family 
8. Descent; especially, noble or respectable 
stock: as, a man of good family. 
Great families of yesterday we show, 
And lords, whose parents were the Lord knows who. 
Defoe, True-Born Englishman, i. 
9. A cluster of microscopic plants formed by 
the adherence of a number of individuals ; a 
colony Family of curves. See curve. Family of 
Love. See Familist, i. Family of surfaces. See sur- 
face. Happy family, an assemblage of animals of di- 
verse habits and propensities living amicably, or at least 
quietly, together in one cage. Holy family, the family of 
which Christ formed a part in his early years ; especially, a 
group consisting of Joseph and Mary and the infant Jesus, 
with or without attendants, called specifically the Holy 
Family, which has been from early times a frequent sub- 
ject of pictorial representation. Tn the bosom of one's 
family. See bosom. 
II. a. Pertaining to or connected with the 
family Family altar. See altar.- Family chack. 
See chocks.-. Family Compact (F. Pacte de Famttle), a 
name given to three treaties in the eighteenth century 
between the French and Spanish Bourbon dynasties, es- 
pecially to the last of the three in 1761, in consequence 
of which Spain joined with France in the war against 
Great Britain. The branch house of Bourbon ruling in 
Italy was also included in this alliance. Family coun- 
cil, family meeting, in civil law, as in Louisiana and 
Quebec, a council of the relatives or friends of a person 
for whose sake a judicial proceeding, as the appointment 
of a guardian, is to be taken, called and presided over by 
a judicial officer, and held under legal forms. Family 
man, one who has a family or a household ; a man in- 
clined to lead a domestic life. 
The Jews are generally, when married, most exemplary 
family men. Mayhew. 
Family tie, the bond of union and affection existing be- 
tween members of the same family. Family way or 
state, pregnancy. In tile family way, pregnant. 
family-headt (fam'i-li-hed), n. Maut., the stem 
of a vessel when it was surmounted by several 
full-length figures. 
famine (t'am'in), n. [< ME. famine, famyn, < 
OF. famine, F. famine = Pr.famina (as if < ML. 
*famina), an extension of L. fames (>lt.fame = 
OSp.fame, Sp. hambre = Pg.fome = Pr.fam = 
OF.faim, V. faint), hunger. Cf. Or. x'/Pf, bereft, 
empty, p?pa, a widow, Skt. hani, privation, want, 
< Skt. / ha, leave, desert.] Scarcity or desti- 
tution of food ; a general want of provision or 
supply; extreme dearth, threatening or result- 
ing in starvation : often used by extension with 
reference to the want or scarcity of material 
things other than food, and, figuratively, of im- 
material things. 
Ofte tymes thei assailed the Citee, that was right stronge, 
that nothynge ne dowted, saf only for famyn. 
Merlin (E. E. T. 8.), ii. 224. 
And that food shall be for store to the land against the 
seven years of famine ; . . . that the land perish not 
through the/aiuiue. Gen. xli. 36. 
I could not forget my native country, England, and 
lamented under the famine of God's Word and Sacra- 
ments : the want whereof I found greater than all earth- 
ly wants. R. Knox (Arber's Eng. Gamer, I. 400). 
Cotton famine. See eottoni. Famine fever, relapsing 
fever. Famine prices, the high prices resulting from 
scarcity of a commodity. 
Tin-plates, in common with tin, ruled at what were 
termed famine prices in 1872. 
Contemporary Rev., LII. 542. 
=Syn. Dearth, etc. See scarcity. 
famine-bread (fam'in-bred), . The Umbili- 
caria arctica, a species of lichen. 
The so-called famine bread (Unibilicaria arctica), which 
has maintained the life of so many arctic travellers. 
Encyc. Brit., XXII. 409. 
famish (fam'ish), v. [The ME. form w&sfamen, 
on which, later, famish was formed, like the 
equiv. affamish (which appears at the same time 
16th century), with suffix -ish, as in languish, 
etc., < OF. a-famer, later af-famer. ML. af-fa- 
mare, famish, < L. ad, to, + fames, hunger: see 
famine.'] I. trans. To deprive of nourishment ; 
keep or cause to be insufficiently supplied with 
food or drink ; starve ; destroy, exhaust, or dis- 
tress with hunger or thirst. 
This rash Word cost de Brawse his Countrey, and his 
Lady and their Son their Lives, both of them being fam- 
ished to Death in Prison. Baker, Chronicles, p. 69. 
Thin air 
Above the clouds will pine his entrails gross, 
And famish him of breath, if not of bread. 
Milton, P. L., xii. 78. 
The pains of famished Tantalus he'll feel. Dryden. 
He had famished Paris into a surrender. Burke. 
II. intrans. To suffer extreme hunger or 
thirst; be exhausted through want of food or 
drink ; suffer extremity by deprivation of any 
necessary. 
The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to 
famish. Prov. x. 3. 
You are all resolved rather to die than to famish. 
Shak., Cor., L 1. 
