Part 4417

<h1>Fluctisonous</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Fluc*tis"o*nous</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>fluctisonus</ets>; <ets>fluctus</ets> wave + <ets>sonus</ets> sound.]</ety> <def>Sounding like waves.</def>

<h1>Fluctuability</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Fluc`tu*a*bil"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?; 135)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The capacity or ability to fluctuate.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>H. Walpole.</i>

<h1>Fluctuant</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Fluc"tu*ant</hw> <tt>(?; 135)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>fluctuans</ets>, p.pr. of <ets>fluctuare</ets>. See <er>Fluctuate</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Moving like a wave; wavering</def>; <def2><fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>showing undulation or fluctuation; <as>as, a <ex>fluctuant</ex> tumor</as>.</def></def2>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Floating on the waves.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Bacon.</i>

<h1>Fluctuate</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Fluc"tu*ate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Fluctuated</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Fluctuating</er> <tt>(?)</tt>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>fluctuatus</ets>, p.p. of <ets>fluctuare</ets>, to wave, fr. <ets>fluctus</ets> wave, fr. <ets>fluere</ets>, <ets>fluctum</ets>, to flow. See <er>Fluent</er>, and cf. <er>Flotilla</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To move as a wave; to roll hither and thither; to wave; to float backward and forward, as on waves; <as>as, a <ex>fluctuating</ex> field of air</as>.</def>

<i>Blackmore.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To move now in one direction and now in another; to be wavering or unsteady; to be irresolute or undetermined; to vacillate.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- To waver; vacillate; hesitate; scruple.</syn> <usage> -- To <er>Fluctuate</er>, <er>Vacillate</er>, <er>Waver</er>. -- <i>Fluctuate</i> is applied both to things and persons and denotes that they move as they are acted upon. The stocks <i>fluctuate</i>; a man <i>fluctuates</i>. between conflicting influences. <i>Vacillate</i> and <i>waver</i> are applied to persons to represent them as acting themselves. A man <i>vacillates</i> when he goes backward and forward in his opinions and purposes, without any fixity of mind or principles. A man <i>wavers</i> when he shrinks back or hesitates at the approach of difficulty or danger. One who is <i>fluctuating</i> in his feelings is usually <i>vacillating</i> in resolve, and <i>wavering</i> in execution.</usage>

<h1>Fluctuate</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Fluc"tu*ate</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To cause to move as a wave; to put in motion.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>And <b>fluctuate</b> all the still perfume. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Fluctuation</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Fluc`tu*a"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>fluctuatio</ets>; cf. F. <ets>fluctuation</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A motion like that of waves; a moving in this and that direction; <as>as, the <ex>fluctuations</ex> of the sea</as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A wavering; unsteadiness; <as>as, <ex>fluctuations</ex> of opinion; <ex>fluctuations</ex> of prices.</as></def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>The motion or undulation of a fluid collected in a natural or artifical cavity, which is felt when it is subjected to pressure or percussion.</def>

<i>Dunglison.</i>

<h1>Flue</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Flue</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. OF. <ets>flue</ets> a flowing, fr. <ets>fluer</ets> to flow, fr. L. <ets>fluere</ets> (cf. <er>Fluent</er>); a perh. a corruption of E. <ets>flute</ets>.]</ety> <def>An inclosed passage way for establishing and directing a current of air, gases, etc.; an air passage</def>; esp.: <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A compartment or division of a chimney for conveying flame and smoke to the outer air</def>. <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A passage way for conducting a current of fresh, foul, or heated air from one place to another</def>. <sd>(c)</sd> <fld>(Steam Boiler)</fld> <def>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 <i>fire tubes</i> or simply <i>tubes</i>.</def>

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

<h1>Flue</h1> <Xpage=574>

<hw>Flue</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>flou</ets> light, tender, G. <ets>flau</ets> weak, W. <ets>llwch</ets> dust. &root;84.]</ety> <def>Light down, such as rises from cotton, fur, etc.; very fine lint or hair.</def>

<i>Dickens.</i>