flesh-tooth 
flesh-tooth (flesh'toth), H. One of the sectorial 
or cai'iiassial teeth of the typical carnivorous 
mammals. 
flesh-worm (flesh'wenn). M. [Early mod. E.also 
fleasltcworm, < ME. 'fli-.ii-lni-orm, < AS. flii'sr- 
injrm, < flassc, flesh, + tcyrin, worm.] 1. A 
worm that buiTows in and feeds on flesh ; the 
maggot of the flesh-fly and other dipterous in- 
sects: sometimes used figuratively. See cut 
under flesh-fly. 
Our wantons, anil jl< : <ixh<'-trriiieg, for so it liketh you to 
cal tin-in, liuiu- bi'ime rnnU-nted to forsake fathers, mo- 
thers, \viiK-s. rhililmi. ;, r i<uilrs. and linings, <t meekely to 
submit tliemselues to the extreme terrour of al your cruel- 
ties, and to yt-ldf tliriiv bodies vnto the deathe ; to he 
sterued fur hunger. :md to be burnte in fiere, onely for 
the name and Uospel of Jesus rhriste. 
Bp. Jewell, Def. of Apologie, p. 335. 
2. The spiral threadworm or trichina, Trichi- 
na x/iirulix. 
flesh-wound (flesh'wond), . A wound which 
does not extend beyond the flesh; a slight 
wound. 
fleshy (flesh'i), a. [< ME. fleschy (= D. vlee- 
-iij (for "vleenchig) = MLG. vleschich = MHG. 
rleinrliec, G. fleisehig = Sw. flaskig) ; < flesh + 
-y 1 .} 1. Consisting of flesh; composed of 
muscle, etc., as distinguished from harder sub- 
stance; hence, pertaining to the physical as 
opposed to the moral nature. 
The sole of his foot is fleshy. Ray. 
The squirrel had got into my coat pocket. As I endea- 
voured to remove him from his burrow, he made his teeth 
meet through the jlefthy part of my fore finger. 
Steele, Tatler, No. 288. 
Neither could they make to themselves fleshy hearts 
for stony. Ecclus. xvii. 16. 
He, sovran Priest, stooping his regal head, . . . 
foor fleshy tabernacle entered. 
Milton, Passion, 1. 15. 
2. Full of flesh ; plump ; fat ; corpulent : as, a 
fleshy man. 
Galley-slaves are fat and fle.sliie, because they stirre the 
limits more and the inward parts less. 
Bacon, Nat. Hist., 877. 
Fleshy, in the sense of stout, may claim Ben Jonson's 
warrant. Lowell, Biglow Papers, Int. 
3. Like flesh. () Soft ; without hard Integument: 
as, Sifleiliy process, etc. (6) In hot., succulent ; composed 
of juicy, cellular tissue. Fleshy leaf, a leaf which is 
thick and juicy, as that of the houseleek. 
flet't. n. [ME. flet, the floor of a house, a house, 
< AS.flct,flett, the ground, the floor of a house, 
a house, = OFnes.flet, a house, = OS.flet,fletti, 
the floor of a house, a house, hall, = MLG. vlet, 
rletle, LGr.flet, an upper bedroom, = OHG.flezzi, 
MHG. vletze, a floor, a level, G. fletz, flotz, a set 
of rooms or benches, a house, orig. a flat or 
level surface, < OHG. flaz = Icel. flair = Sw. 
flat; but the adj. does not appear except in 
OHG. and Scand. (whence in E.): see flat 1 , a. 
and n., and cf. fin ft.'} 1 . Floor ; bottom ; lower 
surface. 
Thi berne also be playne, and harde thejlette, 
And footes two to thicke it thou ne lette. 
Palladium, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 18. 
2. A house ; home. 
I fostered sou on mi flet for sothe, as me thinketh, 
<fe seide 36 were my sone seuen ger and more. 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. 8.), 1. S368. 
flet 2 (flet), a. [E. dial, or obs. pp. offleetf, q. v.] 
