Part 14
A fervent desire to promote the happiness of mankind.
Macaulay.
-- Fer"vent*ly, adv. -- Fer"vent*ness, n.
Laboring fervently for you in prayers.
Col. iv. 12.
Fer*ves"cent (?), a. [L. fervescens, p. pr. of fervescere to become boiling hot, incho., fr. fervere. See Fervent.] Growing hot.
Fer"vid (?), a. [L. fervidus, fr. fervere. See Fervent.] 1. Very hot; burning; boiling.
The mounted sun Shot down direct his fervid rays.
Milton.
2. Ardent; vehement; zealous.
The fervid wishes, holy fires.
Parnell.
-- Fer"vid*ly, adv. -- Fer"vid*ness, n.
Fer"vor (?), n. [Written also fervour.] [OF. fervor, fervour, F. ferveur, L. fervor, fr. fervere. See Fervent.] 1. Heat; excessive warmth.
The fevor of ensuing day.
Waller.
2. Intensity of feeling or expression; glowing ardor; passion; holy zeal; earnestness. Hooker.
Winged with fervor of her love.
Shak.
Syn. -- Fervor, Ardor. Fervor is a boiling heat, and ardor is a burning heat. Hence, in metaphor, we commonly use fervor and its derivatives when we conceive of thoughts or emotions under the image of ebullition, or as pouring themselves forth. Thus we speak of the fervor of passion, fervid declamation, fervid importunity, fervent supplication, fervent desires, etc. Ardent is used when we think of anything as springing from a deepseated glow of soul; as, ardent friendship, ardent zeal, ardent devotedness; burning with ardor for the fight.
Fes"cen*nine (?), a. [L. Fescenninus, fr. Fescennia, a city of Etruria.] Pertaining to, or resembling, the Fescennines. -- n. A style of low, scurrilous, obscene poetry originating in fescennia.
Fes"cue (fs"k), n. [OE. festu, OF. festu, F. fÈtu, fr. L. festuca stalk, straw.] 1. A straw, wire, stick, etc., used chiefly to point out letters to children when learning to read. "Pedantic fescue." Sterne.
To come under the fescue of an imprimatur.
Milton.
2. An instrument for playing on the harp; a plectrum. [Obs.] Chapman.
3. The style of a dial. [Obs.]
4. (Bot.) A grass of the genus Festuca.
Fescue grass (Bot.), a genus of grasses (Festuca) containing several species of importance in agriculture. Festuca ovina is sheep's fescue; F. elatior is meadow fescue.
Fes"cue (fs"k), v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Fescued (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fescuing.] To use a fescue, or teach with a fescue. Milton.
Fes"els (?), n. pl. [Written also fasels.] See Phasel. [Obs.] May (Georgics).
{ Fess, Fesse } (?), n. [OF. fesse, faisse, F. fasce, fr. L. fascia band. See Fascia.] (Her.) A band drawn horizontally across the center of an escutcheon, and containing in breadth the third part of it; one of the nine honorable ordinaries.
Fess point (Her.), the exact center of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.
Fes"si*tude (?), n. [L. fessus wearied, fatigued.] Weariness. [Obs.] Bailey.
Fess"wise (?), adv. In the manner of fess.
Fest (?), n. [See Fist.] The fist. [Obs.] Chaucer.
{ Fest, Fes"te (?), n. } A feast. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fes"tal (?), a. [L. festum holiday, feast. See feast.] Of or pertaining to a holiday or a feast; joyous; festive.
You bless with choicer wine the festal day.
Francis.
Fes"tal*ly, adv. Joyously; festively; mirthfully.
Fes"ten*nine (?), n. A fescennine.
Fes"ter (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Festered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Festering.] [OE. festern, fr. fester, n.; or fr. OF. festrir, fr. festre, n. See Fester, n.] 1. To generate pus; to become imflamed and suppurate; as, a sore or a wound festers.
Wounds immedicable Rankle, and fester, and gangrene.
Milton.
Unkindness may give a wound that shall bleed and smart, but it is treachery that makes it fester.
South.
Hatred . . . festered in the hearts of the children of the soil.
Macaulay.
2. To be inflamed; to grow virulent, or malignant; to grow in intensity; to rankle.
Fes`ter, v. t. To cause to fester or rankle.
For which I burnt in inward, swelt'ring hate, And festered ranking malice in my breast.
Marston.
Fes"ter, n. [OF. festre, L. fistula a sort of ulcer. Cf. Fistula.] 1. A small sore which becomes inflamed and discharges corrupt matter; a pustule.
2. A festering or rankling.
The fester of the chain their necks.
I. Taylor.
Fes"ter*ment (?), n. A festering. [R.] Chalmers.
Fest"eye (?), v. t. [OF. festier, festeer, F. festoyer.] To feast; to entertain. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fes"ti*nate (?), a. [L. festinatus, p. p. of festinare to hasten.] Hasty; hurried. [Obs.] -- Fes"ti*nate*ly, adv. [Obs.] Shak.
Fes`ti*na"tion (?), n. [L. festinatio.] Haste; hurry. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
Fes"ti*val (?), a. [OF. festival, fr. L. festivum festive jollity, fr. festivus festive, gay. See Festive.] Pertaining to a fest; festive; festal; appropriate to a festival; joyous; mirthful.
I cannot woo in festival terms.
Shak.
Fes"ti-val, n. A time of feasting or celebration; an anniversary day of joy, civil or religious.
The morning trumpets festival proclaimed.
Milton.
Syn. -- Feast; banquet; carousal. See Feast.
Fes"tive (?), a. [L. festivus, fr. festum holiday, feast. See feast, and cf. Festivous.] Pertaining to, or becoming, a feast; festal; joyous; gay; mirthful; sportive. -- Fes"tive*ly, adv.
The glad circle round them yield their souls To festive mirth and wit that knows no gall.
Thomson.
Fes*tiv"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Festivities (#). [L. festivitas: cf. F. festivitÈ.] 1. The condition of being festive; social joy or exhilaration of spirits at an entertaintment; joyfulness; gayety.
The unrestrained festivity of the rustic youth.
Bp. Hurd.
2. A festival; a festive celebration. Sir T. Browne.
Fes"ti*vous (?), a. [See Festive.] Pertaining to a feast; festive. [R.] Sir W. Scott.
Fest"lich (?), a. [See Feast, n.] Festive; fond of festive occasions. [Obs.] "A festlich man." Chaucer.
Fes*toon" (?), n. [F. feston (cf. Sp. feston, It. festone), prob. fr. L. festum festival. See Feast.] 1. A garland or wreath hanging in a depending curve, used in decoration for festivals, etc.; anything arranged in this way.
2. (Arch. & Sculp.) A carved ornament consisting of flowers, and leaves, intermixed or twisted together, wound with a ribbon, and hanging or depending in a natural curve. See Illust. of Bucranium.
Fes*toon", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Festooned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Festooning.] To form in festoons, or to adorn with festoons.
Fes*toon"y (?), a. Pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling, festoons. Sir J. Herschel.
Fes*tu*cine (? or ?), a. [L. festula stalk, straw. Cf. Fescue.] Of a straw color; greenish yellow. [Obs.]
A little insect of a festucine or pale green.
Sir T. Browne.
Fes"tu*cous (?), a. Formed or consisting of straw. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
Fes"tue (?), n. [See Fescue.] A straw; a fescue. [Obs.] Holland.
Fet (?), n. [Cf. feat, F. fait, and It. fett&?; slice, G. fetzen rag, Icel. fat garment.] A piece. [Obs.] Dryton.
Fet, v. t. [OE. fetten, feten, AS. fetian; akin to AS. fÊt a journey, and to E. foot; cf. G. fassen to seize. √ 77. See Foot, and cf. Fetch.] To fetch. [Obs.]
And from the other fifty soon the prisoner fet.
Spenser.
Fet, p. p. of Fette. Fetched. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fe"tal (?), a. [From Fetus.] Pertaining to, or connected with, a fetus; as, fetal circulation; fetal membranes.
Fe*ta"tion (?), n. The formation of a fetus in the womb; pregnancy.
Fetch (fch; 224), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fetched 2; p. pr. & vb. n.. Fetching.] [OE. fecchen, AS. feccan, perh. the same word as fetian; or cf. facian to wish to get, OFries. faka to prepare. √ 77. Cf. Fet, v. t.] 1. To bear toward the person speaking, or the person or thing from whose point of view the action is contemplated; to go and bring; to get.
Time will run back and fetch the age of gold.
Milton.
He called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bred in thine hand.
1 Kings xvii. 11, 12.
2. To obtain as price or equivalent; to sell for.
Our native horses were held in small esteem, and fetched low prices.
Macaulay.
3. To recall from a swoon; to revive; -- sometimes with to; as, to fetch a man to.
Fetching men again when they swoon.
Bacon.
4. To reduce; to throw.
The sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a man to the ground.
South.
5. To bring to accomplishment; to achieve; to make; to perform, with certain objects; as, to fetch a compass; to fetch a leap; to fetch a sigh.
I'll fetch a turn about the garden.
Shak.
He fetches his blow quick and sure.
South.
6. To bring or get within reach by going; to reach; to arrive at; to attain; to reach by sailing.
Meantine flew our ships, and straight we fetched The siren's isle.
Chapman.
7. To cause to come; to bring to a particular state.
They could n't fetch the butter in the churn.
W. Barnes.
To fetch a compass (Naut.), to make a sircuit; to take a circuitious route going to a place. -- To fetch a pump, to make it draw water by pouring water into the top and working the handle. -- To fetch headway or sternway (Naut.), to move ahead or astern. -- To fetch out, to develop. "The skill of the polisher fetches out the colors [of marble]" Addison. -- To fetch up. (a) To overtake. [Obs.] "Says [the hare], I can fetch up the tortoise when I please." L'Estrange. (b) To stop suddenly.
fetch, v. i. To bring one's self; to make headway; to veer; as, to fetch about; to fetch to windward. Totten.
To fetch away (Naut.), to break loose; to roll slide to leeward. -- To fetch and carry, to serve obsequiously, like a trained spaniel.
Fetch, n. 1. A stratagem by which a thing is indirectly brought to pass, or by which one thing seems intended and another is done; a trick; an artifice.
Every little fetch of wit and criticism.
South.
2. The apparation of a living person; a wraith.
The very fetch and ghost of Mrs. Gamp.
Dickens.
Fetch candle, a light seen at night, superstitiously believed to portend a person's death.
Fetch"er (?), n. One who fetches or brings.
Fete (ft), n. [See feat.] A feat. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fete, n. pl. [See Foot.] Feet. [Obs.] Chaucer.
||FÍte (ft), n. [F. See Feast.] A festival.
FÍte champÍtre (&?;) [F.], a festival or entertainment in the open air; a rural festival.
FÍte (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. FÍted; p. pr. & vb. n. FÍting.] [Cf. F. fÍter.] To feast; to honor with a festival.
{ Fe"tich, Fe"tish (?), n. }[F. fÈtiche, from Pg. feitiÁo, adj., n., sorcery, charm, fr. L. facticius made by art, artifical, factitious. See Factitious.] 1. A material object supposed among certain African tribes to represent in such a way, or to be so connected with, a supernatural being, that the possession of it gives to the possessor power to control that being.
2. Any object to which one is excessively devoted.
{ fe"tich*ism, Fe"tish*ism (? or ?); 277), n. }[Cf. F. fÈtichisme.] [Written also feticism.] 1. The doctrine or practice of belief in fetiches.
2. Excessive devotion to one object or one idea; abject superstition; blind adoration.
The real and absolute worship of fire falls into two great divisions, the first belonging rather to fetichism, the second to polytheism proper.
Tylor.
{ Fe"tich*ist, Fe"tish*ist, n. } A believer in fetiches.
He was by nature a fetichist.
H. Holbeach.
{ Fe`tich*is"tic (?), Fe`tish*is"tic, a.} Pertaining to, or involving, fetichism.
A man of the fifteenth century, inheriting its strange web of belief and unbelief, of epicurean levity and fetichistic dread.
G. Eliot.
Fe"ti*cide (? or ?), n. [Written also fúticide.] [Fetus + L. caedere to kill.] (Med. & Law) The act of killing the fetus in the womb; the offense of procuring an abortion.
Fe"ti*cism (?), n. See Fetichism.
Fet"id (? or ?; 277), a. [L. fetidus, foetidus, fr. fetere, foetere, to have an ill smell, to stink: cf. F. fÈtide.] Having an offensive smell; stinking.
