English dictionary — definitions & meanings

fatherland

noun

One's native country, especially spoken of with strong patriotic feeling.

fatherless

adj

Without a father, whether through death, absence, or separation.

fatherly

adj

Kind, protective, and caring in the way typically associated with a good father.

fathom

noun

A unit of length equal to six feet (about 1.8 metres), traditionally used to measure the depth of water.

fathoming

noun

An act of fathoming, or the act of fathoming.

fathomless

adj

Very deep (especially of water deeper than a lead line can measure); bottomless, immeasurable.

fatigue

noun

Extreme tiredness, whether physical or mental, from exertion or lack of rest.

fatigued

adj

Very tired; worn out.

fatigues

noun

Loose, practical clothing worn by soldiers for everyday duties or combat.

Fatima

name

A feminine given name of Arabic origin, borne by the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

fatless

adj

Without fat, especially in the senses: made without fat, fat-free.

fatso

noun

(offensive, informal) An insulting term for someone who is overweight.

fatten

verb

To make an animal or person fatter, often by feeding them richly.

fattening

adj

Likely to cause weight gain, usually describing food high in calories.

fatty

adj

Containing a lot of fat, or greasy in texture.

fatuity

noun

Weakness or imbecility of mind; stupidity.

fatuous

adj

Obnoxiously stupid; vacantly silly; content in one's foolishness.

faucet

noun

(chiefly US) A fitting that controls the flow of water from a pipe; called a "tap" in British English.

faugh

intj

An exclamation of contempt, or of disgust, especially for a smell.

Faulkner

name

A surname, originally denoting someone who worked as a falconer.

fault

noun

Responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing.

faulter

verb

Archaic spelling of falter.

faultful

adj

With faults or sins; not perfect; flawed.

faulting

noun

Formation of a geological fault.

faultless

adj

Without fault; free from defect or error.

faultlessness

noun

The quality of being faultless; the absence of faults.

faulty

adj

Not working correctly; having a defect.

faun

noun

A mythological woodland creature with the legs and horns of a goat, known for revelry, similar to a satyr.

fauna

noun

The animals of a particular region, habitat, or time period, considered as a group.

Fauntleroy

name

A surname, best known from the children's novel character Little Lord Fauntleroy.

Faust

name

A legendary German scholar who, according to folklore, traded his soul to the Devil for knowledge and power.

faux

adj

Fake or imitation, especially of a material or style.

favaginous

adj

Resembling a honeycomb; cellular.

fave

noun

(informal) A favourite thing or person.

favela

noun

A densely populated, informal urban settlement, especially in Brazil, often lacking full access to public services.

favicon

noun

The very small image a website supplies to represent itself, shown in the browser tab, next to the address, and beside the site in a list of bookmarks.

favor

noun

(US spelling; UK "favour") A kind or helpful act done for someone.

favorable

adjective

Expressing approval; positive about someone or something.

favorably

adv

(US spelling; UK "favourably") In a positive or approving way.

favored

adj

US standard spelling of favoured.

favoring

noun

The act of preferring one thing or person over another.

favorite

adj

Liked or preferred above all others of its kind.

favoritize

verb

To make a favorite of; to give preference to.

Favors

noun

American spelling of the plural of favor: acts of kindness or approval given to someone.

favour

noun

British spelling of favor: a kind or helpful act, or approval and support shown toward someone.

favourable

adj

Showing approval, support, or goodwill.

favoured

adj

Given special treatment or preference over others.

favourite

adj

Liked more than any other of its kind.

favoursome

adj

Characterised or marked by favour or favouritism; acceptable, satisfactory.

faw

prep

Pronunciation spelling of for, chiefly used to represent the accent of slaves in the United States.

Fawcett

name

An English surname, notably borne by American actress Farrah Fawcett.

Fawkes

name

An English surname, most famously borne by Guy Fawkes, the conspirator behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot.

Fawlty

name

A surname invented for the title character of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, a play on the word "faulty."

fawn

noun

A young deer, usually under a year old.

fawning

adj

Excessively flattering or servile in trying to win approval.

fax

noun

A document sent electronically over a phone line to be printed at the other end, or the machine that sends and receives such documents.

faxed

verb

Past tense of fax: sent a document electronically over a phone line.

faxing

noun

The act of sending a document by fax machine.

fay

noun

A fairy or fairy-like being (a somewhat old-fashioned literary word).

Faye

name

A feminine given name of French origin, meaning "fairy" or possibly derived from "faith."

Fayed

name

An Arabic surname, notably borne by the Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed.

faze

verb

To disturb, unsettle, or worry someone (usually used in the negative, "not fazed").

Fazio

name

An Italian surname, derived from a medieval given name.

FBI

noun

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States' main domestic intelligence and federal law enforcement agency.

FBS

noun

In American college sports, the top tier of NCAA Division I football, made up of the largest programmes, whose season ends in bowl games and a national play-off.

FDA

noun

The United States Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency responsible for approving and regulating medicines, medical devices, food, cosmetics and tobacco products.

