FLING, fling, _v.t._ to strike or throw from the hand: to dart: to send forth: to scatter: to throw (of a horse).--_v.i._ to act in a violent and irregular manner: to kick out with the legs: to upbraid: to sneer:--_pr.p._ fling'ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ flung.--_n._ a cast or throw: a taunt: complete freedom, full enjoyment of pleasure: a lively Scotch country-dance.--FLING OUT, to speak or act recklessly.--FULL FLING, at the utmost speed, recklessly. [Ice. _flengja_; Sw. _flanga_.]
FLINT, flint, _n._ a hard mineral, a variety of quartz, from which fire is readily struck with steel: anything proverbially hard.--_adj._ made of flint, hard.--_n._ FLINT'-GLASS, a very fine and pure kind of glass, so called because originally made of calcined flints.--_adjs._ FLINT'-HEART, -ED (_Shak._), having a hard heart.--_v.t._ FLINT'IFY, to turn to flint.--_ns._ FLINT'INESS; FLINT'-LOCK, a gun-lock having a flint fixed in the hammer for striking fire and igniting the priming.--_adj._ FLINT'Y, consisting of or like flint: hard: cruel.--FLINT IMPLEMENTS, arrow, axe, and spear heads, &c. made by man before the use of metals, commonly found in prehistoric graves, &c. [A.S. _flint_; Dan. _flint_; Gr. _plinthos_, a brick.]
FLIP, flip, _n._ a hot drink of beer and spirits sweetened.
FLIP, flip, _v.t._ to fillip, to touch lightly: to toss up with a motion of the thumb.--_v.i._ to flap.--_n._ a fillip, a snap.--_adv._ FLIP'-FLAP, with a repeated flapping movement.--_n._ a coster's dance: a form of somersault: a cracker.--_ns._ FLIP'-FLOP, the sound of a regular footfall; FLIP'PER, a fin: (_slang_) hand.--_adj._ FLIP'PERTY-FLOP'PERTY, that goes flip-flap, loose, dangling. [Attenuated from _flap_.]
FLIPE, fl[=i]p, _v.t._ to fold back, as a sleeve. [Prob. Scand.; cf. Dan.
_flip_, a flap.]
FLIPPANT, flip'ant, _adj._ quick and pert of speech: thoughtless.--_ns._ FLIPP'ANCY, FLIPP'ANTNESS, pert fluency of speech: pertness.--_adv._ FLIPP'ANTLY. [Skeat explains as for _flipp_ _-and_ (Old Northumbrian _pr.p._ ending)--Ice. _fleipa_, to prattle.]
FLIRT, fl[.e]rt, _v.t._ to move about quickly like a fan, to flick, rap.--_v.i._ to trifle with love: to play at courtship: to move briskly about.--_n._ a pert, giddy girl: one who coquets for amusement, usually of a woman.--_n._ FLIRT[=A]'TION the act of flirting.--_adj._ FLIRT[=A]'TIOUS (_coll._), giving to flirting.--_ns._ FLIRT'-GILL (_Shak._), a pert or wanton woman; FLIRT'ING.--_adv._ FLIRT'INGLY, in a flirting manner.--_adj._ FLIRT'ISH, betokening a flirt. [Onomatopoeic, like _flick_, _flip_, _flirk_ (a jerk), _spurt_, _squirt_.]
FLISK, flisk, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to skip or caper about: to fret at the yoke.--_n._ a whim: a large-tooth comb.--_adj._ FLISK'Y. [Onomatopoeic.]
FLIT, flit, _v.i._ to flutter on the wing: to fly quickly: to be unsteady or easily moved: (_Scot._) to remove from place to place:--_pr.p._ flit'ting; _pa.p._ flit'ted.--_n._ FLIT'TING, a removal from one house to another: a wandering. [Ice. _flytja_; Sw. _flytta_.]
FLITCH, flich, _n._ the side of a hog salted and cured. [A.S. _flicce_; Ice. _flikki_.]
FLITTER, flit'[.e]r, _v.i._ to flutter.--_n._ FLITT'ER-MOUSE, a bat.
FLITTERN, flit'ern, _n._ (_prov._) a young oak.
FLITTERS, flit'ers, _n.pl._ fragments, tatters.
FLIX, fliks, _n._ fur, beaver-down.
