FEATHER, fe_th_'[.e]r, _n._ one of the growths which form the covering of a bird: a feather-like ornament: the feathered end of an arrow: nature, kind, as in 'birds of a feather:' birds collectively: anything light or trifling.--_v.t._ to furnish or adorn with feathers.--_ns._ FEATH'ER-BED, a mattress filled with feathers; FEATH'ER-BOARD'ING (same as WEATHER-BOARDING, q.v.).--_p.adj._ FEATH'ERED, covered or fitted with feathers, or anything feather-like: like the flight of a feathered animal, swift: smoothed as with feathers.--_ns._ FEATH'ER-EDGE, an edge of a board or plank thinner than the other edge; FEATH'ER-GRASS, a perennial grass, so called from the feathery appearance of its awns; FEATH'ER-HEAD, FEATH'ER-BRAIN, a frivolous person; FEATH'ERINESS; FEATH'ERING, plumage: the fitting of feathers to arrows: (_archit._) an arrangement of small arcs or foils separated by projecting cusps, frequently forming the feather-like ornament on the inner mouldings of arches; FEATH'ER-STAR, a crinoid of feathery appearance and radiate structure; FEATH'ER-WEIGHT, the lightest weight that may be carried by a racing-horse: a boxer, wrestler, &c., of a class below the light-weights--hence one of small importance or ability.--_adj._ FEATH'ERY, pertaining to, resembling, or covered with feathers.--FEATHER AN OAR, to turn the blade of the oar horizontally as it comes out of the water, thus lessening the resistance of the air; FEATHER ONE'S NEST, to accumulate wealth for one's self while serving others in a position of trust.--A FEATHER IN ONE'S CAP, some striking mark of distinction; BE IN HIGH FEATHER, to be greatly elated or in high spirits; MAKE THE FEATHERS FLY, to throw into confusion by a sudden attack; SHOW THE WHITE FEATHER, to show signs of cowardice--a white feather in a gamecock's tail being considered as a sign of degeneracy. [A.S. _feer_; Ger. _feder_; L. _penna_, Gr. _pteron_.]
FEATURE, f[=e]t'[=u]r, _n._ the marks by which anything is recognised: the prominent traits of anything: the cast of the face: (_pl._) the countenance.--_v.t._ (_coll._) to have features resembling.--_adjs._ FEAT'URED, with features well marked; FEAT'URELESS, destitute of distinct features; FEAT'URELY, handsome. [O. Fr. _faiture_, from fut. part. of L.
_fac[)e]re_, to make.]
FEBRICULE, feb'ri-k[=u]l, _n._ a slight fever.--_adj._ FEBRI'CULOSE.--_n._ FEBRICULOS'ITY. [L. _febricula_, dim. of _febris_, fever.]
FEBRIFIC, fe-brif'ik, _adj._ producing fever, feverish.--Also FEBRIF[=A]'CIENT. [L. _febris_, fever, _fac[)e]re_, to make.]
FEBRIFUGE, feb'ri-f[=u]j, _n._ a medicine for removing fever.--_adj._ FEBRIF'UGAL (or feb'-). [L. _febris_, fever, _fug[=a]re_, to put to flight.]
FEBRILE, f[=e]'bril, or feb'ril, _adj._ pertaining to fever: feverish.--_n._ FEBRIL'ITY. [Fr.,--L. _febris_, fever.]
FEBRONIANISM, feb-r[=o]'ni-an-izm, _n._ a system of doctrine antagonistic to the claims of the Pope and asserting the independence of national churches, propounded in 1763 by Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim under the pseudonym 'Justinus _Febronius_.'
FEBRUARY, feb'r[=oo]-ar-i, _n._ the second month of the year. [L.
_Februarius_ (_mensis_), the month of expiation, _februa_, the feast of expiation.]
FECES, FECAL. See FaeCES, FaeCAL.
FECIAL. See FETIAL.
FECK, fek, _n._ (_Scot._) strength, value, quantity, number: the bulk of anything.--_adj._ FECK'LESS, spiritless.--_adv._ FECK'LY, mostly. [Corr. of _effect_.]