Fe

noun

A librarians' size code for a book roughly 7.5 to 10 cm tall — one forty-eighth of a standard printing sheet.

feague

verb

To increase the liveliness of a horse by inserting an irritant, such as a piece of peeled raw ginger or a live eel, in its anus.

fealty

noun

Loyalty and formal obedience owed by a vassal to a feudal lord; more broadly, sworn faithfulness or allegiance.

fear

noun

A strong, unpleasant feeling caused by the sense of danger or threat.

feared

adj

Regarded with fear or dread by others.

fearful

adj

Feeling afraid or anxious.

fearfully

adv

In a way that shows fear.

fearfulness

noun

The quality of being fearful.

fearing

verb

Present participle of fear: feeling afraid of or worried about something.

fearless

adj

Showing no fear; brave.

fearlessly

adv

In a brave manner, without showing fear.

fearlessness

noun

The quality of being fearless.

Fears

noun

Plural of fear: feelings of being afraid, or things that worry someone.

fearsome

adj

Frightening, especially in appearance or reputation.

feasance

noun

the performing of an act, especially out of one's duty.

feasibility

noun

The degree to which something can actually be done with the money, time, people and technology available.

feasible

adj

Able to be done or carried out in practice.

feast

noun

A large, often celebratory meal.

feastful

adj

Festive; joyful; sumptuous; luxurious.

feasting

noun

The act of eating a large, celebratory meal.

feastly

adj

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a feast; festive.

feastware

noun

Silverware (knives, forks and spoons), drinking vessels, and plates and/or bowls; those things one uses to eat a meal.

feat

noun

An impressive or difficult achievement.

feather

noun

One of the light, branching structures covering a bird's body, used for flight and insulation.

featherbed

noun

A mattress stuffed with feathers.

feathered

adj

Covered in feathers.

Featherstone

name

An English surname and place name, likely referring to a rock resembling a feather.

feathery

adj

Resembling feathers.

feature

noun

A distinctive or noticeable part or quality of something.

featured

adj

Given special or prominent placement or treatment.

featuring

noun

A guest appearance or performance by one artist on another artist's track.

feb

name

Alternative letter-case form of Feb (“February”).

febrile

adj

Feverish, or having a high temperature.

February

noun

The second month of the year, coming between January and March, and the shortest month, with an extra day added in leap years.

februate

verb

To purify; to rejuvenate; to renew.

februation

noun

Purification, rejuvenation, or renewal, especially ritual or ceremonial.

fecal

adj

Relating to feces or bodily waste.

feceate

verb

To discharge feces from the digestive tract.

feces

noun

Solid bodily waste passed out of the digestive system.

feck

noun

(Scots) Effectiveness, value, or vigor.

feckless

adj

Lacking direction, competence, or effectiveness; irresponsible and ineffective.

fecklessness

noun

The state of being feckless.

feckly

adv

Partly; almost.

feculence

noun

The state or quality of being feculent.

fecund

adj

Highly fertile; able to produce offspring.

fecundate

verb

To make fertile.

fecundation

noun

The process whereby a new organism is produced by fertilization.

fecundity

noun

Ability to produce offspring.

fed

noun

A federal law-enforcement agent, especially in the US.

fed up

adjective

Annoyed, bored or unhappy about a situation that has gone on too long.

feddan

noun

A Middle Eastern unit of area, divided into 24 kirats, and typically equivalent to 4200.8 square metres.

Fede

name

A masculine given name, commonly used in Italian and Spanish as a short form of Federico or Federica.

federal

adj

Relating to a system where a central government shares power with state or regional governments.

federalism

noun

A system of government in which power is shared between one central authority and a set of regional governments, each with its own areas of control that the other cannot simply override.

federated

adj

United, as a federation, under a central government

federation

noun

A group of states, organizations, or groups joined together under one central governing body while keeping some independence.

Federico

name

A masculine given name, the Italian and Spanish form of Frederick, meaning "peaceful ruler."

FedEx

name

FedEx, a major courier and package delivery company.

fedi

name

Alternative letter-case form of Fedi.

Fedor

name

A masculine given name, the Russian form of Theodore, meaning "gift of God."

fedora

noun

A soft felt hat with a creased crown and a brim that can be turned up or down.

feds

noun

The federal level of government, viewed as a collective group of people. Typically its law enforcement agencies and officers.

Fedya

name

A Russian diminutive form of the given name Fedor (Theodore).

fee

noun

A charge or payment required for a service, privilege, or right.

feeble

adj

Physically weak, lacking strength.

feebleness

noun

The quality or state of being feeble; debility; infirmity.

feed

verb

To give food to a person or animal.

feedback

noun

Comments or reactions about how well something worked, used to guide improvement.

feeder

noun

One who feeds, or gives food to another.

feeding

noun

The act of giving food, or an instance of a baby or animal being fed.

feel

verb

To become aware of something through the sense of touch.

feelefold

adj

Manifold; multiple, various; varied, diverse

feeler

noun

Someone or something that feels.

feeling

noun

An emotion or emotional state.

feels

noun

(informal, plural) Strong or tender emotions.

Feeney

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic name meaning "descendant of the raven."

Feeny

name

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Feeney.

feet

noun

Plural of foot: the lower part of the leg on which a person or animal stands and walks.

feeze

noun

A state of worry or alarm.

Fei

name

A Chinese surname and given-name element, with meanings varying by the character used, often "to fly" or "abundant."

feign

verb

To pretend to feel or have something that isn't real.

feigned

adj

Not genuine; put on or faked.

feigning

noun

The act of pretending or faking something.

feilding

name

A town in Manawatu district, Manawatū-Whanganui, North Island, New Zealand.