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F | facia
363
Ff F 1 the sixth letter of the English alphabet. 2 (Music ) the fourth note of the diatonic scale of C major. 3 (Chemistry ) the symbol for fluorine.
F abbreviation Fahrenheit. f abbreviation (Music ) forte (loudly). FA abbreviation Football Association. Fabian (fay-bi-ən) noun a member or
supporter of the Fabian Society, an English socialist society founded in 1884 with the aim of achieving social change through gradual reform. Fabianism noun [named after the Roman general Quintus Fabius Maximus (c.200 BC) who applied a strategy of caution and avoidance of pitched battle in the war against Hannibal]
fable noun 1 a short story, usually with animals as characters, intended to convey a moral. 2 these stories or legends collectively. [from a Latin word fabula meaning ‘story’]
fabled adjective 1 famous. 2 told of in fables, legendary.
fabric noun 1 material produced from woven or knitted textile fibres, cloth.
2 the basic structure or framework of
something, especially the walls, floors, and roof of a building. [from a Latin word fabrica meaning ‘something made’]
fabricate verb 1 to construct or
manufacture something. 2 to invent a story or excuse so as to deceive people. fabrication noun fabricator noun [from a Latin word fabricare meaning ‘to make or forge’]
fabulous adjective 1 told of in fables ♦ a
fabulous creature. 2 incredibly great ♦ fabulous wealth. 3 (informal ) wonderful, marvellous ♦ We all had a fabulous time . SYNONYMS: wonderful, marvellous, fantastic, amazing. fabulously adverb [same origin as for fable]
facade (fə-sahd) noun 1 the outer face of a building, especially the principal face.
2 an outward appearance, especially a
deceptive one. [a French word, related to face]
face noun 1 the front part of the head from
the forehead to the chin. 2 the expression on a person’s face ♦ She had a cheerful face .
SYNONYMS: countenance, expression. 3 an aspect of something ♦ the unacceptable face of capitalism. 4 each of the surfaces of a three-dimensional object such as a cube. 5 the sloping or vertical side of a mountain or cliff. 6 the front of something, or the surface that is the one normally looked at or has a distinctive function ♦ The playing cards were on the table face up. face verb 1 to have or turn the face in a specified direction. 2 to meet and deal with a difficulty or an opponent ♦ She went in to face her accusers. 3 to have the prospect of something unpleasant or difficult to deal with ♦ The travellers faced further delays . SYNONYMS: encounter, meet with. 4 to present itself to you ♦ This is the problem that faces us . SYNONYM: confront. 5 to cover a surface with a layer of different material. to face the music to face unpleasant consequences bravely. to face up to to face a difficulty resolutely. SYNONYMS: confront, accept, deal with. in the face of when confronted with, despite. to lose face to be humiliated or appear foolish. to save face to avoid humiliation. [from a Latin word facies meaning ‘appearance’]
facecloth noun 1 a small cloth for washing the face. 2 a smooth woollen cloth.
face flannel noun a small cloth for washing the face.
faceless adjective 1 not having an identity. 2 (said about an authority, organization,
etc.) impersonal and inaccessible.
facelift noun 1 surgery done to improve the
appearance of a person’s face. 2 an alteration or renovation that improves the appearance of something, especially a building.
facet (fas-it) noun 1 each of the many sides of a cut stone or jewel. 2 one aspect of a situation or problem. [from a French word facette meaning ‘small face’]
facetious (fə-see-shəs) adjective trying to
be amusing, especially at an unsuitable time. facetiously adverb facetiousness noun [from a Latin word facetus meaning ‘witty’]
face value noun the value printed or stamped on a coin, banknote, or postage stamp. to take something at its face value to assume that something is what it seems to be.
facia (fay-shə) noun another spelling of fascia.
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facial | fag facial (fay-shəl) adjective to do with or on
364 factorization noun
the face. facial noun a beauty treatment for the face.
factor VIII noun a blood protein involved in
facile (fa-siyl) adjective 1 done too easily,
factory noun (factories) a building or group
superficial ♦ a facile solution. 2 (said about a person) able to do something easily ♦ a facile speaker. [from a Latin word facilis meaning ‘easy’]
facilitate (fə-sil-i-tayt) verb to make something easy or easier to do. facilitation noun
facility (fə-sil-iti) noun (facilities)
1a building or piece of equipment used for a special purpose ♦ sports facilities. 2 ease or ability in doing something ♦ She reads music with great facility. 3 the quality of being easy, absence of difficulty.
facing noun 1 an outer layer covering a surface. 2 a layer of material covering part of a piece of clothing for contrast or to strengthen it.
facsimile (fak-sim-ili) noun (facsimiles) an exact copy of something written or printed. [from Latin words fac meaning ‘make’ and simile meaning ‘a likeness’]
fact noun 1 something that is known to
have happened or to be true. SYNONYMS: reality, certainty. 2 a thing asserted to be true as a basis for reasoning. [from a Latin word factum meaning ‘thing done’]
faction (fak-shən) noun a small united group within a larger one, especially in politics. factional adjective factionally adverb [from a Latin word factio, from facere meaning ‘to do’]
factitious (fak-tish-əs) adjective made for a special purpose, contrived. [from a Latin word facticius meaning ‘made by art’]
factor noun 1 a circumstance or influence
that helps to bring about a result ♦ The weather was a decisive factor in the army’s defeat . SYNONYMS: aspect, circumstance, consideration. 2 (Mathematics ) a number by which a larger number can be divided exactly ♦ 1, 2, 3, and 6 are factors of 6. 3 a business agent, or (in Scotland) a land agent or steward. [from a Latin word facere meaning ‘to do’]
factorial noun (Mathematics ) the product of a number and all the numbers below it, e.g. factorial 4 (denoted by 4!) is the product of 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24.
