febrifuge 
< L. asif 'febrifugus(ef.'Ll>.febrifugia, a name fecial, . and n. Seefetinl. 
'- [Irreg. < L..Jaices, dregs 
feddan 
u nan i/icoyj N^/ot/ffOjujiv/A) ^/ wy.*. ^j ^ 
< fugere, fle'e : see /ever 1 and fugitive.] 
Serving to dispel or reduce fever; "' 
Febrifuge draughts had a most surprising good effect. 
Arbuthnot. 
II. Any medicine that reduces fever. 
Bitters, like choler, are ... the best febrifuges. 
Flayer, Preternatural State of Animal Humours. 
febrile (fe'bril or feb'ril), a. [= F. febrile = 
Pr. Sp. Pg. febril = It. febbrile, febrile, < L. fe- 
Herein may be perceived slender perforations, at which 
, . ._ N , , . . T ,. nm y be expressed a black and faeculent matter. 
of the centaury, from its supposed febrifugal fecifork(fe'si-fork), n. [Irreg. < L..Jaices, dregs s!rT , ISrowm , Vulg. Err., iii. 17. 
qualities), Oeira, fever, +fugdre, put to flight, (see feces), + E. fork ] Inentom., the anal fork (fek ' und or fe-kund'), a. [< ME. /e- 
on which the larv ffi of certain insects carry their WeBM^ l* /WWI|d> - p> ^'j,,, = L Sp . Pg .^. 
cuwdo = It. fecondo, < L. fecundus, fruitful, fer- 
, tile (of plants and animals), < V *fe, generate, 
produce (see fetus), + -cuiidus, a formative of 
adjectives.] Prolific; readily producing off- 
spring ; hence, fruitful or productive in a gen- 
eral sense: as, the fecund earth. [Recently re- 
vived and extended in application.] 
Make a dyche, and yf the inoolde abounde 
And wol not in agayu, it isfecounde. 
Palladiui, Husbondrie (E. E. T. 8.), p. 4. 
The/ecwncf art of Constantinople was also the parent of 
another style [of illumination) the Arabian or Mahom- 
etan. Encyc. Brit., XII. 708. 
While the oiily/ecund branch of the Gallic race is that 
which inhabits Eastern Canada, the British people at home 
and abroad have displayed marvelous powers of expansion. 
Pop. Set. Mo., XX VIII. 787. 
The chance of encountering a spore or fecund gemi, and 
introducing it into the flask on the wire that is charged 
with the others, is so remote that we have considered it 
' apparatus, 
itation (trans.), p. 87. 
perf. ind. act. of faeere, make: see fact.] 
(a person named) made it : a word commonly 
inscribed on a work of art, as a statue, etc., 
along with the name of the maker or designer : 
as. Stradivarius/eci( (Stradivarius made it). 
feck 1 (fek), r. and n. An obsolete or dialectal 
6m, a fever': see fever?.] Pertaining to fever ; f 2 %kl^.*ana a. [Sc. , a popular corruption 
marked by fever : as, the febnle stage of a dis- 'Jt.U ihe 8engeB ^f power, force : see effect, 
**_, i . ; ^ I.V..1 . 
Same as idiopathic anemia 
[< febrile + 
ease Febrile anemia. 
(which see, under anemia). 
febrility (ff-bril'j-ti), . 
Feverishness. 
There is a state of febrility, of vertigo, of swimming of 
the eyes. R. Barnes, Dis. of Women, p. 96. 
Febronian (fe-bro'ni-an), a. Of or pertaining to 
the work or opinions of Bishop von Hontheim, 
t f ^ _ , 
'The origin is more'obvious in feckful and 
-itv ] feckless, q. v. The AS. ftec, a space, interval, 
does not appear in later E., and cannot, for 
other reasons, be connected with feck.] I. . 
1. Power; force; strength; vigor; use; value. 
They are rnalr faschious nor of feck. 
Cherrie and Sloe, St. 46. 
"-TT " -. ^ ... , . f i t wltn tne OUUTS, is so remote uiai w 
published under the name of Justmus Febro- 2. Space ; quantity ; number : as, what JecK oi umlece ssary to adopt a more perfect 
nius. See Febronianism. ground (how much land) f what /eefc o' folk (how Pattern, Fermen 
Febronianism (fe-bro'ni-an-izm), n. [< Febro- 
nian + -ism: see' def.] In the Bom. Cath. Ch., 
the theory of ecclesiastical government devel- 
oped by John Nicholas von Hontheim, suffragan 
bishop of Treves, in a work published in 1763 
under the pseudonym of Justinus Febronius, 
the leading feature of which was opposition to 
the primacy of the papal power. Its doctrines 
resembled those of Gallicanism. 
Many feck, a great number, 
part. 
Maist feck gade hame. 
Battle of Tranent-Muir (Child 8 Ballads, VII. 169). 