Most putrefactions . . . smell either fetid or moldy.
Bacon.
Fet*id"i*ty (? or ?), n. Fetidness.
Fet"id*ness, n. The quality or state of being fetid.
Fe*tif"er*ous (?), a. [Fetus + -ferous.] Producing young, as animals.
<! p. 555 !>
Fe"tis (?), a. [OF. fetis, faitis. Cf. Factitious.] Neat; pretty; well made; graceful. [Obs.]
Full fetis was her cloak, as I was ware.
Chaucer.
Fe"tise*ly (?), adv. Neatly; gracefully; properly. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fe"tish (?), n., Fe"tish*ism (&?; or &?;; 277), n., Fe`tish*is"tic (&?;), a. See Fetich, n., Fetichism, n., Fetichistic, a.
Fet"lock (?), n. [OE. fetlak, fitlock, cf. Icel. fet pace, step, fit webbed foot of water birds, akin to E. foot. √77. See Foot.] The cushionlike projection, bearing a tuft of long hair, on the back side of the leg above the hoof of the horse and similar animals. Also, the joint of the limb at this point (between the great pastern bone and the metacarpus), or the tuft of hair.
Their wounded steeds Fret fetlock deep in gore.
Shak.
Fe"tor (?), n. [L. fetor, foetor. See Fetid.] A strong, offensive smell; stench; fetidness. Arbuthnot.
Fet"te (? or ?), v. t. [imp. Fette, p. p. Fet.] [See Fet, v. t.] To fetch. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Fet"ter (ft"tr), n. [AS. fetor, feter; akin to OS. feters, pl., OD. veter, OHG. fezzera, Icel. fjˆturr, L. pedica, Gr. pe`dh, and to E. foot. √ 77. See Foot.] [Chiefly used in the plural, fetters.] 1. A chain or shackle for the feet; a chain by which an animal is confined by the foot, either made fast or disabled from free and rapid motion; a bond; a shackle.
[They] bound him with fetters of brass.
Judg. xvi. 21.
2. Anything that confines or restrains; a restraint.
Passion's too fierce to be in fetters bound.
Dryden.
Fet"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fettered (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Fettering.] 1. To put fetters upon; to shackle or confine the feet of with a chain; to bind.
My heels are fettered, but my fist is free.
Milton.
2. To restrain from motion; to impose restraints on; to confine; to enchain; as, fettered by obligations.
My conscience! thou art fettered More than my shanks and wrists.
Shak.
Fet"tered (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Seeming as if fettered, as the feet of certain animals which bend backward, and appear unfit for walking.
Fet"ter*er (?), n. One who fetters. Landor.
Fet"ter*less, a. Free from fetters. Marston.
Fet"tle (?), v. t. [OE. & Prov. E., to fettle (in sense 1), fettle, n., order, repair, preparation, dress; prob. akin to E. fit. See Fit, a.] 1. To repair; to prepare; to put in order. [Prov. Eng.] Carlyle.
2. (Metal.) To cover or line with a mixture of ore, cinders, etc., as the hearth of a puddling furnace.
Fet"tle, v. i. To make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business. [Prov. Eng.] Bp. Hall.
Fet"tle, n. The act of fettling. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
In fine fettle, in good spirits.
Fet"tling (?), n. 1. (Metal.) A mixture of ore, cinders, etc., used to line the hearth of a puddling furnace. [Eng.] [It is commonly called fix in the United States.]
2. (Pottery) The operation of shaving or smoothing the surface of undried clay ware.
Fet"u*ous (?), a. Neat; feat. [Obs.] Herrick.
Fe"tus (?), n.; pl. Fetuses (#). [L. fetus, foetus, a bringing forth, brood, offspring, young ones, cf. fetus fruitful, fructified, that is or was filled with young; akin to E. fawn a deer, fecundity, felicity, feminine, female, and prob. to do, or according to others, to be.] The young or embryo of an animal in the womb, or in the egg; often restricted to the later stages in the development of viviparous and oviparous animals, embryo being applied to the earlier stages. [Written also fútus.]
||Fet"wah (?), n. [Ar.] A written decision of a Turkish mufti on some ||point of law. Whitworth.
Feu (?), n. [See 2d Feud, and Fee.] (Scots Law) A free and gratuitous right to lands made to one for service to be performed by him; a tenure where the vassal, in place of military services, makes a return in grain or in money. Burrill.