factorize verb to find the factors of a number, to express a number in factors.
clotting, a deficiency of which causes haemophilia. of buildings in which goods are manufactured. [from a Latin word facere meaning ‘to make or do’]
factory farm noun a farm organized on industrial lines.
factotum (fak-toh-təm) noun (factotums) a
servant or assistant who does all kinds of work. [from Latin words fac meaning ‘do’ and totum meaning ‘everything’]
facts of life plural noun information about sexual reproduction.
factual adjective based on facts or
containing facts. SYNONYMS: actual, real, authentic. factually adverb
faculty (fak-əl-ti) noun (faculties)
1 any of the powers of the body or mind ♦ the faculty of sight. 2 a particular kind of ability ♦ a faculty for learning languages. 3 a department teaching a particular subject in a university or college ♦ the faculty of music. [from a Latin word facultas, related to facile]
fad noun 1 a temporary fashion or craze. 2 a person’s particular like or dislike.
faddish adjective [originally a dialect word]
faddy adjective (faddier, faddiest) having petty likes and dislikes, especially about food. faddiness noun
fade verb 1 to lose colour, freshness, or strength, or to make something or someone do this. SYNONYMS: grow pale, discolour, blanch; flag, droop, wilt. 2 (said about something seen or heard) to disappear gradually, to become indistinct. 3 to make the sound or picture in a cinema film or a television or radio recording decrease (fade out) or increase (fade in) gradually. fade noun an act or sound of fading. [from an Old French word fade meaning ‘dull’ or ‘feeble’]
faeces (fee-seez) plural noun solid waste
matter passed out of the body. faecal (fee-kəl) adjective [plural of a Latin word faex meaning ‘dregs’]
fag noun (informal) 1 a task that is tiring or
unwelcome. 2 in British public schools, a junior pupil who has to run errands for a senior one. 3 a cigarette. fagged out tired out, exhausted. [origin unknown]
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faggot | fairy story
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faggot noun 1 a bundle of sticks or twigs
bound together. 2 a meatball made from chopped liver and baked. [via Old French and Italian from a Greek word phakelos meaning ‘bundle’]
Fahrenheit (fa-rən-hiyt) adjective relating
to or using a temperature scale in which water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°. [named after G. D. Fahrenheit, a German physicist (1686–1736) who invented the mercury thermometer]
fail verb 1 to be unsuccessful in doing
something or in trying to do it. SYNONYMS: misfire, go wrong, founder, fall through, come to grief. 2 to become weak or useless, to stop working ♦ The brakes failed on a steep hill. 3 to be or become insufficient; (said about crops) to produce a poor harvest. 4 to neglect or be unable to do something ♦ They failed to warn us . SYNONYMS: neglect, omit. 5 to disappoint the hopes of someone. 6 to become bankrupt. 7 to be unable to meet the standard needed in an examination. 8 to judge that a candidate has not passed an examination. fail noun a failure in an examination. without fail for certain, whatever happens. [from a Latin word fallere meaning ‘to deceive’]
failing noun a weakness or fault.
failing preposition if a thing is not the case or does not happen ♦ Failing that we will have to try something else.
fail-safe adjective (said about equipment or machinery) returning to a safe state in the event of a failure or breakdown.
failure noun 1 the act of failing, a lack of
success. 2 a situation in which power has failed, or a machine or a part of the body has stopped working ♦ heart failure. 3 a person or thing that has failed.
faint adjective 1 not clear to the senses, dim
or indistinct. SYNONYMS: indistinct, dim, weak, unclear, hazy. 2 pale in colour. 3 weak or vague ♦ There is a faint hope. 4 timid or feeble. 5 (said about a person) weak and giddy, and about to lose consciousness. SYNONYMS: giddy, dizzy, unsteady, light-headed. faint verb to lose consciousness briefly when insufficient oxygen is supplied to the brain. SYNONYMS: pass out, black out, lose consciousness, collapse. faint noun an act or state of fainting. faintly adverb faintness noun [from an Old French word]
faint-hearted adjective timid or reserved.
fair adjective 1 right or just, in accordance 1
with the rules ♦ It was a fair decision to award a penalty . SYNONYMS: just, proper, right, legitimate. 2 treating people equally and with justice. 3 (said about the hair or skin) light in colour; (said about a person) having fair hair. 4 (old use ) beautiful. 5 (said about the weather) fine and dry. SYNONYMS: fine, clear, dry, bright. 6 moderate in quality or amount ♦ A fair number of people had come. fair adverb in a fair manner. fair and square 1 exactly or with accuracy. 2 honestly, straightforwardly. [from an Old English word fæger]
fair 2 noun 1 a gathering of shows and amusements for public entertainment.
2 a periodic gathering to sell goods. 3 an
exhibition of commercial or industrial goods♦ the annual book fair. [from a Latin word feriae meaning ‘holiday’]
fairground noun an open outdoor space where a fair is held.
fairing noun a structure added to the outside of a vehicle, ship, or aircraft to streamline it.
Fair Isle noun a traditional geometric design in coloured wools, of a kind originating in Fair Isle in the Shetlands.
fairly adverb 1 in a fair or just manner ♦ She treated us fairly. 2 moderately, somewhat ♦ It seems fairly difficult. 3 actually, really ♦ He fairly jumped for joy.
fair play noun equal opportunities and treatment for all.
fairway noun 1 a channel that shipping can use. 2 the part of a golf course between the tee and the green, where the grass is kept short.
fairy noun (fairies) an imaginary small
being with magic powers. [from an old word fay, from Latin fata meaning ‘the Fates’, three goddesses who were believed to control people’s lives]
fairy godmother noun a woman in fairy stories who brings unexpected good fortune to the hero or heroine.
fairyland noun 1 the world of fairies. 2 a very beautiful place.
fairy lights plural noun strings of small decorative coloured lights.
fairy story or fairy tale noun a story about imaginary or magical beings and places.