Skimmed : as, flet milk. 
flet 3 (flet), n. [Also written fleat ; perhaps an- 
other form offleak 2 , flake 2 , a hurdle.] A mat of 
plaited straw for protecting a horse's back from 
injury by a load. Simmonds. 
fletch 1 * (flech), v. i. [ME. flecchen, < OF. flechir, 
F. fleehir = Pr. fleehir, bend, give way, yield, < 
L.jfectere,bend: see flex 1 . Cf. flinch 1 .'] Togive 
way ; yield ; flinch. 
That he neflecchede for ne fere. 
The 11,000 Virgins, 1. 123 (Early Eng. Poems, 
[ed. Furnivall, p. 66). 
Sour vergeoiis schal make the deuel a-drad, 
For he fleceheth fro godes spoils. 
Holy Jiood (E. E. T. 8.), p. 137. 
fletch 2 (flech), v. t. [Formed from fletcher.} 
To feather, as an arrow. 
Thy darts are healthful Rood, and downwards fall, 
Soft as the feathers that they're fletch'd it hall. 
Cowley, Davideis, ii. 
Leave, wanton Mnse, thy roving night; 
To thy loud String the v,'e\\-fletch'd Arrow put. 
Cowley, Pindaric Odes, i. 10. 
fletch 3 (flech), *. t. [Var. of flitch.} To cut, as 
fish, in strips, clear of bone, in order to prepare 
it for drying and smoking : chiefly in the past 
participle: as, fletched halibut. 
fletcher (flech'er), n. [< ME. fletcher, fleechere, 
n; < OF. flee/tier, an arrow-maker, < OF. 
2207 
flfche, F. fleche, dial, fliehe (= Pr. flecha = Sp. 
flecha, OSp.frecha = Pg. frecha = It. fr-/-m. 
o\>s.fli;:a, dial. fri:sa), an arrow, < MD. flitse, 
D. flitu = MLG. flitzc, flituclic, an arrow, javelin 
(whence also G. flit:, in corcnp.flitziifeil, an ar- 
row; G.flitzboge, < D.flitsboo;/ = Dan.flit.ibue,u, 
bow) ; cf. MD. flitsen, fly forth, fly away, flee. 
Hence the surname Fletcher. ] One who fletches 
arrows ; an arrow-maker ; a maker of bows and 
arrows. 
It is vnseemly for the Painter to feather a shafte, or the 
Fletcher to handle the pencill. 
Lyly, Euphues, Anat. of Wit. p. at:). 
It is commended by our fletchers for bows, next unto 
yew. Mortimer, Husbandry. 
fletet, r. and n. A Middle English form of fleet. 
flether (fleTH'er), v. i. [Sc., < Icel. fladhru, 
fawn, flatter : see flatter*.] To flatter. 
Expect na, Sir, in this narration, 
A neeching, fleth'rin dedication. 
Burns, Dedication to Gavin Hamilton. 
fletiferoust (fle-tif'e-rus), a. [< LL. fletifer, 
weeping, dripping, < L. fletus, weeping, tears, 
+ ferre = E. bear 1 .} Causing weeping. Bailey, 
i. i ' 1 . 
flettermouset, n. Same as flittermonse. 
fletwitet, n. [Skinner gives "fletwit velfledwit," 
a fine imposed on outlaws and fugitives on 
coming to the peace of the king, as if a corrupt 
form of an AS. "flylit-wite,<.*flyht, flight, fleeing, 
+ wife, a fine ; but AS.*flyht, a fleeing, does not 
occur (see flight 2 ). The form, if correct, would 
represent an AS. "fletwite, lit. a ' house-fine,' < 
flet, a house, floor (see flet 1 , flat 2 ), + wite, a fine. 
