filibuster 
Indian bucaneers or pirates of the seventeenth 
century. See bucaneer. Hence 2. One of a 
band of men organized, in disregard of interna- 
tional law, for the purpose of invading and revo- 
lutionizing a foreign state. Specifically applied in 
history to the members of certain expeditions which in 
the middle of the nineteenth century originated in or set 
out from tlie I'nited states against certain Spanish-Ameri- 
can countries for the purpose of revolutionizing them. 
The principal of these expeditions were those led by Nar- 
ciso Lopez from New Orleans against Cuba, in 1850-51, and 
those by William Walker from California against the Mex- 
ican state of Sonora in 1853-54, and against Nicaragua 
in 1855-58. Both leaders were captured and put to death, 
the latter after having succeeded in his second object and 
exercised sovereign power for some time over Nicaragua. 
Hence 3. In a legislative or other delibera- 
tive body, a member in the minority who re- 
sorts to irregular or obstructive tactics to pre- 
vent the adoption of a measure or procedure 
which is favored by the majority. Also filibus- 
terer. [U. S.] 
filibuster (fil'i-bus-ter), t 1 . . [< filibuster, .] 
1. To act as a freebooter or bucaneer. 
Alikhanoff's swoop upon Merv was not a filibustering 
exploit, carried out by him and other frontier officials on 
their own personal responsibility. 
Marvin, Gates of Herat, ii. 
2. To obstruct legislation by undue use of the 
technicalities of parliamentary law or privi- 
leges, as when the minority in a legislative as- 
sembly, in order to prevent the passage of some 
measure obnoxious to them, endeavor to con- 
sume time or tire out their opponents by use- 
less motions, speeches, objections, etc. [U. S.] 
The Democrats . . . filibustered and postponed the vote 
till a day when strength could be fairly measured on it. 
6. S. ilerriam, S. Bowles, II. 289. 
They (Irish Nationalists] may, as some of the more ac- 
tively bitter among them did in the Parliaments of 1874 
and 1880, obstruct business by long and frequent speeches, 
dilatory motions, and all those devices which in America 
are called filibustering. 
J. Bryce, in New Princeton Rev., III. 65. 
filibusterer (fil'i-bus-ter-er), n. Same as fili- 
buster, 3. 
fllibusterism (firi-bus-ter-izm), n. [< filibus- 
ter + -ism.'} The practice of filibustering. () 
Bucaneering ; freebooting. 
-The spirit of filibusterism must have been very active 
and must have influenced large circles of the population. 
H. mn Hoist, Const. Hist, (trans.), p. 4. 
(6) Legislative obstruction. [U. 8.) 
filical (fil'i-kal), a. [< L. filix (filic-), fern, + 
-a/.] Belonging to the Filices or ferns. 
Filices (fil'i-sez), n. pi. [L., pi. of filix, a fern.] 
The ferns, a large order of cryptogamous plants. 
See /mil. 
filiciform (fil'i-si-form), a. [< L. filix (filic-), 
fern, + forma, shape.] Fern-shaped. 
Filicineae (fil-i-sin'e-e), n. pi. [NL., < L. as if 
*filicinus (< filix (filic-), fern) + -we.] A division 
of the vascular cryptogams especially character- 
ized by the presence of well-developed leaves ; 
ferns and their allies. The group is divided into lep- 
tosporangiate ftliciiiea!, in which the sporangia are formed 
from a single epidermal cell, and eilsporangiate FiKcincn 
in which they are formed from a cluster of epidermal cells' 
as in Opkioplouawa and Marattiacea. The leptosporan- 
giate FUmnea are again divided into homosporous Fili- 
cinea;, the true ferns, and heterosporous Filidnea;, com- 
prising the Salmniaceae and ilartiliacea;, in which two 
kinds of spores are formed 
filicite (fil'i-sit), . [< L. filix ( filic-), fern, + 
-ite^.j A fossil fern or filicoid plant. 
filicoid (fil'i-koid), a. and n. [< L. filix ( filic-), 
fern, + Gr. fMo f , form.] I. a. Fern-like; hav- 
ing the form of a fern. 
