Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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.

F,

Trot; clip; lope; move faster than walking; [fig.] pound; thump; move rhythmically. 186/237 it whimpers so – / This little Hound within the Heart … at your side to run

F,

King-like; high-born; patrician. 166/183 Two other ragged Princes / His royal state partook! royally, adv. [see royal, adj.] Powerfully. 383/654 There can no Outer Wine / So royally intoxicate royalty, n. [OFr roialté, see royal, adj.]

F,

Exalt; advance; promote; bring to the notice of others. 1560/1601 I was regarded then / Raised from oblivion … To be remembered

F, [Fig.]

odor; aroma; smell; perfume; strong fragrance. 1520/1543 The Stem of a departed Flower / Has still a silent rank rankle, v. [OFr rancle, fester, ulcer.] Fester; rage; intensify; become inflamed; grow more acute. 1629/1635 Arrows enamored of his Heart – / Forgot to rankle there ransack, v. [ON rann, house + -saka < sœkja, seek.] Hunt frantically for missing objects; conduct a frenzied, thorough search; seek by desperately examining every part of a place. 178/175 My business is, to find! // So I begin to ransack! ransom, n. [OFr rançon < *re(d)empçon < L. redemptiōn-em < rediměre, buy back.] Freedom; salvation; redemption from punishment; release from bondage; [fig.] comfort; consolation; relief; solace; reassurance. 1251/1300 Silence is all we dread. / There's Ransom in a Voice ransom (-ed), v. [see ransom, n.] Rescue; deliver; protect; preserve; save. 1289/1289 Left in immortal Youth / On that low Plain … Ransomed from years ransomed, verbal adj. [see ransom, n.] Saved; redeemed; exalted; saintly; celestial; hallowed; holy; purified; justified. 215/241 if I … do what the Nurse calls “die” … Ransomed folks – won't laugh at me ransomed, n. [see ransom, n.] Saint; redeemed person; justified being; immortal one. 1581/1665 Indebtedness to Oxygen / The [ransomed] can repay rap (-s), v. [Prob. of echoic origin.] (webplay: knock, time). Knock; strike a door in order to be admitted to a room. 317/263 Just so – Jesus – raps … at the Knocker … It will be ample time for – me rapid, adj. [L. rapěre, seize, carry off.] (webplay: speech). Quick; fast; speedy; fleet; swift; nimble; darting. 436/621 The Wind … entered then … A Rapid – footless Guest … His Speech was like the Push / Of numerous Humming Birds rapid, adv. [see rapid, adj.] (webplay: earth, fall). Quickly; speedily; swiftly; hurriedly; hastily; soon. 1202/1190 The Frost … too rapid passed … Of Strangers is the Earth the Inn rapids, plural n. [see rapid, adj.] Eddy; undertow; strong current; dangerous flow; violent churning; [fig.] flickering; play of light. 533/571 Two Butterflies … lost themselves and found themselves / In [Rapids] of the sun rapt, verbal adj. [L. raptus < rapěre, seize.] (webplay: joy).

F, [Fig.]

sun; sky; horizon; Nature. 1495/1528 Rapture changed it's Dress / And stood arrayed before the change / In ravished Holiness

F, [Fig.]

thing; artifact; physical object; tangible item. 1689/1731 what is thy Pursuit // Thy fellows are they realms or Themes reap (-'st), v. [OE ripan.] (webplay: seize, soweth). Harvest; gather; obtain; receive; earn; get in return; gain as a reward. 1/1 Now to the … bringing thee to justice … thou reap'st what thou hast sown … seize the one thou lovest reaper (-s), n. [see reap, v.] Harvester; field worker; person who cuts grain with a sickle; farm worker who gathers ripe crops; [fig.] angel of death. 163/131 Where no Autumn lifts her pencil – And no Reapers stand! rear, n. [aphetic form of arrear < OFr < L. ad, to + retro, backward.] (webplay: front). Back; hind side; part not obvious to view. 1182/1234 Remembrance has a rear and front / 'Tis something like a House rear (-ed, -s), v. [OE 'raise'.] (webplay: sun).

F, [Fig.]

majestic; glorious; magnificent; splendid; extraordinary. 841/944 A Moth the hue of this / Haunts Candles in Brazil – / Nature's Experience would make / Our Reddest Second pale

F,

To be left; stay behind after the removal of something. 1050/936 Till of all our nature's House / Remains but Balcony

F,

Yet, still. 1417/1440 Prosepective is the friend / Reserved for us to know reserve, n. [See reserve, v.] That which is set aside as a place or group from which to draw strength in future need. 393/560 The Reserve – / These Heavenly Moments are reservoir, n. [Fr. < réserver, keep, reserve.] A place where anything is held in reserve, supply 1294/1327 Of Life to own – / From Life to draw / But never touch the reservoir reside (residing), v. [Fr. résider or L. re- + sedēre, sit.]

F,

Phrase. “Put to rest”: Pacify; make calm; make still. 506/349 It was a boundless place to me / And silenced, as the awful sea / Puts minor streams to rest. rest, n². [Fr. reste.] (webplay: battle, cloud, day, dead, death, die, down, fear, glad, head, heart, Heaven, home, lay, lean, left, Lord, nature, others, quiet, place, promise, remain, retire, retires, satisfied, sleep, souls, state, still, stop, trust, wait, years).

F,

Fly back; go to a former location. 517/655 He goes … Uncertain – to return Below – / Or settle in the Moon

F,

Transform; transfigure; translate; change the timing of. 800/855 Eternity – obtained – in Time – / Reversed Divinity

F,

Circular course; eternal orbit. 865/1111 a just sufficient ring ring (-ing, rang), v. [OE hringan.]

F,

Parlor. 470/605 I am not in a Room – / The Parlor – Commonly – it is “

F, [Fig.]

Authorized messenger or representative; ambassador. 44/60 I'll deck Tradition's buttonhole – / And sent the Rose to you

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. 1Tim. 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.