Barrons F

fabricate

build; lie; make up (a story) in order to deceive; Ex. fabricate the whole story; CF. fabric: underlying structure; Ex. fabric of society

n facade(fa\c{c}ade)

front or face (of building); superficial or false appearance

facet

small plane surface (of a gem(precious stone)); a side

n facetious

joking (often inappropriately); unserious; humorous

n facile

easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial; not deep; Ex. facile solution to a complex problem; Ex. facile speaker; N. facility: ability to do something easily and well; ease in doing resulting from skill or aptitude; something that facilitates an action; amenity; Ex. with great facility

facilitate

help bring about; make less difficult

facsimile

copy

n faction

party; clique (within a large group); dissension

s dissension

disagreement of opinions causing strife within a group

n factious

inclined to form factions; causing dissension

n factitious

artificial; produced artificially; sham; false; Ex. factitious tears

n factotum

handyman; person who does all kinds of work; CF. do everything

faculty

mental or bodily powers; teaching staff

fallacious

false; based on a fallacy; misleading; N. fallacy: false idea or notion; false reasoning; Ex. popular fallacy; Ex. fallacy of the argument

fallible

liable to err

s falsify

make (something written) false by changing

n fallow

(of land) plowed but not sowed (to improve the quality); uncultivated

s sow

plant or scatter seed

n falter

hesitate; weaken in purpose or action; walk or move unsteadily through weakness; N.

s stumble

trip and almost fall; proceed unsteadily; act falteringly; N.

fanaticism

excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause; N. fanatic; ADJ. fanatic

fancied

imagined; unreal

n fancier

breeder or dealer of animals; one who has a special interest

n fanciful

whimsical; visionary; imaginary; produced by imagination; Ex. fanciful scheme

s fancy

imagination (of a whimsical or fantastic nature); capricious liking; V: imagine; be fond of; ADJ. decorative; elaborate

n fanfare

call by bugles or trumpets; showy display; spectacular public display

n farce

broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; ADJ. farcical

n fastidious

difficult to please; squeamish; fussy; finicky

s squeamish

easily shocked or sickened by unpleasant things; fastidious; Ex. A nurse should not be squeamish.

n fatalism

belief that events are determined by forces or fates beyond one's control; ADJ. fatalistic; CF. fatal: causing death

fathom

comprehend; investigate; determine the depth of; N. unit of measurement for the depth of water

s fathomless

too deep to be measured or understood; unfathomable

n fatuous

smugly and unconsciously foolish; inane; silly; N. fatuity

fauna

animals of a period or region; CF. flora

n fawning

courting favor by cringing and flattering; V. fawn: exhibit affection as a dog; seek favor or attention by obsequiousness

s court

attempt to gain; seek; woo; risk; behave so as to invite; attempt to gain the favor of by attention; Ex. court disaster

n faze

disconcert; dismay; embarrass

feasible

practical; able to be carried out; practicable

n febrile

feverish

n fecundity

fertility; fruitfulness; ADJ. fecund: very productive of crops or young

s fertile

producing many young

s fruitful

producing results; profitable; prolific; producing in abundance

feign

pretend

n feint

trick; shift; sham blow; feigned attack to draw away defensive action; V.

s shift

change position or place; exchange (one thing) for another; change in direction or position; Ex. shift the stolen goods; N. group of workers which takes turns with other groups; working period of such a group

n felicitous

(of a word or remark) apt; suitably expressed; well chosen

n felicity

happiness; appropriateness (of a remark

s feline

of a member of the cat family; N.

n fell

cruel; (of a disease) deadly

n fell

cut or knock down (a tree or a person); bring down (with a missile)

felon

person convicted of a grave crime; CF. felony: serious crime

n feral

(of an animal) not domestic; wild

n ferment

agitation; commotion(noisy and excited activity); unrest (of a political kind); V. produce by fermentation; undergo fermentation; cause (a state of trouble)

s fermentation

chemical reaction that splits complex organic compounds; unrest; agitation

n ferret

drive or hunt out of hiding; hunt with ferrets; drive out (as from a hiding place); expel; uncover or discover by searching; Ex. ferret out the secret; N. small fierce animal which catches rats and rabbits by going into their holes

n fervent

ardent; zealous; hot

n fervid

ardent; zealous; hot

s impassioned

(of speech) filled with passion; fervent

n fervor

glowing ardor; intensity of feeling; quality of being fervent or fervid; zeal; intense heat

n fester

rankle; produce irritation or resentment; (of a cut or wound) generate pus or rot; Ex. His insult festered in my mind for days.