2134 
All the race 
Of Israel here had/amiA-A'd, had not God 
Eain'd from heaven manna. Milton, P. K., ii. 311. 
famishment (fam'ish-ment), . [< famish + 
-ment.] The pain of extreme hunger or thirst; 
extremity from want of food. [Obsolete or 
rare.] 
To be without pestelence, warre and famishment, and 
all maner other abhominable diseases & plagues pertayne 
to vs as well as to them, if we keepe our temporall lawes. 
Tyndale, Works, p. 208. 
So sore was the famishment in the land. 
Gen. xlvii. 13 (Matthew's translation). 
Eleuen of our men after much miserie and famishment 
(which killed some of them in the way) got to Coro. 
Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 830. 
famosityt (fa-mos'i-ti), . [< 1nj.famosita(t-)s, 
fame, LL. only ill fame, < L. famosus, famous: 
see/awiows.] Renown. Bailey, 1727. 
famous (fa'mus), . [< ME. famous = D.fa- 
meus = Gr. famos = Sw. famos, famos, < F. fa- 
meux = Pr. famos = Sp. Pg. It. famoso, < L. fa- 
mosus, famed, famous, sometimes in a good, but 
commonly in a bad sense, infamous, < fama, 
fame: see/amel.] 1. Celebrated in fame or pub- 
lic report ; renowned ; distinguished in story or 
common talk: generally followed by for before 
the thing for which the person or thing is 
famed: as, a man famous for erudition, for elo- 
quence, for military skill, etc.; a spring /a io!< 
for its cures. 
Many a meane souldier & other obscure persons were 
spoken of and maAe famous in stories. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 35. 
A train-band captain eke was he 
Of famous London town. 
Cowper, John Gilpin. 
"But what good came of it at last!" 
Quoth little Peterkin. 
"Why, that I cannot tell," said he; 
"But 'twas a famous victory." 
Southey, Battle of Blenheim. 
I have always heard that Holland House is famous fur 
its good cheer, and certainly the reputation is not un- 
merited. Macaulay, in Trevelyan, I. 191. 
2. Deserving of fame ; praiseworthy; uncom- 
monly good ; admirable : as, he is a, famous hand 
at such work. [Now chiefly colloq.] 
And ther I hard a Jfamus Sermon of a Doctor which be- 
gan a v of the cloke in the mornyng and contynuyd tyll 
it was ix of the clok. 
Torkington, Diarie of Eng. Travel!, p. 3. 
3f. Of good character : opposed to infamous. 
Twa or thre of his nichtbouris famous and unsuspect 
men. Balfour's Pract., p. 145. (Jamieson.) 
4f. Injurious; defamatory; slanderous. 
That na maner of man mak, write, or imprent ony billis, 
writingis, or balladis famous or sclanderous to ony per- 
soun. Balfour's Pract., p. 637. (Jaimeson.) 
= Syn. Noted, Celebrated, Famous, Renowned, Illustri- 
ous, Distinguished, Eminent, Notable, Notorious, famed, 
far-famed, conspicuous, remarkable, signal. The first 
nine words express degrees and kinds of the presence or 
prominence of a person or thing in public knowledge or 
attention. Noted, celebrated, famous, are of an ascending 
scale of strength, and may be used in a good or a bad sense : 
as, a celebrated thief ; a famous forger. The use of cele- 
brated in a bad sense is rather new and less common. 
Noted is not much used by fastidious writers. Celebrated, 
renowned, illustrious, are also on an ascending scale of 
strength. Celebrated is, by derivation, commemorated in 
a solemn way, and occasionally shows somewhat of this 
meaning still. Renowned is, literally, named again and 
again. Illustrious suggests luster, splendor, in character 
or conduct : as, illustrious deeds ; making one's country 
illustrious. Distinguished means marked by something 
that makes one stand apart from or above others in the 
public view. Eminent means standing high above the 
crowd. Notable is worthy of note, and so memorable, 
conspicuous, or notorious : as, a notable liar. Notorious 
is now used only in a bad sense, having a large and evil 
fame. A man may be notable, noted, or famous for his ec- 
centricities or his industry, celebrated for his wit, renowned 
for his achievements, illustrious for his virtues, distin- 
guished for his talents, eminent for his professional skill 
or success, notorious for his want of principle. See famel . 
We shall have recourse to a noted story in Don Quixote. 
Hume, Essays, i. 23. 
In 1741, the celebrated Whitefleld preached here [at 
Concord] In the open air, to a great congregation. 
Emerson, Hist. Discourse at Concord. 
I'll make thee glorious by my pen, 
And/am<m by my sword. 
Marquis of Montrose, My Dear and Only Love. 
Those far-renorawd brides of ancient song 
Peopled the hollow dark, like burning stars. 
Tennyson, Fair Women. 
William Pitt . . . inherited a name which, at the time 
of his birth, was the most illustrious in the civilized world. 
Macaulay, William Pitt. 
But among the young candidates for Addison's favour 
there was one [Pope] distinguished by talents above the 
rest, and distinguished, we fear, not less by malignity and 
insincerity. Macaulay, Addison. 
In architecture and the flue arts, as in decorative art, 
the Persians of the middle ages achieved a notable success. 
