Argent, a Hesse 
Gules. 
fescue 
4. Fescue-grass. See Festuca. 
The father panting woke, and oft, as dawn 
Aroused tile black republic on his elms, 
Sweeping the frothily from the feneue, brush 1 .! 
Thro' the dim meadow. Tennyson, Aylmer's Field. 
fescuet (fes'ku), v. t. [< fescue, n.] To use a 
fescue in teaching pupils to read. 
A Minister that cannot be trusted to pray in his own 
words without being chew'd to. iind frsni'il to ii formal in- 
junction of his rote-lesson, should as little be trusted to 
Preach. Milton, On Kef. of Hiiinli. Remonst. 
fescue-grass (fes'ku-gras), n. The species of 
b'cstiica, a genus of grasses. See Festuca. 
feselt, Same as fusel"*. 
fesiciant, fesisient, n. Obsolete forms otpkyti- 
riiin, Clitnirrr. 
fess 1 , n. See fesse. 
fess' 2 (fes), n. [< Turk, fes : see fez.] A cap of 
cloth or felt, often embroidered, made in Rus- 
sia, near the Black Sea. 
fesse, fess 1 (fes), n. [< OF. fessc, a fesse, F. 
fainne &ndfasce, < L. fascia, a band : see/ascw..] 
1. A small fagot. [Prov. Eng., only in the 
form fess.] 2. In her., a bear- 
ing always considered as one of 
the ordinaries, bounded by two 
horizontal lines drawn across 
the field which regularly con- 
tain between them one third of 
the escutcheon. This width, how- 
ever, seems excessive unless when the 
fesse is charged with other bearing ; 
therefore when plain it is often made 
narrower. 
I can't recollect the leaat morsel of si fess or chevron of 
the Boynets. Walpole, Letters, II. 476. 
Fesae angled, the fesse modified by having its direction 
broken and one half or a large part lifted higher than the 
rest, while retaining its horizontal direction. See fesse 
rectangled, amte-antjled, etc. Fesse archy, fesse bow- 
ed, a bearing like the fesse, but slightly arched upward. 
Fesse arrondi, a fesse whose edges are broken by large, 
shallow, convex curves. The blazon should specify how 
many concave curves there are, and whether they are on 
both sides or not. Also called fesse gored. Fesse bpt- 
tony, a fesse having in the middle a rounded projection 
at top and also at bottom, so that it resembles a fesse com- 
bined with a central disk. Also called fexse pommetty and 
feme noun/. Fesse cheeky, a fesse charged with checkers 
in not less than three rows and ill two alternating tinc- 
tures. Fesse deml, a bearing representing half a fesse. 
It must he mentioned in the blazon whether the dexter or 
sinister half is borne. Fesse double-beveled, a fesse 
bent at each end, having usually one of the ends bent up- 
ward and the other bent downward. Fesse flmbrlated, 
a fesse having a narrow flmbriation which is continued all 
round, across the ends as well as along the top and bottom 
boundary, so that it resembles a fesse surmounted by a 
fesse coupcd. Fesse rectangled, the break between the 
upper and the under part of the broken fesse if formed by 
rightangles. In fesse, lying in the direction of the fesse 
that is, horizontally across the middle of the field : said 
of any bearing so placed. Per fesse, or party per fesse, 
divided in the direction of the fesse that is, by a hori- 
zontal line, or by a broken or varied line in a general hori- 
zontal direction. 
fesse-point (fes'point), n. In her., the central 
point of the escutcheon that is, the middle 
of a horizontal line in fesse: same as cceur. See 
cut under center. 
fessewise (fes'wlz), adv. In her., same as per 
fesse or in fexse. 
fessitudet (fes'i-tud), n. [< L. as if "fessitudo, 
< fensus, weary, tired, fatigued: see fatigue.] 
Weariness. Coles, 1717. 
fest 1 (fest), a., n., adv., and v. An obsolete or 
dialectal form of fasft. 
fest' 2 t, n. A Middle English form of fisft. 
Chaucer. 
festal (fes'tal), a. [= OF. festal, < L. festum, a 
holiday, a feast: see feast.] Pertaining to or 
befitting a feast or festival ; hence, joyous ; 
gay; jubilant: as, a, festal air or look. 
Life flgures itself to me as a festal or funereal proces- 
sion. Hawthorne, Old Manse. 
O tor festal dainties spread, 
Like my bowl of milk and bread. 
Whittier, Barefoot Boy. 
At Sutri there is a very noble one [amphitheater] cut 
out of the tufa rock, which was no doubt used by that 
people for festal representations long before Rome at- 
tempted anything of the kind. 
J. Fergusson, Hist. Arch., I. 326. 
Festal use. See ferial use, under ferial. 
festally (fes'tal-i), adv. In a festal manner; 
joyfully; merrily. 
The chapel bell on the engine sounded most festally on 
that sunny Sunday. The Centvry, XXVII. 27. 
festet, n. A Middle English form of feast. 
Chaucer . 
fester 1 (fes'ter), n. [Early mod. E. also feas- 
ter; < ME. fester, festyr, < OF. featre (also in 
variously corrupted forms, festc, frskc, fesque, 
flrxtrr, /t/'tte,fautre,ftautre), earlier fistle, = Sp. 
