Figurability

Capacity for taking and retaining a certain form. Fig'urable, a . [Fr.; L. Lat. figurabilis , from figura , shape.] That may be brought to a certain fixed form. Fig'ural, a . [See FIGURATE.] Represented by delineation; consisting of figures; as, "the figural resemblances of various regions." - Browne . Fig'urant, n . [Fr., pp. of figurer , to represent, to dance in figures, from Lat. figura . An operatic dancer who never performs alone. - An acce ory on the stage, who appears in the scenes, but takes no part in the dialogue. -One who appears on any scene, without taking other than a very subordinate part. Figurante, n . [Fr.) A female figurant. Fig'urate, a . [See FIGURE.] Of a determinate form; as, figurate plants. -Resembling anything of a determinate form; as, " fig urate stones retain the form of shells into which they were formed at the deluge." - Johnson. Figurate counterpoint . (Mus.) That which contains a mixture of discords together with the concords. Figurate or figural numbers. ( Math .) A series of numbers, formed from an arithmetical progre ion having a unit for its first term, and a whole number for the regular difference-by taking the first term and the sums of the first two, first three, ., as terms of a new series, from which another may be formed in the same way, and so on; the numbers in all the resultant series being such that if they be represented by dots or points, such dots can be readily arranged into geometrical figures, as triangles, squares, pentagons, . Fig'urated, a . Having a determinate figure or form. Fig'urately, adv . In a figurate manner. Figuration, n. [Lat. figuratio , from figura , shape.] The act of giving figure; determination to a certain form. ( Mus .) Mixture of concords and discords. Figurative, a . [Fr. figuratif ; Lat. figurativus .] Representing something else; representing by resemblance; typical; as," his, they will say, was figurative ." ( Hooker .) -Not literal or direct; changed from the direct meaning; as, a figurative sense, a figurative expre ion. Abounding with tropes and figures of speech; as, a highly figurative description. Fig'uratively, adv . By a figure or type; not literally. Figurativene , n. State of being typical; not literal. Figure, ( fig'ur ,) n. [Fr.; Lat. figura , from fin go , to shape, to form. Etymol. uncertain. A form, shape, or fashion; the form of anything as expre ed by the outline or terminating extremities; semblance; structure; appearance. -A statue; an image; representation in painting, model- ling, carving, .; as, a figure in ivory, bronze, . -A design or representation woven in, or painted on, cloth; any design or fanciful ornamentation stained or drawn on paper, or wrought out in any manufactured article. "A coin that bears the Agure of an angel."-Shaks. -A character denoting a number; a digit; a numeral; -Magnificence; splendor; dignified appearance. "His chief end to grow rich, that he may live in figure and Indulgence."-Lavo. "figure-flingers and star-gazers." - L ' Estrange. -Type; representative; emblem; symbol. "Who is the Agure of Him that was to come."- Rom . v. 14. -Amount; price; value; as, goods at a low figure , what is the figure ? (Dancing.) The several steps which the dancer makes, as marking figures or diagrams on the floor. ( Mus .) An ornamental phrase or group of tones from or about a single tone. (Gram.) Any deviation from the rules of analogy or syntax. ( Rhet .) It is defined to be, in general, " that language which is prompted either by the imagination or by the pa ions." Rhetoricians commonly divide them into two great cla es, -figures of words , and figures of thought ; the words in the former case being employed in a sense different from their original and primitive meaning; in the latter the words are used in their proper and literal meaning, the F. consisting in the turn of thought; but the distinction is of no great use. One is apt to imagine, that as F. of speech always denote some departure from simplicity of expre ion, they are therefore artificial, are of late growth. This, however, is by no means the case; for the earliest and least cultivated languages are generally those that abound most in F. From the very paucity of his language, and the want of proper expre ion to convey his meaning, man, in his untutored state, is led to exercise his fancy, and expre his ideas in image and metaphor. Hence, then, what is a nece ity in the language of the savages is that which also gives beauty and grace to the polished languages of civilized life. F.serve to enrich a language and render it more copious; and they also bestow a dignity upon style, by enabling us to avoid the frequent use of common expre ions to which the ear has been accustomed. More particularly, F. give us the pleasure of enjoying two objects presented together to our view without confusion, the one signified by the figurative sense, which may be termed the principal object, and the other signified by the proper sense, which may be termed acce ory: the principal making a part of the thought, the acce ory being merely ornamental. Lastly, F. po e a signal power of aggrandizing an object, giving frequently a much clearer and more striking view of the principal object than could have been the case if it had been expre ed in simple terms and divested of its acce ory idea. To cut a figure, to make a figure; to act a distinguished part; to attract observation in a manner to elicit surprise or admiration. -v. a. [Fr. figurer ; Lat. figuro .] To form, fashion, or mould into any determinate shape; to show by a corporeal resemblance, as in a picture or statuary; to make a drawing of. "Accept this goblet rough with figured gold." - Dryden. -To cover or adorn with figures or images; to mark with figured representations; to form figures in by art; as, a figured waistcoat, "The top of heaven Agured o'er with burning meteors." - Shaks. - To represent by a typical or figurative resemblance; to symbolize; to emblematize; as, "white vestments figure innocence." - Shaks. -To image in the mind; to conceive. "We figure to ourselves the thing we like." - Henry Taylor. -To note by numeral characters; also, to reckon; to calculate; to compute; as, "the figured hours." - Dryden. -To prefigure; to foreshow. "Three glorious suns,... is this the heaven Agures some event?" Shaks. ( Mus .) To pa several notes for one; to form runnings or variations. To figure out , to ascertain the amount by computation. To figure up, to cast up figures; to add; to reckon. -v. n. To make a figure; to be distinguished or notable; as, as a man of fashion he figured about town. Figured, ( fig'urd ,) p. a. Represented by resemblance; adorned with figures; as, figured damask. ( Mus .) Free and florid. - Noted by figures. Fig'ure-head, n. ( Naut .) The figure, bust, statue, or emblematic representation at the projecting part of a ship's head, above, or at an angle with the cutwater; where ships have no distinctive figure-head, but in lieu of it a scroll of wood-work, it is then called a billet -head. Figure-stone, n. ( Min . ) Same as AGALMATOLITE, q. v. Fig'urist, n. An interpreter or exponent of figures. Fig'-wort. n. ( Bot .) See SCROPHULARIA. Fiji Islands. See FEEJEE ISLANDS. Fike, n. Same as FYKE (q. v.). Filaceous, ( fi -la's hus.) a. [From Lat. filum , a thread.] Composed of threads; consisting of threads; resembling threads. Filadelfia, a town of S. Italy, in Calabria, 12 m. N. of Nicastro; pop . 4,550.