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fait accompli | falling star fait accompli (fayt ah-kom-pli) noun a thing that is already done and cannot be changed. [a French phrase meaning ‘accomplished fact’]
faith noun 1 strong trust or confidence in a
person or thing. SYNONYMS: confidence, trust, belief. 2 belief in a religious doctrine, independent of proof or reasoning. 3 a system of religious beliefs ♦ the Christian faith . SYNONYMS: religion, belief. in good faith with honest intention. [from an Old French word, from a Latin word fides]
faithful adjective 1 loyal and trustworthy
♦ faithful fans . SYNONYMS: devoted, loyal, reliable, true, trustworthy. 2 sexually loyal to one partner. 3 true to the facts, accurate. SYNONYMS: accurate, true, exact. the faithful the believers in a particular faith, especially Islam. Yours faithfully see yours. faithfully adverb faithfulness noun
faith healing noun healing achieved by
religious faith and prayer. faith healer noun
faithless adjective 1 not having a religious faith. 2 breaking promises, disloyal.
fake noun 1 something that looks genuine
but is not, a forgery. SYNONYMS: forgery, counterfeit, imitation, sham. 2 a person who makes false claims in order to deceive others. SYNONYMS: cheat, fraud, impostor; (informal ) phoney. fake adjective false, not genuine. fake verb 1 to make something that looks genuine, in order to deceive people. 2 to pretend something ♦ He faked illness so as to stay at home. faker noun [originally a slang word, of unknown origin]
fakir (fay-keer) noun a Muslim or Hindu religious beggar regarded as a holy man. [from an Arabic word meaning ‘a poor man’]
falafel (fə-laf-əl) noun a Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas made into balls and fried. [from an Arabic word meaning ‘pepper’]
falcon (fawl-kən) noun a kind of hawk often
used in the sport of hunting other birds or game. [via Old French from a Latin word falco]
falconry noun the breeding and training of hawks.
fall verb (fell, fallen)
1 to come or go freely
from a higher position to a lower one, usually by the force of weight, by losing balance, or by becoming detached. SYNONYMS: drop, plunge, tumble. 2 to hang
366 down. 3 to slope downwards. 4 to become less in amount, number, or strength ♦ House prices are falling at last . SYNONYMS: come down, drop, decrease. 5 to happen or be noticed ♦ An eerie silence fell on the crowd. 6 to lose a position of power or authority. 7 (said about a person’s face) to show disappointment by appearing to droop. 8 to die in battle. SYNONYMS: die, perish. 9 to be captured or overthrown ♦ The city fell after a long siege. 10 to pass into a specified state, to become something ♦ We fell in love ♦ Then she fell asleep. 11 to occur, to have as a date ♦ Easter falls late this year. fall noun 1 the act of falling. 2 (old use ) the act of giving way to temptation, especially by Adam and Eve in biblical accounts of the Creation. 3 the amount by which something falls or becomes less. SYNONYMS: decrease, decline. 4 (North Amer. ) autumn, when leaves fall. falls plural noun a waterfall. to fall back to retreat. to fall back on to turn to someone or something for help in an emergency. to fall down on to fail in something. to fall for (informal ) 1 to fall in love with someone. 2 to be tricked by a deception. to fall foul of to get into trouble or conflict with someone. to fall in 1 to collapse inwards. 2 to take your place in a military formation. to fall in with to agree to a proposal or suggestion. to fall off to decrease in size or number or quality. to fall out 1 to quarrel. SYNONYMS: quarrel, have a disagreement, clash, argue. 2 to happen. 3 to leave a military formation. to fall through (said about a plan) to fail, to come to nothing. [from an Old English word]
fallacious (fə-lay-shəs) adjective containing a fallacy, faulty. fallaciously adverb fallaciousness noun
fallacy (fal-əsi) noun (fallacies)
1 a false or mistaken belief. 2 faulty reasoning. [from a Latin word fallere meaning ‘to deceive’]
fallback noun an alternative plan adopted if all else fails.
fall guy noun (informal ) an easy victim or scapegoat.
fallible (fal-ibəl) adjective liable to make mistakes. fallibility (fal-i-bil-iti) noun [same origin as for fail]
falling star noun a meteor.
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367
Fallopian tubes (fə-loh-piən) plural noun
the two tubes in female mammals carrying eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. [named after Gabriele Fallopio, a 16th-century Italian anatomist]
fallout noun particles of radioactive material carried in the air after a nuclear explosion.
fallow (fal-oh) adjective (said about land) ploughed but left without crops in order to restore its fertility. [from an Old English word falu meaning ‘pale brown’ (because of the colour of the bare earth)]
fallow deer noun a kind of small deer, which in the summer has a reddish-brown coat with white spots.
false adjective 1 incorrect or wrong. SYNONYMS: fictitious, incorrect, invalid,
fabricated, made-up. 2 (said about a person) deceitful or unfaithful. SYNONYMS: unfaithful, disloyal, deceitful, dishonest, treacherous. 3 not genuine, artificial ♦ false teeth. under false pretences behaving in a way that is intended to deceive people. falsely adverb falseness noun [from a Latin word falsum meaning ‘deceived’]
falsehood noun 1 an untrue statement, a lie. 2 telling lies.
falsetto (fol-set-oh) noun (falsettos) a high-pitched voice above the natural range, especially when used by male singers. [an Italian word meaning ‘little false one’]
falsify verb (falsifies, falsified, falsifying) 1 to alter a document dishonestly. 2 to
misrepresent facts. falsification noun
falsity noun (falsities)
1 falseness. 2 a
falsehood or error.
