Part 12

Dean of faculty. See under Dean. -- Faculty of advocates. (Scot.) See under Advocate.

Syn. -- Talent; gift; endowment; dexterity; expertness; cleverness; readiness; ability; knack.

Fac"und (?), a. [L. facundus, fr. fari to speak.] Eloquent. [Archaic]

Fa*cun"di*ous (?), a. [L. facundiosus.] Eloquement; full of words. [Archaic]

Fa*cun"di*ty (?), n. [L. facunditas.] Eloquence; readiness of speech. [Archaic]

Fad (?), n. [Cf. Faddle.] A hobby ; freak; whim. -- Fad"dist, n.

It is your favorite fad to draw plans.

G. Eliot.

Fad"dle (?), v. i. [Cf. Fiddle, Fiddle-faddle.] To trifle; to toy. -- v. t. To fondle; to dandle. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Fade (?) a. [F., prob. fr. L. vapidus vapid, or possibly fr,fatuus foolish, insipid.] Weak; insipid; tasteless; commonplace. [R.] "Passages that are somewhat fade." Jeffrey.

His masculine taste gave him a sense of something fade and ludicrous.

De Quincey.

Fade (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Faded; p. pr. & vb. n. Fading.] [OE. faden, vaden, prob. fr. fade, a.; cf. Prov. D. vadden to fade, wither, vaddigh languid, torpid. Cf. Fade, a., Vade.] 1. To become fade; to grow weak; to lose strength; to decay; to perish gradually; to wither, as a plant.

The earth mourneth and fadeth away.

Is. xxiv. 4.

2. To lose freshness, color, or brightness; to become faint in hue or tint; hence, to be wanting in color. "Flowers that never fade." Milton.

3. To sink away; to disappear gradually; to grow dim; to vanish.

The stars shall fade away.

Addison

He makes a swanlike end, Fading in music.

Shak.

Fade, v. t. To cause to wither; to deprive of freshness or vigor; to wear away.

No winter could his laurels fade.

Dryden.

Fad"ed (?), a. That has lost freshness, color, or brightness; grown dim. "His faded cheek." Milton.

Where the faded moon Made a dim silver twilight.

Keats.

Fad"ed*ly, adv. In a faded manner.