II. n. A plant resembling a fern, 
filicology (fil-i-kol'o-ji), n. [< L. filix (filic-), 
tern, -t- dr. -Aoyla, < Mytcv, speak: see -oloau.] 
I he science or study of ferns; pteridolosrv 
[Rare.] 
filiere(fe-liar'),. [F., <fil, a thread: see fil e s.-\ 
A gage for measuring needles. See gage? 
filiety (fi-li'e-ti), n. [< LL. filieta(t-)s, sonship, 
( L. fihus, a son : see filial.'] The relation of a 
son to a parent ; sonship. [Rare.] 
The paternity of A and the filiety of B are not two facts 
but two modes of expressing the same fact. 
J. S. Mill, Logic, p. 45. 
filiferous (fi-lif 'e-rus), a. [< L. filum, a thread, + 
ferre, = E. l>ear\ + -ous.] Producing threads, 
or bearing thread-like growths, as some plants 
insects, mollusks, etc. ; specifically, in entom 
bearing very slender, thread-like organs, as the 
abdomen of a May-fly. 
fil tf. rm (fil'i-f6rm), a. [= F. filiforme = Pg. It, 
fihforme, < NL. filiformis, < L. filum, a thread, + 
forma, shape.] 1. Like a filum in form; thready 
filamentous; filaceous. 2. Pertaining to or 
having the characters of the Filiformia.- Fili- 
form antennae, palpi, or tarsi, in entom. , those antenna: 
2214 
etc., in which the joints are cylindrical, slender, :ind close- 
ly fitted together, the outer ones being no larger than the 
others, so that the organ has a thread-like appearance. 
See cut under ititli'ttna. Filiform pulse. See jrtllnel. 
filiformed (fil'i-formd), . Having the form 
or likeness of a thread or filament ; " 
I distinctly saw a long filiformed organ, bearing exces- 
sively tine hairs in lines. Darwin, Cirripedia, p. 9. 
Filiformia (fil-i-for'mi-a), n. pi. [NL., neut. pi. 
of filifurinis, thread-like: see filiform.] In La- 
treille's system of classification, a division of 
leemodipodous crustaceans, containing the slen- 
der as distinguished from the stout liemodipods, 
such as Caprella, Proto, etc. : contrasted with 
Ovalia. It corresponds to the modern family 
Caprellidti: 
Filigera (fi-lij'e-ra), w. pi. [NL., neut. pi. of 
filiger: seefiligerous."] A prime division of pro- 
tozoans, containing the flagellate infusorians. 
Maximilian Perty, 1852. Also called Phytozoida. 
filigerous (fi-lij'e-rus), a. [< NL. filiger, bear- 
ing threads (i. e., flagella) (< L. filum, a thread, 
+ gerere, bear), + -ous.~] Bearing or furnished 
with flagella, as an inf usorian ; flagellate ; spe- 
cifically, pertaining to or having the characters 
of the Filigera. 
Filigradae (fi-lig'ra-de), n. pi. A suborder or 
superf amily of spiders, characterized by single- 
jointed tarsi armed with but one coarse claw, 
proposed by Thorell (1870) for the extinct fam- 
ily Phalangitidw or Phalangitoida!. 
filigrade (fil'i-grad), a. and n. [NL., < L. filum, 
a thread, a cobweb, + gradi, walk: see grade.'] 
I. a. Of or relating to the Filigrada;. 
II. n. A spider of the group Filigrada. 
filigraint, filigranet (fil'i-gran), . and a. [Also 
filegreen (now filigree, q. v.); = T) .filigrane = 
G. Dan. filigran = Sw. filigrams, < F. filigrane, 
filigree (also water-mark, i. e., 'wire-mark'; in 
this sense also written filagramme, as if con- 
nected with Gr. ypdfifia, a writing, a mark), < 
Sp. Pg. It.filigrana, filigree, < L. filum, thread, 
wire, + granum, grain: see file% and grain.] 
Earlier forms of filigree. 