falter verb 1 to move or function
unsteadily. 2 to become weaker, to begin to give way ♦ His courage began to falter. 3 to speak or utter hesitatingly, to stammer. falteringly adverb [origin unknown]
fame noun 1 being known to many people,
being famous. SYNONYMS: renown, glory, distinction, esteem. 2 a good reputation. [from a Latin word fama meaning ‘report’ or ‘rumour’]
famed adjective famous. familiar adjective 1 well known, often seen or experienced ♦ The old car was a familiar sight in the town . SYNONYMS: well-known, common, everyday, normal, regular. 2 knowing something well ♦ Are you
Fallopian tubes | fan belt familiar with this song?. 3 friendly and informal ♦ She addressed him in familiar terms. 4 too informal, over-friendly. familiarly adverb familiarity noun [same origin as for family]
familiarize verb to make someone well acquainted with a person or thing. familiarization noun
family noun (families)
1 parents and their children, sometimes including grandchildren and other relatives. 2 a person’s children ♦ They have a large family. 3 all the descendants of a common ancestor; their line of descent. 4 a group of things that are alike in some way. 5 a group of related plants or animals ♦ Lions belong to the cat family. [from a Latin word familia meaning ‘household’]
family credit noun a regular payment made by the state to families with an income below a certain level.
family planning noun use of contraception to plan the size of a family, birth control.
family tree noun a diagram showing how people of successive generations in a family are related.
famine noun extreme scarcity of food in a
region. [from a Latin word fames meaning ‘hunger’]
famished adjectives (informal) very hungry. [same origin as for famine]
famous adjective 1 known to many people.
SYNONYMS: well-known, celebrated, prominent,
distinguished, important. 2 (informal ) splendid. famously adverb [same origin as for fame]
fan 1 noun a device or machine for creating a current of air in a room or building. fan verb (fanned, fanning) 1 to send a current of air on someone or something. 2 to stimulate flames with a current of air. 3 to spread from a central point ♦ The troops fanned out to the left. [from an Old English word fann, from a Latin word vannus]
fan 2 noun an enthusiastic admirer or
supporter. [originally short for fanatic]
fanatic (fə-nat-ik) noun a person filled with excessive enthusiasm for something. fanatical adjective fanatically adverb fanaticism noun
fan belt noun a belt used to drive the fan that cools the radiator of a motor vehicle.
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fancier | farm
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fancier noun a person with a special interest in a particular animal ♦ a dog-fancier.
fanciful adjective 1 highly imaginative and unrealistic. 2 existing only in the imagination. 3 (said about things) designed in a quaint or imaginative style. fancifully adverb
fan club noun an organized group of supporters or admirers.
fancy noun (fancies)
1 the power of
imagining things, especially of an unreal or fantastic sort. 2 something imagined, an unfounded idea or belief. 3 a liking or desire for something. fancy adjective (fancier, fanciest) 1 ornamental or elaborate. SYNONYMS: ornamental, decorated, elaborate. fancy verb (fancies, fancied, fancying) 1 to imagine something ♦ She fancied she saw a unicorn. 2 to be inclined to believe or suppose something ♦ I fancy he may be in love with Mary . SYNONYMS: suppose, imagine. 3 (informal ) to feel a wish or desire for something ♦ Do you fancy a doughnut?. 4 (informal ) to find someone sexually attractive. [originally a shortened spelling of fantasy]
fancy dress noun an unusual costume worn for a party, e.g. to make you look like a famous person or an animal.
fandango noun (fandangoes or fandangos) a lively Spanish dance for two people, or the music for this dance. [a Spanish word]
fanfare noun a short piece of loud music played on trumpets, especially as part of a ceremony. [from a French word]
fang noun 1 a long sharp tooth, especially of a dog or wolf. 2 a tooth a snake uses to inject its venom. [from an Old English word]
fanlight noun a small window, usually a half circle, above another window or a door. [so called because they often resemble the shape of an open fan]
fantasia (fan-tay-ziə) noun an imaginative piece of music or writing. [an Italian word related to fantastic]
fantasize (fan-tə-siyz) verb to imagine something strange or pleasant that you would like to happen. [from fantasy]
fantastic adjective 1 (informal ) very
remarkable, excellent. SYNONYMS: wonderful, marvellous, fabulous. 2 highly
fanciful. 3 designed in an imaginative way. fantastically adverb [same origin as for fantasy]
fantasy noun (fantasies)
1 something imaginary or fantastic. 2 imagination used to produce fanciful ideas. 3 a fanciful design. 4 an imaginative piece of music or writing. [from a Greek word phantazein meaning ‘to make visible’]
FAQ abbreviation frequently asked question.
far adverb (farther or further, farthest or
furthest) at or to a great distance ♦ We shan’t go far. far adjective distant or remote ♦ They like to travel to far countries. a far cry from very different from something. by far by a great amount. far and away by far. far and wide over a large area. [from an Old English word feorr]
farad (fa-rəd) noun a unit of capacitance. [same origin as for faraday]
faraday (fa-rə-day) noun a unit of electrical
charge. [named after the English physicist Michael Faraday (1791–1867)]
faraway adjective a long way away ♦ faraway places.
farce noun 1 a comedy in which the
humour is exaggerated. 2 this kind of drama. 3 events that are absurd or useless. farcical (far-sik-əl) adjective farcically adverb [a French word meaning ‘stuffing’, the name given to a comic interlude between the acts of a play]
fare noun 1 the price charged for a
passenger to travel. 2 a passenger who pays a fare, especially for a hired vehicle. 3 food and drink provided for people ♦ There was only very simple fare. fare verb to have good or bad treatment, to progress ♦ How did you fare?. [from an Old English word]
Far East noun China, Japan, and other countries of east and south-east Asia.
