Fontanelle Fon`ta`nelle" noun [ French] (Anat.) Same as Fontanel , 2.

Fontange Fon`tange" noun [ French, from the name of the first wearer, Mlle. de Fontanges , about 1679.] A kind of tall headdress formerly worn. Addison.

Food Food noun [ Middle English fode , Anglo-Saxon fōda ; akin to Icelandic fæða , fæði , Swedish föda , Dan. & LG. föde , Old High German fatunga , Greek patei^sthai to eat, and perhaps to Sanskrit pā to protect, Latin pascere to feed, pasture, pabulum food, English pasture . √75. Confer Feed , Fodder food, Foster to cherish.] 1. What is fed upon; that which goes to support life by being received within, and assimilated by, the organism of an animal or a plant; nutriment; aliment; especially, what is eaten by animals for nourishment.

» In a physiological sense, true aliment is to be distinguished as that portion of the food which is capable of being digested and absorbed into the blood, thus furnishing nourishment, in distinction from the indigestible matter which passes out through the alimentary canal as fæces.

» Foods are divided into two main groups: nitrogenous , or proteid , foods, i.e. , those which contain nitrogen, and nonnitrogenous , i.e. , those which do not contain nitrogen. The latter group embraces the fats and carbohydrates, which collectively are sometimes termed heat producers or respiratory foods , since by oxidation in the body they especially subserve the production of heat. The proteids, on the other hand, are known as plastic foods or tissue formers , since no tissue can be formed without them. These latter terms, however, are misleading, since proteid foods may also give rise to heat both directly and indirectly, and the fats and carbohydrates are useful in other ways than in producing heat.

2. Anything that instructs the intellect, excites the feelings, or molds habits of character; that which nourishes.

This may prove food to my displeasure.

Shak.

In this moment there is life and food
For future years.

Wordsworth.

» Food is often used adjectively or in self-explaining compounds, as in food fish or food -fish, food supply.

Food vacuole (Zoology) , one of the spaces in the interior of a protozoan in which food is contained, during digestion. -- Food yolk . (Biol.) See under Yolk .

Syn. -- Aliment; sustenance; nutriment; feed; fare; victuals; provisions; meat.

Food Food transitive verb To supply with food. [ Obsolete] Baret.

Foodful Food"ful adjective Full of food; supplying food; fruitful; fertile. "The foodful earth." Dryden.

Bent by its foodful burden [ the corn].

Glover.

Foodless Food"less adjective Without food; barren. Sandys.

Foody Food"y adjective Eatable; fruitful. [ R.] Chapman.

Fool Fool noun [ Confer French fouler to tread, crush. Confer 1st Foil .] A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool .

Fool Fool noun [ Middle English fol , noun & adj., French fol , fou , foolish, mad; a fool, probably from Latin follis a bellows, wind bag, an inflated ball; perhaps akin to English bellows . Confer Folly , Follicle .] 1. One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.

2. A person deficient in intellect; one who acts absurdly, or pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom; one without judgment; a simpleton; a dolt.

Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools .

Milton.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other .

Franklin.

3. (Script.) One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Ps. xiv. 1.

4. One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments.

Can they think me . . . their fool or jester?

Milton.

April fool , Court fool , etc. See under April , Court , etc. -- Fool's cap , a cap or hood to which bells were usually attached, formerly worn by professional jesters. -- Fool's errand , an unreasonable, silly, profitless adventure or undertaking. -- Fool's gold , iron or copper pyrites, resembling gold in color. -- Fool's paradise , a name applied to a limbo (see under Limbo ) popularly believed to be the region of vanity and nonsense. Hence, any foolish pleasure or condition of vain self-satistaction. -- Fool's parsley (Botany) , an annual umbelliferous plant ( Æthusa Cynapium ) resembling parsley, but nauseous and poisonous. -- To make a fool of , to render ridiculous; to outwit; to shame. [ Colloq.] -- To play the fool , to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part. "I have played the fool , and have erred exceedingly." 1 Sam. xxvi. 21.

Fool Fool intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Fooled ; present participle & verbal noun Fooling .] To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.

Is this a time for fooling ?

Dryden.

Fool Fool transitive verb 1. To infatuate; to make foolish. Shak.

For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit.

Dryden.