A curious filigrane handkerchief, and two fair filigrane 
plates brought out of Spain. 
Dr. Browne, Travels (1685), p. 147. 
Filigrana (fil-i-gra'na), n. [NL., < L. filum, a 
thread, + granum, a grain.] A genus of poly- 
chffitous tubicolous annelids, of the family Ser- 
pulida:. F. implexa is found on the north Euro- 
pean coasts. 
filigranet, n. and a. See filigrain. 
filigree (fil'i-gre), . and a. [Also filligree, fila- 
gree, fit/agree; a corruption, through an earlier 
form "filigreen, filegreen, of the orig. form fili- 
grain, q. v.] I. . 1. Ornamental work con- 
sisting of fine gold, silver, or sometimes copper 
wire, formed into delicate tracery of scrolls, 
network, and the like, or of minute grains or 
plates of metal soldered to a background, or of 
both combined. It is used either independently or for 
application to more solid articles, and is one of the most 
ancient kinds of jewelers' work. The Greek and Etruscan 
filigree-work is of extreme beauty, and much of the jew- 
elry for personal adornment found in their tombs or else- 
where is of this kind. In the middle ages filigree-work 
reached great development in certain parts of Europe 
especially in Ireland before the eleventh century. It is 
for it "' " orther " Italy> Genoa an d Venice being famous 
Busts of Saints and Apostles set a giorno in the body of 
an eagle in silver filagree. 
C. C. Perkins, Italian Sculpture, p. 378. 
2. Any kind of ornamental openwork resem- 
bling or analogous to filigree. Hence 3 
Figuratively, anything very delicate, light, and 
fanciful or showy in structure ; especially, any- 
thing too delicately formed to be serviceable; 
something easily destroyed or injured. 
Guarantees, he said, were mere fit/me, pretty to look 
at, but too brittle to bear the slightest pressure. 
Macavlay, Frederic the Great. 
Steibelt a maker of filagree for the piano, . . . on this 
occasion played in a quintett of his own with a very bril- 
liant piano part. Fortnightly Rev., N. S., XXVII. 881. 
II. a. Composed of filigree: as, a filigree 
filigreed (fil'i-gred), a. Ornamented with fili- 
gree. [Rare.] 
There was a mirror with a deep ftligreed frame 
T. B. Aldrich, Bad Boy, p. 37. 
filigree-glass (fil'i-gre-glas), . 1. Glass or- 
namented by colored threads included in the 
transparent mass and twisted, waved, or woven 
with one another so as to produce regular pat- 
terns. Compare latticinio, i-itro-di-trina. Q 
A glass vessel, especially a goblet or drinking- 
glass, decorated with filigree. 
fill 
Two tall filiyree <jl*Ks engraved with the royal rose 
displayed. Jour. .!,./,,(,,/. .!*., XXXI. 109. 
filigree-point (fil'i-gre-point), . A kind of 
fancy work imitating gold lace, made by work- 
ing upon a linen background with gold thread, 
which is afterward separated from the back- 
ground. Diet, of Needlework. 
filigree-work (fil'i-gre-werk), . 1. Work in 
filigree; filigree. 2. Any kind of ornamen- 
tation resembling or analogous to filigree, m 
which is thought too minute or too fantastic 
for its place or purpose. 
The churches of our ancestors shoot up into spires, tow- 
ers, pinnacles, ta&JUtgnt work. 
U. Su-iiiburne, Travels in Spain, xliv. 
filing 1 (fi'ling), n. [Verbal n. of file*, .] 1. 
The act of using a file. 2. A fragment or par- 
ticle rubbed off by a file : as, iron-tilings. 
filing' 2 (fi'ling), . [Verbal n: of fileS, r.] The 
act of putting upon file. 
filing-board (fi'ling-bord), n. A board upon 
which a piece of work is laid or held to be filed. 
For certain classes of work the board is pivoted to yield 
to any vertical sway of the tile, that it may be always Hat 
with the surface of the file. 
filiolet, . [ME. fylyole, felyole, < OF. fillole, 
filloelle, fiolle, fiole. fyole, a column, pillar, tur- 
ret.] A turret, pinnacle, or cupola. 