farewell interjection goodbye.
farewell noun an act of leaving or parting.
far-fetched adjective implausible, not very likely or convincing.
farinaceous (fa-rin-ay-shəs) adjective made of starch, like starch or a starchy substance. [from a Latin word farina meaning ‘flour’]
farm noun 1 an area of land and its buildings used for raising crops or rearing animals. 2 a farmhouse. 3 a stretch of
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farm | fast
369 water used for raising fish etc. farm verb 1 to grow crops or rear farm animals. 2 to use land for this purpose. 3 to breed fish commercially. to farm out to give work to other people to do. [originally a payment of tax or rent, via French from a Latin word firma meaning ‘fixed payment’]
farmer noun a person who owns or manages a farm.
farmhand noun a worker on a farm. farmhouse noun the main house on a farm, used by the farmer.
farmstead (farm-sted) noun a farm and its buildings.
farmyard noun the yard or area round farm buildings.
farrago (fə-rah-goh) noun (farragos) a
confused muddle of things. [a Latin word meaning ‘mixed fodder’]
far-reaching adjective having important implications or consequences.
farrier (fa-ri-er) noun a smith who shoes horses. [from a Latin word ferrum meaning ‘iron’ or ‘an iron horseshoe’]
farrow (fa-roh) noun a litter of young pigs.
farrow verb (said about a sow) to give birth to young pigs. [from an Old English word]
Farsi noun the modern form of the Persian
language. [from an Arabic word, from the name Fars meaning ‘Persia’]
fart verb (informal) to let out wind from the anus. fart noun the act or sound of wind let out of the anus. [from an Old English word]
farther adverb & adjective at or to a greater distance, more remote. [another spelling of further] ◊ Farther and farthest are only used when the meaning is of physical distance (e.g. She lives farther from the school than I do), but even then many people prefer to use further and furthest. When the meaning is ‘more’ or ‘additional’ (e.g. We have further inquiries to make), you have to use further and not farther. If you are not sure which to use, use further or furthest, which are always correct.
farthest adverb & adjective at or to the greatest distance, most remote. [another spelling of furthest] ◊ See the note at farther.
farthing noun a former British coin worth one-quarter of a penny. [from an Old English word feorthing meaning ‘one-fourth’]
fasces (fas-eez) plural noun (in ancient Rome) a bundle of rods with a projecting axe blade, carried before certain officials as a symbol of authority. [plural of Latin fascis meaning ‘bundle’]
fascia (fay-shə) noun 1 a long flat board
placed under the eaves of a building, or as a sign at the front of a shop. 2 the instrument panel of a motor vehicle, the dashboard. [a Latin word meaning ‘band’or ‘door frame’]
fascinate verb to be very attractive or
interesting to someone. SYNONYMS: enchant, captivate, charm, enthral. fascination noun fascinator noun [from a Latin word fascinare meaning ‘to cast a spell’]
fascinating adjective having great
attraction or interest. SYNONYMS: enchanting, captivating, charming, enthralling.
fascism (fash-izm) noun a system of extreme right-wing government based on authoritarian and nationalistic principles. fascist noun [from fasces, used as the emblem of the Italian Fascist party in the 1920s]
fashion noun 1 the popular style of dress or
behaviour at a particular time. 2 a manner of doing something ♦ We decided to continue in the same fashion . SYNONYMS: manner, way, method, mode, style. fashion verb to make something into a particular form or shape. after a fashion to some extent but not very satisfactorily. [from an Old French word façon, from a Latin word facere meaning ‘to do’]
fashionable adjective conforming to the current fashion, popular. fashionably adverb
fashion victim noun (informal) a slavish follower of popular fashions.
fast 1 adjective 1 moving or able to move at a high speed. SYNONYMS: quick, speedy, swift.
2 suitable for travel at high speed ♦ a fast road. 3 done or happening quickly ♦ We
need a fast response to our appeal . SYNONYMS: quick, rapid, swift. 4 (said about a clock or watch) showing a time later than the correct time. 5 firmly fixed or attached. 6 (said about a person or activity) involved in or involving great or shocking excitement. 7 (said about colours or dyes)
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fast | fatigue not likely to fade or run. 8 (said about a film or lens) needing only a short exposure. fast adverb 1 quickly. 2 firmly or tightly, securely ♦ The window was stuck fast ♦ The children are fast asleep. [from an Old English word fæst]
fast 2 verb to go without food or certain kinds of food, especially as a religious observance. fast noun an act or time of fasting. [from an Old English word fæstan]
fast breeder reactor noun a nuclear reactor using high-speed neutrons to produce fissile material.
fasten verb 1 to fix something firmly in
place, or tie or join things together. SYNONYMS: secure, fix. 2 to become fastened ♦ The door fastens with a latch. to fasten on to choose something and concentrate on it. [from an Old English word fæstnian]
fastener or fastening noun a device for fastening something.
fast food noun quickly-prepared food sold in a restaurant or snack bar for eating there or for taking away.
fast-forward verb to advance an audio or video tape at accelerated speed to reach a point further on in the recording.
fastidious (fas-tid-iəs) adjective 1 fussy and
hard to please. 2 very careful about small details of dress or cleanliness. fastidiously adverb fastidiousness noun [from a Latin word fastidium meaning ‘loathing’]
fastness noun 1 a place protected by its
natural surroundings. 2 the state of being fast or firm ♦ colour fastness.
