The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section F, G and H

Part 1

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Version published 1913

by the C. & G. Merriam Co. Springfield, Mass. Under the direction of Noah Porter, D.D., LL.D.

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F (f). 1. F is the sixth letter of the English alphabet, and a nonvocal consonant. Its form and sound are from the Latin. The Latin borrowed the form from the Greek digamma &?;, which probably had the value of English w consonant. The form and value of Greek letter came from the Phúnician, the ultimate source being probably Egyptian. Etymologically f is most closely related to p, k, v, and b; as in E. five, Gr. pe`nte; E. wolf, L. lupus, Gr. ly`kos; E. fox, vixen ; fragile, break; fruit, brook, v. t.; E. bear, L. ferre. See Guide to Pronunciation, ßß 178, 179, 188, 198, 230.

2. (Mus.) The name of the fourth tone of the model scale, or scale of C. F sharp (F ) is a tone intermediate between F and G.

F clef, the bass clef. See under Clef.

Fa (f‰), n. [It.] (Mus.) (a) A syllable applied to the fourth tone of the diatonic scale in solmization. (b) The tone F.

Fa*ba"ceous (f*b"shs), a. [L. fabaceus, fr. faba bean.] Having the nature of a bean; like a bean.

||Fa*bel"la (?), n.; pl. Fabellae (-l&?;). [NL., dim. of L. faba a ||bean.] (Anat.) One of the small sesamoid bones situated behind the ||condyles of the femur, in some mammals.

Fa"bi*an (?), a. [L. Fabianus, Fabius, belonging to Fabius.] Of, pertaining to, or in the manner of, the Roman general, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus; cautious; dilatory; avoiding a decisive contest.

Fabian policy, a policy like that of Fabius Maximus, who, by carefully avoiding decisive contests, foiled Hannibal, harassing his army by marches, countermarches, and ambuscades; a policy of delays and cautions.

Fa"ble (f"b'l), n. [F., fr. L. fabula, fr. fari to speak, say. See Ban, and cf. Fabulous, Fame.] 1. A Feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See the Note under Apologue.

Jotham's fable of the trees is the oldest extant.

Addison.

2. The plot, story, or connected series of events, forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.

The moral is the first business of the poet; this being formed, he contrives such a design or fable as may be most suitable to the moral.

Dryden.

3. Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk. "Old wives' fables. " 1 Tim. iv. 7.

We grew The fable of the city where we dwelt.

Tennyson.

4. Fiction; untruth; falsehood.

It would look like a fable to report that this gentleman gives away a great fortune by secret methods.

Addison.

Fa"ble, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fabled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabling (?).] To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is not true. "He Fables not." Shak.

Vain now the tales which fabling poets tell.

Prior.

He fables, yet speaks truth.

Part 2

M. Arnold.

Fa"ble, v. t. To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely.

The hell thou fablest.

Milton.

Fa"bler (f"blr), n. A writer of fables; a fabulist; a dealer in untruths or falsehoods. Bp. Hall.

||Fa`bli`au" (?), n.; pl. Fabliaux (-"). [F., fr. OF. fablel, dim. of ||fable a fable.] (Fr. Lit.) One of the metrical tales of the ||TrouvËres, or early poets of the north of France.

Fab"ric (?), n. [L. fabrica fabric, workshop: cf. F. fabrique fabric. See Forge.] 1. The structure of anything; the manner in which the parts of a thing are united; workmanship; texture; make; as cloth of a beautiful fabric.

2. That which is fabricated; as: (a) Framework; structure; edifice; building.

Anon out of the earth a fabric huge Rose like an exhalation.

Milton.

(b) Cloth of any kind that is woven or knit from fibers, either vegetable or animal; manufactured cloth; as, silks or other fabrics.

3. The act of constructing; construction. [R.]

Tithe was received by the bishop, . . . for the fabric of the churches for the poor.

Milman.

4. Any system or structure consisting of connected parts; as, the fabric of the universe.

The whole vast fabric of society.

Macaulay.

Fab"ric, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fabricked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabricking.] To frame; to build; to construct. [Obs.] "Fabric their mansions." J. Philips.

Fab"ri*cant (?), n. [F.] One who fabricates; a manufacturer. Simmonds.