Feu"ar (?), n. [From Feu.] (Scots Law) One who holds a feu. Sir W. Scott.
Feud (fd), n. [OE. feide, AS. fh, fr. fh hostile; akin to OHG. fhida, G. fehde, Sw. fejd, D. feide; prob. akin to E. fiend. See Foe.] 1. A combination of kindred to avenge injuries or affronts, done or offered to any of their blood, on the offender and all his race.
2. A contention or quarrel; especially, an inveterate strife between families, clans, or parties; deadly hatred; contention satisfied only by bloodshed.
Mutual feuds and battles betwixt their several tribes and kindreds.
Purchas.
Syn. -- Affray; fray; broil; contest; dispute; strife.
Feud, n. [LL. feudum, feodum prob. of same origin as E. fief. See Fief, Fee.] (Law) A stipendiary estate in land, held of superior, by service; the right which a vassal or tenant had to the lands or other immovable thing of his lord, to use the same and take the profists thereof hereditarily, rendering to his superior such duties and services as belong to military tenure, etc., the property of the soil always remaining in the lord or superior; a fief; a fee.
Feu"dal (?), a. [F. fÈodal, or LL. feudalis.] 1. Of or pertaining to feuds, fiefs, or feels; as, feudal rights or services; feudal tenures.
2. Consisting of, or founded upon, feuds or fiefs; embracing tenures by military services; as, the feudal system.
Feu"dal*ism (?), n. [Cf. F. fÈodalisme.] The feudal system; a system by which the holding of estates in land is made dependent upon an obligation to render military service to the kind or feudal superior; feudal principles and usages.
Feu"dal*ist, n. An upholder of feudalism.
Feu*dal"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. fÈodalitÈ.] The state or quality of being feudal; feudal form or constitution. Burke.
Feu`dal*i*za"tion (?), n. The act of reducing to feudal tenure.
Feu"dal*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feudalized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Feudalizing (?).] To reduce to a feudal tenure; to conform to feudalism.
Feu"dal*ly, adv. In a feudal manner.
Feu"da*ry (?), a. [LL. feudarius, fr. feudum. See 2d Feud.] Held by, or pertaining to, feudal tenure.
Feu"da*ry, n. 1. A tenant who holds his lands by feudal service; a feudatory. Foxe.
2. A feodary. See Feodary.
Feu"da*ta*ry (?), a. & n. [LL. feudatarius: cf. F. feudataire.] See Feudatory.
Feu"da*to*ry (?), n.; pl. Feudatories (&?;). A tenant or vassal who held his lands of a superior on condition of feudal service; the tenant of a feud or fief.
The grantee . . . was styled the feudatory or vassal.
Blackstone.
[He] had for feudatories great princes.
J. H. Newman.
Feu"da*to*ry, a. Held from another on some conditional tenure; as, a feudatory title. Bacon.
||Feu` de joie" (?). [F., lit., fire of joy.] A fire kindled in a ||public place in token of joy; a bonfire; a firing of guns in token of ||joy.
Feud"ist (?), n. [Cf. F. feudiste.] A writer on feuds; a person versed in feudal law. Spelman.
||Feu`illants" (?), n. pl. A reformed branch of the Bernardines, ||founded in 1577 at Feuillans, near Toulouse, in France.
Feuille"mort` (?), a. [F. feuille morte a dead leaf.] Having the color of a faded leaf. Locke.
||Feu`ille*ton" (? or ?), n. [F., from feulle leaf.] A part of a French ||newspaper (usually the bottom of the page), devoted to light ||literature, criticism, etc.; also, the article or tale itself, thus ||printed.
Feuill"ton*ist (?), n. [F. feuilletoniste.] A writer of feuilletons. F. Harrison.
feu"ter (&?;), v. t. [OE. feutre rest for a lance, OF. feutre, fautre, feltre, felt, cushion, rest for a lance, fr. LL. filtrum, feltrum; of German origin, and akin to E. felt. See Felt, and cf. Filter.] To set close; to fix in rest, as a spear. Spenser.
