Search the Dictionary

e passages in the plug, by which the adjacent pipes or ports may be made to communicate; formerly used as a valve in the steam engine, and now for various other purposes. In the illustration, a leads to the upper end of a steam engine cylinder, and b to the lower end; c is the steam pipe, and d the exhaust pipe.…

A name formerly given in New England to the Spanish half real, a silver coin worth six and a quarter cents.

A tribe of Indians which, with the Sacs, formerly occupied the region about Green Bay, Wisconsin; -- called also Outagamies. Fox and geese. (a) A boy's game, in which one boy tries to catch others as they run one goal to another. (b) A game with sixteen checkers, or some substitute for them, one of which is called the…

Francolinus and allied genera, of Asia and Africa. The common species (F. vulgaris) was formerly common in southern Europe, but is now nearly restricted to Asia.

Free city, or Free town, a city or town independent in its government and franchises, as formerly those of the Hanseatic league. -- Free cost, freedom from charges or expenses. South. -- Free and easy, unconventional; unrestrained; regardless of formalities. [Colloq.] "Sal and her free and easy ways." W. Black. -- F…

eedom of the city, the possession of the rights and privileges of a freeman of the city; formerly often, and now occasionally, conferred on one not a resident, as a mark of honorary distinction for public services.

A seat in churches near the altar, to which offenders formerly fled for sanctuary. [Written variously fridstool, freedstool, etc.] [Obs.]

The language of the Frisians, a Teutonic people formerly occupying a large part of the coast of Holland and Northwestern Germany. The modern dialects of Friesic are spoken chiefly in the province of Friesland, and on some of the islands near the coast of Germany and Denmark.

avies of the world till about 1870, when the introduction of ironclads superseded them. [Formerly spelled frigat and friggot.]

A genus of birds, with a short, conical, pointed bill. It formerly included all the sparrows and finches, but is now restricted to certain European finches, like the chaffinch and brambling.

An ornamental figure or illustration fronting the first page, or titlepage, of a book; formerly, the titlepage itself.

cloth, to imbibe grease. -- Fuller's herb (Bot.), the soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), formerly used to remove stains from cloth. -- Fuller's thistle or weed (Bot.), the teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) whose burs are used by fullers in dressing cloth. See Teasel.

nd small flowers in dense racemes or spikes. F. officinalis is a common species, and was formerly used as an antiscorbutic. Climbing fumitory (Bot.), the Alleghany vine (Adlumia cirrhosa); a biennial climbing plant with elegant feathery leaves and large clusters of pretty white or pinkish flowers looking like grains of…

hat if any alteration be made in the latter there will be a consequent alteration in the former. Each quantity is said to be a function of the other. Thus, the circumference of a circle is a function of the diameter. If x be a symbol to which different numerical values can be assigned, such expressions as x2, 3x, Log.…

g, or otherwise; esp., the ceremony or solemnization of interment; obsequies; burial; -- formerly used in the plural. King James his funerals were performed very solemnly in the collegiate church at Westminster. Euller.

A salt of fungic acid. [Formerly written also fungiate.]

A name formerly given to cellulose found in certain fungi and mushrooms.

A light kind of flintlock musket, formerly in use.

Formerly, a soldier armed with a fusil. Hence, in the plural:

A rebated cross, formerly used as a secret emblem, and a common ornament. It is also called gammadion, and swastika.