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shape the fin of a fish, though often with a cigar-shaped bulb of lead at the bottom, and generally made of metal. Its use is to ballast the boat and also to enable her to sail close to the wind and to make the least possible leeway by offering great resistance to lateral motion through the water.

Any whale of the genera Sibbaldius, Balænoptera, and allied genera, of the family Balænopteridæ, characterized by a prominent fin on the back. The common finbacks of the New England coast are Sibbaldius tectirostris and S. tuberosus.

A small singing bird of many genera and species, belonging to the family Fringillidæ.

ng face of a lode, to facilitate excavation, by exposing it to the action of fire; -- now generally superseded by the use of explosives. Raymond. -- Fire ship, a vessel filled with combustibles, for setting fire to an enemy's ships. -- Fire shovel, a shovel for taking up coals of fire. -- Fire stink, the stench from…

aid of manure which has lost its goodness and acquired an ashy hue in consequence of heat generated by decomposition.

iental countries, a decree or mandate issued by the sovereign; a royal order or grant; -- generally given for special objects, as to a traveler to insure him protection and assistance. [Written also firmaun.]

e upper part of a duet, trio, etc., either vocal or instrumental; -- so called because it generally expresses the air, and has a preëminence in the combined effect.

The solicitor in Spain and Portugal; the attorney-general.

consciousness; a convulsion; a paroxysm; hence, a period of exacerbation of a disease; in general, an attack of disease; as, a fit of sickness. And when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did shake. Shak.

An aquatic plant, with long, ensiform leaves, belonging to either of the genera Iris and Acorus. Cooper's flag, the cat-tail (Typha latifolia), the long leaves of which are placed between the staves of barrels to make the latter water-tight. -- Corn flag. See under 2d Corn. -- Flag broom, a coarse of broom, originall…

A vessel with a narrow mouth, used for holding and conveying liquors. It is generally larger than a bottle, and of leather or stoneware rather than of glass. A trencher of mutton chops, and a flagon of ale. Macaulay.

One who flatters. The most abject flaterers degenerate into the greatest tyrants. Addison.

Affected with flatus or gases generated in the alimentary canal; windy.

Windy; generating wind. [Obs.] Bacon.

Wind or gas generated in the stomach or other cavities of the body. Quincy.

, supposed to have efficacy in driving away fleas. They belong, for the most part, to the genera Conyza, Erigeron, and Pulicaria.

State of flowers; flowers, collectively or in general. Tennyson.

A general name for organ stops in which the sound is caused by wind passing through a flue or fissure and striking an edge above; -- in distinction from reedwork.

f modifying the light incident upon it. The light emitted by fluorescent substances is in general of lower refrangibility than the incident light. Stockes.

method of analysis developed by Newton, and based on the conception of all magnitudes as generated by motion, and involving in their changes the notion of velocity or rate of change. Its results are the same as those of the differential and integral calculus, from which it differs little except in notation and logical…