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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section F, G and H · Project Gutenberg — chapter 345 of 973 · ~579 words · public domain

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Fres"co, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Frescoed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Frescoing.] To paint in fresco, as walls.

Fresh (frsh), a. [Compar. Fresher (-r); superl. Freshest.] [OE. fresch, AS. fersc; akin to D. versch, G. frisch, OHG. frisc, Sw. frisk, Dan. frisk, fersk, Icel. frskr frisky, brisk, ferskr fresh; cf. It. fresco, OF. fres, freis, fem. freske, fresche, F. frais, fem. fraÓche, which are of German origin. Cf. Fraischeur, Fresco, Frisk.] 1. Possessed of original life and vigor; new and strong; unimpaired; sound.

2. New; original; additional. "Fear of fresh mistakes." Sir W. Scott.

A fresh pleasure in every fresh posture of the limbs.

Landor.

3. Lately produced, gathered, or prepared for market; not stale; not dried or preserved; not wilted, faded, or tainted; in good condition; as, fresh vegetables, flowers, eggs, meat, fruit, etc.; recently made or obtained; occurring again; repeated; as, a fresh supply of goods; fresh tea, raisins, etc.; lately come or made public; as, fresh news; recently taken from a well or spring; as, fresh water.

4. Youthful; florid; as, these fresh nymphs. Shak.

5. In a raw, green, or untried state; uncultivated; uncultured; unpracticed; as, a fresh hand on a ship.

6. Renewed in vigor, alacrity, or readiness for action; as, fresh for a combat; hence, tending to renew in vigor; rather strong; cool or brisk; as, a fresh wind.

7. Not salt; as, fresh water, in distinction from that which is from the sea, or brackish; fresh meat, in distinction from that which is pickled or salted.

Fresh breeze (Naut.), a breeze between a moderate and a strong breeze; one blowinq about twenty miles an hour. -- Fresh gale, a gale blowing about forty-five miles an hour. -- Fresh way (Naut.), increased speed.

Syn. -- Sound; unimpaired; recent; unfaded: ruddy; florid; sweet; good: inexperienced; unpracticed: unused; lively; vigorous; strong.

Fresh, n.; pl. Freshes (&?;). 1. A stream or spring of fresh water.

He shall drink naught but brine; for I'll not show him Where the quick freshes are.

Shak.

2. A flood; a freshet. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

3. The mingling of fresh water with salt in rivers or bays, as by means of a flood of fresh water flowing toward or into the sea. Beverly.

Fresh, v. t. To refresh; to freshen. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

Fresh"en (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Freshened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Freshening (?)] 1. To make fresh; to separate, as water, from saline ingredients; to make less salt; as, to freshen water, fish, or flesh.

2. To refresh; to revive. [Obs.] Spenser.

3. (Naut.) To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it; or to renew, as the material used to prevent chafing; as, to freshen a hawse. Totten.

To freshen ballast (Naut.), to shift Or restore it. -- To freshen the hawse, to pay out a little more cable, so as to bring the chafe on another part. -- To freshen the way, to increase the speed of a vessel. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Fresh"en (?), v. i. 1. To grow fresh; to lose saltness.

2. To grow brisk or strong; as, the wind freshens.

Fresh"et (?), n. [OE. fresche flood + -et. See Fresh, a.] 1. A stream of fresh water. [Obs.] Milton.

2. A flood or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melted snow; a sudden inundation.

Cracked the sky, as ice in rivers When the freshet is at highest.

Longfellow.

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