Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FOR-WEEP', v.i.

To weep much. – Chaucer.

FOR'WORD, n. [fore and word.]

A promise. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

FORZANDO, adv. [Forzando.]

In music, directs that notes are to be boldly struck and continued.

FOSS, n. [Fr. fosse; Sp. fosa; L. and It. fossa; from fossus, fodio, to dig. Class Bd.]

1. A ditch or moat; a word used in fortification.
2. In anatomy, a kind of cavity in a bone, with a large aperture. – Encyc.

FOS'SIL, a. [Fr. fossile; Sp. fosil; It. fossile; L. fossilis; from fodio, fossus, to dig.]

1. Dug out of the earth; as, fossil coal; fossil salt. The term fossil is now usually appropriated to those organic substances, which have become penetrated by earthy or metallic particles, and are found in rocks or the earth. Thus we say, fossil shells, fossil bones, fossil wood. – Cleaveland.
2. That may be taken from the earth by digging.

FOS'SIL, n.

A substance dug from the earth, or penetrated with earthy or metallic particles. Fossils are native or extraneous. Native fossils are minerals, properly so called, as earths, salts, combustibles and metallic bodies. Extraneous fossils are bodies of vegetable or animal origin, accidentally buried in the earth, as plants, shells, bones and other substances, many of which are petrified. Encyc.

FOS'SIL-CO-PAL, n.

Highgate resin; a resinous substance found in perforating the bed of blue clay at Highgate, near London. It appears to be a true vegetable gum or resin, partly changed by remaining in the earth. Cyc. Aikin.

FOS-SIL-IF'ER-OUS, a. [L. fossilis and fero.]

Producing or containing fossils; as, fossiliferous rocks.

FOS'SIL-IST, n.

One who studies the nature and properties of fossils; one who is versed in the science of fossils. Black.

FOS-SIL-I-ZA'TION, n.

The act or process of converting into a fossil or petrifaction. Journ. of Science.

FOS'SIL-IZE, v.i.

To become or be changed into a fossil.

FOS'SIL-IZE, v.t.

To convert into a fossil; as, to fossilize bones or wood. Ibm.

FOS'SIL-IZ-ED, pp.

Converted into a fossil.

FOS'SIL-IZ-ING, ppr.

Changing into a fossil.

FOS-SIL'O-GY, n. [fossil and Gr. λογος, discourse.]

A discourse or treatise on fossils; also, the science of fossils.

FOS-SO'RI-AL, a.

Digging.

FOS-SO'RI-AL, n.

An animal which digs into the earth for a retreat or lodge, and whose locomotive extremities are adapted for that purpose.

FOS'SORS, n.

In zoology, a group of insects which are organized for excavating cells in earth or wood.

FOSS'ROAD, or FOSS'WAY, n.

A Roman military in way England, leading from Totnes through Exeter to Barton on the Humber; so called from the ditches on each side. Encyc.

FOS'SU-LATE, a.

Having trenches or depressions like trenches.

FOS'TER, v.i.

To be nourished or trained up together. Spenser.

FOS'TER, v.t. [Sax. fostrian, from foster, a nurse or food; Sw. and Dan. foster, a child, one fed; Dan. fostrer, to nurse. I suspect this word to be from food, quasi, foodster, for this is the D. word, voedster, a nurse, from voeden, to feed; D. voedsterheer, a foster-father.]

1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak.
2. To cherish; to forward; to promote growth. The genial warmth of spring fosters the plants.
3. To cherish; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster passion or genius.

FOS'TER-AGE, n.

The charge of nursing. Ralegh.

FOS'TER-BROTH-ER, n.

A male nursed at the same breast, or fed by the same nurse.

FOS'TER-CHILD, n.

A child nursed by a woman not the mother, or bred by a man not the father. Addison.