foxfinch (foksfinch)

foxfire (foks'fir), n. [ foxes glove, fox-fish (foks'fish), n. Same as for1 , 3. foxglove (foks'gluv), n. [ foxes AS. foxes glōfa , i. e i. e., fox's glove: foxes , gen. of fox , fox; glofa , glove. Cf. Norw. rev - bjelde , lit. fox-bell. See other names under is .] 1. A common ornamental flowering plant of gardens, is purpure a , a native of Europe, where it is found in hilly and especially rocky subalpine localities. It has large tubular-campanu- late flowers in long terminal racemes, and is one of the most stately and beautiful of European plants. The flowers are purple or sometimes white or rose-colored. The plant has valuable medicinal properties as a sedative and diuretic. See is . Pan through the pastures often times hath runne To plucke the speckled fox - gloves from their stem. W. Browne, Britannia's Pastorals, ii. 4. Tennyson, In Memoriam, lxxxiii. Bring orchis, bring the foxglove spire. 2. The name in Jamaica of species of Phyto lacca.-3. One of several plants of other genera. - False foxglove, of the United States, Gerardia flava and G. quercifolia, species allied to is, with large yellow flowers. Foxglove-pug, Eupithecia pul chellata, a small geometrid moth of England. - Mullen foxglove, the Seymeria macrophylla, a species similar to false foxglove, a plant with yellow flowers, densely woolly within. foxhound (foks'hound), n. ing foxes: a variety of hound in which are combined, in the highest degree of excellence, fleetne , strength, spirit, fine scent, per sever- ance, and subordination. The foxhound is smaller than the staghound, its average height being from 20 to 22 inches. It is supposed to be a mixed breed between the staghound or the bloodhound and the greyhound. It is commonly of a white color, with patches of black and tan. fox-hunt (foks'hunt), n. A chase or hunting of a fox with hounds. fox-hunt (foks'hunt), v. i. [ IMG:content-1779.jpg:[blocks in formation] 2. The state or quality of being of a harsh, sour taste, as wine or beer. foxing (fok's ing), n . [Verbal n. of for4 , v .] An extra or ornamental surface of skin or leather over the upper of a shoe. foxish (fok's ish), a. [ foxyshe (= G. fuch- sisch ); fox1 + -ish1 .] Resembling a fox; es- pecially, cunning. [Rare.] fox-shark (foks'shärk), n . The sea-fox, sea- ape, swingle tail, or thresher, Alopias vulpes , a large shark from 12 to 15 feet long, of which the tail forms more than half, whence the name. It is of a bluish lead-color above and white be- neath. See cut under Alopias . foxship (foks's hip), n . [ fox1 + -ship .] The character or qualities of a fox; cunning. Hadst thou foxship To banish him that struck more blows for Rome Than thou hast spoken words? Shak ., Cor., iv. 2. fox-sleep (foks'slēp), n. A feigned sleep. fox-snake (foks'snāk), n. A large harmle serpent of the United States, Coluber vulpinus , of a light-brown color with squarish chocolate whitish wing-bands and a yellowish lower mandible. It is a fine songster. It breeds in British America, is migra- tory, and winters in the Middle States and southward. It nests indifferently in bushes or on the ground, and lays greenish-white eggs thickly speckled with rusty brown. Several varieties of the fox-sparrow inhabit western parts of the continent, all of them le foxy in color than the typical P. iliac a . Also called fox - finch . fox-squirrel (foks's kwurel), n . The largest true arboreal squirrel of eastern North America. It is about 12 inches long (the tail being as much more), and varies in color from black, with white nose and ears, through various shades of reddish, rusty brown, and gray. The ears are not tufted. It is much larger and otherwise distinct from the ordinary gray and red squirrels, and its several varieties or subspecies have received different names. The rusty and grayish form is Sciurus cinereus , ern fox-squirrel; the strongly reddish form of the Mi is- sippi region is S. ludo vic i an us , the western fox-squirrel. Also called cat -squirrel. foxtail (foks'tal), n. 1. The tail of a fox. It was anciently one of the badges of a fool. [Prop- erly fox - tail .] -2. One of various species of gra with soft brush-like spikes of flowers, es- pecially of the genus Alopecurus , and also of the genera Setaria and (in Jamaica) Andropogon . The meadow-foxtail is Alopecurus pratensis ; the slender foxtail, A. agrestis ; the water-foxtail, A. geniculatus ; the bristly foxtail, Setaria glauca ; and the green foxtail, S. virid is. Also foxtail - gra . 