Dictionary: F – FAB'U-LOUS

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F,

the sixth letter of the English Alphabet, is a labial articulation, formed by placing the upper teeth on the under lip, and accompanied with an emission of breath. Its kindred letter is v, which is chiefly distinguished from f by being more vocal, or accompanied with more sound, as may be perceived by pronouncing ef, ev. This letter may be derived from the Oriental ו vau, or from פ pe or phe; most probably the former. The Latins received the letter from the Eolians in Greece, who wrote it in the form of a double g, F, Ⅎ; whence it has been called most absurdly digamma. It corresponds in power to the Greek φ phi, and its proper name is ef. As a Latin numeral, it signifies 40, and with a dash over the top {F with super-macron}, forty thousand. In the civil law, two of these letters together ff, signify the pandects. In English criminal law, this letter is branded on felons, when admitted to the benefit of clergy; by stat. 4 H. VII. c. 13. In medical prescriptions, F. stands for fiat, let it be made; F. S. A. fiat secundum artem. F. stands also for Fellow; F. R. S. Fellow of the Royal Society. F or fa, in music, is the fourth note rising in this order in the gamut, ut, re, mi, fa. It denotes also one of the Greek keys in music, destined for the base. F in English has one uniform sound, as in father, after.

FA-BA'CEOUS, a. [Low L. fabaceus, from faba, a bean.]

Having the nature of a bean; like a bean. [Little used.]

FA'BI-AN, a.

Delaying; dilatory; avoiding battle, in imitation of Q. Fabius Maximus, a Roman general who conducted military operations against Hannibal, by declining to risk a battle in the open field, but harassing the enemy by marches, countermarches and ambuscades.

FA'BLE, n. [L. fabula; Fr. fable; It. favola; Ir. fabhal; Sp. fabula, from the Latin, but the native Spanish word is habla, speech. Qu. W. hebu, to speak; Gr. επω. The radical sense is that which is spoken or told.]

  1. A feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept. Jotham's fable of the trees is the oldest extant, and as beautiful as any made since. Addison.
  2. Fiction in general; as, the story is all a fable.
  3. An idle story; vicious or vulgar fictions. But refuse profane and old wives' fables. 1 Tim. iv.
  4. The plot, or connected series of events, in an epic or dramatic poem. The moral is the first business of the poet; this being formed, he contrives such a design or fable as may be most suitable to the moral. Dryden.
  5. Falsehood; a softer term for a lie. Addison.

FA'BLE, v.i.

  1. To feign; to write fiction. Vain now the tales which fabling poets tell. Prior.
  2. To tell falsehoods; as, he fables not. Shak.

FA'BLE, v.t.

To feign; to invent; to devise and speak of, as true or real. The hell thou fablest. Milton.

FA'BLED, a.

Told or celebrated in fables. Hail, fabled grotto. Tickel.

FA'BLED, pp.

Feigned; invented, as stories.

FA'BLER, n.

A writer of fables or fictions; a dealer in feigned stories. Johnson.

FA'BLING, n.

The act of making fables. Story.

FA'BLING, ppr.

Feigning; devising, as stories; writing or uttering false stories.

FAB'RIC, n. [L. fabrica, a frame, from faber, a workman; Fr. fabrique.]

  1. The structure of any thing; the manner in which the parts of a thing are united by art and labor; workmanship; texture. This is cloth of a beautiful fabric.
  2. The frame or structure of a building; construction. More generally, the building itself; an edifice; a house; a temple; a church; a bridge, &c. The word is usually applied to a large building.
  3. Any system composed of connected parts; as, the fabric of the universe.
  4. Cloth manufactured. Silks and other fine fabrics of the East. Henry.

FAB'RIC, v.t.

To frame; to build; to construct. [Little used.] Philips.

FAB'RIC-ATE, v.t. [L. fabrico, to frame, from faber, supra.]

  1. To frame; to build; to construct; to form a whole by connecting its parts; as, to fabricate a bridge or a ship.
  2. To form by art and labor; to manufacture; as, to fabricate woolens.
  3. To invent and form; to forge; to devise falsely; as, to fabricate a lie or story. Our books were not fabricated with an accommodation to prevailing usages. Paley.
  4. To coin; as, to fabricate money. [Unusual.] Henry, Hist.

FAB'RIC-A-TED, pp.

Framed; constructed; built; manufactured; invented; devised falsely; forged.

FAB'RIC-A-TING, ppr.

Framing; constructing; manufacturing; devising falsely; forging.

FAB-RIC-A'TION, n.

  1. The act of framing or constructing; construction; as, the fabrication of a bridge or of a church.
  2. The act of manufacturing.
  3. The act of devising falsely; forgery.
  4. That which is fabricated; a falsehood. The story is doubtless a fabrication.

FAB'RIC-A-TOR, n.

One that constructs or makes.

FAB'RILE, a. [L. fabrilis.]

Pertaining to handcrafts. [Not used.]

FAB'U-LIST, n. [from fable.]

The inventor or writer of fables. Garrick.

FAB'U-LIZE, v.t.

To invent, compose or relate fables. Faber.

FAB'U-LIZ-ED, pp.

Related in fable.

FAB-U-LIZ-ING, ppr.

Composing or relating in fable.

FAB-U-LOS'I-ITY, n.

Fabulousness; fullness of fables. [Little used.] Abbot.

FAB'U-LOUS, a.

  1. Feigned, as a story; devised; fictitious; as, a fabulous story; a fabulous description.
  2. Related in fable; described or celebrated in fables; invented; not real; as, a fabulous hero; the fabulous exploits of Hercules.
  3. The fabulous age of Greece and Rome, was the early age of those countries, the accounts of which are mostly fabulous, or in which the fabulous achievements of their heroes were performed; called also the heroic age.