Chapter 608

&hand; If we examine a common flower, such for instance as a geranium, we shall find that it consists of: First, an outer envelope or calyx , sometimes tubular, sometimes consisting of separate leaves called sepals ; secondly, an inner envelope or corolla , which is generally more or less colored, and which, like the calyx, is sometimes tubular, sometimes composed of separate leaves called petals ; thirdly, one or more stamens , consisting of a stalk or filament and a head or anther , in which the pollen is produced; and fourthly, a pistil , which is situated in the center of the flower, and consists generally of three principal parts; one or more compartments at the base, each containing one or more seeds; the stalk or style ; and the stigma , which in many familiar instances forms a small head, at the top of the style or ovary, and to which the pollen must find its way in order to fertilize the flower.

Sir J. Lubbock.

3. The fairest, freshest, and choicest part of anything; as, the flower of an army, or of a family ; the state or time of freshness and bloom; as, the flower of life, that is, youth .

The choice and flower of all things profitable the Psalms do more briefly contain. Hooker.

The flower of the chivalry of all Spain. Southey.

A simple maiden in her flower Is worth a hundred coats of arms. Tennyson.

4. Grain pulverized; meal; flour. [Obs.]

The flowers of grains, mixed with water, will make a sort of glue. Arbuthnot.

5. pl. (Old. Chem.) A substance in the form of a powder, especially when condensed from sublimation; as, the flowers of sulphur .

6. A figure of speech; an ornament of style.

7. pl. (Print.) Ornamental type used chiefly for borders around pages, cards, etc.

W. Savage.

8. pl. Menstrual discharges.

Lev. xv. 24.

Animal flower (Zo\'94l.) See under Animal . -- Cut flowers , flowers cut from the stalk, as for making a bouquet. -- Flower bed , a plat in a garden for the cultivation of flowers. -- Flower beetle (Zo\'94l.) , any beetle which feeds upon flowers, esp. any one of numerous small species of the genus Meligethes , family Nitidulid\'91 , some of which are injurious to crops. -- Flower bird (Zo\'94l.) , an Australian bird of the genus Anthornis , allied to the honey eaters. -- Flower bud , an unopened flower. -- Flower clock , an assemblage of flowers which open and close at different hours of the day, thus indicating the time. -- Flower head (Bot.) , a compound flower in which all the florets are sessile on their receptacle, as in the case of the daisy. -- Flower pecker (Zo\'94l.) , one of a family ( Dic\'91id\'91 ) of small Indian and Australian birds. They resemble humming birds in habits. -- Flower piece . (a) A table ornament made of cut flowers. (b) (Fine Arts) A picture of flowers. -- Flower stalk (Bot.) , the peduncle of a plant, or the stem that supports the flower or fructification.

Flower <Xpage=574>

Flow"er (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Flowered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Flowering .] [From the noun. Cf. Flourish .] 1. To blossom; to bloom; to expand the petals, as a plant; to produce flowers; as, this plant flowers in June .

2. To come into the finest or fairest condition.

Their lusty and flowering age. Robynson (More's Utopia).

When flowered my youthful spring. Spenser.

3. To froth; to ferment gently, as new beer.

That beer did flower a little. Bacon.

4. To come off as flowers by sublimation. [Obs.]

Observations which have flowered off. Milton.

Flower <Xpage=574>

Flow"er , v. t. To embellish with flowers; to adorn with imitated flowers; as, flowered silk .

Flowerage <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*age (?; 48) , n. State of flowers; flowers, collectively or in general.

Tennyson.

Flower-de-luce <Xpage=574>

Flow"er-de-luce" (?) , n. [Corrupted fr. fleur-de-lis .] (Bot.) A genus of perennial herbs ( Iris ) with swordlike leaves and large three-petaled flowers often of very gay colors, but probably white in the plant first chosen for the royal French emblem.

&hand; There are nearly one hundred species, natives of the north temperate zone. Some of the best known are Iris Germanica , I. Florentina , I. Persica , I. sambucina , and the American I. versicolor , I. prismatica , etc.

Flower/er <Xpage=574>

Flow"er/er (?) , n. A plant which flowers or blossoms.

Many hybrids are profuse and persistent flowerers . Darwin.

Floweret <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*et (?) , n. A small flower; a floret.

Shak.

