Ferret noun [ French furet , confer Late Latin furo ; probably from Latin fur thief (cf. Furtive ); confer Arm. fur wise, sly.] (Zoology) An animal of the Weasel family ( Mustela or Putorius furo ), about fourteen inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been domesticated in Europe. Ferrets are used to drive rabbits and rats out of their holes.

Ferret transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Ferreted ; present participle & verbal noun Ferreting .] [ Confer French fureter . See Ferret , noun ] To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; -- often used with out ; as, to ferret out a secret.

Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.

Shak.

Ferret noun [ Ital. foretto , dim. of fiore flower; or French fleuret . Confer Floret .] A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting .

Ferret noun [ French feret , dim. or fer iron, Latin ferrum .] (Glass Making) The iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.

Ferret-eye noun (Zoology) The spur-winged goose; -- so called from the red circle around the eyes.

Ferreter noun One who ferrets. Johnson.

Ferretto noun [ Italian ferretto di Spagna, dim. of ferro iron, from Latin ferrum .] Copper sulphide, used to color glass. Hebert.

Ferri- (Chemistry) A combining form indicating ferric iron as an ingredient; as, ferri cyanide.

Ferriage noun [ From Ferry .] The price or fare to be paid for passage at a ferry.

Ferric adjective [ Latin ferrum iron: confer French ferrique . See Ferrous .] Pertaining to, derived from, or containing iron. Specifically (Chemistry) , denoting those compounds in which iron has a higher valence than in the ferrous compounds; as, ferric oxide; ferric acid.

Ferric acid (Chemistry) , an acid, H ₂ FeO ₄ , which is not known in the free state, but forms definite salts, analogous to the chromates and sulphates. -- Ferric oxide (Chemistry) , sesquioxide of iron, Fe ₂ O ₃ ; hematite. See Hematite .

Ferricyanate noun [ Ferri- + cyanate .] (Chemistry) A salt of ferricyanic acid; a ferricyanide.

Ferricyanic adjective [ Ferri- + cyanic .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or derived from, a ferricyanide.

Ferricyanic acid (Chemistry) , a brown crystalline substance, H ₆ (CN) ₁₂ Fe ₂ , obtained from potassium ferricyanide, and regarded as the type of the ferricyanides; -- called also hydro-ferricyanic acid , hydrogen ferricyanide , etc.

Ferricyanide noun [ Ferri- + cyanide .] (Chemistry) One of a complex series of double cyanides of ferric iron and some other base.

Potassium ferricyanide (Chemistry) , red prussiate of potash; a dark, red, crystalline salt, K ₆ (CN) ₁₂ Fe ₂ , consisting of the double cyanide of potassium and ferric iron. From it is derived the ferrous ferricyanate, Turnbull's blue .

Ferrier noun A ferryman. Calthrop.

Ferriferous adjective [ Latin ferrum iron + -ferous : confer French ferrifère .] Producing or yielding iron.

Ferriprussiate noun [ Ferri- + prussiate .] (Chemistry) A ferricyanate; a ferricyanide. [ R.]

Ferriprussic adjective [ Ferri- + prussic .] (Chemistry) Ferricyanic. [ R.]

Ferris wheel An amusement device consisting of a giant power-driven steel wheel, revolvable on its stationary axle, and carrying a number of balanced passenger cars around its rim; -- so called after G. W. G. Ferris, American engineer, who erected the first of its kind for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

Ferro- (Chemistry) A prefix, or combining form, indicating ferrous iron as an ingredient; as, ferro cyanide.

Ferro-concrete noun (Arch. & Engin.) Concrete strengthened by a core or foundation skeleton of iron or steel bars, strips, etc. Floors, columns, piles, water pipes, etc., have been successfully made of it. Called also armored concrete steel , and reënforced concrete .

Ferrocalcite noun [ Ferro- + calcite .] Limestone containing a large percentage of iron carbonate, and hence turning brown on exposure.

