Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Page 555

Fetis

Fe"tis (?), a. [OF. fetis, faitis. Cf. Factitious.] Neat; pretty; well made; graceful. [Obs.]

Full fetis was her cloak, as I was ware. Chaucer.

Fetisely

Fe"tise*ly (?), adv. Neatly; gracefully; properly. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Fetish, n., Fetishism ∨ ; 277, n., Fetishistic

Fe"tish (?), n., Fe"tish*ism ( ∨ ; 277), n., Fe`tish*is"tic (), a. See Fetich, n., Fetichism, n., Fetichistic, a.

Fetlock

Fet"lock (?), n. [OE. fetlak, fitlock, cf. Icel. fet pace, step, fit webbed foot of water birds, akin to E. foot. &root; 77. See Foot.] The cushionlike projection, bearing a tuft of long hair, on the back side of the leg above the hoof of the horse and similar animals. Also, the joint of the limb at this point (between the great pastern bone and the metacarpus), or the tuft of hair.

Their wounded steeds Fret fetlock deep in gore. Shak.

Fetor

Fe"tor (?), n. [L. fetor, foetor. See Fetid.] A strong, offensive smell; stench; fetidness. Arbuthnot.

Fette

Fet"te (? ∨ ?), v.t. [imp. Fette, p.p. Fet.] [See Fet, v. t.] To fetch. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Fetter

Fet"ter (?), n. [AS. fetor, feter; akin to OS. feters, pl., OD. veter, OHG. fezzera, Icel. fjöturr, L. pedia, Gr. , and to E. foot. &root; 77. See Foot.] [Chiefly used in the plural, fetters.]

1. A chain or shackle for the feet; a chain by which an animal is confined by the foot, either made fast or disabled from free and rapid motion; a bond; a shackle.

[They] bound him with fetters of brass. Judg. xvi. 21.

2. Anything that confines or restrains; a restraint.

Passion's too fierce to be in fetters bound. Dryden.

Fetter

Fet"ter, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Fettered (); p.pr. & vb.n. Fettering.] 1. To put fetters upon; to shakle or confine the feet of with a chain; to bind.

My heels are fettered, but my fist is free. Milton.

2. To reastrain from motion; to impose restrains on; to confine; to enchain; as, fettered by obligations.

My conscience! thou art fettered More than my shanks and wrists. Shak.

Fettered

Fet"tered (?), a. (Zoöl.) Seeming as if fettered, as the feet pf certain animals which bend backward, and appear unfit for walking.

Fetterer

Fet"ter*er (?), n. One who fetters. Landor.

Fetterless

Fet"ter*less, a. Free from fetters. Marston.

Fettle

Fet"tle (?), v. t. [OE. & Prov. E., to fettle (in sense 1), fettle, n., order, repair, preparation, dress; prob. akin to E. fit. See Fit, a.] 1. To repair; to prepare; to put in order. [Prov. Eng.] Carlyle.

2. (Metal.) To cover or line with a mixture of ore, cinders, etc., as the hearth of a puddling furnace.

Fettle

Fet"tle, v. i. To make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business. [Prov. Eng.] Bp. Hall.

Fettle

Fet"tle, n. The act of fettling. [Prov. Eng.] Wright. In fine fettle, in good spirits.

Fettling

Fet"tling (?), n.

1. (Metal.) A mixture of ore, cinders, etc., used to line the hearth of a puddling furnace. [Eng.] [It is commonly called fix in the United States.]

2. (Pottery) The operation of shaving or smoothing the surface of undried clay ware.

Fetuous

Fet"u*ous (?), a. Neat; feat. [Obs.] Herrick.

Fetus

Fe"tus (?), n.; pl. Fetuses (#). [L. fetus, foetus, a bringing forth, brood, offspring, young ones, cf. fetus fruitful, fructified, that is or was filled with young; akin to E. fawn a deer, fecundity, felicity, feminine, female, and prob. to do, or according to others, to be.] The young or embryo of an animal in the womb, or in the egg; often restricted to the later stages in the development of viviparous and oviparous animals, embryo being applied to the earlier stages. [Written also fœtus.]

Fetwah

Fet"wah (?), n. [Ar.] A written decision of a Turkish mufti on some point of law.<-- written also fatwah --> Whitworth.

Feu

Feu (?), n. [See 2d Feud, and Fee.] (Scots Law) A free and gratuitous right to lands made to one for service to be performed by him; a tenure where the vassal, in place of military services, makes a return in grain or in money. Burrill.

Feuar

Feu"ar (?), n. [From Feu.] (Scots Law) One who holds a feu. Sir W. Scott.