Fab"ri*cate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fabricated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabricating (?).] [L. fabricatus, p. p. of fabricari, fabricare, to frame, build, forge, fr. fabrica. See Fabric, Farge.] 1. To form into a whole by uniting its parts; to frame; to construct; to build; as, to fabricate a bridge or ship.

2. To form by art and labor; to manufacture; to produce; as, to fabricate woolens.

3. To invent and form; to forge; to devise falsely; as, to fabricate a lie or story.

Our books were not fabricated with an accomodation to prevailing usages.

Paley.

Fab`ri*ca"tion (?), n. [L. fabricatio; cf. F. fabrication.] 1. The act of fabricating, framing, or constructing; construction; manufacture; as, the fabrication of a bridge, a church, or a government. Burke.

2. That which is fabricated; a falsehood; as, the story is doubtless a fabrication.

Syn. -- See Fiction.

Fab"ri*ca`tor (?), n. [L.] One who fabricates; one who constructs or makes.

Part 3

The fabricator of the works of Ossian.

Mason.

Fab"ri*ca`tress (?), n. A woman who fabricates.

Fab"rile (?), a. [L. fabrilis, fr. faber workman. See Forge.] Pertaining to a workman, or to work in stone, metal, wood etc.; as, fabrile skill.

Fab"u*list (?), n. [Cf. F. fabuliste, fr. L. fabula. See Fable.] One who invents or writes fables.

Fab"u*lize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fabulized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabulizing (?).] [Cf. F. fabuliser. See Fable.] To invent, compose, or relate fables or fictions. G. S. Faber.

Fab`u*los"i*ty (?), n. [L. fabulositas: cf. F. fabulositÈ.] 1. Fabulousness. [R.] Abp. Abbot.

2. A fabulous or fictitious story. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Fab"u*lous (fb"*ls), a. [L. fabulosus; cf. F. fabuleux. See Fable.] 1. Feigned, as a story or fable; related in fable; devised; invented; not real; fictitious; as, a fabulous description; a fabulous hero.

The fabulous birth of Minerva.

Chesterfield.

2. Passing belief; exceedingly great; as, a fabulous price. Macaulay.

Fabulous age, that period in the history of a nation of which the only accounts are myths and unverified legends; as, the fabulous age of Greece and Rome.

-- Fab"u*lous*ly (#), adv. -- Fab"u*lous*ness, n.

Fab"ur*den (fb"r*den), n. [F. faux bourdon. See False, and Burden a verse.] 1. (Mus.) (a) A species of counterpoint with a drone bass. (b) A succession of chords of the sixth. [Obs.]

2. A monotonous refrain. [Obs.] Holland.

Fac (fk), n. [Abbrev. of facsimile.] A large ornamental letter used, esp. by the early printers, at the commencement of the chapters and other divisions of a book. Brande & C.

||Fa`Áade" (f`sd" or f`sd"), n. [F., fr. It. facciata, fr. faccia face, ||L. facies. See Face.] (Arch.) The front of a building; esp., the ||principal front, having some architectural pretensions. Thus a church ||is said to have its faÁade unfinished, though the interior may be in ||use.

Face (?), n. [F., from L. facies form, shape, face, perh. from facere to make (see Fact); or perh. orig. meaning appearance, and from a root meaning to shine, and akin to E. fancy. Cf. Facetious.] 1. The exterior form or appearance of anything; that part which presents itself to the view; especially, the front or upper part or surface; that which particularly offers itself to the view of a spectator.

A mist . . . watered the whole face of the ground.

Gen. ii. 6.

Lake Leman wooes me with its crystal face.

Byron.

2. That part of a body, having several sides, which may be seen from one point, or which is presented toward a certain direction; one of the bounding planes of a solid; as, a cube has six faces.

3. (Mach.) (a) The principal dressed surface of a plate, disk, or pulley; the principal flat surface of a part or object. (b) That part of the acting surface of a cog in a cog wheel, which projects beyond the pitch line. (c) The width of a pulley, or the length of a cog from end to end; as, a pulley or cog wheel of ten inches face.

4. (Print.) (a) The upper surface, or the character upon the surface, of a type, plate, etc. (b) The style or cut of a type or font of type.

5. Outside appearance; surface show; look; external aspect, whether natural, assumed, or acquired.

To set a face upon their own malignant design.

Part 4

Milton.

This would produce a new face of things in Europe.

Addison.

We wear a face of joy, because We have been glad of yore.

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