3. A club-mo , Lycopodium clavatum . [Prov. Eng.] That plant which in our dale We call Stag's-horn or Fox's tail. 4. In metal ., the cinder, of a more or le cy- lindrical form and hollow in the conter, obtain- ed in the last stage of the charcoal-finery pro- ce . - Foxtail wedge. Same as fox - wedge . Foxtail wedging, in joinery , a method of fastening performed by sticking into the point of a wooden bolt a thin wedge of hole, splits the bolt, expands it, and thus secures it. See fox - bolt and fox - wedge . - To give one a flap with a fox- tailt, to deceive or make a fool of him. foxtail-gra (foks'tāl-gras), n . tail , 2. The hart's-tongue [Ireland.] fox tongue (foks'tung), n. fern, Scolopendrium vulgare . fox-trap (foks'trap), n. A trap, gin, or snare designed to catch foxes. fox-trot (foks'trot), n. A pace, as of a horse, consisting of a series of short steps, usually adopted in breaking from a walk into a trot, or in slackening from a trot to a walk. IMG:content-1780.png:[blocks in formation] foxy2 (fok'si), a . [ for2 + -y1; or a particu- lar use of fory1 , with ref. to fox2 .] 1. Sour: said of wine, beer, etc., which has soured in the course of fermentation.-2. Discolored, as by decay; stained; foxed. See foxed . Specifically applied in dyeing to colors which a ume an undesirable reddish shade, due to insufficient soaping or chemicking. foylt (foi), n. [OF. foy , foi (F. foi ), earlier fei , feid , faith, > E. fay and faith , q. v.] Faith; allegiance. He Easter land subdewd, and Denmarke wonne, And of them both did foy and tribute raise. IMG:content-1781.jpg:[graphic] foyer (fwo-ya'), n. [F., hearth, fireside, green- room, lobby of a theater, focus, etc., fo- fireplace (> F. feu , fire): see focus .] 1. In the- carius, hearth, prop. adj., focus , hearth, aters, opera-houses, etc., a public room at or near the entrance next to or comprising the lobby: often, as in the Grand Opera at Paris, a magnificent saloon, elaborately decorated. We met next in the foyer of the opera, between acts of Traviata. T. Winthrop , Canoe and Saddle, v. foylet. An obsolete form of foill , foil2 . foynt, v. A variant of foin1 . foysont, n. An obsolete form of foison . foze (foz), v . i .; pret. and pp. fozed , ppr. fozing . [Sc., perhaps connected with E. fust2, fusty, foist2 , etc.] To become moldy; lose flavor. fozine (fo'zi-nes), n. The state or quality of being fozy; spongine ; softne ; hence, want of stamina; want of spirit; dullne . [Scotch.] The weak and young Whigs have become middle-aged, and their fozine can no longer be concealed. Fox-type (foks'tip), n. [Named from H. Fox F. P. A. An abbreviation of free of particular Talbot, whose surname was already employed oyed average , a phrase of frequent use in marine in- in the term talbotype , q. v.] 1. A photo-eng rav surance. See average2 . ing proce in which the negative is printed Fr. An abbreviation of French . on a gelatin film, the unaltered gelatin washed frat, prep . and adv . Same as fro . away, and an electrotype made from the result frab (frab), v . t .; pret. and pp. frabbed , ppr. ing image. Also called Fox - Talbot proce .- fox-wedge (foks'wej), n. In carp ., etc., a thin wedge of hard wood inserted in the point of a wooden pin or tenon to be driven into a hole which is not bored through. When the back of the wedge reaches the bottom of the hole, it is forced into the pin, and spreads its end so that it cannot be withdrawn from the hole. Also called foxtail wedge , nose-key. Com- pare fox - bolt , and foxtail wedging , under foxtail . fox-wolf (foks'wulf), n. One of the South American canine quadrupeds of the genera Ly- calopex and Pseudalopex , which resemble both foxwood (foks'wud), n. [ for2 + wood1; cf. for fire .] Foxed wood; decayed wood, espe- cially such as emits a phosphorescent light. [U. S.] foxyl (fok'si), a . [ fox1 + -yl.] 1. Pertain- ing to or characteristic of foxes; resembling or suggestive of a fox; hence, tricky; given to cunning or subtle artifice. I was not kind to you; I frabbed you and plagued you from the first, my lamb. Mrs. Gaskell , Ruth, xxxvi. frabbit (frab'it), a . [ frab + -it4 = -ed2 .] Pee- vish. Mrs. Gaskell . fracas (fra'kas; F. pron. fra-kä'), n. [F. (= Sp.fracaso = Pg. It. fracas so ), an uproar, crash, fracas ser = Sp. fracasar = Pg. fraca ar , , break in pieces, destroy, fra , with- in, amidst, in, upon (prob. shortened from L. infra , within), + ca are , qua are , shatter, break, intensive of quatere , shake: see cash1 , ca 1, and quash .] A disorderly noise or up- roar; a brawl or noisy quarrel; a disturbance. Officers of the earl's household, livery-men and retainers, went and came with all the insolent fracas which attaches to their profe ion. Scott , Kenilworth, vii. frache (frash), n. [A technical term, of uncer- tain origin; perhaps (?) fraiche , fem. of fra is , fresh, cool.] In gla - works , an iron pan frache in which gla ve els which require annealing are exposed to heat in the leer.