Feud

Feud (?), n. [OE. feide, AS. fh, fr. fāh hostile; akin to OHG. fhida, G. fehde, Sw. fejd, D. feide; prob. akin to E. fiend. See Foe.]

1. A combination of kindred to avenge injuries or affronts, done or offered to any of their blood, on the offender and all his race.

2. A contention or quarrel; especially, an inveterate strife between families, clans, or parties; deadly hatred; contention satisfied only by bloodshed.

Mutual feuds and battles betwixt their several tribes and kindreds. Purchas.

Syn. -- Affray; fray; broil; contest; dispute; strife.

Feud

Feud, n. [LL. feudum, feodum prob. of same origin as E. fief. See Fief, Fee.] (Law) A stipendiary estate in land, held of superior, by service; the right which a vassal or tenant had to the lands or other immovable thing of his lord, to use the same and take the profists thereof hereditarily, rendering to his superior such duties and services as belong to military tenure, etc., the property of the soil always remaining in the lord or superior; a fief; a fee.

Feudal

Feu"dal (?), a. [F. féodal, or LL. feudalis.]

1. Of or pertaining to feuds, fiefs, or feels; as, feudal rights or services; feudal tenures.

2. Consisting of, or founded upon, feuds or fiefs; embracing tenures by military services; as, the feudal system.

Feudalism

Feu"dal*ism (?), n. [Cf. F. féodalisme.] The feudal system; a system by which the holding of estates in land is made dependent upon an obligation to render military service to the kind or feudal superior; feudal principles and usages.

Feudalist

Feu"dal*ist, n. An upholder of feudalism.

Feudality

Feu*dal"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. féodalité.] The state or quality of being feudal; feudal form or constitution. Burke.

Fedaliza/tion

Fe`dal*i*za/tion (?), n. The act of reducing to feudal tenure.

Feudalize

Feu"dal*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feudalized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Feudalizing (?).] To reduce toa feudal tenure; to conform to feudalism.

Feudally

Feu"dal*ly, adv. In a feudal manner.

Feudary

Feu"da*ry (?), a. [LL. feudarius, fr. feudum. See 2d Feud.] Held by, or pertaining to, feudal tenure.

Feudary

Feu"da*ry, n.

1. A tenant who holds his lands by feudal service; a feudatory. Foxe.

2. A feodary. See Feodary.

Feudataty

Feu"da*ta*ty (?), a. & n. [LL. feudatarius: cf. F. feudataire.] See Feudatory.

Feudatory

Feu"da*to*ry (?), n.; pl. Feudatories (). A tenant or vassal who held his lands of a superior on condition of feudal service; the tenant of a feud or fief.

The grantee . . . was styled the feudatory or vassal. Blackstone.

[He] had for feudatories great princes. J. H. Newman.

Feudtory

Feu"dto*ry, a. Held from another on some conditional tenure; as, a feudatory title. Bacon. <-- no pos in original = n. -->

Feu de joie

Feu` de joie" (?). [F., lit., fire of joy.] A fire kindled in a public place in token of joy; a bonfire; a firing of guns in token of joy.

Feudist

Feud"ist (?), n. [Cf. F. feudiste.] A writer on feuds; a person versed in feudal law. Spelman.

Feuillants

Feu`illants" (?), n. pl. A reformed branch of the Bernardines, founded in 1577 at Feuillans, near Toulouse, in France.

Feuillemort

Feuille"mort` (?), a. [F. feuille morte a dead leaf.] Having the color of a faded leaf. Locke.

Feuilleton

Feu`ille*ton" (? ∨ ?), n. [F., from feulle leaf.] A part of a French newspaper (usually the bottom of the page), devoted to light literature, criticism, etc.; also, the article or tale itself, thus printed.

Feuilltonist

Feuill"ton*ist (?), n. [F. feuilletoniste.] A writer of feuilletons. F. Harrison.

feuter

feu"ter (), v. t. [OE. feutre rest for a lance, OF. feutre, fautre, feltre, felt, cushion, rest for a lance, fr. LL. filtrum, feltrum; of German origin, and akin to E. felt. See Felt, and cf. Filter.] To set close; to fix in rest, as a spear. Spenser.

Feuterer

Feu"ter*er (?), n. [Either fr. G. f\'81tterer feeder, or corrupted fr. OF. vautrier, vaultrier; fr. vaultre, viautre, a kind of hound, fr. L. vertragus, vertraga, a greyhound. The last is of Celtic origin.] A dog keeper. [Obs.] Massinger.

Fever

Fe"ver (?), n. [OE. fever, fefer, AS. fefer, fefor, L. febris: cf. F. fi\'8avre. Cf. Febrile.]