FLOAT, fl[=o]t, _v.i._ to swim on a liquid: to be buoyed up: to move lightly and irregularly: to circulate, as a rumour: to drift about aimlessly.--_v.t._ to cause to swim: to cover with water: to set agoing.--_n._ anything swimming on water: a raft: the cork or quill on a fishing-line: a plasterer's trowel.--_adj._ FLOAT'ABLE.--_ns._ FLOAT'AGE, FLOT'AGE, the floating capacity of a thing: anything that floats; FLOAT'-BOARD, a board on the rim of an undershot water-wheel on which the water acts and moves the wheel; FLOAT'ER.--_adj._ FLOAT'ING, swimming: not fixed: circulating.--_n._ action of the verb _float_: the spreading of plaster on the surface of walls.--_ns._ FLOAT'ING-BATT'ERY, a vessel or hulk heavily armed, used in the defence of harbours or in attacks on marine fortresses; FLOAT'ING-BRIDGE, a bridge of rafts or beams of timber lying on the surface of the water; FLOAT'ING-DOCK (see DOCK); FLOAT'ING-IS'LAND, an aggregation of driftwood, roots, &c., capable of bearing soil, floated out from a river delta or the like; FLOAT'ING-LIGHT, a ship, bearing a light, moored on sunken rocks, to warn seamen of danger.--_adv._ FLOAT'INGLY.--_n._ FLOAT'-STONE, a porous, sponge-like variety of quartz, so light as to float for a while on water.--_adj._ FLOAT'Y. [A.S.
_flotian_, to float; Ice. _flota_.]
FLOCK, flok, _n._ a company of animals, as sheep, birds, &c.: a company generally: a Christian congregation.--_v.i._ to gather in flocks or in crowds.--_n._ FLOCK'-MAS'TER, an owner or overseer of a flock. [A.S.
_flocc_, a flock, a company; Ice. _flokkr_.]
FLOCK, flok, _n._ a lock of wool.--_n._ FLOCCILL[=A]'TION, a delirious picking of the bed-clothes by a patient.--_adjs._ FLOC'COSE, woolly; FLOC'C[=U]LAR; FLOC'C[=U]LATE.--_n._ FLOC'C[=U]LENCE.--_adj._ FLOC'C[=U]LENT, woolly, flaky.--_ns._ FLOC'C[=U]LUS, a small flock or tuft: a small lobe of the inferior surface of the cerebellum; FLOC'CUS, a flock or tuft of wool or wool-like hairs: the downy plumage of unfledged birds:--_pl._ FLOCCI (flok'si); FLOCK'-BED, a bed stuffed with flock or refuse wool; FLOCK'-P[=A]'PER, wall-paper covered with a rough surface formed of flock.--_adj._ FLOCK'Y. [O. Fr. _floc_--L. _floccus_, a lock of wool.]
FLOE, fl[=o], _n._ a field of floating ice. [Prob. Norse _flo_, layer. The usual Danish word is _flage_.]
FLOG, flog, _v.t._ to beat or strike: to lash: to chastise with blows:--_pr.p._ flog'ging; _pa.p._ flogged.--_n._ FLOG'GING. [Late; prob.
an abbrev. of _flagellate_.]
FLOOD, flud, _n._ a great flow of water: (_B._) a river: an inundation: a deluge: the rise or flow of the tide: any great quantity.--_v.t._ to overflow: to inundate: to bleed profusely, as after parturition:--_pr.p._ flood'ing; _pa.p._ flood'ed.--_ns._ FLOOD'-GATE, a gate for letting water flow through, or to prevent it: an opening or passage: an obstruction; FLOOD'ING, an extraordinary flow of blood from the uterus; FLOOD'MARK, the mark or line to which the tide rises; FLOOD'-TIDE, the rising or inflowing tide.--THE FLOOD, the deluge in the days of Noah. [A.S. _flod_; Dut.
_vloed_, Ger. _fluth_. Cog. with _flow_.]
