| friar | 1. A brother or member of any religious order, but especially of one of the four mendicant orders, viz: (a) Minors, Gray Friars, or Franciscans. (b) Augustines. (c) Dominicans or Black Friars. (d) White Friars or Carmelites. See these names in the Vocabulary. 2. A white or pale patch on a printed page. 3. <zoology> An American fish; the silversides. <medicine> Friar bird, a stimulating application for wounds and ulcers, being an alcoholic solution of benzoin, styrax, tolu balsam, and aloes; compound tincture of benzoin. <botany> Friar's cap, the European white or sharpnosed skate (Raia alba); called also Burton skate, border ray, scad, and doctor. Origin: OR. Frere, F. Frere brother, friar, fr. L. Frater brother. See Brother. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| black friar | A friar of the Dominican order; called also predicant and preaching friar; in France, Jacobin. Also, sometimes, a Benedictine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| white friar | A mendicant monk of the Carmelite order, so called from the white cloaks worn by the order. See Carmelite. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |