Part 249

Fol"low, v. i. To go or come after; -- used in the various senses of the transitive verb: To pursue; to attend; to accompany; to be a result; to imitate.

Syn.- To Follow, Succeed, Ensue. To follow (v.i.) means simply to come after; as, a crowd followed. To succeed means to come after in some regular series or succession; as, day succeeds to day, and night to night. To ensue means to follow by some established connection or principle of sequence. As wave follows wave, revolution succeeds to revolution; and nothing ensues but accumulated wretchedness.

Fol"low*er (?), n. [OE. folwere, AS. folgere.] 1. One who follows; a pursuer; an attendant; a disciple; a dependent associate; a retainer.

2. A sweetheart; a beau. [Colloq.] A. Trollope.

3. (Steam Engine) (a) The removable flange, or cover, of a piston. See Illust. of Piston. (b) A gland. See Illust. of Stuffing box.

4. (Mach.) The part of a machine that receives motion from another part. See Driver.

5. Among law stationers, a sheet of parchment or paper which is added to the first sheet of an indenture or other deed.

Syn. -- Imitator; copier; disciple; adherent; partisan; dependent; attendant.

Fol"low*ing (?), n. 1. One's followers, adherents, or dependents, collectively. Macaulay.

2. Vocation; business; profession.

Fol"low*ing, a. 1. Next after; succeeding; ensuing; as, the assembly was held on the following day.

2. (Astron.) (In the field of a telescope) In the direction from which stars are apparently moving (in consequence of the earth's rotation); as, a small star, north following or south following. In the direction toward which stars appear to move is called preceding.

The four principal directions in the field of a telescope are north, south, following, preceding.

Fol"ly (?), n.; pl. Follies (#). [OE. folie, foli, F. folie, fr. fol, fou, foolish, mad. See Fool.] 1. The state of being foolish; want of good sense; levity, weakness, or derangement of mind.

2. A foolish act; an inconsiderate or thoughtless procedure; weak or light-minded conduct; foolery.

What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill.

Shak.

3. Scandalous crime; sin; specifically, as applied to a woman, wantonness.

Josh. vii. 15.

When lovely woman stoops to folly.

Goldsmith.

4. The result of a foolish action or enterprise.

It is called this man's or that man's "folly," and name of the foolish builder is thus kept alive for long after years.

Trench.

Fol"we (?), v. t. To follow. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Fo"mal*haut` (?), n. [Ar., prop., mouth of the large fish: cf. F. Fomalhaut.] (Astron.) A star of the first magnitude, in the constellation Piscis Australis, or Southern Fish.

Fo*ment" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fomented; p. pr. & vb. n. Fomenting.] [F. fomenter, fr. L. fomentare, fr. fomentum (for fovimentum) a warm application or lotion, fr. fovere to warm or keep warm; perh. akin to Gr. &?; to roast, and E. bake.] 1. To apply a warm lotion to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge wet with warm water or medicated liquid.

2. To cherish with heat; to foster. [Obs.]