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especially (Biol.), the quality in female organisms of reproducing rapidly and in great numbers.

g of a giant power-driven steel wheel, revolvable on its stationary axle, and carrying a number of balanced passenger cars around its rim; -- so called after G. W. G. Ferris, American engineer, who erected the first of its kind for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

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.

The state of being few; smallness of number; paucity. Shak.

Figurate. See Figurate. Figural numbers. See Figurate numbers, under Figurate.

umerals written above or below to indicate the other notes of the harmony). -- Figurate numbers (Math.), numbers, or series of numbers, formed from any arithmetical progression in which the first term is a unit, and the difference a whole number, by taking the first term, and the sums of the first two, first three, fi…

A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc.

To possess and perform the duties of; to officiate in, as an incumbent; 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.

t; limited in quantity, degree, or capacity; bounded; -- opposed to infinite; as, finite number; finite existence; a finite being; a finite mind; finite duration.

An umbelliferous plant (Foeniculum dulce) having a somewhat tuberous stem; sweet fennel. The blanched stems are used in France and Italy as a culinary vegetable.

ature of fireworks is a paper or pasteboard tube filled with the combustible material. A number of these tubes or cases are often combined so as to make, when kindled, a great variety of figures in fire, often variously colored. The skyrocket is a common form of firework. The name is also given to various combustible p…

The number next greater than four, and less than six; five units or objects. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Matt. xxv. 2.

A flaming torch, esp. one made by combining together a number of thick wicks invested with a quick-burning substance (anciently, perhaps, wax; in modern times, pitch or the like); hence, any torch.

oops, distinguished from one upon its front or rear. -- Flank company (Mil.), a certain number of troops drawn up on the right or left of a battalion; usually grenadiers, light infantry, or riflemen. -- Flank defense (Fort.), protection of a work against undue exposure to an enemy's direct fire, by means of the fire…

An umbelliferous Australian flower (Actinotus helianthi), often erroneously thought to be composite. The involucre looks as if cut out of white flannel.

come or pass like a flash. Names which have flashed and thundered as the watch words of unumbered struggles. Talfourd. The object is made to flash upon the eye of the mind. M. Arnold. A thought floashed through me, which I clothed in act. Tennyson.

A number of vessels in company, especially war vessels; also, the collective naval force of a country, etc. Fleet captain, the senior aid of the admiral of a fleet, when a captain. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

A number of beings or things passing through the air together; especially, a flock of birds flying in company; the birds that fly or migrate together; the birds produced in one season; as, a flight of arrows. Swift. Swift flights of angels ministrant. Milton. Like a flight of fowl Scattered winds and tempestuous gusts.…

as a person may have from time to time, leaving him more or less free to dispose of or encumber them as if no such charge or lien existed.

To glide along smoothly, without harshness or asperties; as, a flowing period; flowing numbers; to sound smoothly to the ear; to be uttered easily. Virgil is sweet and flowingin his hexameters. Dryden.