2. To use as a fool; to deceive in a shameful or mortifying manner; to impose upon; to cheat by inspiring foolish confidence; as, to fool one out of his money.

You are fooled , discarded, and shook off
By him for whom these shames ye underwent.

Shak.

To fool away , to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage.

Fool-born Fool"-born` adjective Begotten by a fool. Shak.

Fool-happy Fool"-hap`py adjective Lucky, without judgment or contrivance. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Fool-hasty Fool"-has`ty adjective Foolishly hasty. [ R.]

Fool-large Fool"-large` adjective [ Old French follarge . See Fool , and Large .] Foolishly liberal. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Fool-largesse Fool"-lar·gesse` noun [ See Fool- large , Largess .] Foolish expenditure; waste. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Foolahs Foo"lahs` noun plural ; sing. Foolah . (Ethnol.) Same as Fulahs .

Foolery Fool"er·y noun ; plural Fooleries 1. The practice of folly; the behavior of a fool; absurdity.

Folly in fools bears not so strong a note,
As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote.

Shak.

2. An act of folly or weakness; a foolish practice; something absurd or nonsensical.

That Pythagoras, Plato, or Orpheus, believed in any of these fooleries , it can not be suspected.

Sir W. Raleigh.

Foolfish Fool"fish` noun (Zoology) (a) The orange filefish. See Filefish . (b) The winter flounder. See Flounder .

Foolhardihood Fool"har`di·hood noun The state of being foolhardy; foolhardiness.

Foolhardily Fool"har`di·ly adverb In a foolhardy manner.

Foolhardiness Fool"har`di·ness noun Courage without sense or judgment; foolish rashness; recklessness. Dryden.

Foolhardise Fool"har`dise noun [ Fool , French fol , fou + French hardiesse boldness.] Foolhardiness. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Foolhardy Fool"har`dy adjective [ Old French folhardi . See Fool idiot, and Hardy .] Daring without judgment; foolishly adventurous and bold. Howell.

Syn. -- Rash; venturesome; venturous; precipitate; reckless; headlong; incautious. See Rash .

Foolify Fool"i·fy transitive verb [ Fool + -fy .] To make a fool of; to befool. [ R.] Holland.

Foolish Fool"ish adjective 1. Marked with, or exhibiting, folly; void of understanding; weak in intellect; without judgment or discretion; silly; unwise.

I am a very foolish fond old man.

Shak.

2. Such as a fool would do; proceeding from weakness of mind or silliness; exhibiting a want of judgment or discretion; as, a foolish act.

3. Absurd; ridiculous; despicable; contemptible.

A foolish figure he must make.

Prior.

Syn. -- Absurd; shallow; shallow-brained; brainless; simple; irrational; unwise; imprudent; indiscreet; incautious; silly; ridiculous; vain; trifling; contemptible. See Absurd .

Foolishly Fool"ish·ly adverb In a foolish manner.

Foolishness Fool"ish·ness noun 1. The quality of being foolish.

2. A foolish practice; an absurdity.

The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness .

1 Cor. i. 18.

Foolscap Fools"cap` noun [ So called from the watermark of a fool's cap and bells used by old paper makers. See Fool's cap , under Fool .] A writing paper made in sheets, ordinarily 16 x 13 inches, and folded so as to make a page 13 x 8 inches. See Paper .

Foot Foot (fot) noun ; plural Feet (fēt). [ Middle English fot , foot , plural fet , feet . Anglo-Saxon fōt , plural fēt ; akin to Dutch voet , Old High German fuoz , German fuss , Icelandic fōtr , Swedish fot , Danish fod , Goth. fōtus , Latin pes , Greek poy`s , Sanskrit pād , Icelandic fet step, pace measure of a foot, feta to step, find one's way. √77, 250. Confer Antipodes , Cap-a-pie , Expedient , Fet to fetch, Fetlock , Fetter , Pawn a piece in chess, Pedal .] 1. (Anat.) The terminal part of the leg of man or an animal; esp., the part below the ankle or wrist; that part of an animal upon which it rests when standing, or moves. See Manus , and Pes .

2. (Zoology) The muscular locomotive organ of a mollusk. It is a median organ arising from the ventral region of body, often in the form of a flat disk, as in snails. See Illust. of Buccinum .