fast track noun a quick route or method. fat noun 1 a natural oily substance that is insoluble in water and is found in animal bodies and certain seeds. 2 oil or grease for use in cooking. fat adjective (fatter, fattest) 1 containing much fat, covered with fat. SYNONYMS: plump, stout, tubby, podgy. 2 (said about a person) having a thick round body. 3 (said about an animal) made plump for slaughter. 4 thick ♦ a fat book. a fat chance (informal ) no chance at all. fatness noun [from an Old English word fætt]
fatal adjective 1 causing or ending in death ♦ a fatal wound . SYNONYMS: lethal, deadly. 2 causing failure or disaster ♦ a fatal mistake. fatally adverb [from a Latin word fatalis meaning ‘by fate’]
370
fatalist noun a person who accepts whatever happens and regards it as inevitable. fatalism noun fatalistic adjective
fatality (fə-tal-iti) noun (fatalities) death
caused by accident, war, or other disaster.
fate noun 1 an irresistible power that is
thought to make things happen. 2 what has happened or will happen to a person. Fates noun (Greek Mythology ) three goddesses who control people’s lives and deaths. [from a Latin word fatum meaning ‘what has been spoken’]
fated adjective destined by fate, doomed. fateful adjective bringing events that are important and usually unpleasant.
fathead noun (informal) a stupid person. father noun 1 a male parent. 2 a male
ancestor ♦ land of our fathers. 3 the founder or originator of something. 4 the Father (in Christian belief) God, the first person of the Trinity. 5 the title of certain priests, especially those belonging to religious orders. father verb 1 to be the father of a child ♦ He fathered six children. 2 to be the founder or originator of an idea or plan. fatherhood noun [from an Old English word fæder]
Father Christmas noun an imaginary man traditionally having a long white beard and dressed in a red robe, said to bring presents for children at Christmas.
father figure noun an older man who is respected and trusted by others like a father.
father-in-law noun (fathers-in-law) the father of your wife or husband.
fatherland noun a person’s native country. fatherless adjective without a living or known father.
fatherly adjective like a father, especially in being protective and loving.
fathom noun a unit used to measure the depth of water, equal to 1.83 metres or 6 feet. fathom verb 1 to understand something difficult. 2 to measure the depth of something. [from an Old English word fæthm]
fathomless adjective too deep to fathom. fatigue noun 1 tiredness resulting from hard work or exercise. 2 weakness in metals, caused by constant stress. 3 (fatigues) the non-military duties of
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fatigue | FBI
371 soldiers, such as cooking and cleaning. fatigue verb (fatigues, fatigued, fatiguing) to make someone very tired. [from a Latin word fatigare meaning ‘to tire’]
fatted adjective (said about an animal) fattened as food ♦ the fatted calf.
fatten verb to make something fat, or to become fat.
fatty adjective (fattier, fattiest) like fat or containing fat.
fatty acid noun an organic acid of the kind that occurs in natural oils.
fatuous (fat-yoo-əs) adjective pointless and silly. fatuity (fə-tew-iti) noun fatuously adverb fatuousness noun [from a Latin word fatuus meaning ‘foolish’]
fatwa noun a formal ruling on a point of Islamic law. [from an Arabic word]
faucet (faw-sit) noun 1 a tap for a barrel.
2 (North Amer. ) a tap. [from an Old French
word fausset]
fault noun 1 something that makes a person
or thing imperfect, a flaw or weakness. SYNONYMS: defect, weakness, failing, imperfection, flaw. 2 a mistake or error. 3 an offence or wrongdoing. 4 the responsibility for something wrong ♦ Whose fault is this?. 5 (Geology ) a break in the continuity of layers of rock, caused by movement of the earth’s crust. 6 an incorrect serve in tennis and similar games. fault verb to find and comment on mistakes in someone or something. at fault responsible for a mistake or failure. to find fault with to find and comment on mistakes in someone or something. [from a Latin word fallere meaning ‘to deceive’]
faultless adjective not having any faults, perfect. faultlessly adverb faultlessness noun
faulty adjective (faultier, faultiest) having faults, imperfect.
faun (fawn) noun (Roman Mythology) an ancient rural god, shown as a man with a goat’s legs, ears, horns, and tail. [from the name of the rural god Faunus (see fauna)]
fauna noun the animals of a particular area or period of time. (Compare flora.). [from the name of Fauna, an ancient Roman country goddess, sister of Faunus (see faun)]
faux pas (foh pah) noun (faux pas (foh pahz)) an embarrassing mistake or blunder. [a French expression, meaning ‘false step’]
favour noun 1 a kind act done specially to
help someone. SYNONYMS: kindness, service, good deed, good turn. 2 approval or liking. 3 support or preference given to one person or group but not to another. SYNONYMS: partiality, favouritism, bias. favour verb 1 to regard or treat someone with approval or liking. SYNONYMS: approve of, like, prefer. 2 to be in favour of someone or something. 3 to give someone what they want ♦ She favoured us with a song. 4 (said about events or circumstances) to make something possible or easy. 5 (informal ) to resemble a relative in facial features ♦ The boy favours his father. to be in or out of favour to have (or not have) a person’s goodwill. in favour of 1 in support of. 2 to the advantage of. [from a Latin word favor, from favere meaning ‘to show kindness to’]
favourable adjective 1 showing approval.
2 pleasing or satisfactory ♦ I think we made a favourable impression. 3 helpful or
advantageous ♦ favourable winds. favourably adverb
favourite adjective liked or preferred above others. favourite noun 1 a favoured person or thing. 2 a competitor that is generally expected to win.
favouritism noun unfairly favouring one person or group and not another.
fawn 1 noun 1 a young deer in its first year. 2 light yellowish-brown.
fawn adjective of a light yellowish brown colour. [from an Old French word faon, related to fetus]
fawn 2 verb 1 to get someone to like you by flattering or praising them too much.
2 (said about a dog or other animal) to
show extreme affection for someone. [from an Old English word]
fax noun 1 an exact copy of a document transmitted electronically. 2 a machine used to transmit copies. fax verb to transmit a document by this process. [a short form of facsimile]
FBA abbreviation Fellow of the British Academy.
