📖 F — The English dictionary · page 2

factual — Everyday, meaning 1: Based on facts; true and real, not made up.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Giving facts and information, not stories or opinions.↗ Example: This is a factual book about volcanoes.↗ · Write a factual report on hedgehogs.↗ · The article had a factual error about the moon.↗ · Keep your answer factual, not emotional.↗ · Factual programmes teach us about the world.↗ · Is that statement factual or just your opinion?↗

faculty — Everyday, meaning 1: A natural ability of the body or mind, such as sight, hearing or memory.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A group of departments in a university, such as the Faculty of Science.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (US) All the teachers of a school or university.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A special skill or talent for something: «a faculty for languages».↗ Example: Grandpa is ninety but still has all his faculties.↗ · The faculty of sight lets us see colours.↗ · The faculty held a meeting about the school play.↗ · My sister studies in the Faculty of Arts.↗ · She has a faculty for remembering names.↗ · Faculty and students cheered at the graduation.↗ · Then he had a dream; for, to one with his faculties, dreaming was no difficulty.↗

fad — Everyday, meaning 1: A fad is something, like a toy, game, fashion or food, that becomes very popular suddenly and is then quickly forgotten.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A fad diet is a popular way of eating that promises quick results but is often not healthy.↗ Example: Fidget spinners were a big fad.↗ · Mum says my slime collection is just a fad.↗ · Every term there is a new playground fad.↗ · Fad diets promise too much.↗ · The dance was a fad that lasted one summer.↗ · Is this game a fad or here to stay?↗ · I will utterly consume them, saith the LORD; there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf is faded; and I gave them that which they transgress.↗ (Prophets JER.8.13, JPS 1917)↗ · Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are smitten down with wine!↗ (Prophets ISA.28.1, JPS 1917)↗

faddy — Everyday, meaning 1: (UK, informal) Fussy about food, liking only a few things and refusing many others.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Following short-lived fashions or crazes.↗ Example: My little brother is a faddy eater and only eats pasta.↗ · Don't be faddy; try one bite of the carrots.↗ · Grandma said children today are too faddy about food.↗ · The cat is so faddy that it only eats one brand of fish.↗ · He went through a faddy phase of eating only yellow food.↗ · The new diet seemed faddy and silly.↗

fade — Everyday, meaning 1: To slowly lose colour or brightness: the sun faded the curtains.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To slowly become quieter, weaker or less clear until it disappears: the music faded, the light faded, the memory faded.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Of flowers, to wilt and die.↗ Example: The sun has faded the poster on the window.↗ · The bruise faded after a week.↗ · The music faded away at the end of the song.↗ · Daylight faded and the stars came out.↗ · My old jeans have faded to light blue.↗ · The sound of the train faded into the distance.↗ · The flowers faded in the vase.↗ · His hope began to fade as the clock ticked.↗ · For they shall soon wither like the grass, and fade as the green herb.↗ (Writings PSA.37.2, JPS 1917)↗ · The sons of the stranger fade away, and come halting out of their close places.↗ (Prophets 2SA.22.46, JPS 1917)↗ · The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.↗ (Writings PSA.18.46, JPS 1917)↗

fae — Everyday, meaning 1: (fantasy) The fae are fairies or fairy folk in stories and legends, especially in Celtic tales; fae can also describe things belonging to them.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (Scots) Fae means «from», as in «I'm fae Glasgow».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (name/pronoun) Fae is sometimes used as a personal pronoun by a few people; it is rare.↗ Example: In the story, the fae lived under the hill.↗ · Never eat the food of the fae, the old tale warned.↗ · (Scots) Ma pal's fae Aberdeen.↗ · The book was about a girl who made a deal with the fae.↗ · (Scots) Ah got a letter fae ma gran.↗ · Fae magic glittered in the moonlight.↗

faeces — Everyday, meaning 1: Faeces is the scientific word for poo, the solid waste that people and animals push out of their bodies through the bottom.↗ Example: Faeces is the waste left after food is digested.↗ · Wash your hands after the toilet, because faeces carry germs.↗ · Scientists studied the owl's faeces to see what it ate.↗ · Pick up dog faeces in the park with a bag.↗ · The doctor asked for a sample of faeces to test.↗ · Rabbit faeces are small round pellets.↗ · The large intestine takes water out before faeces leave the body.↗