3. That which corresponds to the foot of a man or animal; as, the foot of a table; the foot of a stocking.

4. The lowest part or base; the ground part; the bottom, as of a mountain or column; also, the last of a row or series; the end or extremity, esp. if associated with inferiority; as, the foot of a hill; the foot of the procession; the foot of a class; the foot of the bed.

And now at foot
Of heaven's ascent they lift their feet.

Milton.

5. Fundamental principle; basis; plan; -- used only in the singular.

Answer directly upon the foot of dry reason.

Berkeley.

6. Recognized condition; rank; footing; -- used only in the singular. [ R.]

As to his being on the foot of a servant.

Walpole.

7. A measure of length equivalent to twelve inches; one third of a yard. See Yard .

» This measure is supposed to be taken from the length of a man's foot. It differs in length in different countries. In the United States and in England it is 304.8 millimeters.

8. (Mil.) Soldiers who march and fight on foot; the infantry, usually designated as the foot , in distinction from the cavalry. "Both horse and foot ." Milton.

9. (Pros.) A combination of syllables consisting a metrical element of a verse, the syllables being formerly distinguished by their quantity or length, but in modern poetry by the accent.

10. (Nautical) The lower edge of a sail.

» Foot is often used adjectively, signifying of or pertaining to a foot or the feet , or to the base or lower part . It is also much used as the first of compounds.

Foot artillery . (Mil.) (a) Artillery soldiers serving in foot. (b) Heavy artillery. Farrow. -- Foot bank (Fort.) , a raised way within a parapet. -- Foot barracks (Mil.) , barracks for infantery. -- Foot bellows , a bellows worked by a treadle. Knight. -- Foot company (Mil.) , a company of infantry. Milton. -- Foot gear , covering for the feet, as stocking, shoes, or boots. -- Foot hammer (Machinery) , a small tilt hammer moved by a treadle. -- Foot iron . (a) The step of a carriage. (b) A fetter. -- Foot jaw . (Zoology) See Maxilliped . -- Foot key (Mus.) , an organ pedal. -- Foot level (Gunnery) , a form of level used in giving any proposed angle of elevation to a piece of ordnance. Farrow. -- Foot mantle , a long garment to protect the dress in riding; a riding skirt. [ Obsolete] -- Foot page , an errand boy; an attendant. [ Obsolete] -- Foot passenger , one who passes on foot, as over a road or bridge. -- Foot pavement , a paved way for foot passengers; a footway; a trottoir. -- Foot poet , an inferior poet; a poetaster. [ R.] Dryden. -- Foot post . (a) A letter carrier who travels on foot. (b) A mail delivery by means of such carriers. -- Fot pound , & Foot poundal . (Mech.) See Foot pound and Foot poundal , in the Vocabulary. -- Foot press (Machinery) , a cutting, embossing, or printing press, moved by a treadle. -- Foot race , a race run by persons on foot. Cowper. -- Foot rail , a railroad rail, with a wide flat flange on the lower side. -- Foot rot , an ulcer in the feet of sheep; claw sickness. -- Foot rule , a rule or measure twelve inches long. -- Foot screw , an adjusting screw which forms a foot, and serves to give a machine or table a level standing on an uneven place. -- Foot secretion . (Zoology) See Sclerobase . -- Foot soldier , a soldier who serves on foot. -- Foot stick (Printing) , a beveled piece of furniture placed against the foot of the page, to hold the type in place. -- Foot stove , a small box, with an iron pan, to hold hot coals for warming the feet. -- Foot tubercle . (Zoology) See Parapodium . -- Foot valve (Steam Engine) , the valve that opens to the air pump from the condenser. -- Foot vise , a kind of vise the jaws of which are operated by a treadle. -- Foot waling (Nautical) , the inside planks or lining of a vessel over the floor timbers. Totten. -- Foot wall (Mining) , the under wall of an inclosed vein.