Ferrocyanate noun [ Ferro- + cyanate : confer French ferrocyanate .] (Chemistry) A salt of ferrocyanic acid; a ferrocyanide.

Ferrocyanic adjective [ Ferro- + cyanic : confer French ferrocyanique .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, a ferrocyanide.

ferrocyanic acid (Chemistry) , a white crystalline substance, H ₄ (CN) ₆ Fe, of strong acid properties, obtained from potassium ferrocyanide, and regarded as the type of the ferrocyanides; -- called also hydro-ferrocyanic acid , hydrogen ferrocyanide . etc.

Ferrocyanide noun [ Ferro- + cyanide .] (Chemistry) One of a series of complex double cyanides of ferrous iron and some other base.

Potassium ferrocyanide (Chemistry) , yellow prussiate of potash; a tough, yellow, crystalline salt, K ₄ (CN) ₆ Fe, the starting point in the manufacture of almost all cyanogen compounds, and the basis of the ferric ferrocyanate, prussian blue . It is obtained by strongly heating together potash, scrap iron, and animal matter containing nitrogen, as horn, leather, blood, etc., in iron pots.

Ferroprussiate (... or ... or ...; see Prussiate , 277) noun [ Ferro- + prussiate .] (Chemistry) A ferrocyanate; a ferocyanide. [ R.]

Ferroprussic adjective [ Ferro- + prussic .] (Chemistry) Ferrocyanic.

Ferroso- (Chemistry) See Ferro- .

Ferrotype noun [ Latin ferrum iron + -type .] A photographic picture taken on an iron plate by a collodion process; -- familiarly called tintype .

Ferrous adjective [ Confer French ferreux . See Ferreous .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or derived from, iron; -- especially used of compounds of iron in which the iron has its lower valence; as, ferrous sulphate.

Ferruginated adjective [ See Ferrugo .] Having the color or properties of the rust of iron.

Ferrugineous adjective Ferruginous. [ R.]

Ferruginous adjective [ Latin ferruginus , ferrugineus , from ferrugo , - ginis , iron rust: confer French ferrugineux . See Ferrugo .]
1. Partaking of iron; containing particles of iron. Boyle.

2. Resembling iron rust in appearance or color; brownish red, or yellowish red.

Ferrugo noun [ Latin , iron rust, from ferrum iron.] A disease of plants caused by fungi, commonly called the rust , from its resemblance to iron rust in color.

Ferrule noun [ Formerly verrel , French virole , from Latin viriola little bracelet, dim. of viriae , plural, bracelets; probably akin to viere to twist, weave, and English withe . The spelling with f is due to confusion with Latin ferrum iron.]
1. A ring or cap of metal put round a cane, tool, handle, or other similar object, to strengthen it, or prevent splitting and wearing.

2. (Steam Boilers) A bushing for expanding the end of a flue to fasten it tightly in the tube plate, or for partly filling up its mouth.

Fer*ru"mi*nate transitive verb [ Latin ferruminatus , past participle of ferruminare to cement, solder, from ferrumen cement, from ferrum iron.] To solder or unite, as metals. [ R.] Coleridge.

Ferrumination noun [ Latin ferruminatio : confer French ferrumination .] The soldering or uniting of metals. [ R.] Coleridge.

Ferry transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Ferried ; present participle & verbal noun Ferrying .] [ Middle English ferien to convey, Anglo-Saxon ferian , from faran to go; akin to Icelandic ferja to ferry, Goth. farjan to sail. See Fare .] To carry or transport over a river, strait, or other narrow water, in a boat.

Ferry intransitive verb To pass over water in a boat or by a ferry.

They ferry over this Lethean sound
Both to and fro.

Milton.

Ferry noun ; plural Ferries . [ Middle English feri ; akin to Icelandic ferja , Swedish färja , Danish færge , German fähre . See Ferry , transitive verb ]
1. A place where persons or things are carried across a river, arm of the sea, etc., in a ferryboat.