1. (Med.) A diseased state of the system, marked by increased heat, acceleration of the pulse, and a general derangement of the functions, including usually, thirst and loss of appetite. Many diseases, of which fever is the most prominent symptom, are denominated fevers; as, typhoid fever; yellow fever. &hand; Remitting fevers subside or abate at intervals; intermitting fevers intermit or entirely cease at intervals; continued or continual fevers neither remit nor intermit.

2. Excessive excitement of the passions in consequence of strong emotion; a condition of great excitement; as, this quarrel has set my blood in a fever.

An envious fever Of pale and bloodless emulation. Shak.

After life's fitful fever he sleeps well. Shak.

Brain fever, Continued fever, etc. See under Brain, Continued, etc. -- Fever and ague, a form of fever recurring in paroxysms which are preceded by chills. It is of malarial origin. -- Fever blister (Med.), a blister or vesicle often found about the mouth in febrile states; a variety of herpes. -- Fever bush (Bot.), the wild allspice or spice bush. See Spicewood. -- Fever powder. Same as Jame's powder. -- Fever root (Bot.), an American herb of the genus Triosteum (T. perfoliatum); -- called also feverwort amd horse gentian. -- Fever sore, a carious ulcer or necrosis. Miner.

Fever

Fe"ver, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fevered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fevering.] To put into a fever; to affect with fever; as, a fevered lip. [R.]

The white hand of a lady fever thee. Shak.

Feveret

Fe"ver*et (?), n. A slight fever. [Obs.] Ayliffe.

Feverfew

Fe"ver*few (?), n. [AS. feferfuge, fr. L. febrifugia. See fever, Fugitive, and cf. Febrifuge.] (Bot.) A perennial plant (Pyrethrum, ∨ Chrysanthemum, Parthenium) allied to camomile, having finely divided leaves and white blossoms; -- so named from its supposed febrifugal qualities.

Feverish

Fe"ver*ish, a.

1. Having a fever; suffering from, or affected with, a moderate degree of fever; showing increased heat and thirst; as, the patient is feverish.

2. Indicating, or pertaining to, fever; characteristic of a fever; as, feverish symptoms.

3. Hot; sultry. The feverish north." Dryden.

4. Disordered as by fever; excited; restless; as, the feverish condition of the commercial world.

Strive to keep up a frail and feverish bing. Milton.

-- Fe"ver*ish*ly, adv. -- Fe"ver*ish*ness, n.

Feverous

Fe"ver*ous (?), a. [Cf.F. fiévreux.]

1. Affected with fever or ague; feverish.

His heart, love's feverous citadel. Keats.

2. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, fever; as, a feverous pulse.

All maladies . . . all feverous kinds. Milton.

3. Having the tendency to produce fever; as, a feverous disposition of the year. [R.] Bacon.

Feverously

Fe"ver*ous*ly, adv. Feverishly. [Obs.] Donne.

Feverwort

Fe"ver*wort` (?), n. See Fever root, under Fever.

Fevery

Fe"ver*y (?), a. Feverish. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Few

Few (?), a. [Compar. Fewer (?); superl. Fewest.] [OE. fewe, feawe, AS. feá, pl. feáwe; akin to OS. fāh, OHG. f fao, Icel. fār, Sw. få, pl., Dan. faa, pl., Goth. faus, L. paucus, cf. Gr. . Cf. Paucity.] Not many; small, limited, or confined in number; -- indicating a small portion of units or individuals constituing a whole; often, by ellipsis of a noun, a few people. Are not my days few?" Job x. 20.

Few know and fewer care. Proverb.

&hand; Few is often used partitively; as, few of them. A few, a small number. -- In few, in a few words; briefly. Shak. - No few, not few; more than a few; many. Cowper. - The few, the minority; -- opposed to the many or the majority.
Fewel
Fe"wel (?), n. [See Fuel.] Fuel. [Obs.] Hooker.
Fewmet
Few"met (?), n. See Fumet. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Fewness
Few"ness, n.
1. The state of being few; smallness of number; paucity. Shak.
2. Brevity; conciseness. [Obs.] Shak.
Fey
Fey (?), a. [AS. fga, Icel. feigr, OHG. feigi.] Fated; doomed. [Old Eng. & Scot.]
Fey
Fey (?), n. [See Fay faith.] Faith. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fey
Fey (?), v. t. [Cf. Feague.] To cleanse; to clean out. [Obs.] Tusser.

Feyne

Feyne (?), v. t. To feign. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Feyre

Feyre (?), n. A fair or market. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Fez

Fez (?), n. [F., fr. the town of Fez in Morocco.] A felt or cloth cap, usually red and having a tassel, -- a variety of the tarboosh. See Tarboosh. B. Taylor.