FBI abbreviation (in the USA) Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Fe | federation Fe abbreviation (Chemistry) the symbol for
iron. [from a Latin word ferrum meaning ‘iron’]
fealty (feel-ti) noun (historical) loyalty or allegiance sworn by a feudal tenant or vassal to his lord ♦ an oath of fealty. [via Old French from a Latin word fidelitas (see fidelity)]
fear noun 1 an unpleasant feeling caused by the threat of danger or pain etc. 2 a danger or likelihood ♦ There is no fear of that happening. fear verb 1 to feel fear; to be afraid of someone or something. for fear of because of the risk of. without fear or favour impartially. [from an Old English word fær meaning ‘danger’]
fearful adjective 1 feeling fear, afraid.
SYNONYMS: frightened, afraid, scared. 2 causing horror. 3 (informal ) extremely bad. fearfully adverb
fearless adjective without fear. fearlessly adverb fearlessness noun
fearsome adjective frightening, alarming. feasible (fee-zi-bəl) adjective 1 able to be
done, possible ♦ It will not be feasible to finish the work before tomorrow . SYNONYMS: practicable, possible, realistic. 2 (informal ) likely or probable ♦ It is feasible that it will snow today. feasibility (fee-zi-bil-iti) noun feasibly adverb [from an Old French word faisible, from faire meaning ‘to make’ or ‘to do’] ◊ The use of feasible to mean ‘likely or probable’ is not generally accepted in standard English.
feast noun 1 a large elaborate meal, especially to celebrate something. 2 an annual religious festival. feast verb 1 to eat heartily. 2 to give a feast to people. to feast one’s eyes on to gaze admiringly at. [from a Latin word festus meaning ‘joyful’]
feat noun a brave or remarkable action or
achievement. [from an Old French word, related to fact]
feather noun any of the flat pieces that grow from a bird’s skin and cover its body, consisting of a central shaft with a fringe of fine strands on each side. feather verb 1 to cover or line something with feathers. 2 to turn an oar so that the blade passes through the air edgeways. 3 to make propeller blades rotate in such a way as to reduce the resistance of the air
372 or water. [from an Old English word fether]
feather bed noun a mattress stuffed with feathers.
feather-brained adjective silly or absent-minded.
featherweight noun 1 in boxing, a weight (57 kg) between lightweight and bantamweight. 2 an unimportant person or thing.
feathery adjective 1 light and soft like feathers. 2 covered with feathers.
feature noun 1 a part of the face that helps to form its appearance (e.g. the mouth, nose, or eyes). 2 an important or noticeable quality that a thing has ♦ The wooden ceiling is one of the interesting features of the old church . SYNONYMS: detail, aspect. 3 a special newspaper or magazine article or radio or television programme dealing with a particular theme. 4 the main film in a cinema programme. feature verb 1 to give special prominence to something. 2 to be a feature or important part of something. [from a Latin word factura meaning ‘a creation’]
featureless adjective not having any distinctive features.
February noun the second month of the
year. [named after februa, the ancient Roman feast of purification held in this month]
feckless adjective feeble and incompetent, irresponsible. fecklessly adverb fecklessness noun [from a Scottish word feck meaning ‘effect’ and -less]
fecund (feek-ənd or fek-ənd) adjective
highly fertile. fecundity (fi-kund-iti) noun [from a Latin word fecundus]
fed past tense and past participle of feed. fed up (informal ) dejected or annoyed.
federal adjective 1 to do with a system of government in which several states are combined under a central authority but remain independent in internal affairs. 2 to do with the central government, as distinct from the separate parts, in such a system ♦ federal laws. federally adverb federalism noun [from a Latin word foederis meaning ‘of a treaty’]
federate verb to organize states on a federal basis, or to be organized in this way.
federation noun 1 the process of federating. 2 a federal group of states.
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federative adjective federated or federal. fee noun 1 a payment made to an official or a professional person for advice or services. 2 a payment made for a right or privilege, such as membership of a society, entrance for an examination, transfer of a footballer, etc. [from an Old French word feu, from a Latin word feudum]
federative | feldspar necessary to tell them . SYNONYMS: consider, think. feel noun 1 the sense of touch. 2 an act of feeling. 3 the sensation produced by something touched ♦ The curtains have a silky feel. to feel for someone to sympathize with someone. to feel like (informal ) to want something. [from an Old English word]
feeble adjective 1 weak, lacking physical
feeler noun 1 a long thin projection or
feeble-minded adjective foolish or stupid. feed verb (past tense and past participle fed)
feel-good adjective (informal) making
strength. SYNONYMS: poorly, sickly, weak, delicate, frail. 2 (said about a person) having a weak character, ineffective. feebly adverb feebleness noun [from Latin flebilis meaning ‘wept over’]
1 to give food to a person or animal.
SYNONYMS: nourish, support, provide for. 2 to give something as food to animals ♦ We feed oats to horses. 3 (said about animals) to take food. 4 to serve as food for someone, to nourish someone. 5 to supply someone with material, water, power, etc. 6 (in ball games) to pass the ball to a player. feed noun 1 a meal, especially for animals or babies. 2 food for animals. 3 a pipe or device for supplying material to a machine, or the supply of this material. [from an Old English word]
feedback noun 1 information about a product or service given to the supplier by its users, as a basis for improving it. 2 the return to its source of part of the output of an amplifier, microphone, or other device, especially so as to modify the output.
feeder noun 1 a person or animal that takes in food in a particular way ♦ a greedy feeder. 2 a container for feeding an animal or young child. 3 a hopper or feeding apparatus in a machine. 4 a road or rail route that links outlying areas with a central line or service.