FLOOR, fl[=o]r, _n._ the part of a room on which we stand: a platform: the rooms in a house on the same level, a story: any levelled area.--_v.t._ to furnish with a floor: (_coll._) to vanquish, stump.--_ns._ FLOOR'CLOTH, a covering for floors made of canvas oil-painted on both sides; FLOOR'ER, a knock-down blow; a decisive retort, &c.: an examination question one cannot answer; FLOOR'ING, material for floors: a platform.--_n.pl._ FLOOR'-TIM'BERS, the timbers placed immediately across a ship's keel, on which her bottom is framed.--_ns._ FIRST'-FLOOR, the floor in a house above the ground-floor--in United States mostly identical with GROUND-FLOOR, the floor of a house on a level with the ground. [A.S. _flor_; Dut. _vloer_, a flat surface, Ger. _flur_, flat land; W. _llawr_.]
FLOP, flop, _v.t._ to cause to hang down.--_v.i._ to plump down suddenly: to break down.--_n._ a fall plump on the ground.--_adv._ FLOP'PILY.--_n._ FLOP'PINESS.--_adj._ FLOP'PY. [A form of _flap_.]
FLORA, fl[=o]'ra, _n._ the collective plants or vegetable species of a region, country, or district: a work containing a descriptive enumeration of these.--_adj._ FL[=O]'RAL, pertaining to Flora or to flowers: (_bot._) containing the flower.--_adv._ FL[=O]'RALLY.--_n._ FLOReAL (fl[=o]-r[=a]-al'), the 8th month of the French revolutionary calendar, April 20-May 20.--_adj._ FL[=O]'RE[=A]TED, decorated with floral ornament.--_n._ FLORES'CENCE, a bursting into flower: (_bot._) the time when plants flower.--_adj._ FLORES'CENT, bursting into flowers.--_n._ FL[=O]'RET (_bot._), the flowers of any small and closely crowded inflorescence which resembles at first sight a single flower--e.g.
composites, teasels, grasses, &c.--_adj._ FL[=O]RICUL'TURAL.--_ns._ FL[=O]'RICULTURE, the culture of flowers or plants; FL[=O]RICUL'TURIST, a florist.--_adj._ FLOR'ID, bright in colour: flushed with red: containing flowers of rhetoric or lively figures: richly ornamental.--_adv._ FLOR'IDLY.--_n._ FLOR'IDNESS.--_adjs._ FL[=O]RIF'EROUS, bearing or producing flowers; FL[=O]'RIFORM, flower-shaped.--_ns._ FL[=O]RIL[=E]'GIUM, an anthology or collection of choice extracts; FLOR'IST, a cultivator of flowers: one who writes an account of plants. [L. _Flora_, the goddess of flowers.]
FLORENTINE, flor'en-tin, _adj._ pertaining to _Florence_ in Tuscany.--_n._ a native or inhabitant thereof: a durable silk textile fabric--also FLOR'ENCE: a pie with no crust beneath the meat.
FLORIN, flor'in, _n._ an English silver coin worth 2s., first minted in 1849: in Austria the unit of account, otherwise called _gulden_, with a value about 2s.: in Holland sometimes called _guilder_, and worth about 1s.
8d.: (_orig._) a Florentine gold coin with a lily stamped on one side, first struck in the 11th century. [Fr., from It. _fiorino_--_fiore_, a lily--L. _flos_.]
FLORUIT, fl[=o]'r[=u]-it, _n._ the period during which a person flourished.
[L., 3d pers. sing. perf. of _flor[=e]re_, to flourish.]
FLOSCULE, flos'k[=u]l, _n._ a floret.--_adjs._ FLOS'CULAR, FLOS'CULOUS, composed of many floscules or tubular florets. [L. _flosculus_, dim. of _flos_, a flower.]
FLOSS, flos, _n._ the loose downy or silky substance in the husks of certain plants, as the bean--also FLOSH.--_n._ FLOSS'-SILK, very fine silk fibre extremely soft and downy and with a high lustre, used chiefly for embroidery.--_adj._ FLOSS'Y. [Prob. O. Fr. _flosche_, down: or from some Teut. word cog. with _fleece_--cf. Ice. _flos_, nap.]
FLOTA, fl[=o]'ta, _n._ a commercial fleet: formerly the fleet which annually conveyed the produce of America to Spain. [Sp., 'a fleet.']
FLOTAGE. See FLOATAGE.
FLOTANT, fl[=o]t'ant, _adj._ (_her._) floating in air or in water.
FLOTATION, flo-t[=a]'shun, _n._ the act of floating: the science of floating bodies: act of floating a company or commercial enterprise.--PLANE, or LINE, OF FLOTATION, the plane or line in which the horizontal surface of a fluid cuts a body floating in it.
