Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FIN'LIKE, a.

Resembling a fin; as, a finlike oar. Dryden.

FINN, n.

A native of Finland, in Europe.

FIN'NED, a.

Having broad edges on either side; applied to a plow.

FIN'NI-KIN, n.

A sort of pigeon, with a crest somewhat resembling the mane of a horse. Dict. of Nat. Hist.

FIN'NY, a.

Furnished with fins; as, finny fish; finny tribes; finny prey. Dryden. Pope.

FI-NO'CHI-O, n. [It. finocchio.]

A variety of fennel.

FIN'SCALE, n.

A river fish, called the rudd. Chambers.

FIN'-TOED, a. [fin and toe.]

Palmiped; palmated; having toes connected by a membrane, as aquatic fowls.

FIP'PLE, n. [L. fibula.]

A stopper. [Not in use.] Bacon.

FIR, n. [W. pyr, what shoots to a point, a fir-tree; Sax. furh-wudu, fir-wood; G. föhre; Sw. furu-trä; Dan. fyrre-træe. The Dutch call it sparre-boom, spar-tree.]

The name of several species of the genus Pinus; as, the Scotch fir, the silver fir, spruce fir, hemlock fir, and oriental fir.

FIRE, n. [Sax. fyr; G. feuer; D. vuur; Dan. and Sw. fyr; Gr. πυρ, Qu. Coptic, pira, the sun; New Guinea, for. The radical sense of fire, is usually, to rush, to rage, to be violently agitated; and if this is the sense of fire, it coincides with L. furo. It may be from shining or consuming. See Class Br, No. 2, 6, 9, 30.]

1. Heat and light emanating visibly, perceptibly and simultaneously from any body; caloric; the unknown cause of the sensation of heat and of the retrocession of the homogeneous particles of bodies from one another, producing expansion, and thus enlarging all their dimensions; one of the causes of magnetism, as evinced by Dr. Hare's calorimotor. Silliman. In the popular acceptation of the word, fire is the effect of combustion. The combustible body ignited or heated to redness we call fire; and when ascending in a stream or body, we call it flame. A piece of charcoal in combustion, is of a red color and very hot. In this state it is said to be on fire, or to contain fire. When combustion ceases, it loses its redness and extreme heat, and we say, the fire is extinct.
2. The burning of fuel on a hearth, or in any other place. We kindle a fire in the morning, and at night we rake up the fire. Anthracite will maintain fire during the night.
3. The burning of a house or town; a conflagration. Newburyport and Savannah have suffered immense losses by fire. The great fire in Boston in 1711 consumed a large part of the town.
4. Light; luster; splendor. Stars, hide your fires! Shak.
5. Torture by burning. Prior.
6. The instrument of punishment; or, the punishment of the impenitent in another state. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Is. xxxiii.
7. That which inflames or irritates the passions. What fire is in my ears? Shak.
8. Ardor of temper; violence of passion. He had fire in his temper. Atterbury.
9. Liveliness of imagination; vigor of fancy; intellectual activity; animation; force of sentiment or expression. And warm the critic with a poet's fire. Pope.
10. The passion of love; ardent affection. The god of love retires; Dim are his torches, and extinct his fires. Pope.
11. Ardor; heat; as, the fire of zeal or of love.
12. Combustion; tumult; rage; contention.
13. Trouble; affliction. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt. Is. xliii. To set on fire, to kindle; to inflame; to excite violent action. St. Anthony's fire, a disease marked by an eruption on the skin, or a diffused inflammation, with fever; the erysipelas. Wild fire, an artificial or factitious fire, which burns even under water. It is made by a composition of sulphur, naphtha, pitch, gum and bitumen. It is called also Greek fire. Encyc.

FIRE, v.i.

1. To take fire; to be kindled.
2. To be irritated or inflamed with passion.
3. To discharge artillery or firearms. They fired on the town.

FIRE, v.t.

1. To set on fire; to kindle; as, to fire a house or chimney; to fire a pile. Dryden.
2. To inflame; to irritate the passions; as, in fire with anger or revenge.
3. To animate; to give life or spirit; as, to fire the genius.
4. To drive by fire. [Little used.] Shak.
5. To cause to explode; to discharge; as, to fire a musket or cannon.
6. To cauterize; a term in farriery.

FIRE'ARMS, n. [plur.]

Arms or weapons which expel their charge by the combustion of powder, as pistols, muskets, &c.

FIRE'AR-ROW, n.

A small iron dart, furnished with a match impregnated with powder and sulphur, used to fire the sails of ships. Encyc.

FIRE'BALL, n.

1. A grenade; a ball filled with powder or other combustibles, intended to be thrown among enemies, and to injure by explosion.
2. A meteor which passes rapidly through the air and displodes.

FIRE'BARE, n.

In old writers, a beacon. Cyc.

FIRE'BAR-REL, n.

A hollow cylinder used in fireships, to convey the fire to the shrouds. Encyc.

FIRE'BAV-IN, n.

A bundle of brush-wood, used in fireships. Encyc.

FIRE'BLAST, n.

A disease in hops, chiefly toward the later periods of their growth. Cyc.

FIRE-BOARD, n.

A chimney-board, used to close a fireplace in summer.

FIRE'BOTE, n.

An allowance of fuel, to which a tenant is entitled. England.

FIRE'BRAND, n.

1. A piece of wood kindled or on fire.
2. An incendiary; one who inflames factions, or causes contention and mischief. Bacon.

FIRE'BRICK, n.

A brick that will sustain intense heat without fusion.

FIRE'BRUSH, n.

A brush used to sweep the hearth. Swift.