February (feb'rjj-a-ri), n. [< ME. February vigorous 
Februar (= D. February = G. Dan. Februar = B. * * 
~,~ I trow thou be a/edr auld carle ; 
Sw. Februari) (< L.); earlier ME. Feverer, Fe- 
veryere, Feverel, Feoeerrer, etc., < OF. Fevrier, 
F. Fevrier = Pr. Febrier = Sp. Febrero = Pg. 
Fevereiro = It. Febbrajo, < L. Februarius, or in 
many people) t 3. The greatest part or num- f ectm date(fek'un-dat or fe-kun'dat), t'. t.; pret. 
ber; the main part: as, the feck of a region. a.uA pp. fecundated, ppr. fecundating. [< L. fe- 
eundatus. pp. of fecundare(> It. fecondare = Pg. 
Sp. Pr.fecundar = F.feconder), make fruitful, 
< fecundus : see fecund.] To make fruitful or 
prolific; specifically, in Wo/., to render capable 
of development by the introduction of the male 
germ-element; impregnate. 
The yolk and albumen of a fecundated egg remain . . . 
sweet and free from corruption. 
J. R. tiichols, Fireside Science, p. 26. 
Even the Trouveres, careless and trivial as they mostly 
are, could fecundate a great poet like Chaucer, and are still 
Ye, for my sake, ha'e glen the feet 
Of a' the trn comman's 
A screed some day. 
Burns, Holy Fair. 
Maist feck, the greatest 
Will ye shaw the way to me? 
Young MaxrnU (Jacobite Relics), II. 82. 
[Scotch in all uses.] 
(fek), v. i. A variant offick. 
and expiation celebrated on the 15th of that 
month sacred to the god Lupercus (hence sur- 
named Februus), pi. of februum, a means of 
purification: a word of Sabine origin.] The 
Grim loon ! he gat me by the fecket, 
An 1 sair me sheuk. 
Burns, To Mr. Mitchell. 
. feckful (fek'ful), a. [Sc., also written fech- 
delightful reading. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 203. 
fecundation (fek-un-da'shon), n. [= F.feeon- 
dation = Sp. fecundacion = Pg. fecundayBo = 
It. fecondazione, < L. as if *fecundatio(n-), < fe- 
cundare, fecundate: see fecundate.] The act 
of fecundating; impregnation. 
Hence we cannot infer a fertilitating condition or prop- 
erty of fecundation. Sir T. Vroime, Vulg. F.rr., vii. 7. 
in leap-years. See bissextile. When introduced 
into the Roman calendar, it was made the last month, pre- 
ceding January ; but about 460 B. c. it was placed after Jan- 
uary and made the second month. In later reckonings 
which began the year with March it was again the last 
month. Abbreviated Feb. 
Either in /even/ere 
Let soi 
Lastly came cold February, sitting 
In an old wagon, for he could not ride, 
Drawne of two fishes, for the season fitting. 
Spenser, F. Q., VII. vii. 43. 
fow and fectful (as if "effectful) ; < feck*, orig. fecundator (fek'un-da-tor), n. [= F. feeonda- 
teur = Sp. Pg. fecnndador = It. fecondatore, < 
LL. fecundator, < L. fecundare, fecundate: see 
fecundate.] One who or that which fecundates. 
Where the troublesome animal called the mosquito ex- 
ists, there may thefllarial disease exist, with the mosquito 
as the fecundator and carrier. 
B. W. Richardson, Prevent. Med., p. 571. 
fecundify (fe-kun'di-fi), v. t. ; pret. and pp. fc- 
cundified, ppr. fecuitdifying. [< L. fecundus, 
fruitful, + -ftcare, < faeere, make : see -fy.] To 
make fruitful ; fecundate. [Rare.] 
fecundity (fe-kun'di-ti). [= T.fecondite = 
effect, + ~-ful.] 1. Powerful. 2. Possessing 
bodily ability ; sturdy. 
Mony & feckful chiel that day was slain. 
Hamilton, Wallace, p. 52. 
3 Wealthy. Jamieson. [Scotch in all uses.] 
feckless (f ek^les), a. [Sc., < feck* + -less ; = E. 
weak; 
Ye take mair delight in jrour/HI dress 
Than ye do in your morning prayer. 
Courtfinu Kniijht (Child's Ballads, VIII. 276). 
februation (feb-ro-a'shon), n. [< L. februa- feckly (fek'li), adv. [Sc., also written fectlie p T te CUH( iit a 't = Sp"fccitndidad=Pg.fecundi- 
tioin-), a religious'purincation, expiation, < fe- (and, with different term., fecklins); < feck 2 + - - * - ' ' T '- -.-.-/. \- *_:* 
ffl_. J_J._ S I'.l..... .-.nn nf 1,,*). /. 7fti "C 1 /..,,,'Jl 1 Ti^nt" +V>O irlii^t TO.vt " 
bruare, purify, expiate, < februum, a means of -ly? (or -lins = E. -(i</ 2 ).] For the most part ; 
purification: see February.] In Mom. antiq., mostly; almost. [Scotch.] 
the ceremony of religious purification, espe- 
cially as performed at the festival of the Lu- 
percalia on the 15th of February. 