Flower-fence <Xpage=574>

Flow"er-fence` (?) , n. (Bot.) A tropical leguminous bush ( Poinciana, &or; C\'91salpinia, pulcherrima ) with prickly branches, and showy yellow or red flowers; -- so named from its having been sometimes used for hedges in the West Indies.

Baird.

Flowerful <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*ful (?) , a. Abounding with flowers.

Craig.

Flower-gentle <Xpage=574>

Flow"er-gen`tle (?) , n. (Bot.) A species of amaranth ( Amarantus melancholicus ).

Floweriness <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*i*ness (?) , n. The state of being flowery.

Flowering <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*ing , a. (Bot.) Having conspicuous flowers; -- used as an epithet with many names of plants; as, flowering ash; flowering dogwood; flowering almond, etc.

Flowering fern , a genus of showy ferns ( Osmunda ), with conspicuous bivalvular sporangia. They usually grow in wet places. -- Flowering plants , plants which have stamens and pistils, and produce true seeds; phenogamous plants; -- distinguished from flowerless plants . -- Flowering rush , a European rushlike plant ( Butomus umbellatus ), with an umbel of rosy blossoms.

Flowering <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*ing , n. 1. The act of blossoming, or the season when plants blossom; florification.

2. The act of adorning with flowers.

Flowerless <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*less , a. Having no flowers.

Flowerless plants , plants which have no true flowers, and produce no seeds; cryptigamous plants.

Flowerlessness <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*less*ness , n. State of being without flowers.

Flowerpot <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*pot` (?) , n. A vessel, commonly or earthenware, for earth in which plants are grown.

Flowery <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*y (?) , a. 1. Full of flowers; abounding with blossoms.

2. Highly embellished with figurative language; florid; as, a flowery style .

Milton.

The flowery kingdom , China.

Flowery-kirtled <Xpage=574>

Flow"er*y-kir`tled (?) , a. Dressed with garlands of flowers. [Poetic & Rare]

Milton.

Flowing <Xpage=574>

Flow"ing , a. That flows or for flowing (in various sense of the verb); gliding along smoothly; copious.

Flowing battery (Elec.) , a battery which is kept constant by the flowing of the exciting liquid through the cell or cells. Knight. -- Flowing furnace , a furnace from which molten metal, can be drawn, as through a tap hole; a foundry cupola. -- Flowing sheet (Naut.) , a sheet when eased off, or loosened to the wind, as when the wind is abaft the beam.

Totten.

Flowing <Xpage=574>

Flow"ing (?) , a. & n. from Flow , v. i. & t.

Flowingly <Xpage=574>

Flow"ing*ly , adv. In a flowing manner.

Flowingness <Xpage=574>

Flow"ing*ness , n. Flowing tendency or quality; fluency. [R.]

W. Nichols.

Flowk <Xpage=574>

Flowk (? &or; ?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See 1st Fluke .

Flown <Xpage=574>

Flown (?) , p. p. of Fly ; -- often used with the auxiliary verb to be ; as, the birds are flown .

Flown <Xpage=574>

Flown , a. Flushed, inflated. [Supposed by some to be a mistake for blown or swoln .]

Pope.

Then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. Milton.

Floxed silk <Xpage=574>

Floxed" silk` (?) . See Floss silk , under Floss .

Floyte <Xpage=574>

Floyte (?) , n. & v. A variant of Flute . [Obs.]

Fluate <Xpage=574>

Flu"ate (?) , n. [Cf. F. fluate . See Fluor .] (Chem.) A fluoride. [Obs.]

Fluavil <Xpage=574>

Flu"a*vil (?) , n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Chem.) A hydrocarbon extracted from gutta-percha, as a yellow, resinous substance; -- called also fluanil .

Flucan <Xpage=574>

Flu"can (?) , n. (Mining) Soft clayey matter in the vein, or surrounding it. [Written also flookan , flukan , and fluccan .]

Fluctiferous <Xpage=574>

Fluc*tif"er*ous (?) , a. [L. fluctus wave + -ferous .] Tending to produce waves.

Blount.

Fluctisonous <Xpage=574>

Fluc*tis"o*nous (?) , a. [L. fluctisonus ; fluctus wave + sonus sound.] Sounding like waves.

Fluctuability <Xpage=574>

Fluc`tu*a*bil"i*ty (?; 135) , n. The capacity or ability to fluctuate. [R.]

