Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FIG'U-RA-TIVE, a. [Fr. figuratif, from figure.]

1. Representing something else; representing, by resemblance; typical. This, they will say, was figurative, and served by God's appointment but for a time, to shadow out the true glory of a more divine sanctity. Hooker.
2. Representing by resemblance; not literal or direct. A figurative expression, is one in which the words are used in a sense different from that in which they are ordinarily used; as, Slander, / Whose edge is sharper than the sword. Shak.
3. Abounding with figures of speech; as, a description highly figurative.

FIG'U-RA-TIVE-LY, adv.

By a figure; in a manner to exhibit ideas by resemblance; in a sense different from that which words originally imply. Words are used figuratively, when they express something different from their usual meaning.

FIG'UR-A-TIVE-NESS, n.

State of being figurative.

FIG'URE, n. [fig'ur; Fr. figure; L. figura, from figo, to fix or set; W. fugyr, from fugiaw, to feign. See Feign.]

1. The form of any thing, as expressed by the outline or terminating extremities. Flowers have exquisite figures. A triangle is a figure of three sides. A square is a figure of four equal sides and equal angles.
2. Shape; form; person; as, a lady of elegant figure. A good figure, or person, in man or woman, gives credit at first sight to the choice of either. Richardson.
3. Distinguished appearance; eminence; distinction; remarkable character. Ames made a figure in Congress; Hamilton, in the cabinet.
4. Appearance of any kind; as, an ill figure; a mean figure.
5. Magnificence; splendor; as, to live in figure and indulgence. Law.
6. A statue; an image; that which is formed in resemblance of something else; as, the figure of a man in plaster.
7. Representation in painting; the lines and colors which represent an animal, particularly a person; as, the principal figures of a picture; a subordinate figure.
8. In manufactures, a design or representation wrought on damask, velvet, and other stuffs.
9. In logic, the order or disposition of the middle term in a syllogism with the parts of the question. Watts.
10. In arithmetic, a character denoting a number; as, 2, 7, 9.
11. In astrology, the horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. Shak.
12. In theology, type; representative. Who was the figure of him that was to come. Rom. v.
13. In rhetoric, a mode of speaking or writing in which words are deflected from their ordinary signification, or a mode more beautiful and emphatical than the ordinary way of expressing the sense; the language of the imagination and passions; as, knowledge is the light of the mind; the soul mounts on the wings of faith; youth is the morning of life. In strictness, the change of a word is a trope, and any affection of a sentence a figure; but these terms are often confounded. Locke.
14. In grammar, any deviation from the rules of analogy or syntax.
15. In dancing, the several steps which the dancer makes in order and cadence, considered as they form certain figures on the floor.

FIG'URE, v.i.

To make a figure; to be distinguished. The envoy figured at the court of St. Cloud.

FIG'URE, v.t. [fig'ur.]

1. To form or mold into any determinate shape. Accept this goblet, rough with figured gold. Dryden.
2. To show by coporeal resemblance, as in picture or statuary.
3. To cover or adorn with figures or images; to mark with figures; to form figures in by art; as, to figure velvet or muslin.
4. To diversify; to variegate with adventitious forms of matter.
5. To represent by a typical or figurative resemblance. The matter of the sacraments figureth their end. Hooker.
6. To imagine; to image in the mind. Temple.
7. To prefigure; to foreshow. Shak.
8. To form figuratively; to use in a sense not literal; as, figured expressions. [Little used.] Locke.
9. To note by characters. As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen. Dryden.
10. In music, to pass several notes for one; to form runnings or variations. Encyc.

FIG'URE-CAST-ER, or FIG'URE-FLING-ER, n.

A pretender to astrology. [Obs.]

FIG'UR-ED, a.

Adorned with figures.

FIG'UR-ED, pp.

1. Represented by resemblance; adorned with figures; formed into a determinate figure.
2. In music, free and florid.

FIG'URE-STONE, n.

A name of the agalmatolite, or bildstein.

FIG'UR-ING, n.

Act of making figures.

FIG'U-RING, ppr.

Forming into determinate shape; representing by types or resemblances; adorning with figures; making a distinguished appearance.

FIG-WORT, n.

A plant of the genus Scrophularia.

FI-LA'CEOUS, a. [L. filum, a thread; Fr. file; Sp. hilo.]

Composed or consisting of threads. Bacon.

FIL'A-CER, n. [Norm. filicer, from file, a thread or file, L. filum, Sp. hilo.]

An officer in the English court of common pleas, so called from filing the writs on which he makes process. There are fourteen of them in their several divisions and counties. They make out all original processes, real, personal and mixed. Harris.

FIL'A-MENT, n. [Fr. from L. filamenta, threads, from filum.]

A thread; a fiber. In anatomy and natural history, a fine thread, of which flesh, nerves, skin, plants, roots, &c., and also some minerals, are composed. So the spider's web is composed of filaments. The threadlike part of the stamens of plants, is called the filament.

FIL-A-MENT'OUS, a.

Like a thread; consisting of fine filaments.

FIL'AN-DERS, n. [Fr. filandres, from filum, a thread.]

A disease in hawks, consisting of filaments of coagulated blood; also, small worms wrapt in a thin skin or net, near the reins of a hawk. Encyc.

FIL'A-TO-RY, n. [from L. filum, a thread.]

A machine which forms or spins threads. This manufactory has three filatories, each of 610 reels, which are moved by a water-wheel, and besides a small filatory turned by men. Tooke.

FIL'A-TURE, n.

A forming into threads.

FIL'A-TURE, n.

An establishment for reeling silk.

FIL'BERT, n. [L. avellana, with which the first syllable corresponds; fil, vel.]

The fruit of the Corylus or hazel; an egg-shaped nut, containing a kernel, that has a mild, farinaceous, oily taste, which is agreeable to the palate. The oil is said to be little inferior to the oil of almonds. Encyc.

FILCH, v.t. [This word, like Pilfer, is probably from the root of file or peel, to strip or rub off. But I know not from what source we have received it. In Sp. pellizcar is to pilfer, as filouter, in French, is to pick the pocket.]

To steal something of little value; to pilfer; to steal; to pillage; to take wrongfully from another. Fain would they filch that little food away. Dryden. But he that filches from me my good name, / Robs me of that which not enriches him, / And makes me poor indeed. Shak.

FILCH'ED, pp.

Stolen; taken wrongfully from another; pillaged; pilfered.

FILCH'ER, n.

A thief; one who is guilty of petty theft.