Feu"ter*er (?), n. [Either fr. G. f¸tterer feeder, or corrupted fr. OF. vautrier, vaultrier; fr. vaultre, viautre, a kind of hound, fr. L. vertragus, vertraga, a greyhound. The last is of Celtic origin.] A dog keeper. [Obs.] Massinger.
Fe"ver (?), n. [OE. fever, fefer, AS. fefer, fefor, L. febris: cf. F. fiËvre. Cf. Febrile.] 1. (Med.) A diseased state of the system, marked by increased heat, acceleration of the pulse, and a general derangement of the functions, including usually, thirst and loss of appetite. Many diseases, of which fever is the most prominent symptom, are denominated fevers; as, typhoid fever; yellow fever.
Remitting fevers subside or abate at intervals; intermitting fevers intermit or entirely cease at intervals; continued or continual fevers neither remit nor intermit.
2. Excessive excitement of the passions in consequence of strong emotion; a condition of great excitement; as, this quarrel has set my blood in a fever.
An envious fever Of pale and bloodless emulation.
Shak.
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well.
Shak.
Brain fever, Continued fever, etc. See under Brain, Continued, etc. -- Fever and ague, a form of fever recurring in paroxysms which are preceded by chills. It is of malarial origin. -- Fever blister (Med.), a blister or vesicle often found about the mouth in febrile states; a variety of herpes. -- Fever bush (Bot.), the wild allspice or spice bush. See Spicewood. -- Fever powder. Same as Jame's powder. -- Fever root (Bot.), an American herb of the genus Triosteum (T. perfoliatum); -- called also feverwort amd horse gentian. -- Fever sore, a carious ulcer or necrosis. Miner.
Fe"ver, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fevered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fevering.] To put into a fever; to affect with fever; as, a fevered lip. [R.]
The white hand of a lady fever thee.
Shak.
Fe"ver*et (?), n. A slight fever. [Obs.] Ayliffe.
Fe"ver*few (?), n. [AS. feferfuge, fr. L. febrifugia. See fever, Fugitive, and cf. Febrifuge.] (Bot.) A perennial plant (Pyrethrum, or Chrysanthemum, Parthenium) allied to camomile, having finely divided leaves and white blossoms; -- so named from its supposed febrifugal qualities.
Fe"ver*ish, a. 1. Having a fever; suffering from, or affected with, a moderate degree of fever; showing increased heat and thirst; as, the patient is feverish.
2. Indicating, or pertaining to, fever; characteristic of a fever; as, feverish symptoms.
3. Hot; sultry. "The feverish north." Dryden.
4. Disordered as by fever; excited; restless; as, the feverish condition of the commercial world.
Strive to keep up a frail and feverish bing.
Milton.
-- Fe"ver*ish*ly, adv. -- Fe"ver*ish*ness, n.
Fe"ver*ous (?), a. [Cf.F. fiÈvreux.] 1. Affected with fever or ague; feverish.
His heart, love's feverous citadel.
Keats.
2. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, fever; as, a feverous pulse.
All maladies . . . all feverous kinds.
Milton.
3. Having the tendency to produce fever; as, a feverous disposition of the year. [R.] Bacon.
Fe"ver*ous*ly, adv. Feverishly. [Obs.] Donne.
Fe"ver*wort` (?), n. See Fever root, under Fever.
Fe"ver*y (?), a. Feverish. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Few (f), a. [Compar. Fewer (?); superl. Fewest.] [OE. fewe, feawe, AS. fe·, pl. fe·we; akin to OS. fh, OHG. f fao, Icel. fr, Sw. fÂ, pl., Dan. faa, pl., Goth. faus, L. paucus, cf. Gr. pay^ros. Cf. Paucity.] Not many; small, limited, or confined in number; -- indicating a small portion of units or individuals constituing a whole; often, by ellipsis of a noun, a few people. "Are not my days few?" Job x. 20.
Few know and fewer care.
Proverb.
Few is often used partitively; as, few of them.
A few, a small number. -- In few, in a few words; briefly. Shak.
-- No few, not few; more than a few; many. Cowper.
-- The few, the minority; -- opposed to the many or the majority.
Fe"wel (?), n. [See Fuel.] Fuel. [Obs.] Hooker.
Few"met (?), n. See Fumet. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Few"ness, n. 1. The state of being few; smallness of number; paucity. Shak.
2. Brevity; conciseness. [Obs.] Shak.