feel verb (past tense and past participle felt) 1 to use touch to identify something or
find out about it. SYNONYMS: touch, finger, caress. 2 to be physically or mentally aware of something ♦ After a while she began to feel happier. 3 to be affected by something ♦ The old man felt the cold. 4 to give a certain sensation or impression ♦ The water feels warm. 5 to have a vague conviction or impression of something. 6 to have something as an opinion, to consider something ♦ We felt it was
organ on the bodies of certain animals, used to search for food or to test things by touch. 2 a cautious question or suggestion put forward to test people’s reactions. people feel happy or well off.
feeling noun 1 the ability to feel things ♦ He
had lost all feeling in his legs . SYNONYMS: sensation, sensitivity. 2 mental awareness or emotion ♦ a feeling of anger. 3 an idea or belief not wholly based on reason ♦ She had a feeling someone was watching her . SYNONYMS: idea, impression, suspicion, inkling, intuition. 4 sensitivity, readiness to feel sympathy ♦ They seemed to show no feeling for the sufferings of others. 5 an opinion or attitude ♦ The feeling of the meeting was against it. feelings plural noun 1 the emotional side of a person’s nature, as distinct from the intellectual side. 2 emotional attitudes or responses ♦ We have strong feelings on this matter ♦ You have hurt his feelings.
feet plural of foot. feign (fayn) verb to pretend to have a particular feeling or be in a particular state ♦ When threatened, the animal feigns death. [from a Latin word fingere meaning ‘to form’ or ‘to plan’]
feint 1 (faynt) noun a pretended attack or blow made to deceive an opponent. feint verb to make a feint. [from a French word feinte, a form of the word feindre meaning ‘to feign’]
feint 2 (faynt) adjective (said about paper) ruled with faint lines as a guide for writing. [another spelling of faint]
feisty (fiy-sti) adjective (informal ) (feistier,
feistiest) (said about a person) lively and rather aggressive. [from an obsolete word feist meaning ‘small dog’]
feldspar noun a rock-forming mineral, an aluminium silicate combined with other metallic ions. [from a German word Feldspat, related to field and spar 2]
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felicitations | feng shui felicitations (fi-liss-i-tay-shənz) plural noun (formal) congratulations. [same origin as for felicity]
felicitous (fi-liss-i-təs) adjective (said about
words or remarks) well chosen, apt. felicitously adverb [same origin as for felicity]
felicity noun 1 great happiness. 2 a pleasing manner or style ♦ He expressed himself with great felicity. [from a Latin word felicitas, from felix meaning ‘happy’]
feline (fee-liyn) adjective to do with cats, cat-like. feline noun an animal of the cat family. [from a Latin word feles meaning ‘cat’]
fell 1 past tense of fall. fell 2 verb 1 to strike someone down with a
hard blow. 2 to cut down a tree. [from an Old English word fellan]
fell 3 noun a stretch of hilly country or high moorland in the north of England. [from an Old Norse word fjall meaning ‘hill’]
fell 4 adjective (poetic) ruthless or cruel,
destructive. at one fell swoop in a single action, all in one go. [from an Old French word fel, related to felon]
fellow noun 1 a man or boy. 2 a person who is associated with someone else, a comrade. 3 a thing of the same class or kind as another. 4 a member of a learned society, or of the governing body of certain colleges. [from an Old Norse word]
fellow feeling noun sympathy arising from a shared experience.
fellowship noun 1 friendly association with other people, companionship. 2 a society or group of friends. 3 the position of a college fellow.
felon (fel-ən) noun a person who has
committed a felony. [from a Latin word fellonis meaning ‘of an evil person’]
felonious (fil-oh-ni-əs) adjective criminal. felony (fel-əni) noun (felonies) (in the USA
and formerly in Britain) a serious crime, especially one involving violence.
felspar noun another spelling of feldspar. felt 1 past tense and past participle of feel. felt 2 noun a thick fabric made of fibres of wool or fur etc. pressed together. felt verb to cover a surface with felt. [from an Old English word]
female adjective 1 to do with or belonging to the sex that can bear offspring or
374 produce eggs. 2 (said about plants) able to produce fruit, having a pistil and no stamens. 3 to do with a woman or women. 4 (said about a fitting or machinery part) made hollow to receive a corresponding inserted part. female noun a female person, animal, or plant. [from a Latin word femina meaning ‘woman’]
feminine adjective 1 to do with women or
suitable for women. 2 having qualities traditionally associated with women. 3 (Grammar ) (in some languages) belonging to the class that includes words referring to females or regarded as female. feminine noun (Grammar ) a feminine word or gender. femininity noun [from a Latin word femina meaning ‘woman’]
feminist noun someone who believes that women should have a status and rights equal to those of men. feminism noun
femur (fee-mer) noun (femurs or femora)
the thigh bone. femoral adjective [a Latin word]
fen noun an area of low-lying marshy or flooded ground. [from an Old English word]
fence noun 1 a barrier made of wood or wire etc. put round a field or garden to mark a boundary or keep animals from straying. 2 a raised structure for a horse to jump over in showjumping or steeplechasing. 3 (informal ) a person who deals in stolen goods. fence verb 1 to surround an area with a fence. 2 to practise the sport of fencing. fencer noun [a shortened form of defence]
fencing noun 1 a set of fences, or a length of fence. 2 the sport of fighting with long narrow swords (called foils).
fend verb to fend for yourself to provide for and look after yourself. to fend off to defend yourself against an attack. [a shortened form of defend]
fender noun 1 a low frame round a fireplace to stop coals falling into the room. 2 a tyre or pad hung over the side of a ship to protect it when it is alongside a wharf or another ship.
feng shui (fung shway) noun (in Chinese thinking) a system of principles about the ways buildings and objects are laid out in relation to each other to achieve the best flow of energy. [from Chinese words meaning ‘wind’ and ‘water’]