Part 103

A sprig of fennel was in fact the theological smelling bottle of the tender sex.

S. G. Goodrich.

Azorean, or Sweet, fennel, (FÊniculum dulce). It is a smaller and stouter plant than the common fennel, and is used as a pot herb. -- Dog's fennel (Anthemis Cotula), a foul- smelling European weed; -- called also mayweed. -- Fennel flower (Bot.), an herb (Nigella) of the Buttercup family, having leaves finely divided, like those of the fennel. N. Damascena is common in gardens. N. sativa furnishes the fennel seed, used as a condiment, etc., in India. These seeds are the "fitches" mentioned in Isaiah (xxviii. 25). -- Fennel water (Med.), the distilled water of fennel seed. It is stimulant and carminative. -- Giant fennel (Ferula communis), has stems full of pith, which, it is said, were used to carry fire, first, by Prometheus. -- Hog's fennel, a European plant (Peucedanum officinale) looking something like fennel.

Fen"nish (?), a. Abounding in fens; fenny.

Fen"ny (?), a. [AS. fennig.] Pertaining to, or inhabiting, a fen; abounding in fens; swampy; boggy. "Fenny snake." Shak.

Fen"owed (?), a. [AS. fynig musty, fynegean to become musty or filthy: cf. fennig fenny, muddy, dirty, fr. fen fen. Cf. Finew.] Corrupted; decayed; moldy. See Vinnewed. [Obs.] Dr. Favour.

Fen"si-ble (?), a. Fencible. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fen"-sucked` (?), a. Sucked out of marches. "Fen-sucked fogs." Shak.

Fen"u*greek (? or ?), n. [L. faenum Graecum, lit., Greek hay: cf. F. fenugrec. Cf. Fennel.] (Bot.) A plant (trigonella Fúnum GrÊcum) cultivated for its strong-smelling seeds, which are "now only used for giving false importance to horse medicine and damaged hay." J. Smith (Pop. Names of Plants, 1881).

Feod (?), n. A feud. See 2d Feud. Blackstone.

Feod"al (?), a. Feudal. See Feudal.

Feo*dal"i*ty (?), n. Feudal tenure; the feudal system. See Feudality. Burke.

Feod"a*ry (?), n. 1. An accomplice.

Art thou a feodary for this act?

Shak.

2. (Eng. Law) An ancient officer of the court of wards. Burrill.

Feod"a*to*ry (?), n. See Feudatory.

Feoff (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feoffed (#); p. pr. & vb. n.. Feoffing.] [OE. feffen, OF. feffer, fieffer, F. fieffer, fr. fief fief; cf. LL. feoffare, fefare. See Fief.] (Law) To invest with a fee or feud; to give or grant a corporeal hereditament to; to enfeoff.

Feoff, n. (Law) A fief. See Fief.

Feof*fee" (?; 277), n. [OF. feoffÈ.] (Law) The person to whom a feoffment is made; the person enfeoffed.

Feoff"ment (?), n. [OF. feoffement, fieffement; cf. LL. feoffamentum.] (Law) (a) The grant of a feud or fee. (b) (Eng. Law) A gift or conveyance in fee of land or other corporeal hereditaments, accompanied by actual delivery of possession. Burrill.

(c) The instrument or deed by which corporeal hereditaments are conveyed. [Obs. in the U.S., Rare in Eng.]

{ Feo"for (?), Feof"fer (?) }, n. [OF. feoour.] (Law) One who enfeoffs or grants a fee.

Fer (?), a. & adv. Far. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Fe*ra"cious (?), a. [L. ferax, -acis, fr. ferre to bear.] Fruitful; producing abundantly. [R.] Thomson.

Fe*rac"i*ty (?), n. [L. feracitas.] The state of being feracious or fruitful. [Obs.] Beattie.

||Fe"rÊ (?), n. pl. [L., wild animals, fem. pl. of ferus wild.] (Zoˆl.) ||A group of mammals which formerly included the Carnivora, ||Insectivora, Marsupialia, and lemurs, but is now often restricted to ||the Carnivora.

||Fe"rÊ na*tu"rÊ (?). [L.] Of a wild nature; -- applied to animals, as ||foxes, wild ducks, etc., in which no one can claim property.