Towre telded bytwene trochet fill thik, 
Fayre fylyolez that fysed, and ferlyly long, 
With coruon copronnes, craftyly siege. 
Sir Gairayne and the Green Knight, 1. 798. 
Filioque (fil-i-o'kwe), n. [L., and from the 
Son : filio, abl. of filing, son (see filial) ; qite 
(enclitic), and.] The clause of the Nicene 
Creed in its western form which asserts that 
the Holy Ghost proceeds both from the Father 
and from the Son. The doctrine of the "double pro- 
cession," as it is called, has been generally accepted in 
the Latin Church from a very early period ; and this 
clause was frequently added to the creed before it was 
authoritatively incorporated in it in the eleventh century. 
Hie Greek Church, on the contrary, has always main- 
tained the doctrine of the single procession, as expressed 
in the original form of the Nicene Creed, in accordance 
with John xv. 26, "the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth 
from the father"; and the controversy on this subject 
(called the Filioque crmtroverty), continued to the pres- 
ent tune, was one of the chief causes of the schism be- 
tween the two churches. 
filipendula (fil-i-pen'du-la), n. [= F.filipmdiile 
= Sp. lt.fi/ipendula = G. filipendel, etc.,< late 
ML. filipendula, prop. fern, of "filipeiidulus, 
hanging by a thread : see filipend.ulom.'] The 
plant dropwort, Spira-a Filipendula. 
filipendulous (fil-i-pen'du-lus), a. [< ML. "fili- 
pendulns, hanging by a thread/ L. filum, thread, 
+ jiendulus, hanging, < pendere, hang: &eefile s 
and pendulous.} Suspended by a thread. [Rare.] 
Filistata (fi-lis'ta-ta), . [NL. (Walckenaer, 
1805), < L. filum, thread, + status, pp. of stare, 
stand: see gtate.] The typical genus of the 
family Filistatidtf. 
Filistatidae (fil-i-stat'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Fili- 
stata + -}(/.] A family of tubitelarian spiders, 
typified by the genus Filistata. They have two 
stigmata, tarsi without claws, cephalic and thoracic re- 
gions continuous, mandibles united at base.and the labrum 
united with the sternum. These spiders mostly make a 
tubular web in crevices and holes. Also Filistatoida; 
Filitelse (fil-i-te'le), . pt. [NL., < L. filum, 
thread, + tela, a web: see toift.] A tribe of 
spiders which spread their threads about the 
places in which they prowl in pursuit of their 
prey. The most noteworthy genus is Uroclea (Clotho), 
of Egypt and southern Europe, a limpet-shaped spider, 
about an inch in diameter, remarkable for the curious habi- 
tation it constructs for its young. 
fill 1 (fil), v. [Early mod. E. also fi1,fille; < ME. 
fillen, fullen, fyllen, < AS.fyllan = OS. fullian 
= OFries. fella, folia = D. rullen = LG. fullen 
= OHG. fulljan, MHG. viillen, G. fullen = Icel 
fylla = Sw.fylla = Dan. fylde = Goth, fulljan, 
fill, make full, < AS. full, etc., E. full: see 
fuin, a., and cf. /HI, c.] I. trans. 1. To make 
full ; put or pour something into till no more 
can be contained ; cause to be occupied so that 
no space, or no available space, is left vacant : 
as, to fill a basket with fruit ; to fill a bottle 
or a vessel ; to fill a church ; to fill a cavity in 
the ground or in a tooth. 
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. 
And they filled them up to the brim. John ii. 7. 
Corresponding misses Jill the ream 
With sentimental frippery. 
Cowper, Progress of Error, 1. 811. 
King Arthur made new knights to fill the gap 
Left by the Holy Quest. 
Tennyson, Pelleas and Ettarre. 
2. To occupy the whole capacity or extent of; 
occupy so as to leave no space, or no appropri- 
ate space, vacant; permeate; pervade: as, the 
