Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FER-RO-CY-AN'IC, a. [L. ferrum, iron, and cyanic – which see.]

The same as ferro-prussic.

FER-RO-PRUS'SIATE, n.

A compound of the ferro-prussic acid with a base. [Obs.]

FER-RO-PRUS'SIC, a. [L. ferrum, iron, and prussic.]

Designating a peculiar acid, formed of prussic acid and protoxyd of iron. [Obs.] Coxe.

FER-RO-SIL'I-CATE, n.

A compound of ferro-silicic acid with a base, forming a substance analogous to a salt. [Obs.]

FER-RO-SI-LIC'IC, a. [L. ferrum, iron, and silex.]

Designating a compound of iron and silex. [Obs.]

FER-RU'GI-NA-TED, a. [infra.]

Having the color or properties of the rust of iron.

FER-RU'GI-NOUS, a. [L. ferrugo, rust of iron, from ferrum, iron.]

1. Partaking of iron; containing particles of iron.
2. Of the color of the rust or oxyd of iron. [Ferrugineous is less used.]

FER'RULE, n. [Sp. birola, a ring or cap for a cane.]

A ring of metal put round a cane or other thing to strengthen it.

FER-RU-MIN-A'TION, n. [L.]

The soldering or uniting of metals.

FER'RY, n.

1. A boat or small vessel in which passengers and goods are conveyed over rivers or other narrow waters; sometimes called a wherry. [This application of the word is, I believe, entirely obsolete, at least in America.]
2. The place or passage where boats pass over water to convey passengers.
3. The right of transporting passengers over a lake or stream. A. B. owns the ferry at Windsor. [In New England, this word is used in the two latter senses.]

FER'RY, v.i.

To pass over water in a boat. Milton.

FER'RY, v.t. [Sax. feran, ferian; G. führen; Gr. φερω; L. fero; allied to bear, and more nearly to Sax. faran, to pass. See Bear and Fare, and Class Br, No. 33, 35.]

To carry or transport over a river, strait or other water, in a boat. We ferry men, horses, carriages, over rivers, for a moderate fee or price called fare or ferriage.

FER'RY-BOAT, a.

A boat for conveying passengers over streams and other narrow waters.

FER'RY-ING, ppr.

Carrying over in a boat.

FER'RY-MAN, n.

One who keeps a ferry, and transports passengers over a river.

FER'TILE, a. [Fr. fertile; Sp. fertil; It. fertile; L. fertilis, from fero, to bear.]

1. Fruitful; rich; producing fruit in abundance; as, fertile land, ground, soil, fields or meadows. This word in America is rarely applied to trees, or to animals, but to land. It formerly had of before the thing produced; as, fertile of all kinds of grain: but in is now used; fertile in grain.
2. Rich; having abundant resources; prolific; productive; inventive; able to produce abundantly; as, a fertile genius, mind or imagination.

FER'TILE-LY, adv.

Fruitfully.

FER'TILE-NESS, n.

See FERTILITY.

FER-TIL'I-TY, n. [L. fertilitas.]

1. Fruitfulness; the quality of producing fruit in abundance; as, the fertility of land, ground, soil, fields and meadows.
2. Richness; abundant resources; fertile invention; as, the fertility of genius, of fancy or imagination.

FER'TIL-IZE, v.t.

To enrich; to supply with the pabulum of plants; to make fruitful or productive; as, to fertilize land, soil, ground and meadows. [Fertilitate is not used.]

FER'TIL-IZ-ED, pp.

Enriched; rendered fruitful.

FER'TIL-IZ-ING, ppr.

1. Enriching; making fruitful or productive. The Connecticut overflows the adjacent meadows, fertilizing them by depositing fine particles of earth or vegetable substances.
2. adj. Enriching; furnishing the nutriment of plants.

FER-U-LA'CEOUS, a. [L. ferula.]

Pertaining to reeds or canes; having a stalk like a reed; or resembling the Ferula, as ferulaceous plants. Fourcroy.

FER'ULE, a. [L. ferula, from ferio, to strike, or from the use of stalks of the Ferula.]

1. A little wooden pallet or slice, used to punish children in a school, by striking them on the palm of the hand. [Ferular is not used.]
2. Under the Eastern empire, the ferula was the emperor's scepter. It was a long stem or shank, with a flat square head. Encyc.

FER'ULE, v.t.

To punish with a ferule.