The precise application is not clear, on account 
of a lack of early authority.] In old Eng. law, a 
discharge from penalties, where a person, hav- 
ing been a fugitive, came to the peace of the 
king of his own accord, or with license. See 
the etymology. 
fletz (nets), n. [< G. flotz, earlier flctz, a layer, 
a stratum, < MHG. vletze, a floor, a level, OHG. 
flezzi = OS. fletti, flet = AS. flet, flett, a floor, 
etc. : see flet 1 .} Originally, a bed or stratum ; 
hence, as employed by Werner, a layer or bed 
inclosed conformably in a stratified series, 
but differing in character from the rocks in 
which it occurs. The flotzgelnriie, or fletz formation, 
was distinguished from the primary, in that the latter 
contained veins and masses of ore, but no interstratifled 
deposits (flotze), such as coal or iron ore. The word has 
been much used from the days of Agricola down to those 
of Werner and his disciples, and occurs occasionally in 
old geological books written in English. 
fleuk, . A Scotch form of fluke 2 . 
fleur de coin (fler de kwan).' [F.: fleur, flower, 
bloom; de, of; coin, die: see flower, de 2 , coin 1 .} 
In numismatical descriptions, noting a coin in 
the highest state of preservation, and practi- 
cally as fresh as when it left the mint. 
fleur-de-lis (fler-de-le'), n.; pi. fleurs-dc-lix 
(fler-de-le'). [Formerly also fleur-de-lys ; F. 
fleur de Us, flow- 
er of the lily: 
see flower and 
lily. In E. half- 
translated, flow- 
er-de-lis, flower- 
de-luce, q. v.] 
1. In her., a 
bearing as to 
the origin of 
which there is 
much dispute, 
some authori- 
ties maintain- 
ing that it represents the lily, others that it rep- 
resents the head of a lance or some such war- 
like weapon. The fleur-de-lis has long been the dis- 
tinctive bearing of the royal family of France. It is borne 
on some coats one, on others three, on others five, and on 
some semee, or spread all over the escutcheon in indeter- 
minate number. 
2. In bot., the iris: commonly called flower- 
de-luce. 
O'er her tall blades the crested fleur-de-lis, 
Like blue-eyed Pallas, towers erect and free. 
0. W. Holmes, Spring. 
Dutch fleur-de-lis, in her., a fleur-de-lis of peculiar 
form used by some continental heralds, in which the part 
below the cross-bar repeats exactly or nearly the part 
above. Fleur-de-lis couped, in her.,& fleur-de-lis from 
which the parts below the cross-bar have been removed. 
The cross-bar itself is sometimes complete and sometimes 
divided horizontally in the middle. Fleur-de-lis of 
three lilies, in her., a bearing consisting of three bell- 
shaped flowers with their stalks arranged so as to form a 
figure resembling the conventional fleur-de-lis. Also called 
fleur-de-lii of three, tulip*. Fleur-de-lis seeded, in her., 
the more decorative form of fleur-de-lis, in which two 
stems ending in bunches of fruits or seeds are interposed 
between the central and the side leaves. 
Various forms of the Fleur-de-lis. 
flexed 
fleuret (flo'ret), M. [< F. fleurrt, dim. of Jlitu-. 
flower: sec .//vr. fluu-n-t, floret.} 1. A flow- 
eret or little flower. 
The fruit [is to be] spread on sawdust, and so arranged 
that the llfiirrlt, or blossom rnds. may look downwards. 
Alcott, Tablets, p. 22. 
Tim shape of thefleurels of the obverse [of a coin) had 
l.rrii burn, wi-d from the linga pattern. 
.Y"m/*. t'firon.. :idser.. I. : f ,4">. 
2. A light foil used in fencing-schools; hence, 
by extension, the small-sword or modern duel- 
ing-sword. 
fleuron (F. pron. fle-ron'), M. [F., a flower, 
jewel, gem, < fleur, flower: seefloicer.} In or- 
namental art, a conventional flower or a small 
object, as one link or member of a bracelet, 
necklace, or the like, which has a somewhat 
floral shape. 
These latter [mohurs] bore (obverse) a Nepalese emblem 
surrounded by eight fleurong containing the eight sacred 
Buddhist jewels. Encyc. Brit., XIV. 498. 
fleuronne (F. pron. fle-ro-na'), . [F., < fleu- 
ron, q. v.] In her., ending in buds or rounded 
leaves : same as bottony. 
fleurs de garance (F. pron. fler de ga-rons'). 