FECULA, fek'[=u]-la, _n._ starch obtained as a sediment by breaking down certain plants or seeds in water. [L. _faecula_, dim. of _faex_, dregs.]
FECULENT, fek'[=u]-lent, _adj._ containing faeces or sediment: muddy: foul.--_ns._ FEC'ULENCE, FEC'ULENCY.
FECUND, fek'und, _adj._ fruitful: fertile: prolific.--_v.t._ FEC'UND[=A]TE, FECUND'[=A]TE, to make fruitful: to impregnate.--_ns._ FECUND[=A]'TION, the act of impregnating: the state of being impregnated; FECUND'ITY, fruitfulness: prolificness in female animals. [Fr.,--L. _fecundus_, fruitful.]
FED, _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of FEED.
FEDARY, fed'ar-i (_Shak._). Same as FEDERARY.
FEDERAL, fed'[.e]r-al, _adj._ pertaining to or consisting of a treaty or covenant: confederated, founded upon mutual agreement: of a union or government in which several states, while independent in home affairs, combine for national or general purposes, as in the United States (in the American Civil War, _Federal_ was the name applied to the states of the North which defended the Union against the _Confederate_ separatists of the South).--_n._ a supporter of federation: a Unionist soldier in the American Civil War.--_n._ FED'ERACY.--_v.t._ FED'ERALISE.--_ns._ FED'ERALISM, the principles or cause maintained by federalists; FED'ERALIST, a supporter of a federal constitution or union; FED'ERARY (_Shak._), a confederate.--_adj._ FED'ER[=A]TE, united by league: confederated.--_n._ FEDER[=A]'TION, the act of uniting in league: a federal union.--_adj._ FED'ER[=A]TIVE, united in league.--FEDERAL (or COVENANT) THEOLOGY, that first worked out by Cocceius (1603-69), based on the idea of two covenants between God and man--of Works and of Grace (see COVENANT). [Fr.
_federal_--L. _foedus_, _foederis_, a treaty, akin to _fid[)e]re_, to trust.]
FEE, f[=e], _n._ price paid for services, as to a lawyer or physician: recompense, wages: the sum exacted for any special privilege: a grant of land for feudal service: an unconditional inheritance--FEE'-SIM'PLE, possession: ownership.--_v.t._ to pay a fee to: to hire:--_pr.p._ fee'ing; _pa.p._ feed.--_ns._ FEE'-GRIEF (_Shak._), a private grief; FEE'ING-MAR'KET (_Scot._), a fair or market at which farm-servants are hired for the year or half-year following; FEE'-TAIL, an entailed estate, which on failure of heirs reverts to the donor.--BASE FEE, a qualified fee, a freehold estate of inheritance to which a qualification is annexed; CONDITIONAL FEE, a fee granted on condition, or limited to particular heirs: the estate of a mortgagee of land, possession of which is conditional on payment; GREAT FEE, the holding of a tenant of the Crown. [A.S. _feoh_, cattle, property: a special kind of property, property in land; Ger. _vieh_, Ice. _fe_; allied to L. _pecus_, cattle, _pecunia_, money.]
FEEBLE, f[=e]'bl, _adj._ weak: wanting in strength of body, energy, or efficiency: showing weakness or incapacity: faint: dull.--_adj._ FEE'BLE-MIND'ED, weak-minded: irresolute.--_n._ FEE'BLENESS--(_Spens._) FE'BLESSE.--_adv._ FEE'BLY. [O. Fr. _foible_, for _floible_--L. _flebilis_, lamentable, from _fl[=e]re_, to weep.]
FEED, f[=e]d, _v.t._ to give food to: to nourish: to furnish with necessary material: to foster.--_v.i._ to take food: to nourish one's self by eating:--_pr.p._ feed'ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ fed.--_n._ an allowance of provender, esp. to cattle: the motion forward of anything being fed to a machine: (_Milt._) a meal: (_Shak._) pasture land.--_ns._ FEED'ER, he who feeds, or that which supplies: an eater: one who abets another: one who fattens cattle: (_obs._) a parasite; FEED'-HEAD, the cistern that supplies water to the boiler of a steam-engine; FEED'-HEAT'ER, an apparatus for heating the water supplied to a steam-boiler; FEED'ING, act of eating: that which is eaten: pasture: the placing of the sheets of paper in position for a printing or ruling machine; FEED'ING-BOTT'LE, a bottle for supplying liquid food to an infant; FEED'-PIPE, a pipe for supplying a boiler or cistern with water; FEED'-PUMP, a force-pump for supplying a steam-engine boiler with water. [A.S. _fedan_, to feed.]