By foot , or On foot , by walking; as, to pass a stream on foot . -- Cubic foot . See under Cubic . -- Foot and mouth disease , a contagious disease (Eczema epizoötica) of cattle, sheep, swine, etc., characterized by the formation of vesicles and ulcers in the mouth and about the hoofs. -- Foot of the fine (Law) , the concluding portion of an acknowledgment in court by which, formerly, the title of land was conveyed. See Fine of land , under Fine , noun ; also Chirograph . (b). -- Square foot . See under Square . -- To be on foot , to be in motion, action, or process of execution. -- To keep the foot (Script.) , to preserve decorum. " Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God." Eccl. v. 1. -- To put one's foot down , to take a resolute stand; to be determined. [ Colloq.] -- To put the best foot foremost , to make a good appearance; to do one's best. [ Colloq.] -- To set on foot , to put in motion; to originate; as, to set on foot a subscription. -- To put, or set , one on his feet , to put one in a position to go on; to assist to start. -- Under foot . (a) Under the feet; (Fig.) at one's mercy; as, to trample under foot . Gibbon. (b) Below par. [ Obsolete] "They would be forced to sell . . . far under foot ." Bacon.

Foot Foot intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Footed ; present participle & verbal noun Footing .] 1. To tread to measure or music; to dance; to trip; to skip. Dryden.

2. To walk; -- opposed to ride or fly . Shak.

Foot Foot transitive verb 1. To kick with the foot; to spurn. Shak.

2. To set on foot; to establish; to land. [ Obsolete]

What confederacy have you with the traitors
Late footed in the kingdom?

Shak.

3. To tread; as, to foot the green. Tickell.

4. To sum up, as the numbers in a column; -- sometimes with up ; as, to foot (or foot up) an account.

5. To seize or strike with the talon. [ Poet.] Shak.

6. To renew the foot of, as of a stocking. Shak.

To foot a bill , to pay it. [ Colloq.] -- To foot it , to walk; also, to dance.

If you are for a merry jaunt, I'll try, for once, who can foot it farthest.

Dryden.

Foot candle Foot candle (Photom.) The amount of illumination produced by a standard candle at a distance of one foot.

Foot Guards Foot" Guards` plural Infantry soldiers belonging to select regiments called the Guards. [ Eng.]

Foot pound Foot" pound` (Mech.) A unit of energy, or work, being equal to the work done in raising one pound avoirdupois against the force of gravity the height of one foot.

Foot poundal Foot" pound`al (Mech.) A unit of energy or work, equal to the work done in moving a body through one foot against the force of one poundal.

Foot ton Foot ton (Mech.) A unit of energy or work, being equal to the work done in raising one ton against the force of gravity through the height of one foot.

Foot valve Foot valve (Mech.) A suction valve or check valve at the lower end of a pipe; esp., such a valve in a steam-engine condenser opening to the air pump.

Foot-sore Foot"-sore` adjective Having sore or tender feet, as by reason of much walking; as, foot-sore cattle.

Football Foot"ball` noun An inflated ball to be kicked in sport, usually made in India rubber, or a bladder incased in Leather. Waller.

2. The game of kicking the football by opposing parties of players between goals. Arbuthnot.

Footband Foot"band` noun A band of foot soldiers. [ Obsolete]

Footbath Foot"bath` noun A bath for the feet; also, a vessel used in bathing the feet.

Footboard Foot"board` noun 1. A board or narrow platfrom upon which one may stand or brace his feet ; as: (a) The platform for the engineer and fireman of a locomotive. (b) The foot-rest of a coachman's box.

2. A board forming the foot of a bedstead.

3. A treadle.

Footboy Foot"boy` noun A page; an attendant in livery; a lackey. Shak.

Footbreadth Foot"breadth` noun The breadth of a foot; -- used as a measure. Longfellow.

Not so much as a footbreadth .

Deut. ii. 5.

Footbridge Foot"bridge` noun A narrow bridge for foot passengers only.

Footcloth Foot"cloth` noun Formerly, a housing or caparison for a horse. Sir W. Scott.

Footed Foot"ed adjective 1. Having a foot or feet; shaped in the foot. " Footed like a goat." Grew.

» Footed is often used in composition in the sense of having ( such or so many ) feet ; as, four footed beasts.

2. Having a foothold; established.

Our king . . . is footed in this land already.

Shak.

Footfall Foot"fall` noun A setting down of the foot; a footstep; the sound of a footstep. Shak.

Seraphim, whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

Poe.

Footfight Foot"fight` noun A conflict by persons on foot; -- distinguished from a fight on horseback. Sir P. Sidney.

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