Chapter CLXXXI: Foreword: Fore"word`, n (2)

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

Defn: The space of fourteen days; two weeks.

FORTNIGHTLY Fort"night`ly, a.

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

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

FORTREAD For*tread", v. t.

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

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

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

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

FORTRESS For"tress, v. t.

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

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

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

2. (LAw)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FORTUNATELY For"tu*nate*ly, adv.

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

FORTUNATENESS For"tu*nate*ness, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. To provide with a fortune. Richardson.

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

FORTUNE For"tune, v. i.

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

FORTUNELESS For"tune*less, a.

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

FORTUNIZE For"tun*ize, v. t.

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

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

Defn: Four times ten; thirtynine and one more.

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

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

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

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

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

FORTY-SPOT For"ty-spot`, n. (Zoöl.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

FORWANDER For*wan"der, v. i.

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

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

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

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

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

FORWARD For"ward, a.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FORWARDER For"ward*er, n.

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

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

3. (Bookbinding)

Defn: One employed in forwarding.

FORWARDING For"ward*ing, n.

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

2. (Bookbinding)

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

FORWARDLY For"ward*ly, adv.

Defn: Eagerly; hastily; obtrusively.

FORWARDNESS For"ward*ness, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

FORWARDS For"wards, adv.

Defn: Same as Forward.

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

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

FORWEARY For*wea"ry, v. t.

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

FORWEEP For*weep", v. i.

Defn: To weep much. [Obs.]

FORWETE For*wete", v. t.

Defn: See Forewite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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

Defn: Wherefore; because. [Obs.]

FORWORN For*worn", a.

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

FORWOT For*wot",

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

FORWRAP For*wrap", v. t.

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

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

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

FORYETE For*yete", v. t.

Defn: To forget. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FORYETTEN For*yet"ten, obs.

Defn: p. p. of Foryete. Chaucer.

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

Defn: See Sforzato.

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

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

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

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

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

1. (Fort.)

Defn: A ditch or moat.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: See Fossa. Fosse road. See Fosseway.

FOSSET Fos"set, n.

Defn: A faucet. [Obs.] Shak.

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

1. A little hollow; hence, a dimple.

2. (Med.)

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

FOSSEWAY Fosse"way`, n.

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

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

1. (Mining)

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

2. To search about; to rummage.

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

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

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

2. (Paleon.)

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

FOSSIL Fos"sil, n.

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

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

2. (Paleon.)

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

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

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

Defn: Containing or composed of fossils.

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

Defn: The process of becoming fossil.

FOSSILISM Fos"sil*ism, n.

1. The science or state of fossils. Coleridge.

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

FOSSILIST Fos"sil*ist, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOSSILIZE Fos"sil*ize, v. i.

1. To become fossil.

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

FOSSILIZED Fos"sil*ized, a.

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

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

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

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

Defn: See Fossores.

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

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

FOSSORIOUS Fos*so"ri*ous, a. (Zoöl.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOSTER Fos"ter, v. i.

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

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

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

FOSTER Fos"ter, n.

Defn: A forester. [Obs.] Spenser.

FOSTER Fos"ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, fosters.

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

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

FOSTERER Fos"ter*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, fosters.

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

Defn: A foster child.

FOSTERMENT Fos"ter*ment, n.

Defn: Food; nourishment. [Obs.]

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

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

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

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

2. See Fodder, a unit of weight.

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

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

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

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

FOTMAL Fot"mal, n. (Com.)

Defn: Seventy pounds of lead.

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

Defn: An eddy current.

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

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

FOUGHT Fought,

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

FOUGHTEN Fought"en,

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

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

Defn: A bird. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. (Mil.)

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

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

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

FOUL Foul, v. i.

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

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

FOUL Foul, n.

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

2. (Baseball)

Defn: See Foul ball, under Foul, a.

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

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

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

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

FOULE Foul"e, adv.

Defn: Foully. [Obs.] Chaucer.

FOULLY Foul"ly, v.

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

FOUL-MOUTHED Foul"-mouthed`, a.

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

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

Defn: The quality or condition of being foul.

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

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

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

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

FOUND Found,

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

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

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

FOUND Found, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. (Arch.)

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

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

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

FOUNDATIONER Foun*da"tion*er, n.

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

FOUNDATIONLESS Foun*da"tion*less, a.

Defn: Having no foundation.

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

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

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

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

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

1. (Naut.)

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

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

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

FOUNDER Found"er, v. t.

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

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

FOUNDEROUS Foun"der*ous, a.

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

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

Defn: The first shaft sunk. Raymond.

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

Defn: Same as Foundry.

FOUNDING Found"ing, n.

Defn: The art of smelting and casting metals.

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

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

FOUNDRESS Found"ress, n.

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: A font.

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

Defn: A fountain.

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

1. A spring of water issuing from the earth.

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

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

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

FOUNTAINLESS Foun"tain*less, a.