'fixtola = Pg.' fistula = It. fistola, < L. fistula, a 
sort of ulcer, fistula : see fistula, of which/ester 1 
2189 
is simply another form derived through the OF. 
The same terminal change (L. -tula, > OF. F. 
-tre, > E. -ter) appears also in chapter, chapiter, 
and (in the French forms) apostle, epistle. In 
previous dictionaries the etymology of fester 
has been erroneously given, the most common 
explanation being based upon the verb, which 
is assumed to be a variant of foster 1 : a fester 
being regarded, in this view, as a 'nourished,' 
fed, and hence ' matured' boil or tumor.] 1. An 
ulcer; a rankling sore ; a small purulent turn or; 
more particularly, a superficial suppuration re- 
sulting from irritation of the skin, the pus be- 
ing developed in vesicles of irregular figure and 
extent. 
Nade I bene [had I not been] baptyzed in water and salt, 
This ferdly fester wolde never me froo. 
Nugae Poeticce (ed. Halliwell), p. 85. 
2. The act of festering or rankling. 
The fester of the chain upon their necks. Is. Taylor. 
fester 1 (fes'ter), v. [Early mod. E. also feas- 
ter; < ME. festren, fecstren, < OF.festrir, ulcer- 
ate, gangrene, fester, <festre, an ulcer, fester: 
see fester 1 , n.] I. intrans. 1 . To become a fes- 
ter; generate purulent matter, as a wound; 
suppurate; ulcerate. 
So festered aren hns wondes. 
Piers Plowman (C), xx. 83. 
Though this wounde be closed above, yet it feastretli 
byneth, and is full of mater. Palsgrave. 
Wounds immedicable 
Rankle, U)d/t*r, and gangrene. 
Milton, S. A., 1. 621. 
2. To become corrupt ; generate rottenness ; 
rot. 
Canal Street, the centre and pride of New Orleans, 
takes its name from the slimy old moat that once festered 
under the palisade wall of the Spanish town. 
G. W. Cable, Creoles of Louisiana, xxix. 
3. To become more and more virulent ; rankle, 
as a feeling of resentment or hatred. 
'Twixt him and me 
Long time has fester'd an old enmity. 
Beau, and Fl. (?), Faithful Friends, ii. 1. 
I must bear with infirmities until they fester into crimes. 
Burke, Rev. in France. 
II. trans. 1. To cause to fester : as, exposure 
festers a wound. 2. To cause to rankle, as a 
feeling of resentment. 
And festered rankling malice in my breast. Marttton. 
fester 2 t (fes'ter), n. [E. dial., also vester, a cor- 
ruption, through festure, offestue, q. v.] Same 
asfestue. 
festerment (fes'ter-ment), . [< /ester 1 + 
-ment.] The act of festering, or the state of 
being festered. Chalmers. [Rare.] 
festeyet, '' [ME. festeyen, < OF. festeicr, F. fe- 
toycr, feast, < OF. feste, F.fete, feast: see feast, 
v.] A Middle English form of feast. 
I lete in lust and jolitee 
This Cambyuskan his lorAesfesteyinge. 
Chaucer, Squire's Tale, 1. 345. 
festinatet (fes'ti-nat), a. [< L. festinatus, pp. 
offestinare (> It.festinare), hasten, make haste, 
be quick, < festinus, hastening, quick.] Hasty ; 
hurried. 
Advise the duke, where you are going, to a most festi- 
nate preparation. Shak., Lear, iii. 7. 
festinatelyt (fes'ti-nat-li), adv. Hastily. 
Give enlargement to the swain, bring him festinatebi 
hither ; I must employ him in a letter to my love. 
Shak., L. L. L., iii. 1. 
festinatipn (fes-ti-na'shon), n. [= OF. festi- 
nation, festinacion = Sp. festinacion = It. festi- 
nazione, < L. festinatio(n-), a hastening, haste, 
hurry, (festinare: see* festinate.] If. Haste. 
Festination. may prove precipitation. 
Sir T. Browne, Christ. Mor., I. S3. 
Specifically 2. In med., involuntary hurrying 
in walking, observed in some nervous diseases. 
festing-mant, n. Same as fasting-man. 
festing-penny (fes'ting-pen"i), n. [(festing, for 
fnstinij, verbal n. of fast 1 , v., + penny.] Ear- 
nest-money given to servants when hired or 
retained in service. [Eng.] 
festino (fes-ti'no), n. The mnemonic name of 
a mood of the secon'd figure of syllogism having 
the major premise negative and the minor par- 
ticular. The following is an example : No infallible 
utterance is false ; some declaration of the Grand Lama 
is false ; hence, some declaration of the Grand Lama is 
not infallible. The vowels, e, i, o, indicate the quantity 
and quality of the three propositions, universal negative, 
particular affirmative, particular negative. The / shows 
that the mood is reduced to ferio, and the s that in the 
reduction the major premise is simply converted. See 
motidt. Sometimes called firesmo. 
festival (fes'ti-val), a. and n. [< ME. festival 
(also accom. festyful, as if with E. suffix -ful), 
festoon 
< OF. festival, festivel, F. festival = Pr. Sp. Pg. 
festival, < ML. festivalis, festival, festive, < L. 
festivus, festive: see festive and feast.] I. a. 