N. A. Rev., CXL. 328. 
fan 
While officers of acknowledged fitness are being turned 
out of one branch of a department, men of notorious un- 
fitness are retained in places of trust and confidence in an- 
other. The Century, XXXI. 151. 
famous (fa'mus), v. t. [(famous, a.] To ren- 
der famous or renowned. [Obsolete or ar- 
chaic.] 
The painful warrior famoused for fight. 
Shak., Sonnets, xxv. 
Hee [Greene] made no account of winning credite by 
his workes, as thou dost, that dost no good workes, but 
thinkes to beefamosed by a strong faith of thy owne wor- 
thines. Xash, Strange Newes (1592), sig. E, p. 4. 
She that with silver springs forever fills 
The shady groves, sweet meddowes, and the hills, 
From whose contimiall store such pooles are fed 
As in the land for seas fife famoused. 
W. Jlrotfne, Inner Temple Masque. 
He [Keats] told them of the heroic uncle, whose deeds, 
we may be sure, were properly famouted by the boy Homer. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 306. 
famously (fa'mus-li), orfc. 1. With renown or 
celebrity; notoriously. 
He being the publick reader of diuinitie in the uniuer- 
sitie of Oxford was, for the rude time wherein he liued, 
famously reputed for a great clearke. 
Foxe, Martyrs, p. 300. 
2. Remarkably well ; admirably ; capitally : as, 
he has succeeded famously. [Colloq.] 
famousness (fa'mus-nes), n. Renown; great 
fame; celebrity. [Rare.] 
Unto this heauenly matter there was specially deputed 
a tendre young virgin, not set forth to the world ... by 
famousness of name, not portlynesse of life, etc. 
J. Ifdall, On Luke i. 
famp (famp), n. [E. dial.] In Cumberland, 
England, decomposed limestone ; in some other 
districts in England, a bed or deposit of fine 
silicious material. 
famulart, a. and n. A Middle English variant 
ot familiar. 
famulatet (fam'u-lat), v. i. [< L. famulatus, 
pp. of famulari, be a servant, serve, < famulus, 
a servant: see family.] To serve. Cockeram. 
famulativet (fam'u-la-tiv), a. [< L. famulatus, 
servitude (< famulus, 'a servant), + -we.] Act- 
ing as a servant; subservient. 
Hereby the divine creative power is made too cheap and 
prostituted a thing, as being famulative alwaies to brutish, 
and many times to unlawful lusts. 
Cudworth, Intellectual System, p. 45. 
famulert, and A Middle English variant 
of familiar. 
famuli, n. Plural ot famulus. 
famulist (fam'u-list), n. [< L. famulus, a ser- 
vant: see family.] In Oxford University, an 
inferior member of a college ; a servant. 
famulus (fam'u-lus), n. ; pi. famuli (-Ii). [= 
Sp. fdmulo = Pg. It. famulo, < L. famulus, a 
servant, ML. an attendant, apparitor, squire, 
familiar: see family.] A servant or assistant ; 
especially, formerly, the private servant of a 
scholar; by extension, a private secretary or 
amanuensis. 
We keep a famulus to go errands, yoke the gig, curry 
the cattle, and so forth. Carlyle, in Froude. 
The magician's/amZug got hold of the forbidden book, 
and summoned a goblin. Carlyle, French Rev., III. iii. 3. 
fan (fan), n. [< ME. fan, farm (for winnowing 
grain), < AS. fann (for winnowing grain) = D. 
wan = OHG. wanna, MHG. G. wanne = Sw. 
vanna, a fan (for winnowing grain), = It. vanno 
= OF. van, F. ran (whence E. van 2 , which is 
thus a doublet of fan), < L. vannus, a fan (for 
winnowing grain), orig. *vatnus, akin to Skt. 
rdta, wind, < -y/ va, blow, Cf . E. wind 1 , and its 
deriv. winnow, from the same ult. root.] 1. The 
common name of instruments for producing agi- 
tation of the air by the movements of a broad 
surface, as of a wing or vane. Specifically (o) A 
hand-implement for cooling the face and person by agi- 
tating the air. Fans are made in a variety of forms and 
of two general kinds, those which can be folded or shut 
up and those which are permanently expanded or fixed. 
Fixed fans are made of feathers set side by side, of the 
leaves of palmate-leafed palm-trees, or of paper or simi- 
lar films spread on slender radiating sticks. Folding fans 
are sometimes made of thin slips of ivory, wood, or papier 
mache, etc., but more commonly of a continuous surface 
of paper, silk, or other material, mounted on strips of a 
rigid material pivoted at one end, and folding together 
easily in the manner of a plaiting. The most costly and 
elaborate painted fans were made during the eighteenth 
century, especially in France, chicken-skin being a favorite 
material. 
Crul [curled] was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, 
And strouted [expanded] as afanne, large and brode. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 129. 
These fannes both men and women of the country doe 
carry to coole themselves withall in the time of heate, by 
the often fanning of their faces. Coryat, Crudities, 1. 134. 
" What would you give to your sister Anne?" . . . 
"My gay gold ring, and my feathered fan." 
The Three Knights (Child's Ballads, II. 370). 