FEE-FAW-FUM, f[=e]'-faw'-fum', _n._ a nursery word for anything frightful.
FEEL, f[=e]l, _v.t._ to perceive by the touch: to handle or try by touch: to be conscious of: to be keenly sensible of: to have an inward persuasion of.--_v.i._ to know by the touch: to have the emotions excited: to produce a certain sensation when touched, as to feel hard or hot:--_pr.p._ feel'ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ felt.--_n._ the sensation of touch.--_ns._ FEEL'ER, a remark cautiously dropped, or any indirect stratagem, to sound the opinions of others: (_pl._) jointed fibres in the heads of insects, &c., possessed of a delicate sense of touch, termed _antennae_; FEEL'ING, the sense of touch: perception of objects by touch: consciousness of pleasure or pain: tenderness: emotion: sensibility, susceptibility, sentimentality: opinion as resulting from emotion: (_pl._) the affections or passions.--_adj._ expressive of great sensibility or tenderness: easily affected.--_adv._ FEEL'INGLY.--FEEL AFTER (_B._), to search for. [A.S.
_felan_, to feel; Ger. _fuhlen_; prob. akin to L. _palp[=a]re_, to quiver.]
FEER, f[=e]r, _n._ (_Spens._) a companion, a spouse. [A.S. _ge-fera_, a companion--_ge-feran_, to travel.]
FEE-SIMPLE, FEE-TAIL. See under FEE.
FEET, f[=e]t, _pl._ of FOOT.--_adj._ FEET'LESS, without feet.
FEIGN, f[=a]n, _v.t._ to invent: to imagine: to make a show or pretence of, to counterfeit, simulate.--_adj._ FEIGNED, pretended: simulating.--_adv._ FEIGN'EDLY.--_ns._ FEIGN'EDNESS; FEIGN'ING. [Fr. _feindre_, pr.p.
_feignant_, to feign.--L. _fing[)e]re_, _fictum_, to form.]
FEINT, f[=a]nt, _n._ a false appearance: a pretence: a mock-assault: a deceptive movement in fencing, boxing, &c.--_v.i._ to make a feint. [Fr., see above.]
FELDSPAR, feld'spar, _n._ (_min._) a general term for the most important rock-forming group of minerals--all anhydrous silicates of alumina--divided into those in which the minerals crystallise in _monoclinic_ and in _triclinic_ forms--also FEL'SPAR, FELD'SPATH.--_adjs._ FELDSPATH'IC, FELD'SPATHOSE. [Ger. _feldspath_--_feld_, a field, _spath_, spar.]
FELICITY, fe-lis'i-ti, _n._ happiness: delight: a blessing: a happy event.--_v.t._ FELIC'IT[=A]TE, to express joy or pleasure to: to congratulate.--_n._ FELICIT[=A]'TION, the act of congratulating.--_adj._ FELIC'ITOUS, happy: prosperous: delightful: appropriate.--_adv._ FELIC'ITOUSLY. [Fr.,--L. _felicitat-em_, from _felix_, _-icis_, happy.]
FELINE, f[=e]'l[=i]n, _adj._ pertaining to the cat or the cat kind: like a cat.--_ns._ FELIN'ITY; F[=E]'LIS, the cats as a genus, the typical genus of family F[=E]'LIDae and subfamily F[=E]L[=I]'Nae. [L. _felinus_--_felis_, a cat.]
FELL, fel, _n._ a barren hill. [Ice. _fjall_; Dan. _fjeld_.]
FELL, fel, _pa.t._ of FALL.