Of, pertaining to, or befitting a feast; attending 
or marking a joyous celebration; joyous; fes- 
tal: as, a festival entertainment. 
The Comownes, upon festirfulle. dayes, whan thei schol- 
den gon to Chirche to serve <;ml, than gon thei to Tav- 
ernes. Ma.inl< '<///.. 'I ravels, p. 137. 
Ill danger and trouble, natural religion teaches us to 
pray ; in a festival fortune, our prudence and our needs 
enforce us equally. Jer. Taylor, Works (cd. 1835), I. 688. 
This being & festival day, the streets were crowded with 
people from town and country in their holiday attire. 
Lady Brassey, Voyage of Sunbeam, I. ii. 
II. n. A festal day; a feast; a time of feast- 
ing ; an anniversary or appointed day of festive 
celebration. 
So tedious is this day, 
As is the night before some festival 
To an impatient child. Shak., R. and J., iii. 2. 
The morning trumpets festival proclaim'd. 
Milton, S. A., 1. 1598. 
= Syn. Banquet, etc. See/ea(. 
festivally (fes'ti-val-i), adv. In a festive man- 
ner; like a feast. [Rare.] 
And ye shall festivally keep it a feast to Jehovah. 
Ainsuvrth, tr. of Ex. xii. 14. 
festive (fes'tiv), a. [= OF. festif = Sp. Pg. It. 
festivo, < L. festivus, festive, lively, gay, joyous, 
merry, < festum, a feast, festival: see feast.] 
Pertaining to or befitting a feast or festival; 
joyous; gay. 
The glad circle round them yield their sonls 
To festive mirth and wit that knows no gall. 
Thomson. 
The ghastly nature of the subject [the Dance of Death], 
being brought into a very lively contrast with the festive 
tone of the verses, . . . frequently recalls some of the 
better parts of those flowing stories that now and then 
occur in the "Mirror for Magistrates." 
Ticknor, Span. Lit., I. 81. 
festively (fes'tiv-li), adv. In a festive manner. 
festivity (fes-tiv'i-ti), n. ; pi. festivities (-tiz). 
[= OF. festivite = Sp. festividad = Pg. festivi- 
dade = It. festivita, < L. festivita(t-)s, < festi- 
vus, festive: see festive.] 1. Feasting, or the 
condition of joy and gaiety becoming a feast ; 
joyfulness ; gaiety ; social entertainment with 
merry-making. 
To some persons there is no better instrument to cause 
the remembrance, and to endear the affection to the ar- 
ticle, than the recommending it \tyfestirity and joy of a 
holiday. Jer. Taylor. 
2. A festival; a festive event or celebration. 
There happening a great and solemn festivity, such as 
the sheep shearings used to be, David condescends to beg 
of a rich man some small repast. South, Sermons. 
feston (fes'ton), . [< F. feston: see festoon.] 
A stitch in embroidery by which a scalloped 
edge is produced, as for a skirt. 
festoon (fes-ton'), n. [= D. festoen, < F. feston 
(17th cent.) = Sp. feston = It. festone, < ML. 
festo(n-), a garland, prob. orig. a festal garland, 
< L. festum, a festival, feast: see festal, feast.] 
1. A string or chain of any material suspended 
between two points; specifically, a chain or 
garland of flowers, ribbons, foliage, etc., sus- 
pended so as to form one or more depending 
curves. 
Overhead the wandering ivy and vine, 
This way and that, ill many a vti\<\ festoon 
Ran riot. Tennyson, (Enone. 
The vines began to swing their low festoons like nets to 
trip up the fairies. H. James, Jr. , Trans. Sketches, p. 250. 
2. In arch., a sculptured ornament in imitation 
of a garland of fruits, leaves, or flowers sus- 
pended between two points; anencarpus. See 
cut under encarpus. 
Among these ruins, which were probably an antient 
temple, I saw a fine pedestal of grey marble three feet 
square ; it had & festoon on each side, and against the mid- 
dle of each festoon there was a relief of Pan standing. 
Poeocke, Description of the East, II. i. 245. 
3. A form of drooping cloud sometimes seen 
on the under surface of dense cirro-stratus 
clouds. Also called pocky cloud. 4. Inornith., 
specifically, a lobe on the cutting edge of a 
hawk's beak. Festoon-and-tassel border, a band 
representing alternately a festoon and a hanging or droop- 
ing ornament, of frequent occurrence in the decoration of 
Roman and other pottery. This ornament passes by in- 
sensible gradations into the egg-and-dart or egg-and- 
anchor border. 
festoon (fes-ton'), v. t. [< festoon, n.] To form 
in festoons ; adorn with festoons ; connect by 
festoons. 
Growths of jasmine tnrn'd 
Their humid arms, festooning tree to tree. 
Tennyson, Fair Women. 
A golden galley . . . festooned with flowers. 
G. W. Curtis, Prue and I, p. 90. 