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

FOUNTFUL Fount"ful, a.

Defn: Full of fountains. Pope.

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

Defn: One more than three; twice two.

FOUR Four, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. A table fork.

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

3. (Surg.)

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

4. (Glove Making)

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

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

Defn: Having four corners or angles.

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

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

FOURDRINIER Four`dri`nier", n.

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

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

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

FOURFOLD Four"fold`, n.

Defn: Four times as many or as much.

FOURFOLD Four"fold`, v. t.

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

FOURFOOTED Four"foot`ed, a.

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

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

FOURHANDED Four"hand`ed, a.

1. Having four hands; quadrumanous. Goldsmith.

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

FOURIERISM Fou"ri*er*ism, n.

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

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

Defn: One who adopts the views of Fourier.

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

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

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

FOURLING Four"ling, n.

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

2. (Crystallog.)

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

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

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

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

1. (Bot.)

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

2. (Zoöl.)

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

FOURPENCE Four"pence, n.

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: A harbinger. [Obs.]

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

Defn: Four times twenty; eighty.

FOURSCORE Four"score`, n.

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

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

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

FOURSOME Four"some, n. (Golf)

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

FOURSQUARE Four"square`, a.

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

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

Defn: Four and ten more; twice seven.

FOURTEEN Four"teen`, n.

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

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

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

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

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

FOURTEENTH Four"teenth`, n.

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

2. (Mus.)

Defn: The octave of the seventh.

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

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

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

FOURTH Fourth, n.

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

2. (Mus.)

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

FOURTHLY Fourth"ly, adv.

Defn: In the fourth place.

FOUR-WAY Four"-way`, a.

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

FOUR-WHEELED Four"-wheeled`, a.

Defn: Having four wheels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Despicable. [Obs.]

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

Defn: A slight depression or pit; a fossa.

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

Defn: Having pits or depressions; pitted.

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

Defn: A small depression or pit; a fovea.

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

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

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

Defn: Foveolate.

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

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

FOWL Fowl, n.

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

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

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

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

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

FOWLER Fowl"er, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. (Zoöl.)

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

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

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European dragonet.

3. (Zoöl.)

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

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

5. (Naut.)

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

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

7. pl. (Enthnol.)

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

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

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

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

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

FOX Fox, v. i.

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

FOXEARTH Fox"earth`, n.

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

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

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

FOXED Foxed, a.

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

2. Repaired by foxing; as, foxed boots.

FOXERY Fox"e*ry, n.

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

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

Defn: See Fox, n., 7.

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

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

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

FOXHOUND Fox"hound`, n. (Zoöl.)

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

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

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

FOXINESS Fox"i*ness, n.

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

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

3. A coarse and sour taste in grapes.

FOXISH Fox"ish, a.

Defn: Foxlike. [Obs.]

FOXLIKE Fox"like`, a.

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

FOXLY Fox"ly, a.

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

FOXSHIP Fox"ship, n.

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

FOXTAIL Fox"tail`, n.

1. The tail or brush of a fox.

2. (Bot.)

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

3. (Metal.)

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

FOXY Fox"y, a.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. A lobby in a theater; a greenroom.

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

FOYSON Foy"son, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Foison.

FOZINESS Fo"zi*ness, n.

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

FOZY Fo"zy, a.

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

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

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

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

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

FRAB Frab, v. i. & t.

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

FRABBIT Frab"bit, a.

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

FRACHO Fracho, n.

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

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

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

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

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

FRACTED Frac"ted, a. (Her.)

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

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

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

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

3. (Arith. or Alg.)

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

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

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

FRACTIONAL Frac"tion*al, a.

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

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

FRACTIONALLY Frac"tion*al*ly, adv.

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

FRACTIONARY Frac"tion*a*ry, a.

Defn: Fractional. [Obs.]

FRACTIONATE Frac"tion*ate, v. t.

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

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

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

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

FRACTURAL Frac"tur*al, a.

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

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

1. The act of breaking or snapping asunder; rupture; breach.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: The breaking of a bone.

3. (Min.)

Defn: The texture of a freshly broken surface; as, a compact fracture; an even, hackly, or conchoidal fracture. Comminuted fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which the bone is broken into several parts. -- Complicated fracture (Surg.), a fracture of the bone combined with the lesion of some artery, nervous trunk, or joint. -- Compound fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which there is an open wound from the surface down to the fracture. -- Simple fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which the bone only is ruptured. It does not communicate with the surface by an open wound.

Syn. -- Fracture, Rupture. These words denote different kinds of breaking, according to the objects to which they are applied. Fracture is applied to hard substances; as, the fracture of a bone. Rupture is oftener applied to soft substances; as, the rupture of a blood vessel. It is also used figuratively. "To be an enemy and once to have been a friend, does it not embitter the rupture" South.

FRACTURE Frac"ture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fractured (#; 135); p. pr. & vb. n.. Fracturing.] Etym: [Cf. F. fracturer.]