faery — Everyday, meaning 1: An old or poetic spelling of «fairy»: a small magical creature in stories.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old, poetic) The land of fairies, fairyland: «the realm of Faery».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (adjective) magical, of fairies.↗ Example: The old poem spoke of the land of Faery.↗ · In the story a faery queen lived under the hill.↗ · The poet wrote «faery» instead of «fairy».↗ · The forest seemed like a faery place in the moonlight.↗ · Faery folk were said to dance in rings.↗ · The book used old spellings like «faery».↗ · Children in the tale were stolen away to Faery.↗

fag — Everyday, meaning 1: (UK, slang) A fag is a cigarette.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK, informal) A fag is a boring or tiring job: what a fag!↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, old) At some old boarding schools, a fag was a younger boy who did jobs for an older one.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (offensive) A hateful slur against gay men, mostly American; never use it.↗ Example: (UK slang) Uncle Mick went outside for a fag.↗ · There were fag ends all over the pavement.↗ · (UK) Washing up after a party is such a fag.↗ · Smoking fags damages your lungs.↗ · In the old story, the young boy had to be a fag for the prefects.↗ · Calling someone a hateful name is bullying; tell a teacher.↗

faggot — Everyday, meaning 1: A faggot is a bundle of sticks tied together for burning.↗ Example: The woodcutter carried a faggot home on his back.↗ · The children gathered sticks to make a faggot.↗ · Shall I bring in your bundle of faggots every day?↗

fahrenheit — Everyday, meaning 1: Fahrenheit is a scale for measuring temperature, on which water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It is named after the scientist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, who invented it.↗ Example: Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.↗ · It's 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Texas today — that's very hot!↗ · Water boils at 212 °F.↗ · Normal body temperature is about 98.6 °F.↗ · Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.↗ · In Canada the weather forecast is in Celsius, not Fahrenheit.↗ · Grandad says it's «in the seventies» when it's warm.↗

fail — Everyday, meaning 1: To fail means not to do what you tried or wanted to do.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To fail a test is not to pass it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To fail means to stop working or to break down: the brakes failed.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Never fail to means always: he never fails to say thank you.↗ Example: 3 of the 25 pupils failed the test.↗ · He failed 2 of his 10 tries.↗ · How many passed if 4 failed?↗ · The seeds that fail to grow are thrown away.↗ · The lights failed during the storm.↗ · If you fail at first, try again.↗ · He goes swimming every Saturday without fail.↗ · Her plan to surprise Mum failed when Mum came home early.↗ · So the Third Knight failed also.↗ · And Joseph said: 'Give your cattle, and I will give you bread for your cattle, if money fail.'↗ (Torah GEN.47.16, JPS 1917)↗ · And if thy brother be waxen poor, and his means fail with thee; then thou shalt uphold him: as a stranger and a settler shall he live with thee.↗ (Torah LEV.25.35, JPS 1917)↗ · for the LORD thy God is a merciful God; He will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He swore unto them.↗ (Torah DEU.4.31, JPS 1917)↗ · My soul failed me when he spoke.↗ (Writings SNG.5.6, JPS 1917)↗ · My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.↗ (Writings JOB.19.14, JPS 1917)↗ · Mine eyes fail for Thy salvation, and for Thy righteous word.↗ (Writings PSA.119.123, JPS 1917)↗

faileth — Early Modern English, meaning 1: «faileth» means «fails», a form of «fail».↗ e.g. To fail means not to do what you tried or wanted to do.↗

failing — Everyday, meaning 1: A failing is a fault or weakness in a person's character or behaviour.↗ Example: Everyone has some failings.↗ · Pride was his greatest failing.↗ · Be kind about the failings of others.↗ · And among these nations shalt thou have no repose, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot; but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and languishing of soul.↗ (Torah DEU.28.65, JPS 1917)↗

