figleaf (figlef)

[ME. not found; AS. ficleáf, And they [Adam and Eve] sewed fig - leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Gen. iii. 7. What pitiful fig - leaves, what sensele and ridiculous shifts, are these! South, Sermons, II. 295. figlint (fig'lin), n. [For* figling; I finde in my selfe daily a great desire to these figges, or fat figlins. Benvenuto, Pa engers' Dialogues (1612). figment (fig'ment), n. [ Del . I heard he was to meet your lordship here. Punt. You heard no figment , sir. B. Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, iv. Numa's nightly conferences with a godde was a jig- ment for which the people of Rome had his word only. Bp. Atterbury , Sermons, II. i. The pretence of any plan for changing the e ential principle of our self-governing system is a figment which its contrivers laugh over among themselves. O. W. Holmes, E ays, p. 110. 2. In metaph . , the opposite of a real thing; that the characters of which are arbitrary, depend Lead is figurable , but not water. Johnson. = figural (fig'u-ral), a. [ Incongruities have been committed by geographers in the figural resemblance of several regions. Sir T. Browne . We also see in the wall-paintings figural representations -a bull, on which a man dances like an equestrian perN. A. Rev., 526. former. 2. In music, same as figurate, 3. - Figural number. Same as figurate number (which see, under figurate ). figurant, figurante (fig'u-rant, fig-u-rånt'), n. [F., masc. and fem. (= Pg. It. figurante ) ppr. of figurer, figure: see figure, v.] 1. One who dances in the figures of the ballet. [In this sense usually with reference to a woman, and in the feminine form, figurante.] Figurantes is the term applied in the ballet to those dancers that do not come forward alone, but dance in troops, and also serve to fill up the scene and form a background for the solo dancers. Chambers's Encyc ., IV. 321. 2. An acce ory character on the stage, who figures in its scenes, but has nothing to say. M. Sardou is a born stage-setter, but with a leaning to "great machines," numbers of figurants , and magnificence. The Century, XXXV. 544. Hence-3. One who figures in any scene without taking a prominent part. figurate (fig'u-rat), a . [= F. figuré = Sp. Pg. figurado = It. figurato , figuratus , pp. of figurative figurare, form, fashion, shape, Plants are all figurate and determinate, which inanimate bodies are not. Bacon, Nat. Hist., § 602. 21. Involving a figure of speech; figurative. Thei enter pre ted that in these woordes of Jesus there laie priuely hidden some figurate & mistical manier of speaking. J. Udall , On Luke xviii. 3. In music, characterized by the use of pa ing notes; florid: opposed to simple: as, figurate counterpoint. Also figural, figurative, figured. - Figurate number, a whole number belonging to a series having unity for its first term, and for its first differences another series of figurate numbers or else a constant number. Thus, the series 1, 8, 33, 98, 238, 504, etc., is a series of figurate numbers, for the fourth differences form the arithmetical progre ion 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, etc. The order of a series of figurate numbers is the order of the constant difference; the cla of the series is the value of this constant difference. Thus, the series 1, 8, 33, etc., is of the fifth order and third cla . Figurate numbers were so called by Nicomachus, because they are the numbers of points which form regular figures according to certain IMG:content-1294.jpg:[graphic][merged small] figurate (fig'ū-rāt), v. t.; pret. and pp. figurated, ppr. figurating. [ The glowe worme fig urates my valour, which shineth brightest in most darke, dismal, and horrid atchievements. Marston, Antonio and Mellida, I., v. 1. figurated (fig'ū-rā-ted), a. Same as figurate , 1 and 3. figurately (fig'ū-rat-li), adv. 1. In a figurate manner.-2t. Figuratively. Now if any man be superstitious that hee dare not vnderstand this thyng as figurately spoken, then may he verifie it vpon them that God raysed from naturall death, as he did Lazarus. Frith, Works, p. 35.