FELL, fel, _v.t._ to cause to fall: to bring to the ground: to cut down.--_adj._ FELL'ABLE.--_n._ FELL'ER, a cutter of wood. [A.S. _fellan_, causal form of _feallan_, to fall.]
FELL, fel, _n._ a skin.--_n._ FELL'MONGER, a dealer in skins. [A.S. _fel_; cf. L. _pellis_, Gr. _pella_, Ger. _fell_.]
FELL, fel, _n._ (_Spens._) anger, melancholy. [L. _fel_, bile.]
FELL, fel, _adj._ cruel: fierce: bloody: deadly: keen, eager, spirited: (_Scot._) very great, huge.--_adj._ FELL'-LURKING (_Shak._), lurking with treacherous purpose.--_n._ FELL'NESS.--_adv._ FELL'Y. [O. Fr. _fel_, cruel--L. _fello_. See FELON.]
FELLAH, fel'a, _n._ an Arabic name applied contemptuously by the Turks to the labouring or agricultural population of Egypt--descendants of the ancient Egyptian, intermingled with Syrians, Arabs, &c.:--_pl._ FELL'AHS, FELL'AHiN. [Ar., 'tiller of the soil.']
FELLIC, fel'ik, _adj._ obtained from bile--also FELLIN'IC.--_adj._ FELLIF'LUOUS, flowing with gall. [L. _fel_, gall.]
FELLOE. See FELLY.
FELLONOUS, fel'lon-us, _adj._ (_Spens._) fell.--_adj._ FEL'LONEST, most fell.
FELLOW, fel'[=o], _n._ an associate: a companion and equal: one of a pair, a mate: a member of a university who enjoys a fellowship: a member of a scientific or other society: an individual, a person generally: a worthless person.--_ns._ FELL'OW-CIT'IZEN, one belonging to the same city; FELL'OW-COMM'ONER, at Cambridge and elsewhere, a privileged class of undergraduates, dining at the Fellows' table; FELL'OW-CREA'TURE, one of the same race; FELL'OW-FEEL'ING, feeling between fellows or equals: sympathy; FELL'OW-HEIR, a joint-heir.--_adv._ FELL'OWLY (_Shak._), companionable.--_ns._ FELL'OW-MAN, a man of the same common nature with one's self; FELL'OW-SERV'ANT, one who has the same master; FELL'OWSHIP, the state of being a fellow or partner: friendly intercourse: communion: an association: an endowment in a college for the support of graduates called Fellows: the position and income of a fellow: (_arith._) the proportional division of profit and loss among partners.--GOOD FELLOWSHIP, companionableness; RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP, the right hand given by one minister or elder to another at an ordination in some churches. [M. E.
_felawe_--Ice. _felagi_, a partner in goods, from _fe_ (Ger. _vieh_), cattle, property, and _lag_, a laying together, a law. Cf. Eng. FEE, and LAW.]
FELLY, fel'[=i], FELLOE, fel'[=o], _n._ one of the curved pieces in the circumference of a wheel: the circular rim of the wheel. [A.S. _felg_; Ger.
_felge_.]
FELON, fel'on, _n._ one guilty of felony: a convict: a wicked person: an inflamed sore.--_adj._ wicked or cruel.--_adj._ FEL[=O]'NIOUS, wicked: depraved: done with the deliberate intention to commit crime.--_adv._ FEL[=O]'NIOUSLY.--_n._ FEL[=O]'NIOUSNESS, the quality of being felonious.--_adj._ FEL'ONOUS (_Spens._), felonious.--_ns._ FEL'ONRY, a body of felons; FEL'ONY, (_orig._) a crime punished by total forfeiture of lands, &c.: a grave crime, beyond a misdemeanour, as that punishable by penal servitude or death. [O. Fr.,--Low L. _fellonem_, _fello_, a traitor, prob. L. _fel_, gall.]
FELSITE, fel's[=i]t, _n._ a fine-grained, compact rock, a variety of quartz-porphyry--also FEL'STONE.--_adj._ FELSIT'IC. [Fr.,--Ger. _fels_, rock.]
FELSPAR. Same as FELDSPAR.
FELT, felt, _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of FEEL.