failure — Everyday, meaning 1: Failure is not succeeding at something you tried to do.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A failure is an attempt, plan or thing that did not work.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A failure of a machine or body part is when it stops working, like a power failure.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Failure to do something means not doing it when you should.↗ Example: Every failure taught the inventor something new.↗ · Our first rocket was a failure, but the second one flew.↗ · Don't be afraid of failure; just try.↗ · The lights went out because of a power failure.↗ · The plan ended in failure.↗ · Engine failure made the plane land early.↗ · Failure to wear a helmet can be dangerous.↗ · But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure.↗

fain — Everyday, meaning 1: Fain means gladly or willingly; «would fain» means would like very much to.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: gladly or willingly.↗ Example: I would fain see the king's son.↗ · She would fain go home.↗ · I would fain sleep now.↗ · Yea, it hurleth at him, and spareth not; he would fain flee from its power.↗ (Writings JOB.27.22, JPS 1917)↗ · I'd fain see him to have a turn with him."↗ (More English Fairy Tales) · ‘I would fain get a sight of the king’s son before he marries,’ sighed she.↗ (The Lilac Fairy Book) · ‘I am weary,’ said Arthur, ‘and till my food is prepared I would fain sleep.↗ (The Lilac Fairy Book)

faint — Everyday, meaning 1: Not strong or clear; hard to see, hear or smell (a faint sound, a faint line).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To suddenly become unconscious for a short time and fall down, often because the brain does not get enough blood.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Feeling weak and dizzy, as if you might fall (I feel faint).↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Very small (a faint chance; I haven't the faintest idea = I don't know at all).↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: weak, tired and nearly without strength, especially from hunger.↗ Example: I could hear a faint sound coming from the cupboard.↗ · Draw faint lines first, then go over them in pen.↗ · He fainted in the hot sun and fell down.↗ · If you feel faint, sit down and put your head between your knees.↗ · There was a faint smell of smoke.↗ · The stars were faint because of the city lights.↗ · I haven't the faintest idea where my shoe is.↗ · The sickening smell made him faint.↗ · And Jacob sod pottage; and Esau came in from the field, and he was faint.↗ (Torah GEN.25.29, JPS 1917)↗ · And Esau said to Jacob: 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, some of this red, red pottage; for I am faint.'↗ Therefore was his name called Edom.↗ (Torah GEN.25.30, JPS 1917)↗ · And they told him, saying: 'Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.'↗ And his heart fainted, for he believed them not.↗ (Torah GEN.45.26, JPS 1917)↗ · Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.↗ (Writings PSA.107.5, JPS 1917)↗ · The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint; (Prophets ISA.1.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Yea, God hath made my heart faint, and the Almighty hath affrighted me; (Writings JOB.23.16, JPS 1917)↗ · And Jacob sod pottage; and Esau came in from the field, and he was faint.↗ (Torah GEN.25.29, JPS 1917) · The sickening smell made him faint.↗ (Japanese Fairy Tales) · And Esau said to Jacob: 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, some of this red, red pottage; for I am faint.'↗ Therefore was his name called Edom.↗ (Torah GEN.25.30, JPS 1917)

faintly — Everyday, meaning 1: Weakly, quietly or not clearly, so it is hard to see, hear or smell.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Slightly; a little: «faintly surprised».↗ Example: The stars shone faintly through the clouds.↗ · I could faintly hear the bell.↗ · The room smelled faintly of paint.↗ · She smiled faintly and closed her eyes.↗ · He looked faintly annoyed.↗ · The writing was faintly visible on the old paper.↗ · The light glowed faintly at the end of the tunnel.↗ · “Hullo, Peter,” she replied faintly, squeezing herself as small as possible.↗

faintness — Everyday, meaning 1: Faintness is a weak, dizzy feeling as if you might faint (pass out).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Faintness is also the quality of being faint: hard to see, hear or smell because it is very weak, like the faintness of a star or a sound.↗ Example: After running in the heat, she felt a wave of faintness.↗ · Tell an adult if you have faintness or dizziness.↗ · The faintness of the star made it hard to see.↗ · Because of the faintness of the writing, we could barely read the letter.↗ · Faintness can come from skipping breakfast.↗ · He sat down when faintness came over him.↗ · But as soon as she stepped into the cold water, a sudden faintness seized her; she clutched at the air convulsively with her hand, took one step forward, and fell.↗