festive

joyous; celebratory; relating to a feast or festival

n fete(f\^ete)

honor at a festival; celebrate or honor with a feast; N. (outdoor) festival or feast; CF. feast

n fetid(foetid)

malodorous; foul

s foul

very bad or disagreeable; very dirty; Ex. foul smell/flavor/temper/language/air/deed/weather/means; N. act against the rules; V. make or become foul; commit a foul

s fetish(fetich)

object believed to have spiritual powers; object of excessive attention or reverence; CF. fetishism

n fetter

shackle; restrict the freedom of; N. chain or shackle for the foot of a prisoner; CF. foot

n fiasco

total failure; CF. bottle

n fiat

command; arbitrary order; Ex. presidential fiat; CF. let it be done

fickle

changeable (in affections or friendship); faithless

n fictitious

imaginary; non-existent; purposely invented to deceive; untrue; Ex. fictitious name/boyfriend; CF. fictional

fidelity

loyalty; accuracy

n figment

invention; something invented; imaginary thing; Ex. figment of your imagination

figurative

not literal but metaphorical; using a figure(impression) of speech

s figure

written symbols; number; amount represented in numbers; outline or silhouette of a thing or human body; person (well-known); impression; diagram; pattern; group in a dance; Ex. figure of speech; V. calculate with numbers; adorn with figures; appear; consider; Ex. My name did not figure in the list.

n figurine

small ornamental statuette(very small statue)

n filch

steal (things of small value)

s pilfer

steal things of small value; filch; snitch

n filial

pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter; Ex. filial respect

n filibuster

block legislation or prevent action in a lawmaking body by making very slow long speeches; N; freebooter

s freebooter

pirate or plunderer who makes war in order to grow rich

s bust

piece of sculpture showing a person's head

n filigree

delicate ornamental lacelike metalwork

s lace

cord used to draw and tie together two opposite edges (as of a shoe); delicate fabric made of fine threads; V: draw together by tying a lace

n filing

particle removed by a file

finale

conclusion; concluding part

n finesse

delicate skill; V: handle with finesse

n finicky

too particular; fussy; difficult to please; too concerned with unimportant details or quality; Ex. finicky about her food

s fussy

fastidious; finicky; easily upset

s fuss:

trouble or worry over trifles; make nervous; pay too much attention to; N: needless concern or worry (about a trivial thing); anxious nervous condition; display of attention; Ex. make a fuss over the baby

finite

limited

n firebrand

piece of burning wood; hothead; troublemaker; person who stirs up trouble

s hothead

person who does things too quickly without thinking; ADJ. hotheaded

fissure

crevice; crack

n fitful

spasmodic; intermittent; irregular

s fit

sudden outburst of an illness or feeling; convulsion caused by epilepsy

n flaccid

flabby; lacking firmness; weak; Ex. flaccid muscles

s limp

walk lamely; ADJ: lacking firmness; weak

n flag

droop; grow feeble; decline in vigor or strength; ADJ. flagging; CF. unflagging

s droop

bend or hang downward; become weakened; Ex. His shoulders drooped with tiredness; N.

flagrant

conspicuously wicked

outrage

act of extreme violence or viciousness; resentful anger; V: commit an outrage on; produce anger in; ADJ. outrageous: offensive

n flail

beat with or as if with a flail; move wildly; thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about; N: threshing tool consisting of a stick swinging from the end of a long handle

s thresh

beat (cereal plants) with a machine or flail to separate the grains from the straw

s toss

throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something

n flair

talent

n flamboyant

ornate; highly elaborate; richly colored; ostentatious; showy; CF. flame

n flaunt

display ostentatiously; Ex. ``Honey

n flay

strip off skin; plunder; remove the skin from; criticize harshly

n fleck

spot; mark with flecks; N: small mark or spot

n fledgling(fledgeling)

inexperienced; N: young bird that has acquired wing feathers and is learning to fly; inexperienced person

n fleece

wool coat of a sheep; V: shear the fleece from; rob by a trick; swindle; plunder

s shear

remove (fleece or hair) by cutting; remove the hair or fleece from; cut with or as if with shears; N: shears; pair of scissors

s trickster

person who cheats people

n flick

light stroke as with a whip; V: move with a light quick blow; strike with a light quick blow (as from a whip); Ex. flick the switch

s flicker

burn unsteadily or fitfully; move waveringly; N: flickering movement or light; brief sensation; Ex. flicker of excitement

s flutter

(of a bird with large wings) wave (the wings) lightly

n flinch

hesitate; shrink back (in fear of something unpleasant); Ex. She did not flinch in the face of danger.