Fiacre

Fia"cre (?), n. [F.] A kind of French hackney coach.

Fiance

Fi"ance (?), v. t. [F. fiancer. See Affiance.] To betroth; to affiance. [Obs.] Harmar.

Fiancé

Fi`an`cé" (?), n. [F.] A betrothed man.

Fiancée

Fi`an`cée" (?), n. [F.] A betrothed woman.

Fiants

Fi"ants (?), n. [F. fiente dung.] The dung of the fox, wolf, boar, or badger.

Fiar

Fi"ar (? ∨ ?), n. [See Feuar.]

1. (Scots Law) One in whom the property of an estate is vested, subject to the estate of a life renter.

I am fiar of the lands; she a life renter. Sir W. Scott.

2. pl. The price of grain, as legally fixed, in the counties of Scotland, for the current year.

Fiasco

Fi*as"co (?), n.; pl. Fiascoes (#). [It.] A complete or ridiculous failure, esp. of a musical performance, or of any pretentious undertaking.

Fiat

Fi"at (?), n. [L., let it be done, 3d pers. sing., subj. pres., fr. fieri, used as pass. of facere to make. Cf. Be.]

1. An authoritative command or order to do something; an effectual decree.

His fiat laid the corner stone. Willis.

2. (Eng. Law) (a) A warrant of a judge for certain processes. (b) An authority for certain proceedings given by the Lord Chancellor's signature. Fiat money, irredeemable paper currency, not resting on a specie basis, but deriving its purchasing power from the declaratory fiat of the government issuing it.

Fiaunt

Fi*aunt" (?), n. Commission; fiat; order; decree. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fib

Fib (?), n. [Prob. fr. fable; cf. Prov. E. fibble-fabble nonsense.] A falsehood; a lie; -- used euphemistically.

They are very serious; they don't tell fibs. H. James.

Fib

Fib, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fibbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fibbing (?).] To speak falsely. [Colloq.]

Fib

Fib, v. t. To tell a fib to. [R.] De Quincey.

Fibber

Fib"ber (?), n. One who tells fibs.

Fiber, Fibre

Fi"ber, Fi"bre, (), n. [F. fibre, L. fibra.]
1. One of the delicate, threadlike portions of which the tissues of plants and animals are in part constituted; as, the fiber of flax or of muscle.
2. Any fine, slender thread, or threadlike substance; as, a fiber of spun glass; especially, one of the slender rootlets of a plant.
3. Sinew; strength; toughness; as, a man of real fiber.
Yet had no fibers in him, nor no force. Chapman.

4. A general name for the raw material, such as cotton, flax, hemp, etc., used in textile manufactures. Fiber gun, a kind of steam gun for converting, wood, straw, etc., into fiber. The material is shut up in the gun with steam, air, or gas at a very high pressure which is afterward relieved suddenly by letting a lid at the muzzle fly open, when the rapid expansion separates the fibers. -- Fiber plants (Bot.), plants capable of yielding fiber useful in the arts, as hemp, flax, ramie, agave, etc.
Fibered, Fibred
Fi"bered, Fi"bred (?), a. Having fibers; made up of fibers.
Fiber-faced, Fibre-faced
Fi"ber-faced`, Fi"bre-faced` (?), a. Having a visible fiber embodied in the surface of; -- applied esp. to a kind of paper for checks, drafts, etc.
Fiberless, Fibreless
Fi"ber*less, Fi"bre*less, a. Having no fibers; destitute of fibers or fiber.
Fibriform
Fi"bri*form (? ∨ ?), a. [L. fibra a fiber + -form.] (Biol.) Having the form of a fiber or fibers; resembling a fiber.
Fibril
Fi"bril (?), n. [F. fibrille, dim. of fibre, L. fibra.] A small fiber; the branch of a fiber; a very slender thread; a fibrilla. Cheyne.
Fibrilla
Fi*bril"la (?), n.; pl. Fibrillæ (#). [NL. See Fibril.] A minute thread of fiber, as one of the fibrous elements of a muscular fiber; a fibril.
Fibrillar
Fi"bril*lar (?), a. Of or pertaining to fibrils or fibers; as, fibrillar twitchings.
Fibrillary
Fi"bril*la*ry (? ∨ ?), a. Of of pertaining to fibrils.
Fibrillated
Fi"bril*la`ted (? ∨ ?), a. Furnished with fibrils; fringed.
Fibrillation
Fi`bril*la"tion (?), n. The state of being reduced to fibers. Carpenter.
Fibrillose
Fi*bril"lose (? ∨ ?), a. Covered with hairlike appendages, as the under surface of some lichens; also, composed of little strings or fibers; as, fibrillose appendages.