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A fan; especially, the fan carried before the pope on state occasions, made in ostrich and peacock feathers. Shipley.

A character [] before a note, indicating a tone which is a half step or semitone lower.

ass. See in the Vocabulary. -- Flint implements (Archæol.), tools, etc., employed by men before the use of metals, such as axes, arrows, spears, knives, wedges, etc., which were commonly made of flint, but also of granite, jade, jasper, and other hard stones. -- Flint mill. (a) (Pottery) A mill in which flints are gr…

tion; to dart along; to fleet; as, a bird flits away; a cloud flits along. A shadow flits before me. Tennyson.

floors; oilcloth. -- Floor cramp, an implement for tightening the seams of floor boards before nailing them in position. -- Floor light, a frame with glass panes in a floor. -- Floor plan. (a) (Shipbuilding) A longitudinal section, showing a ship as divided at the water line. (b) (Arch.) A horizontal section, showi…

ch the arrangement of the minute crystals shows the lines of flow of thew molten material before solidification; -- also called fluxion structure.

To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse.

(Photog.) An assisting instrument for focusing an object in or before a camera. Knight.

f a row of lights in the front of the stage in a theater, etc., and on a level therewith. Before the footlights, upon the stage; -- hence, in the capacity of an actor.

A metallic stand with four feet, for keeping anything warm before a fire.

Since; because; introducing a reason of something before advanced, a cause, motive, explanation, justification, or the like, of an action related or a statement made. It is logically nearly equivalent to since, or because, but connects less closely, and is sometimes used as a very general introduction to something sugg…

-- Fore reading, previous perusal. [Obs.] Hales. -- Fore rent, in Scotland, rent payable before a crop is gathered. -- Fore sheets (Naut.), the forward portion of a rowboat; the space beyond the front thwart. See Stern sheets. -- Fore shore. (a) A bank in advance of a sea wall, to break the force of the surf. (b) Th…

To admonish beforehand, or before the act or event. Bp. Hall.

To advise or counsel before the time of action, or before the event. Shak.

To allege or cite before. Fotherby.

To set, order, or appoint, beforehand. Sherwood.

To arm or prepare for attack or resistance before the time of need. South.

To plan beforehand; to scheme; to project. He shall forecast his devices against the strongholds. Dan. xi. 24.

Chosen beforehand.

Cited or quoted before or above. Arbuthnot.