n flippant

lacking proper seriousness; Ex. flippant remarks about death; N. flippancy

s flip

send (something) spinning

n flit

fly; fly or move lightly or quickly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by; Ex. a bee flitting from flower to flower

n floe

flat mass of floating ice

flora

plants of a region or era

s florescence

condition or period of flowering

n florid

ruddy; (of a complexion) reddish; flowery; very ornate; CF. rose

s flush

redden; blush; flow suddenly and abundantly; wash out by a rapid brief flow of water; N: reddish tinge; blush; brief rush; rush of strong feeling; Ex. flush of pride; ADJ: having surfaces in the same plane; even; blushing

s blush

become red in the face (from embarrassment or shame); become red or rosy; N.

s tinge

give a slight degree of a color or quality to; N: slight degree of a color or quality; Ex. tinged with grey/jealousy

s tint

slight degree of color; V: give a tint to

s flowery

full of flowers; full of ornate expressions

n flotsam

drifting wreckage

s jetsam

things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship)

n flounder

struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter (as in water

s thrash

beat with a whip or flail; defeat utterly; talk about thoroughly in order to find the answer; move wildly or violently; Ex. The fishes thrashed about in the net.

flourish

grow well; prosper; make sweeping gestures; wave; brandish; Ex. The trees flourished in the sun. N: showy movement or gesture; embellishment or ornamentation (esp. in handwriting)

n flout

reject; mock; show contempt for; scorn; Ex. flout the rules

s curb

chain or strap used with a bit to restrain a horse; something that checks; V: check; restrain

fluctuate

waver; shift; rise and fall as if in waves; change or vary irregularly

fluency

smoothness of speech; ADJ. fluent

n fluke

unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune; accidental stroke of good luck; ADJ. fluky

n fluster

confuse; make nervous and confused; N.

n fluted

having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar); V. flute: make long parallel inward curves in; N. flute: long rounded groove incised on the shaft of a column

s groove

long narrow channel made in a surface to guide the movement of something; Ex. groove of the record

s stammer

speak with involuntarily pauses or repetitions

n flux

flowing; series of changes; fluctuation; Ex. in a state of flux

n fodder

coarse food for cattle

n foible

small weakness of character; slight fault; CF. feeble

n foil

contrast; one that by contrast enhances the distinctive characteristics of another

n foil

defeat; frustrate; prevent from being successful; thwart; CF. fail

n foist

insert improperly; impose upon another by coercion; palm off; pass off as genuine or worthy; CF. fist

s palm

conceal in the palm of the hand; palm off: pass off; Ex. palm off some bad oranges onto the lady/the painting as a real Renoir

s pass_off

present falsely; represent falsely to be

n foliage

masses of leaves; CF. defoliate

n foment

stir up; incite; instigate; promote the growth of (something evil or unpleasant)

n foolhardy

rash; reckless; foolishly daring

n foppish

vain about dress and appearance; N. fop: man who takes too much interest in his clothes and appearance

n foray

raid; sudden raid or military advance; V.

n forbearance

patience; forgiveness; V. forbear: refrain from (in a generous and forgiving way); be patient; Ex. forbear to send him to prison

n ford

place where a river can be crossed on foot; V.

n forebears(forbears)

ancestors

foreboding

premonition of evil; feeling of coming evil; V. forebode: be a warning of (something unpleasant)

n forensic

suitable to debate or courts of law; of or used in legal proceedings and the tracking of criminals; Ex. forensic science/medicine

s forum

public square of an ancient Roman city; public place for open discussion; court of law

foreshadow

give an indication beforehand; be a sign of (what is coming); portend; prefigure

s prefigure

be a sign of; foreshadow

s forerunner

predecessor; one that comes before and indicates the approach of another

foresight

ability to foresee future happenings; prudence in providing for the future

forestall

prevent by taking action in advance

s nuptial

of marriage or the wedding ceremony; N; nuptials; wedding ceremony

s forfeit

something surrendered as punishment for a crime or breach of contract; V: lose as a forfeit; N. forfeiture

