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Not fixed; not durable; liable to disappear or fall away; volatile; uncertain; evanescent; liable to fade; -- applied to material and immaterial things; as, fugitive colors; a fugitive idea. The me more tender and fugitive parts, the leaves . . . of vegatables. Woodward. Fugitive compositions, Such as are short and occ…

, Foo"lahs` (, n. pl.; sing. Fulah, Foolan (. (Ethnol.) A peculiar African race of uncertain origin, but distinct from the negro tribes, inhabiting an extensive region of Western Soudan. Their color is brown or yellowish bronze. They are Mohammedans. Called also Fellatahs, Foulahs, and Fellani. Fulah is also used adjec…

Heath. [Prov. Eng.] Audrey. As merry as a grig Etym: [etymology uncertain], a saying supposed by some to be a corruption of "As merry as a Greek; " by others, to be an allusion to the cricket.

The fruit of the Arachis hypogæa (native country uncertain); the peanut; the earthnut.

To be undetermined or uncertain; to be in suspense; to linger; to be delayed. A noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell On the proud crest of Satan. Milton. To hang around, to loiter idly about. -- To hang back, to hesitate; to falter; to be reluctant. "If any one among you hangs ba…

The uncertain result of throwing a die; hence, a fortuitous event; chance; accident; casualty. I will stand the hazard of the die. Shak.

Liable to hazard or chance; uncertain; risky. Sir T. Browne.

rity; dimness. O'er the sky The silvery haze of summer drawn. Tennyson. Above the world's uncertain haze. Keble.

To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination; as, he hesitated whether to accept the offer or not; men often hesitate in forming a judgment. Pope.

Changing and uncertain states of mind; caprices; freaks; vagaries; whims. Is my friend all perfection, all virtue and discretion Has he not humors to be endured South.

Whether; -- in dependent questions. Uncertain if by augury or chance. Dryden. She doubts if two and two make four. Prior. As if, But if. See under As, But.

Uncertain; doubtful; unsteady. -- In*cer"tain*ly, adv. Very questionable and of uncertain truth. Sir T. Browne.

Uncertainty. [Obs.] Shak.

Uncertainty; doubtfulness; doubt. The incertitude and instability of this life. Holland. He fails . . . from mere incertitude or irresolution. I. Taylor.

limited, defined, or specified; not explicit; not determined or fixed upon; not precise; uncertain; vague; confused; obscure; as, an indefinite time, plan, etc. It were to be wished that . . . men would leave off that indefinite way of vouching, "the chymists say this," or "the chymists affirm that." Boyle. The time o…

Want of distinction or distinguishableness; confusion; uncertainty; indiscrimination. The indistinction of many of the same name . . . hath made some doubt. Sir T. Browne. An indistinction of all persons, or equality of all orders, is far from being agreeable to the will of God. Sprat.

Inexactness; uncertainty; as, geographical inexactitude.

s disturbed; their views become vast and perplexed, to others inexplicable, to themselves uncertain. Burke.

The state of feeling insecure; uncertainty; want of confidence. With what insecurity of truth we ascribe effects . . . unto arbitrary calculations. Sir T. Browne. A time of insecurity, when interests of all sorts become objects of speculation. Burke.

ot sensible or reasonable; meaningless. [Obs.] If it make the indictment be insensible or uncertain, it shall be quashed. Sir M. Hale.