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A hobby ; freak; whim. -- Fad"dist, n. It is your favorite fad to draw plans. G. Eliot.

ctive term for all the competitors in any outdoor contest or trial, or for all except the favorites in the betting.

people, as thieves and whores; hence, a brothel. "A gang of footpads, reveling with their favorite beauties at a flash house." Macaulay.

As soon as he had obtained a footing at court, the charms of his manner . . . made him a favorite. Macaulay.

A plant of the genus Galium (G. Aparine), a favorite food of geese; -- called also catchweed and cleavers. (b) A species of knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare). (c) The annual spear grass (Poa annua). -- Goose neck, anything, as a rod of iron or a pipe, curved like the neck of a goose; specially (Naut.), an iron hook conn…

iflora), one of the largest trees of the Southern States, bearing a small blue fruit, the favorite food of the opossum. Most of the large trees become hollow.

A subject or plan upon which one is constantly setting off; a favorite and ever-recurring theme of discourse, thought, or effort; that which occupies one's attention unduly, or to the weariness of others; a ruling passion. [Usually under the form hobby.] Not one of them has any hobbyhorse, to use the phrase of Sterne.…

d by in. A master that . . . took much delight in indoctrinating his young, unexperienced favorite. Clarendon.

; familiarity. [Obs.] He lived rather in a fair intelligence than any friendship with the favorites. Clarendon.

oplin. See Poplin. -- Irish potato, the ordinary white potato, so called because it is a favorite article of food in Ireland. -- Irish reef, or Irishman's reef (Naut.), the head of a sail tied up. -- Irish stew, meat, potatoes, and onions, cut in small pieces and stewed.

A favorite sweet American grape of a purple color. See Fox grape, under Fox.

. Islands of the blessed (Myth.), islands supposed to lie in the Western Ocean, where the favorites of the gods are conveyed at death, and dwell in everlasting joy.

by amputation; to lose men in battle. Fair Venus wept the sad disaster Of having lost her favorite dove. Prior.

coriaceous evergreen leaves, and bearing clusters of red berries, which are said to be a favorite food of the grizzly bear.

A little darling; a favorite; a minion. [Obs.] Florio.

An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite. Sir J. Davies. Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak.

A favorite gambling game among Spaniards, played with dice or cards.

In the greatest or highest degree. Those nearest to this king, and most his favorites, were courtiers and prelates. Milton.

A favorite Spanish dish, consisting of a mixture of several kinds of meat chopped fine, and stewed with vegetables.

A horse which is not a favorite in the betting. [Cant]