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A straw, wire, stick, etc., used chiefly to point out letters to children when learning to read. "Pedantic fescue.' Sterne. To come under the fescue of an imprimatur. Milton.

A variety of gelatin; the chief ingredient of raw silk, extracted as a white amorphous mass.

A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music. Fife major (Mil.), a noncommissioned officer who superintends the fifers of a regiment. -- Fife rail. (Naut.) (a) A rail about the mast, at the deck, to hold belaying pins, etc. (b) A railing around the break of a…

rises in which he has no responsible interest or duties; a nominal, but not real, head or chief.

Ornamental work, formerly with grains or breads, but now composed of fine wire and used chiefly in decorating gold and silver to which the wire is soldered, being arranged in designs frequently of a delicate and intricate arabesque pattern.

cumbent; to occupy; to hold; as, a king fills a throne; the president fills the office of chief magistrate; the speaker of the House fills the chair.

An ordinary equaling in breadth one fourth of the chief, to the lowest portion of which it corresponds in position.

so called by the American Indians. -- Fire worship, the worship of fire, which prevails chiefly in Persia, among the followers of Zoroaster, called Chebers, or Guebers, and among the Parsees of India. -- Greek fire. See under Greek. -- On fire, burning; hence, ardent; passionate; eager; zealous. -- Running fire, t…

One who inflames factions, or causes contention and mischief; an incendiary. Bacon.

Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece. At first blush. See under Blush. -- At first hand, from the first or original source; without the intervention of any agent. It is the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand, by way of mouth, to yoursel…

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

ing suddenly; as, they flirt water in each other's faces; he flirted a glove, or a handkerchief.

drag sail. -- Floating battery (Mil.), a battery erected on rafts or the hulls of ships, chiefly for the defense of a coast or the bombardment of a place. -- Floating bridge. (a) A bridge consisting of rafts or timber, with a floor of plank, supported wholly by the water; a bateau bridge. See Bateau. (b) (Mil.) A kin…

Ornamental type used chiefly for borders around pages, cards, etc. W. Savage.

Times or repetitions; -- used with numerals, chiefly in composition, to denote multiplication or increase in a geometrical ratio, the doubling, tripling, etc., of anything; as, fourfold, four times, increased in a quadruple ratio, multiplied by four.

, a compensation, or the like, is offered or made; instead of, or place of. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. Ex. xxi. 23, 24.

The chief or most important part. Shak.

The first or chief man; as:

First in time or place; most advanced; chief in rank or dignity; as, the foremost troops of an army. THat struck the foremost man of all this world. Shak.

A woman who is chief; a woman who has charge of the work or workers in a shop or other place; a head woman. Tatler. W. Besant.