FLOTILLA, flo-til'a, _n._ a fleet of small ships. [Sp., dim. of _flota_, a fleet.]
FLOTSAM, flot'sam, _n._ goods lost by shipwreck, and found floating on the sea (see JETSAM). [Anglo-Fr. _floteson_ (Fr. _flottaison_)--O. Fr.
_floter_, to float.]
FLOUNCE, flowns, _v.i._ to move abruptly or impatiently--_n._ an impatient gesture. [Prob. cog. with Norw. _flunsa_, to hurry, Sw. prov. _flunsa_, to souse.]
FLOUNCE, flowns, _n._ a plaited strip sewed to the skirt of a dress.--_v.t._ to furnish with flounces.--_n._ FLOUN'CING, material for flounces. [Earlier form _frounce_--O. Fr. _fronce_, _fronche_, prob. from L. _frons_, forehead; or Old High Ger. _runza_, a wrinkle, Ger. _runze_.]
FLOUNDER, flown'd[.e]r, _v.i._ to struggle with violent and awkward motion: to stumble helplessly in thinking or speaking. [Prob. an onomatopoeic blending of the sound and sense of earlier words like _founder_, _blunder_.
Skeat compares Dut. _flodderen_, to splash.]
FLOUNDER, flown'd[.e]r, _n._ a small flat-fish, generally found in the sea near the mouth of rivers. [Anglo-Fr., _floundre_, O. Fr. _flondre_, most prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Ice. _flyra_, Sw. _flundra_.]
FLOUR, flowr, _n._ the finely-ground meal of wheat or other grain: the fine soft powder of any substance.--_v.t._ to reduce into or sprinkle with flour.--_v.i._ to break up into fine globules of mercury in the amalgamation process.--_ns._ FLOUR'-BOLT, a machine for bolting flour; FLOUR'-MILL, a mill for making flour.--_adj._ FLOUR'Y, covered with flour.
[Fr. _fleur_ (_de farine_, of meal), fine flour--L. _flos_, _floris_, a flower.]
FLOURISH, flur'ish, _v.i._ to thrive luxuriantly: to be prosperous: to use copious and flowery language: to move in fantastic figures: to display ostentatiously: (_mus._) to play ostentatious passages, or ostentatiously: to play a trumpet-call: to make ornamental strokes with the pen: to boast or brag.--_v.t._ to adorn with flourishes or ornaments: to swing about by way of show or triumph: (_Shak._) to gloss over.--_n._ decoration: showy splendour: a figure made by a bold stroke of the pen: the waving of a weapon or other thing: a parade of words: a musical prelude: a trumpet-call.--_adjs._ FLOUR'ISHED, decorated with flourishes; FLOUR'ISHING, thriving: prosperous: making a show.--_adv._ FLOUR'ISHINGLY.--_adj._ FLOUR'ISHY, abounding in flourishes.--FLOURISH OF TRUMPETS, a trumpet-call sounded on the approach of great persons; any ostentatious introduction. [O. Fr. _florir_, L. _flos_, flower.]
FLOUSE, flows, _v.t._ and _v.i._ (_prov._) to splash.--Also FLOUSH.
FLOUT, flowt, _v.t._ and _v.i._ to jeer, mock, or insult: to treat with contempt.--_n._ a mock: an insult.--_adv._ FLOUT'INGLY, with flouting: insultingly.--_n._ FLOUT'ING-STOCK (_Shak._), an object for flouting.
[Prob. a specialised use of _floute_, M. E. form of _flute_, to play on the flute. So with Dut. _fluiten_.]
FLOW, fl[=o], _v.i._ to run, as water: to rise, as the tide: to move in a stream, as air: to glide smoothly: to circulate, as the blood: to abound: to hang loose and waving: (_B._) to melt.--_v.t._ to cover with water.--_n._ a stream or current: the setting in of the tide: abundance: copiousness: free expression.--_n._ FLOW'AGE, act of flowing: state of being flooded.--_adj._ FLOW'ING, moving, as a fluid: fluent or smooth: falling in folds or in waves.--_adv._ FLOW'INGLY.--_n._ FLOW'INGNESS. [A.S.
_flowan_; Ger. _fliessen_.]
FLOW, flow, _n._ a morass: (_Scot._) a flat, moist tract of land. [Ice.