fourche. See Fork.] 1. A ||table fork.

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

3. (Surg.) An instrument used to raise and support the tongue during the cutting of the frÊnum.

4. (Glove Making) The forked piece between two adjacent fingers, to which the front and back portions are sewed. Knight.

Four"-cor`nered (?), a. Having four corners or angles.

Four`dri`nier" (?), n. A machine used in making paper; -- so named from an early inventor of improvements in this class of machinery.

Four"fold` (?), a. & adv. [AS. feÛwerfeold.] Four times; quadruple; as, a fourfold division.

He shall restore the lamb fourfold.

2 Sam. xii. 6.

Four"fold`, n. Four times as many or as much.

Four"fold`, v. t. To make four times as much or as many, as an assessment; to quadruple.

Four"foot`ed (?), a. Having four feet; quadruped; as, fourfooted beasts.

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

Four"hand`ed (?), a. 1. Having four hands; quadrumanous. Goldsmith.

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

Fou"ri*er*ism (?), n. The coˆperative socialistic system of Charles Fourier, a Frenchman, who recommended the reorganization of society into small communities, living in common.

{ Fou"ri*er*ist, Fou"ri*er*ite (?) }, n. One who adopts the views of Fourier.

Four"-in-hand (?), a. Consisting of four horses controlled by one person; as, a four-in-hand team; drawn by four horses driven by one person; as, a four-in- hand coach. -- n. A team of four horses driven by one person; also, a vehicle drawn by such a team.

As quaint a four-in-hand As you shall see.

Tennyson.

Four"ling, n. 1. One of four children born at the same time.

2. (Crystallog.) A compound or twin crystal consisting of four individuals.

||Four`neau" (?), n. [F.] (Mil.) The chamber of a mine in which the ||powder is placed.

Four"-o'clock` (?), n. 1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Mirabilis. There are about half a dozen species, natives of the warmer parts of America. The common four-o'clock is M. Jalapa. Its flowers are white, yellow, and red, and open toward sunset, or earlier in cloudy weather; hence the name. It is also called marvel of Peru, and afternoon lady.

2. (Zoˆl.) The friar bird; -- so called from its cry, which resembles these words.

Four"pence (?), n. 1. A British silver coin, worth four pence; a groat.

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

Four"-post`er (?), n. A large bedstead with tall posts at the corners to support curtains. [Colloq.]

Four"rier (?; F. &?;), n. [F., fr. OF. forre. See Forage, n.] A harbinger. [Obs.]

Four"score` (?), a. [Four + core, n.] Four times twenty; eighty.

Four"score`, n. The product of four times twenty; eighty units or objects.

Four"square` (?), a. Having four sides and four equal angles. Sir W. Raleigh.

Four"teen` (?), a. [OE. fourtene, feowertene, AS. feÛwertne, feÛwertne. See Four, and Ten, and cf. Forty.] Four and ten more; twice seven.

Four"teen`, n. 1. The sum of ten and four; forteen units or objects.

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

Four"teenth` (?), a. [Cf. OE. fourtende, fourtethe, AS. feÛwerteoa.] 1. Next in order after the thirteenth; as, the fourteenth day of the month.

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

Four"teenth`, n. 1. One of fourteen equal parts into which one whole may be divided; the quotient of a unit divided by fourteen; one next after the thirteenth.

2. (Mus.) The octave of the seventh.

Fourth (?), a. [OE. fourthe, ferthe, feorthe, AS. feÛra, fr. feÛwer four.] 1. Next in order after the third; the ordinal of four.

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

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

2. (Mus.) The interval of two tones and a semitone, embracing four diatonic degrees of the scale; the subdominant of any key.

The Fourth, specifically, in the United States, the fourth day of July, the anniversary of the declaration of American independence; as, to celebrate the Fourth.

Fourth"ly, adv. In the fourth place.

Four"-way` (?), a. Allowing passage in either of four directions; as, a four-way cock, or valve. Francis.

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

<! p. 591 !>

Four"-wheeled` (?), a. Having four wheels.

Four"-wheel`er (?), n. A vehicle having four wheels. [Colloq.]

||Fous"sa (?), n. [Natibe name.] (Zoˆl.) A viverrine animal of ||Madagascar (Cryptoprocta ferox). It resembles a cat in size and form, ||and has retractile claws.

Fou"ter (?), n. [F. foutre to lecher, L. futuere. Cf. Fouty.] A despicable fellow. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.

Fou"tra (?), n. [See Fouter.] A fig; -- a word of contempt. [Obs.]

A foutra for the world and wordlings base!

Shak.

Fou"ty (?), a. [Cf. F. foutu, p. p. of foutre; OF. foutu scoundrel. See Fouter.] Despicable. [Obs.]

||Fo"ve*a (?), n.; pl. FoveÊ (#). [L., a small pit.] A slight ||depression or pit; a fossa.

Fo"ve*ate (?), a. [L. fovea a pit.] Having pits or depressions; pitted.

||Fo*ve"o*la (?), n.; pl. FoveolÊ (#). [NL., dim. of L. fovea.] A small ||depression or pit; a fovea.

Fo"ve*o*late (? or ?), a. Having small pits or depressions, as the receptacle in some composite flowers.

Fo"ve*o*la`ted (?), a. Foveolate.

