FRA 
springs must be neither too strong nor too 
weak. The hammer ought to be well har- 
dened, and pliable, to go down to the pan 
with a quick motion. 
In shooting, observe to do it, if possible, 
with tiie wind, not against it ; and rather 
sideways, or behind the fowl, than full in 
their faces. Observe also to choose the 
most convenient shelter you can find, as a 
hedge, bank, tree, or the like. Take care 
to have your dogs under good command, 
that they may not dare to stir till you give 
the word, after discharging your piece : for 
some ill-taught dogs will, upon only the 
snap of the cock, presently rush forward, 
and spoil your sport. If you have not shel- 
ter enough, you must creep upon your 
hands, and knees. 
FOX, in zoology, an animal of the dog- 
kind, which much resembles the common 
dog in form, and is of the size of a spaniel : 
it is chiefly distinguished by its long and 
straight tail, with the tip white. See Ca- 
nis. 
Fox glove, in botany. See Digitalis. 
FRACTION, in arithmetic and algebra, 
is a part or parts of something considered 
as an unit or integer. Fractions are distin- 
guished into vulgar or common, and sexage- 
simal and decimal. See Sexagesimals 
and Decimal. 
Vulgar fractions, called also simply frac- 
tions, consist of two parts or quantities, one 
wrote over the other, with a line between 
them. The quantity placed above the line 
is called the numerator of the fraction; and 
the quantity placed under the line, the de- 
nominator. 
Thus, § expresses the quotient of 2, di- 
vided by 3, and 2 is the numerator, and 3 
the denominator. If the numerator of a 
fraction is equal to its denominator, then 
the fraction is equal to unity : thus 4 = 1, 
and ^ or -■ are likewise equal to unity. If 
the numerator is greater than the denomi- 
nator, then the fraction is greater than unit. 
In both these cases, the fraction is called 
improper ; but if the numerator is less than 
the denominator, then the fraction is less 
than unit, and is called proper : thus J is an 
improper fraction, but \ or § are proper 
fractions. A mixed quantity is that whereof 
one part is an integer, and the other a frac- 
flt 2 
tion;as3f,5§, andu-J- — . See Algebra. 
FRACTURE, in surgery, a rupture of a 
FRA 
bone, or a solution of continuity in a bone , 
when it is crushed or broken by some ex- 
ternal cause. See Surgery. 
FR/ENUM, in anatomy, a term applied 
to some membranous ligaments of the body. 
Frasnum lingua, the ligament under the 
tongue, which sometimes ties it down too 
close to the bottom of the mouth ; and then 
requires to be incised or divided, in order 
to give this organ its proper and free mo- 
tion. 
FRAGARIA, in botany, English straw- 
berry, a genus of the Icosandria Polygynia 
class and order. Natural order of Sentico- 
sie. Rosaceae, Jussieu. Essential charac- 
ter: calyx ten-cleft; petals five; recepta- 
cle of the seeds ovate, and like a berry. 
There are three species, and many varie- 
ties. 
FRAIL, a basket made of rushes, or the 
like, in which are packed up figs, raisins, 
&c. It signifies also a certain quantity of 
raisins, about 75 pounds. 
FRAISE, in fortification, a kind of de- 
fence, consisting of pointed stakes, six or 
seven feet long, driven parallel to the hori- 
zon into the retrenchments of a camp, a 
half-moon, or the like, to prevent any ap- 
proach or scalade. 
Fraises differ from palisades chiefly in 
this, that the latter stand perpendicular to 
the horizon, and the former jet out parallel 
to the horizon, or nearly so, being usually 
made a little sloping, or with the points 
hanging down. Fraises are chiefly used in 
retrenchments and other works thrown up 
of earth ; sometimes they are found under 
the parapet of a rampart, serving instead of 
the cordon of stone used in stone-works. 
FRANK, or Franc, meaning literally 
free from charges and impositions, or ex- 
empt from public taxes, has various signifi- 
cations in our ancient customs. 
Frank, or Franc, an ancient coin, 
either of gold or silver, struck and current 
in France. The value of the gold frank 
was somewhat more than that of the gold 
crown ; the silver frank was a third of the 
gold one : this coin is long out of use, 
though the term is still retained as the name 
of a money of account ; in which sense it 
is equivalent to the livre, or twenty sols. 
FRANKENIA, in botany, so named in 
honour of John Frankenius, professor of 
botany at Upsala, a genus of the Hexan- 
dria Monogynia class and order. Natural 
order of Calycanthemae. Caryophylle, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character ; calyx five- cleft, 
