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Before any other person or thing in time, space, rank, etc.; -- much used in composition with adjectives and participles. Adam was first formed, then Eve. 1 Tim. ii. 13. At first, At the first, at the beginning or origin. -- First or last, at one time or another; at the beginning or end. And all are fools and lovers f…

To be exosed to too much light. [Obs.] Flaring in sunshine all the day. Prior.

plied especially to thieves, gamblers, and prostitutes that dress in a showy way and wear much cheap jewelry. Flash house, a house frequented by flash people, as thieves and whores; hence, a brothel. "A gang of footpads, reveling with their favorite beauties at a flash house." Macaulay.

Human; not celestial; not spiritual or divine. "Fleshly wisdom." 2 Cor. i. 12. Much ostentation vain of fleshly arm And fragile arms. Milton.

A piece of flint for striking fire; -- formerly much used, esp. in the hammers of gun locks.

silk, silk that has been twisted, and which retains its loose and downy character. It is much used in embroidery. Called also floxed silk. -- Floss thread, a kind of soft flaxen yarn or thread, used for embroidery; -- called also linen floss, and floss yarn. McElrath.

A fish of the genus Aulostoma, having a much elongated tubular snout.

To move about briskly, irregularly, or with great bustle and show, without much result. No rag, no scrap, of all the beau, or wit, That once so fluttered, and that once so writ. Pope.

Loving; much pleased; affectionately regardful, indulgent, or desirous; longing or yearning; -- followed by of (formerly also by on). More fond on her than she upon her love. Shak. You are as fond of grief as of your child. Shak. A great traveler, and fond of telling his adventures. Irving.

Having sore or tender feet, as by reason of much walking; as, foot-sore cattle.

The breadth of a foot; -- used as a measure. Longfellow. Not so much as a footbreadth. Deut. ii. 5.

lly; exactly. "Whose posy was, for all the world, like cutlers' poetry." Shak. -- For as much as, or Forasmuch as, in consideration that; seeing that; since. -- For by. See Forby, adv. -- For ever, eternally; at all times. See Forever. -- For me, or For all me, as far as regards me. -- For my life, or For the life…

o make a difficult matter of anything; to labor; to hesitate; hence, to force of, to make much account of; to regard. Your oath once broke, you force not to forswear. Shak. I force not of such fooleries. Camden.

Seemingly vigorous, but really weak or insipid. He [Prof. Ayton] would purge his book of much offensive matter, if he struck out epithets which are in the bad taste of the forcible-feeble school. N. Brit. Review.

One overattentive to forms, or too much confined to them; esp., one who rests in external religious forms, or observes strictly the outward forms of worship, without possessing the life and spirit of religion. As far a formalist from wisdom sits, In judging eyes, as libertines from wits. Young.

Very much afraid. [Obs.] Bailey.

A person who used forsooth much; a very ceremonious and deferential person. [R.] You sip so like a forsooth of the city. B. Jonson.

To weep much. [Obs.]

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

Four times as many or as much.