s forge

counterfeit; reproduce fraudulently; form by heating in a forge and hammering into shape; move with a sudden increase of speed or power; Ex. forged ahead in the last two years; N: furnace where metals are heated

forgo(forego)

give up; do without

forlorn

sad and lonely; wretched; desolate

formality

ceremonious quality; ceremonious adherence to rules; something done just for form's sake; Ex. mere formality

formidable

menacing; arousing fear; threatening; difficult to defeat; Ex. formidable foe/question

s menace

threat; V: threaten

n forsake

desert; abandon; renounce

n forswear

renounce under oath; abandon; make a solemn promise to give up; CF. abjure

forte

strong point or special talent in a person's character

n forthright

straightforward; direct; frank

s forthcoming

happening in the near future; ready; willing to help; Ex. No answer was forthcoming.

fortitude

bravery; courage; strength of mind

n fortuitous

accidental; by chance; N. fortuity

n foster

rear; bring up (for a certain period only); encourage; promote the development of (feelings or ideas); Ex. help foster friendly relations; ADJ: giving parental care although not related by blood; Ex. foster parents

n founder

fail completely; sink; CF. flounder

founder

person who establishes (an organization or business)

n fracas

brawl(noisy quarrel or fight) in which a number of people take part; melee

n fractious

unruly; peevish; cranky; bad-tempered; Ex. fractious horse

frail

weak; N. frailty

franchise

right or privilege granted by authority; right to vote; license to sell a product in a particular territory

n frantic

wild; distraught as from fear or worry; Ex. frantic with fear

fraudulent

cheating; deceitful; Ex. fraudulent means; N. fraud: deception; swindle

n fraught

filled (with something unpleasant); full; Ex. fraught with danger and difficulties; CF. freight

n fray

brawl; fight; V: wear away or unravel by rubbing; have loose threads developing; cause to become worn out (a person's temper or nerves); CF. rub

n frenetic(phrenetic)

frenzied; frantic

n frenzied

madly excited; N. frenzy: violent wild excitement

n fresco

painting on wet plaster (usually fresh)

s paste

smooth viscous mixture as of flour(powder made by crushing grain) and water (used as an adhesive); V: cause to adhere by applying paste

s pastry

paste of flour and water (eaten when baked)

s plaster

paste that hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls; V.

n fret

be annoyed or vexed; Ex. fret over your poor grades; N: irritation of mind; ADJ. fretful

friction

clash or conflict in opinion; rubbing against

n frieze

ornamental horizontal band on a wall

frigid

intensely cold; cold in manner; Ex. frigid zone

n fritter

waste (time or money on unimportant things)

frivolous

lacking in seriousness; flippant; self-indulgently carefree; unworthy of serious attention; relatively unimportant; trivial

s self-indulgence

excessive indulgence of one's own desire

s carefree

free from worries; having no problems

n frolicsome

prankish; gay; playful; merry; frisky

s frolic

play and jump about happily; frisk; Ex. frolicking young lambs

n frond

fern leaf; palm or banana leaf

s litter

waste material thrown away (as bits of paper scattered untidily); V: cover untidily with scattered litter

n fructify

bear fruit; produce fruit

frugality

thrift; economy; ADJ. frugal: practicing economy; costing little; inexpensive

fruition

bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization; Ex. come to/be brought to fruition

frustrate

thwart; defeat; prevent from accomplishing a purpose

fugitive

fleeting or transitory; lasting only a short time; roving(wandering); running away or fleeing as from the law; N: one who flees; Ex. fugitives at large

n fulcrum

support on which a lever rests or pivots

n fulminate

thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation

n fulsome

disgustingly excessive; offensively flattering; Ex. fulsome praise/expressions of admire

fumble

move the fingers and hands awkwardly (in search of something); mishandle or drop a ball that is in play; bungle; botch; spoil by mishandling; N.

n functionary

official (who performs a particular function)

s functional

made for practical use only (without decoration); functioning; Ex. functional modern furniture; CF. functionalism

fundamental

basic; primary; essential

n funereal

sad; solemn; suitable for a funeral

n furor

frenzy; great anger and excitement; CF. fury

n furtive

stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky; Ex. furtive glance

s sneak

move

s underhand(underhanded)

done slyly and secretly (being dishonest)

s sly

clever in deceiving; secretive; not telling one's intentions

n fusillade

simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles

fusion

union; coalition; V. fuse

futile

useless; hopeless; ineffectual