H. Walpole.

Fluctuant <Xpage=574>

Fluc"tu*ant (?; 135) , a. [L. fluctuans , p.pr. of fluctuare . See Fluctuate .] 1. Moving like a wave; wavering ; (Med.) showing undulation or fluctuation; as, a fluctuant tumor .

2. Floating on the waves. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Fluctuate <Xpage=574>

Fluc"tu*ate (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fluctuated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Fluctuating (?) .] [L. fluctuatus , p.p. of fluctuare , to wave, fr. fluctus wave, fr. fluere , fluctum , to flow. See Fluent , and cf. Flotilla .] 1. To move as a wave; to roll hither and thither; to wave; to float backward and forward, as on waves; as, a fluctuating field of air .

Blackmore.

2. To move now in one direction and now in another; to be wavering or unsteady; to be irresolute or undetermined; to vacillate.

Syn. -- To waver; vacillate; hesitate; scruple. -- To Fluctuate , Vacillate , Waver . -- Fluctuate is applied both to things and persons and denotes that they move as they are acted upon. The stocks fluctuate ; a man fluctuates . between conflicting influences. Vacillate and waver are applied to persons to represent them as acting themselves. A man vacillates when he goes backward and forward in his opinions and purposes, without any fixity of mind or principles. A man wavers when he shrinks back or hesitates at the approach of difficulty or danger. One who is fluctuating in his feelings is usually vacillating in resolve, and wavering in execution.

Fluctuate <Xpage=574>

Fluc"tu*ate , v. t. To cause to move as a wave; to put in motion. [R.]

And fluctuate all the still perfume. Tennyson.

Fluctuation <Xpage=574>

Fluc`tu*a"tion (?) , n. [L. fluctuatio ; cf. F. fluctuation .] 1. A motion like that of waves; a moving in this and that direction; as, the fluctuations of the sea .

2. A wavering; unsteadiness; as, fluctuations of opinion; fluctuations of prices.

3. (Med.) The motion or undulation of a fluid collected in a natural or artifical cavity, which is felt when it is subjected to pressure or percussion.

Dunglison.

Flue <Xpage=574>

Flue (?) , n. [Cf. OF. flue a flowing, fr. fluer to flow, fr. L. fluere (cf. Fluent ); a perh. a corruption of E. flute .] An inclosed passage way for establishing and directing a current of air, gases, etc.; an air passage ; esp.: (a) A compartment or division of a chimney for conveying flame and smoke to the outer air . (b) A passage way for conducting a current of fresh, foul, or heated air from one place to another . (c) (Steam Boiler) A pipe or passage for conveying flame and hot gases through surrounding water in a boiler; -- distinguished from a tube which holds water and is surrounded by fire. Small flues are called fire tubes or simply tubes .

Flue boiler . See under Boiler . -- Flue bridge , the separating low wall between the flues and the laboratory of a reverberatory furnace. -- Flue plate (Steam Boiler) , a plate to which the ends of the flues are fastened; -- called also flue sheet , tube sheet , and tube plate . -- Flue surface (Steam Boiler) , the aggregate surface of flues exposed to flame or the hot gases.

Flue <Xpage=574>

Flue (?) , n. [Cf. F. flou light, tender, G. flau weak, W. llwch dust. &root;84.] Light down, such as rises from cotton, fur, etc.; very fine lint or hair.

Dickens.

Fluence <Xpage=574>

Flu"ence (?) , n. Fluency. [Obs.]

Milton.

Fluency <Xpage=574>

Flu"en*cy (?) , n. [L. fluentia : cf. F. fluence . See Fluent .] The quality of being fluent; smoothness; readiness of utterance; volubility.

The art of expressing with fluency and perspicuity. Macaulay.

Fluent <Xpage=574>

Flu"ent (?) , a. [L. fluens , -entis , p.pr. of fluere to flow; cf. Gr. <?/ to boil over. Cf. Fluctuate , Flux .] 1. Flowing or capable of flowing; liquid; glodding; easily moving.

2. Ready in the use of words; voluble; copious; having words at command; and uttering them with facility and smoothness; as, a fluent speaker ; hence, flowing; voluble; smooth; -- said of language; as, fluent speech .

With most fluent utterance. Denham.

Fluent as the flight of a swallow is the sultan's letter. De Quincey.

Fluent <Xpage=574>

Flu"ent , n. 1. A current of water; a stream. [Obs.]

2. [Cf. F. fluente .] (Math.) A variable quantity, considered as increasing or diminishing; -- called, in the modern calculus, the function or integral .

