Part 209

Flitch (?), n.; pl. Flitches (#). [OE. flicche, flikke, AS. flicce, akin to Icel. flikki; cf. Icel. flk flap, tatter; perh. akin to E. fleck. Cf. Flick, n.] 1. The side of a hog salted and cured; a side of bacon. Swift.

2. One of several planks, smaller timbers, or iron plates, which are secured together, side by side, to make a large girder or built beam.

3. The outside piece of a sawed log; a slab. [Eng.]

Flite (?), v. i. [AS. fltan to strive, contend, quarrel; akin to G. fleiss industry.] To scold; to quarrel. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.

Flit"ter (?), v. i. To flutter. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Flit"ter, v. t. To flutter; to move quickly; as, to flitter the cards. [R.] Lowell.

Flit"ter, n. [Cf. G. flitter spangle, tinsel, flittern to make a tremulous motion, to glitter. Cf. Flitter, v. i.] A rag; a tatter; a small piece or fragment.

Flit"ter*mouse` (?), n. [Flitter, v.i. + mouse; cf. G. fledermaus, OHG. fledarms. Cf. Flickermouse, Flindermouse.] (Zoˆl.) A bat; -- called also flickermouse, flindermouse, and flintymouse.

Flit"tern (?), a. A term applied to the bark obtained from young oak trees. McElrath.

Flit"ti*ness (?), n. [From Flitty.] Unsteadiness; levity; lightness. [Obs.] Bp. Hopkins.

Flit"ting (?), n. 1. A flying with lightness and celerity; a fluttering.

2. A removal from one habitation to another. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]

A neighbor had lent his cart for the flitting, and it was now standing loaded at the door, ready to move away.

Jeffrey.

Flit"ting*ly, adv. In a flitting manner.

Flit"ty (?), a. [From Flit.] Unstable; fluttering. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

Flix (?), n. [Cf. Flax.] Down; fur. [Obs. or Eng.] J. Dyer.

Flix, n. The flux; dysentery. [Obs.] Udall.

Flix weed (Bot.), the Sisymbrium Sophia, a kind of hedge mustard, formerly used as a remedy for dysentery.

Flo (fl), n.; pl. Flon (fln). [AS. fl, fln.] An arrow. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Float (flt), n.[OE. flote ship, boat, fleet, AS. flota ship, fr. fleÛtan to float; akin to D. vloot fleet, G. floss raft, Icel. floti float, raft, fleet, Sw. flotta. √ 84. See Fleet, v. i., and cf. Flotilla, Flotsam, Plover.] 1. Anything which floats or rests on the surface of a fluid, as to sustain weight, or to indicate the height of the surface, or mark the place of, something. Specifically: (a) A mass of timber or boards fastened together, and conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft. (b) The hollow, metallic ball of a self-acting faucet, which floats upon the water in a cistern or boiler. (c) The cork or quill used in angling, to support the bait line, and indicate the bite of a fish. (d) Anything used to buoy up whatever is liable to sink; an inflated bag or pillow used by persons learning to swim; a life preserver.

This reform bill . . . had been used as a float by the conservative ministry.

J. P. Peters.

2. A float board. See Float board (below).

3. (Tempering) A contrivance for affording a copious stream of water to the heated surface of an object of large bulk, as an anvil or die. Knight.

4. The act of flowing; flux; flow. [Obs.] Bacon.

5. A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep. [Obs.] Mortimer.

6. (Plastering) The trowel or tool with which the floated coat of plastering is leveled and smoothed.