Fo*vil"la (?), n.; pl. FovillÊ (#). [Dim. fr. L. fovere to cherish.] (Bot.) One of the fine granules contained in the protoplasm of a pollen grain.

Fowl (?), n. Instead of the pl. Fowls the singular is often used collectively. [OE. foul, fowel, foghel, fuhel, fugel, AS. fugol; akin to OS. fugal D. & G. vogel, OHG. fogal, Icel. & Dan. fugl, Sw. fogel, fÂgel, Goth. fugls; of unknown origin, possibly by loss of l, from the root of E. fly, or akin to E. fox, as being a tailed animal.] 1. Any bird; esp., any large edible bird.

Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air.

Gen. i. 26.

Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not.

Matt. vi. 26.

Like a flight of fowl Scattered by winds and high tempestuous
gusts.

Shak.

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

Barndoor fowl, or Barnyard fowl, a fowl that frequents the barnyard; the common domestic cock or hen.

Fowl, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fowled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fowling.] To catch or kill wild fowl, for game or food, as by shooting, or by decoys, nets, etc.

Such persons as may lawfully hunt, fish, or fowl.

Blackstone.

Fowling piece, a light gun with smooth bore, adapted for the use of small shot in killing birds or small quadrupeds.

Fowl"er (?), n. A sportsman who pursues wild fowl, or takes or kills for food.

Fow"ler*ite (?), n. [From Dr. Samuel Fowler.] (Min.) A variety of rhodonite, from Franklin Furnace, New Jersey, containing some zinc.

Fow"ler's so*lu"tion (?). An aqueous solution of arsenite of potassium, of such strength that one hundred parts represent one part of arsenious acid, or white arsenic; -- named from Fowler, an English physician who first brought it into use.

Fox (?), n.; pl. Foxes (#). [AS. fox; akin to D. vos, G. fuchs, OHG. fuhs, foha, Goth. fa˙h&?;, Icel. f&?;a fox, fox fraud; of unknown origin, cf. Skr. puccha tail. Cf. Vixen.] 1. (Zoˆl.) A carnivorous animal of the genus Vulpes, family CanidÊ, of many species. The European fox (V. vulgaris or V. vulpes), the American red fox (V. fulvus), the American gray fox (V. Virginianus), and the arctic, white, or blue, fox (V. lagopus) are well-known species.

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

Subtle as the fox for prey.

Shak.

2. (Zoˆl.) The European dragonet.

3. (Zoˆl.) The fox shark or thrasher shark; -- called also sea fox. See Thrasher shark, under Shark.

4. A sly, cunning fellow. [Colloq.]

We call a crafty and cruel man a fox.

Beattie.

5. (Naut.) Rope yarn twisted together, and rubbed with tar; -- used for seizings or mats.

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

Thou diest on point of fox.

Shak.

7. pl. (Ethnol.) A tribe of Indians which, with the Sacs, formerly occupied the region about Green Bay, Wisconsin; -- called also Outagamies.

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

Fox (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Foxed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Foxing.] [See Fox, n., cf. Icel. fox imposture.] 1. To intoxicate; to stupefy with drink.

I drank . . . so much wine that I was almost foxed.

Pepys.

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

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

Fox, v. i. To turn sour; -- said of beer, etc., when it sours in fermenting.

Fox"earth` (?), n. A hole in the earth to which a fox resorts to hide himself.

Foxed (?), a. 1. Discolored or stained; -- said of timber, and also of the paper of books or engravings.

2. Repaired by foxing; as, foxed boots.

Fox"e*ry (?), n. Behavior like that of a fox; cunning. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Fox"es (?), n. pl. (Ethnol.) See Fox, n., 7.

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

Fox"glove` (?), n. [AS. foxes- glfa, foxes-clfa,foxes-clife.] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Digitalis. The common English foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a handsome perennial or biennial plant, whose leaves are used as a powerful medicine, both as a sedative and diuretic. See Digitalis.

Pan through the pastures oftentimes hath run To pluck the speckled
foxgloves from their stem.

W. Browne.

Fox"hound` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) One of a special breed of hounds used for chasing foxes.

Fox"-hunt`ing (?), a. Pertaining to or engaged in the hunting of foxes; fond of hunting foxes.

Fox"i*ness (?), n. 1. The state or quality of being foxy, or foxlike; craftiness; shrewdness.

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

3. A coarse and sour taste in grapes.

Fox"ish, a. Foxlike. [Obs.]

Fox"like` (?), a. Resembling a fox in his characteristic qualities; cunning; artful; foxy.

Fox"ly, a. Foxlike. [Obs.] "Foxly craft." Latimer.

Fox"ship, n. Foxiness; craftiness. [R.] Shak.

Fox"tail` (?), n. 1. The tail or brush of a fox.

2. (Bot.) The name of several kinds of grass having a soft dense head of flowers, mostly the species of Alopecurus and Setaria.

3. (Metal.) The last cinders obtained in the fining process. Raymond.

Foxtail saw, a dovetail saw. -- Foxtail wedging. See Fox wedge, under Fox.

Fox"y (?), a. 1. Like or pertaining to the fox; foxlike in disposition or looks; wily.

Modred's narrow, foxy face.

Tennyson.

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

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