Fluently <Xpage=574>

Flu"ent*ly , adv. In a fluent manner.

Fluentness <Xpage=574>

Flu"ent*ness , n. The quality of being fluent.

Fluework <Xpage=574>

Flue"work` (?) , n. (Mus.) A general name for organ stops in which the sound is caused by wind passing through a flue or fissure and striking an edge above; -- in distinction from reedwork .

Fluey <Xpage=574>

Flue"y (?) , a. [2d Flue .] Downy; fluffy. [R.]

Fluff <Xpage=574>

Fluff (?) , n. [Cf. 2d Flue . <?/ 84.] Nap or down; flue; soft, downy feathers.

Fluffy <Xpage=574>

Fluff"y (?) , a. [ Compar. Fluffier (?) ; superl. Fluffiest .] Pertaining to, or resembling, fluff or nap; soft and downy. "The carpets were fluffy ."

Thackeray.

The present Barnacle . . . had a youthful aspect, and the fluffiest little whisker, perhaps, that ever was seen. Dickens.

-- Fluff"i*ness , n.

Fl\'81gel <Xpage=574>

Fl\'81"gel (?) , n. [G., a wing.] (Mus.) A grand piano or a harpsichord, both being wing-shaped.

Flugelman <Xpage=574>

Flu"gel*man (?) , n. [G. fl\'81gelman .] (Mil.) Same as Fugleman .

Fluid <Xpage=574>

Flu"id (?) , a. [L. fluidus , fr. fluere to flow: cf. F. fluide . See Fluent .] Having particles which easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass, and which easily yield to pressure; capable of flowing; liquid or gaseous.

Fluid <Xpage=574>

Flu"id , n. A fluid substance; a body whose particles move easily among themselves.

&hand; Fluid is a generic term, including liquids and gases as species. Water, air, and steam are fluids . By analogy, the term is sometimes applied to electricity and magnetism, as in phrases electric fluid , magnetic fluid , though not strictly appropriate.

Fluid dram , &or; Fluid drachm , a measure of capacity equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce. -- Fluid ounce . (a) In the United States, a measure of capacity, in apothecaries' or wine measure, equal to one sixteenth of a pint or 29.57 cubic centimeters. This, for water, is about 1.04158 ounces avoirdupois, or 455.6 grains. (b) In England, a measure of capacity equal to the twentieth part of an imperial pint. For water, this is the weight of the avoirdupois ounce, or 437.5 grains. -- Fluids of the body . (Physiol.) The circulating blood and lymph, the chyle, the gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal juices, the saliva, bile, urine, aqueous humor, and muscle serum are the more important fluids of the body . The tissues themselves contain a large amount of combined water, so much, that an entire human body dried in vacuo with a very moderate degree of heat gives about 66 per cent of water. -- Burning fluid , Elastic fluid , Electric fluid , Magnetic fluid , etc. See under Burning , Elastic , etc.

Fluidal <Xpage=574>

Flu"id*al (?) , a. Pertaining to a fluid, or to its flowing motion.

Fluidal structure (Geol.) , the structure characteristic of certain volcanic rocks in which the arrangement of the minute crystals shows the lines of flow of thew molten material before solidification; -- also called fluxion structure .

Fluinity <Xpage=574>

Flu*in"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. fluidit\'82 .] The quality of being fluid or capable of flowing; a liquid, a\'89riform. or gaseous state; -- opposed to solidity .

It was this want of organization, this looseness and fluidity of the new movement, that made it penetrate through every class of society. J. R. Green.

Fluidize <Xpage=574>

Flu"id*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fluidized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Fluidizing .] To render fluid.

Fluidness <Xpage=574>

Flu"id*ness , n. The state of being flluid; fluidity.

Fluidounce <Xpage=574>

Flu"id*ounce` , n. See Fluid ounce , under Fluid .

Fluidrachm <Xpage=574>

Flu"i*drachm` (?) , n. See Fluid dram , under Fluid .

Pharm. of the U. S.

Flukan <Xpage=574>

Flu"kan (?) , n. (Mining) Flucan.

<page="575"> Page 575

Fluke <Xpage=575>

Fluke (?) , n. [Cf. LG. flunk , flunka wing, the palm of an anchor; perh. akin to E. fly .] 1. The part of an anchor which fastens in the ground; a flook. See Anchor .