Part 126

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For"mi*cate (fôr"m*kt), v. i. [See Formication.] To creep or crawl like ants; swarm with, or as with, ants.

An open space which formicated with peasantry.

Lowell.

For`ty-nin"er (?), n. One of those who went to California in the rush for gold in 1849; an argonaut. [Colloq., U. S.]

Fos"sick (?), v. i. [Dial. E. fossick, fossuck, a troublesome person, fussick to potter over one's work, fussock to bustle about; of uncertain origin. Cf. Fuss.] 1. (Mining) To search for gold by picking at stone or earth or among roots in isolated spots, picking over abandoned workings, etc.; hence, to steal gold or auriferous matter from another's claim. [Australia]

2. To search about; to rummage.

A man who has fossicked in nature's byways.

D. Macdonald.

Fou`cault" cur`rent (?). [After J. B. L. Foucault (1819-68), French physicist.] (Elec.) An eddy current.

Foul, n. In various games or sports, an act done contrary to the rules; a foul stroke, hit, play, or the like.

||Four`chette" (?), n. (Card Playing) The combination of the card immediately above and the one immediately below a given card.

Four"-cy`cle, n. (Thermodynamics) A four-stroke cycle, as the Otto cycle, for an internal- combustion engine. -- Four"-cy`cle, a.

Four"some (?), a. [Four + 2d -some.] Consisting of four; requiring four participants. [Scot. or Golf]

Four"some, n. (Golf) A game between four players, with two on each side and each side playing but one ball, the partners striking alternately. It is called a mixed foursome when each side consists of a man and a woman.

Frame, n. In games: (a) In pool, the triangular form used in setting up the balls; also, the balls as set up, or the round of playing required to pocket them all; as, to play six frames in a game of 50 points. (b) In bowling, as in tenpins, one of the several innings forming a game.

Frame"-up`, n. A conspiracy or plot, esp. for a malicious or evil purpose, as to incriminate a person on false evidence. [Slang]

||Franc"-ti`reur" (?), n. [F., fr. franc free + tireur shooter, fr. tirer to shoot.] (Mil.) A French partisan soldier, or one belonging to a corps of detached light troops engaged in forays, skirmishes, scouting, etc.

||Frap`pé" (fr`p"), a. [F., p.p. of frapper to strike, to chill.] Iced; frozen; artificially cooled; as, wine frappé. -- n. A frappé mixture or beverage, as a water ice, variously flavored, frozen soft, and served in glasses.

Frap"ping (?), n. [From Frap.] (Naut.) A lashing binding a thing tightly or binding things together.

Fraz"zle (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Frazzled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Frazzling (?).] [Cf. G. faseln, and E. fray.] To fray; to wear or pull into tatters or tag ends; to tatter; -- used literally and figuratively. [Prov. Eng. & U. S.]

Her hair was of a reddish gray color, and its frazzled and tangled condition suggested that the woman had recently passed through a period of extreme excitement.

J. C. Harris.

Fraz"zle, n. The act or result of frazzling; the condition or quality of being frazzled; the tag end; a frayed-out end. [Prov. Eng. & U. S.]

My fingers are all scratched to frazzles.

Kipling.

Gordon had sent word to Lee that he "had fought his corps to a frazzle."

Nicolay & Hay (Life of Lincoln).