[F. : fleurs, pi. of fleur, flower ; de, of ; garance, 
madder.] Madder-roots exposed to the action 
of water for a day or two, and afterward dried. 
Also called flowers of madder, refined madder, 
madder-bloom. [Rare.] 
fleurs-de-lis, n. Plural of fleur-de-lis. 
fleur-volant (F. pron. fler-vo-lon'), . ; pi. 
fleurs-volants (fler-vo-lon'). [F.: fleur, flower; 
volant, flying: see flower and volant.} In lace- 
making, a part of a pattern in some varieties of 
lace which is in high relief. The different kinds of 
fleurs-volants are known as couroniiex, loops, knots, and 
spine*. See these words. 
fleury (flo'ri), a. [< F. fleure, flowered, < fleur, 
flower: see flower.} In her., decorated with a 
fleur-de-lis, or with the upper part of the flower 
only that is, with the cross-bar and the three 
large leaves that rise above it, with or without 
the seed-stems. Also flory, flurry, floretty. and 
flourished. 
A cross fleurie is a cross with fleurs-de-lis issuing from 
the limbs; but a cross fleurettee may be intended. They 
are almost identical. 
Booke o/ Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra ser.), p. 115. 
Cross fleury. See rrosai. 
fleury-counter-fleury (flo'ri-koun'ter-flo'ri), a. 
In her., fleury on both sides. It is generally repre- 
sented with the upper part of the fleur-de-lis emerging on 
one side with the lower part opposite, as if the fleur-de- 
lis had been cut in halves aud separated by the width of 
the bearing. When a bend, bar, or the like is so repre- 
sented, a number of fleurs-de-lis are used, which are gen- 
erally alternated, the large upper part showing first on 
one side and then on the other. 
flew 1 (flo). Preterit of fly 1 . 
flew 2 , n. See flue 3 . 
flew 3 , a. See flue*. 
flewed (flod), a. [< fleic-s + -ed 2 .} Having a 
large chop ; deep-mouthed : said of dogs. 
When a hound is fleet, faireyfewd, and well hangd. 
Lilly, Mydas (ed. 1632), sig. X, xi. (Hattimtt.) 
My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, 
Roflew'd, so sanded ; and their heads are hung 
With ears that sweep away the morning dew. 
Shak., M. N. D., iv. 1. 
flewit (flo'it), n. [Sc., also written flewet, fliiet ; 
origin unknown.] A smart blow, especially on 
the ear. 
I'd rather suffer for my fant 
A hearty flewit. Burns. 
flewk, n. See fluke 1 . 
flews (floz),n. pi. [Origin unknown.] The large 
chop or overhanging lip of the upper jaw of 
some dogs, as of deep-mouthed hounds. 
flex 1 (fleks), r. t. [< L. flexus, pp. of flectere, 
bend, bow, curve, turn round. Cf. fleeted, fletch 1 , 
etc.] To bend; make a flexure of: specifical- 
ly said in anatomy of the action of any flexor 
muscle. 
The slight power of flexing the ankle-joint. 
E. D. Cope, Origin of the Fittest, p. 270. 
When the abdomen is flexed, the spines of the peculiar 
telson are placed in such a position as to give additional 
protection, being thus directed forwards. Science, III. 514. 
flex 2 t, An obsolete variant of flax. Chaucer. 
flexanimous (flek-san'i-mus), a. [< L. flexatii- 
mus, that bends or sways the heart, < flexun, 
pp. of flectere, bend, + animus, mind, heart.] 
Having power to bend or change the mind. 
[Rare.] 
I felt my Heart melting within my Breast, and my 
Thoughts transported to a true Elysium all the while, 
there were such Jlexaninwuit strong ravishing Strains 
throughout it. Jloicell, Letters, I. v. 12. 
flexed (flekst), j>. a. 1. Bent: as, a limb in a 
flexed position. 2. Specifically, in tier., said 
