Part 225

Flue (?), n. [Cf. OF. flue a flowing, fr. fluer to flow, fr. L. fluere (cf. Fluent); a perh. a corruption of E. flute.] An inclosed passage way for establishing and directing a current of air, gases, etc.; an air passage; esp.: (a) A compartment or division of a chimney for conveying flame and smoke to the outer air. (b) A passage way for conducting a current of fresh, foul, or heated air from one place to another. (c) (Steam Boiler) A pipe or passage for conveying flame and hot gases through surrounding water in a boiler; -- distinguished from a tube which holds water and is surrounded by fire. Small flues are called fire tubes or simply tubes.

Flue boiler. See under Boiler. - - Flue bridge, the separating low wall between the flues and the laboratory of a reverberatory furnace. -- Flue plate (Steam Boiler), a plate to which the ends of the flues are fastened; -- called also flue sheet, tube sheet, and tube plate. -- Flue surface (Steam Boiler), the aggregate surface of flues exposed to flame or the hot gases.

Flue (?), n. [Cf. F. flou light, tender, G. flau weak, W. llwch dust. √84.] Light down, such as rises from cotton, fur, etc.; very fine lint or hair. Dickens.

Flu"ence (?), n. Fluency. [Obs.] Milton.

Flu"en*cy (?), n. [L. fluentia: cf. F. fluence. See Fluent.] The quality of being fluent; smoothness; readiness of utterance; volubility.

The art of expressing with fluency and perspicuity.

Macaulay.

Flu"ent (?), a. [L. fluens, - entis, p. pr. of fluere to flow; cf. Gr. &?; to boil over. Cf. Fluctuate, Flux.] 1. Flowing or capable of flowing; liquid; glodding; easily moving.

2. Ready in the use of words; voluble; copious; having words at command; and uttering them with facility and smoothness; as, a fluent speaker; hence, flowing; voluble; smooth; -- said of language; as, fluent speech.

With most fluent utterance.

Denham.

Fluent as the flight of a swallow is the sultan's letter.

De Quincey.

Flu"ent, n. 1. A current of water; a stream. [Obs.]

2. [Cf. F. fluente.] (Math.) A variable quantity, considered as increasing or diminishing; -- called, in the modern calculus, the function or integral.

Flu"ent*ly, adv. In a fluent manner.

Flu"ent*ness, n. The quality of being fluent.

Flue"work` (?), n. (Mus.) A general name for organ stops in which the sound is caused by wind passing through a flue or fissure and striking an edge above; -- in distinction from reedwork.

Flue"y (?), a. [2d Flue.] Downy; fluffy. [R.]

Fluff (?), n. [Cf. 2d Flue. √84.] Nap or down; flue; soft, downy feathers.

Fluff"y (?), a. [Compar. Fluffier (?); superl. Fluffiest.] Pertaining to, or resembling, fluff or nap; soft and downy. "The carpets were fluffy." Thackeray.

The present Barnacle . . . had a youthful aspect, and the fluffiest little whisker, perhaps, that ever was seen.

Dickens.

-- Fluff"i*ness, n.

||Fl¸"gel (?), n. [G., a wing.] (Mus.) A grand piano or a harpsichord, ||both being wing- shaped.

Flu"gel*man (?), n. [G. fl¸gelman.] (Mil.) Same as Fugleman.

Flu"id (fld), a. [L. fluidus, fr. fluere to flow: cf. F. fluide. See Fluent.] Having particles which easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass, and which easily yield to pressure; capable of flowing; liquid or gaseous.

Flu"id, n. A fluid substance; a body whose particles move easily among themselves.