Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FE'CES, n. [plur. L. fæces.]

1. Dregs; lees; sediment; the matter which subsides in casks of liquor.
2. Excrement. Arbuthnot.

FE'CIAL, a. [L. fecialis.]

Pertaining to heralds and the denunciation of war to an enemy; as, fecial law. Kent.

FE'CIT, n. [Lat. he made.]

This word is used to indicate the author of a work, or designer in the arts. Elmes.

FEC'U-LA, n.

1. The green matter of plants; chlorophyl. Ure.
2. Starch or farina; called also amylaceous fecula. This term is applied to any pulverulent matter obtained from plants by simply breaking down the texture, washing with water, and subsidence. Hence its application to starch and the green fecula, though entirely different in chimical properties. Cyc.

FEC'U-LENCE, or FEC'U-LEN-CY, n. [L. faculentia, from fæcula, fæces, fæx, dregs.]

1. Muddiness; foulness; the quality of being foul with extraneous matter or lees.
2. Lees; sediment; dregs; or rather the substances mixed with liquor, or floating in it, which, when separated and lying at the bottom, are called lees, dregs or sediment. The refining or fining of liquor is the separation of it from its feculencies.

FEC'U-LENT, a.

Foul with extraneous or impure substances; muddy; thick; turbid; abounding with sediments excrementitious matter.

FEC'U-LUM, n. [from fæces, supra.]

A dry, dusty, tasteless substance obtained from plants. Fourcroy, Trans. [This should be fecula.]

FE'CUND, a. [L. fœcundus, from the root of fœtus.]

Fruitful in children; prolific. Graunt.

FE'CUND-ATE, v.t.

1. To make fruitful or prolific.
2. To impregnate; as, the pollen of flowers fecundates the stigma. Anachursis, Trans.

FE'CUNDA-TED, pp.

Rendered prolific or fruitful; impregnated.

FE'CUND-A-TING, ppr.

Rendering fruitful; impregnating.

FE-CUND-A'TION, n.

The act of making fruitful or pro-life; impregnation.

FE-CUND'I-FY, v.t.

To make fruitful; to fecundate. [Little used.]

FE-CUND'I-TY, n. [L. fœcunditas.]

1. Fruitfulness; quality of producing fruit; particularly, the quality in female animals of producing young in great numbers.
2. The power of producing or bringing forth. It is said that the seeds of some plants retain their fecundity forty years. Ray.
3. Fertility; the power of bringing forth in abundance; richness of invention.

FED, v. [pret. and pp. of Feed – which see.]

FED'ER-AL, a. [from L. fœdus, a league, allied perhaps to Eng. wed, Sax. weddian, L. vas, vadis, vador, vadimonium. See Heb. Ch. Syr. עבט, to pledge, Class Bd, No. 25.]

1. Pertaining to a league or contract; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, particularly between nations. The Romans, contrary to federal right, compelled them to part with Sardinia. Grew.
2. Consisting in a compact between parties, particularly and chiefly between states or nations; founded on alliance by contract or mutual agreement; as, a federal government, such as that of the United States.
3. Friendly to the constitution of the United States. [See the Noun.]

FED'ER-AL, or FED'ER-AL-IST, n.

An appellation in America, given to the friends of the constitution of the United States, at its formation and adoption, and to the political party which favored the administration of President Washington.

FED'ER-AL-ISM, n.

The principles of the federalists. Morris.

FED'ER-AL-IZE, v.t.

or i. To unite in compact, as different states; to confederate for political purposes. Barlow.

FED'ER-AL-IZ-ED, pp.

United in compact.

FED'ER-AL-IZ-ING, ppr.

Confederating.

FED'ER-A-RY, or FED'A-RY, n.

A partner; a confederate; an accomplice. [Not used.] Shak.

FED'ER-ATE, a. [L. fœderatus.]

Leagued; united by compact, as sovereignties, states or nations; joined in confederacy; as, federate nations or powers.

FED-ER-A'TION, n.

The act of uniting in a league. A league; a confederacy. Burke.

FED'ER-A-TIVE, a.

Uniting; joining in a league; forming a confederacy.