It can pass the ferry backward into light.

Milton.

To row me o'er the ferry .

Campbell.

2. A vessel in which passengers and goods are conveyed over narrow waters; a ferryboat; a wherry.

3. A franchise or right to maintain a vessel for carrying passengers and freight across a river, bay, etc., charging tolls.

Ferry bridge , a ferryboat adapted in its structure for the transfer of railroad trains across a river or bay. -- Ferry railway . See under Railway .

Ferryboat noun A vessel for conveying passengers, merchandise, etc., across streams and other narrow waters.

Ferryman noun ; plural Ferrymen One who maintains or attends a ferry.

Fers adjective Fierce. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Ferthe adjective Fourth. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Fertile adjective [ Latin fertilis , from ferre to bear, produce: confer French fertile . See Bear to support.]
1. Producing fruit or vegetation in abundance; fruitful; able to produce abundantly; prolific; fecund; productive; rich; inventive; as, fertile land or fields; a fertile mind or imagination.

Though he in a fertile climate dwell.

Shak.

2. (Botany) (a) Capable of producing fruit; fruit-bearing; as, fertile flowers. (b) Containing pollen; -- said of anthers.

3. produced in abundance; plenteous; ample.

Henceforth, my early care . . .
Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden ease
Of thy full branches.

Milton.

Syn. -- Fertile , Fruitful . Fertile implies the inherent power of production; fruitful , the act. The prairies of the West are fertile by nature, and are turned by cultivation into fruitful fields. The same distinction prevails when these words are used figuratively. A man of fertile genius has by nature great readiness of invention; one whose mind is fruitful has resources of thought and a readiness of application which enable him to think and act effectively.

Fertilely adverb In a fertile or fruitful manner.

fertileness noun Fertility. Sir P. Sidney.

Fertilitate transitive verb To fertilize; to fecundate. Sir T. Browne.

Fertility noun [ Latin fertilitas : confer French fertilité .] The state or quality of being fertile or fruitful; fruitfulness; productiveness; fecundity; richness; abundance of resources; fertile invention; quickness; readiness; as, the fertility of soil, or of imagination. " fertility of resource." E. Everett.

And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps
Corrupting in its own fertility .

Shak.

Thy very weeds are beautiful; thy waste
More rich than other climes' fertility .

Byron.

Fertilization noun
1. The act or process of rendering fertile.

2. (Biol.) The act of fecundating or impregnating animal or vegetable germs; esp., the process by which in flowers the pollen renders the ovule fertile, or an analogous process in flowerless plants; fecundation; impregnation.

Close fertilization (Botany) , the fertilization of pistils by pollen derived from the stamens of the same blossom. -- Cross fertilization , fertilization by pollen from some other blossom. See under Cross , adjective

Fertilize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Fertilized ; present participle & verbal noun Fertilizing .] [ Confer French fertiliser .]
1. To make fertile or enrich; to supply with nourishment for plants; to make fruitful or productive; as, to fertilize land, soil, ground, and meadows.

And fertilize the field that each pretends to gain.

Byron.

2. To fecundate; as, to fertilize flower. A. R. Wallace.

Fertilizer noun
1. One who fertilizes; the agent that carries the fertilizing principle, as a moth to an orchid. A. R. Wallace.

2. That which renders fertile; a general name for commercial manures, as guano, phosphate of lime, etc.

Ferula noun [ Latin ferula giant fennel (its stalks were used in punishing schoolboys), rod, whip, from ferire to strike; akin to Old High German berjan , Icelandic berja . Confer Ferule .]
1. A ferule. [ Obsolete] Beau. & Fl.

2. The imperial scepter in the Byzantine or Eastern Empire.

Ferulaceous adjective [ Latin ferulaceus , from ferula rod: confer French férulacé .] Pertaining to reeds and canes; having a stalk like a reed; as, ferulaceous plants.

Ferular noun A ferule. [ Obsolete] Milton.