Part 4385

<hw>Flex"ure</hw> <tt>(?; 135)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>flexura</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of flexing or bending; a turning or curving; flexion; hence, obsequious bowing or bending.</def>

<blockquote>Will it give place to <b>flexure</b> and low bending? <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A turn; a bend; a fold; a curve.</def>

<blockquote>Varying with the <b>flexures</b> of the valley through which it meandered. <i>British Quart. Rev.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>The last joint, or bend, of the wing of a bird.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <fld>(Astron.)</fld> <def>The small distortion of an astronomical instrument caused by the weight of its parts; the amount to be added or substracted from the observed readings of the instrument to correct them for this distortion.</def>

<cs><col>The flexure of a curve</col> <fld>(Math.)</fld>, <cd>the bending of a curve towards or from a straight line.</cd></cs>

<h1>Flibbergib</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flib"ber*gib</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A sycophant.</def> <mark>[Obs. & Humorous.]</mark> "Flatterers and <i>flibbergibs</i>."

<i>Latimer.</i>

<h1>Flibbertigibbet</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flib"ber*ti*gib`bet</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>An imp.</def>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Flibustier</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Fli`bus`tier"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F.]</ety> <def>A buccaneer; an American pirate. See <er>Flibuster</er>.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Flick</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flick</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Flicked</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Flicking</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Cf. <ets>Flicker</ets>.]</ety> <def>To whip lightly or with a quick jerk; to flap; <as>as, to <ex>flick</ex> a horse; to <ex>flick</ex> the dirt from boots.</as></def>

<i>Thackeray.</i>

<h1>Flick</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flick</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A flitch; <as>as, a <ex>flick</ex> of bacon</as>.</def>

<h1>Flicker</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flick"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Flickered</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Flickering</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>flikeren</ets>, <ets>flekeren</ets>, to flutter, AS. <ets>flicerian</ets>, <ets>flicorian</ets>, cf. D. <ets>flikkeren</ets> to sparkle. <?/ 84. Cf. <ets>Flacker</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To flutter; to flap the wings without flying.</def>

<blockquote>And <b>flickering</b> on her nest made short essays to sing. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To waver unsteadily, like a flame in a current of air, or when about to expire; <as>as, the <ex>flickering</ex> light</as>.</def>

<blockquote>The shadows <b>flicker</b> to fro. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Flicker</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flick"er</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of wavering or of fluttering; flucuation; sudden and brief increase of brightness; <as>as, the last <ex>flicker</ex> of the dying flame</as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>The golden-winged woodpecker (<spn>Colaptes aurutus</spn>); -- so called from its spring note. Called also <altname>yellow-hammer</altname>, <altname>high-holder</altname>, <altname>pigeon woodpecker</altname>, and <altname>yucca</altname>.</def>