FebniUS (feb'rij-us), n. [L., a surname of Lu- feckst (feks), inter). Same as /act 2 . 
percus, the Roman name of the Lyceean Pan : fecula (fek'u-lii), n. [= F. fecule = Sp. Pg. 
see February and Lupercal.} In Bom. myth., 
a divinity whose worship was celebrated with 
lustrations in the month of February. 
fecal, faecal (fe'kal), a. [= F. fecal = Sp. Pg. 
fecal = It. fecale, < L. fax (f<ec-), dregs, etc. : 
see/ece*.] Pertaining to feces ; containing or 
consisting of dregs, lees, sediment, or excre- 
ment. 
fecaloid, faecaloid (fe'kal-oid), a. [< fecal + 
-oid.] Resembling feces. 
Wheel-carriages I ha'e but few, 
Three carts, and twa are feckly new. 
urn, The Inventory. 
fecula = It! jecola, < L. fecula, also written 
faicula and LL. contr. fascia, burnt tartar or 
salt of tartar deposited in the form of a crust 
by wine, dim. of fax, dregs, lees: see feces.] 
Starch ; any form of starch obtained as a sedi- 
ment by washing in water the comminuted 
roots, grains, or other parts of plants. See 
starch. 
feculence, feculency (fek'u-lens, -len-si), n. 
The vomit [caused by intestinal obstruction] is common- 
ly fcecaloid in appearance and color. 
Quain, Med. Diet., p. 739. 
A Middle English form of fetch*. 
[= 
= It. fecondita, < i,. fecundita(t-)s, fruit- 
fulness, fertility, < fecundus: see fecund.] 1. 
Fruitf ulness ; the quality of propagating abun- 
dantly; particularly, the quality in female ani- 
mals of producing young in great numbers. 
The pigeon was an emblem of fecundity, and fruitfulness 
in marriage. Donne, Sermons, iv. 
2. The power of germinating : as, the seeds of 
some plants long retain their fecundity. 3. 
Productiveness in general ; the power of creat- 
ing or bringing forth ; fertility, as of invention. 
The fecundity of his [God's] creative power never grow- 
ing barren nor being exhausted. Bentley. 
The pleasures incident to what are regarded as the 
higher Junctions are the pleasures which excel others in 
respect of fecundity : they are the source of future plea- 
sures. W. R. Sorley, Ethics of Naturalism, p. 162. 
[< li.fecundus, fruit- 
feccheM, v. 
Chaucer. 
fecche 2 t, n. A Middle English form of fetch?, 
now vetch. Chaucer. 
feces, faeces (fe'sez), n. pi. {L. fasces, pi. of 
fcex (/(EC-), dregs, lees, of liquids.] 1. Dregs; 
lees; sediment; matter excreted and ejected. 
Hence the surface of the ground, with mud 
And slime besmeared, the feces of the flood, 
Keceiv'd the rays of heaven. Dryden, 
Specifically 2. The undigested portions of feculent (fek u-lent), a, 
the food, mixed with some secretions in the 
alimentary canal, which are evacuated at the 
anus; dung; excrement. 
Blessed be heaven, 
I sent you of his fecet there calcined. 
/;. Jonson, Alchemist, ii. 3. 
of being foul with extraneous matter or lees. 
2. "That which is feculent; sediment; dregs; 
excrementitious matter. 
The fermented juice of the grapes is partly turned into 
liquid drops or lees, and partly into that crust or dry fec- 
ulency that is commonly called tartar. 
Boyle, Works, I. 580. 
Thither [to cities] flow, 
As to a common and most noisome sewer, 
The dregs and feculence of ev'ry land. 
Cowper, Task, i. 684. 
x ,, [= F. feculent = Pr. 
'feculent = Sp. Pg. It feculento, < L. foeculentus, 
abounding in dregs or sediment, thick, impure, 
<f<ex (f(ec-), dregs, sediment: see feces.] Foul 
with extraneous or impure substances ; muddy ; 
turbid; offensive; consisting of or abounding 
with dregs, sediment,orexcrementitious matter. 
The Press from her/u)>d<m< womb 
Brought forth the Arts of Greece and Rome. 
M. Green, The Spleen. 
fed (fed). Preterit and past participle of feed. 
fedaryt, A contracted form of federary. 
Senseless bauble [a letter], 
Art thou Afedary for this act, and look'st 
So virgin-like without? Stiak., Cymbeline, Iii. 2. 
[In most modern editions the word in this passage is 
printed feodary, a form of different origin and meaning. 
The original folio of 1623 has firdarie. See federary.] 
I cannot distrust the successful acceptation, where the 
sacrifice is a thrifty love, . . . and the presenter a fedary 
to such as are masters, not more of their own fortunes 
than their own affections. Ford, Line of Life. 
feddan (f ed'an), n. [Ar. fadan, fadddn, a plow 
with yoke of oxen.] A land-measure of the Le- 
vant, consisting of as much as a yoke of oxen 
can plow in a day. In Egypt the legal feddan (ac- 
