Part 108

Fer"ret, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ferreted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ferreting.] [Cf. F. fureter. See Ferret, n.] To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; -- often used with out; as, to ferret out a secret.

Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.

Shak.

Fer"ret, n. [Ital. foretto, dim. of fiore flower; or F. fleuret. Cf. Floret.] A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting.

Fer"ret, n. [F. feret, dim. or fer iron, L. ferrum.] (Glass Making) The iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.

Fer"ret*er (?), n. One who ferrets. Johnson.

Fer"ret-eye` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The spur-winged goose; -- so called from the red circle around the eyes.

Fer*ret"to (?), n. [It. ferretto di Spagna, dim. of ferro iron, fr. L. ferrum.] Copper sulphide, used to color glass. Hebert.

Fer"ri- (&?;). (Chem.) A combining form indicating ferric iron as an ingredient; as, ferricyanide.

Fer"ri*age (?; 48), n. [From Ferry.] The price or fare to be paid for passage at a ferry.

Fer"ric (?), a. [L. ferrum iron: cf. F. ferrique. See Ferrous.] Pertaining to, derived from, or containing iron. Specifically (Chem.), denoting those compounds in which iron has a higher valence than in the ferrous compounds; as, ferric oxide; ferric acid.

Ferric acid (Chem.), an acid, H2FeO4, which is not known in the free state, but forms definite salts, analogous to the chromates and sulphates. -- Ferric oxide (Chem.), sesquioxide of iron, Fe2O3; hematite. See Hematite.

Fer`ri*cy"a*nate (?), n. [Ferri- + cyanate.] (Chem.) A salt of ferricyanic acid; a ferricyanide.

Fer`ri*cy*an"ic (?), a. [Ferri- + cyanic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, a ferricyanide.

Ferricyanic acid (Chem.), a brown crystalline substance, H6(CN)12Fe2, obtained from potassium ferricyanide, and regarded as the type of the ferricyanides; -- called also hydro-ferricyanic acid, hydrogen ferricyanide, etc.

Fer`ri*cy"a*nide (?; 104), n. [Ferri- + cyanide.] (Chem.) One of a complex series of double cyanides of ferric iron and some other base.

Potassium ferricyanide (Chem.), red prussiate of potash; a dark, red, crystalline salt, K6(CN)12Fe2, consisting of the double cyanide of potassium and ferric iron. From it is derived the ferrous ferricyanate, Turnbull's blue.

Fer"ri*er (?), n. A ferryman. Calthrop.

Fer*rif"er*ous (?), a. [L. ferrum iron + -ferous: cf. F. ferrifËre.] Producing or yielding iron.

Fer`ri*prus"si*ate (? or ?; see Prussiate, 277), n. [Ferri- + prussiate.] (Chem.) A ferricyanate; a ferricyanide. [R.]

Fer`ri*prus"sic (? or ?; see Prussik, 277), a. [Ferri- + prussic.] (Chem.) Ferricyanic. [R.]

Fer"ro- (&?;). (Chem.) A prefix, or combining form, indicating ferrous iron as an ingredient; as, ferrocyanide.

Fer`ro*cal"cite (?), n. [Ferro- + calcite.] Limestone containing a large percentage of iron carbonate, and hence turning brown on exposure.

Fer`ro*cy"a*nate (?), n. [Ferro- + cyanate: cf. F. ferrocyanate.] (Chem.) A salt of ferrocyanic acid; a ferrocyanide.

Fer`ro*cy*an"ic (?), a. [Ferro- + cyanic: cf. F. ferrocyanique.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, a ferrocyanide.

ferrocyanic acid (Chem.), a white crystalline substance, H4(CN)6Fe, of strong acid properties, obtained from potassium ferrocyanide, and regarded as the type of the ferrocyanides; -- called also hydro-ferrocyanic acid, hydrogen ferrocyanide. etc.

Fer`ro*cy"a*nide (? or ?; 104), n. [Ferro- + cyanide.] (Chem.) One of a series of complex double cyanides of ferrous iron and some other base.

Potassium ferrocyanide (Chem.), yellow prussiate of potash; a tough, yellow, crystalline salt, K4(CN)6Fe, the starting point in the manufacture of almost all cyanogen compounds, and the basis of the ferric ferrocyanate, prussian blue. It is obtained by strongly heating together potash, scrap iron, and animal matter containing nitrogen, as horn, leather, blood, etc., in iron pots.