| finback | <zoology> Any whale of the genera Sibbaldius, Balaenoptera, and allied genera, of the family Balaenopteridae, characterised by a prominent fin on the back. The common finbacks of the new England coast are Sibbaldius tectirostris and S. Tuberosus. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| finch | Origin: AS. Finc; akin to D. Vink, OHG. Fincho, G. Fink; cf. W. Pinc a finch; also E. Spink. <zoology> A small singing bird of many genera and species, belonging to the family Fringillidae. The word is often used in composition, as in chaffinch, goldfinch, grassfinch, pinefinch, etc. Bramble finch. See Brambling. Canary finch, the canary bird. Copper finch. See Chaffinch. Diamond finch. See Diamond. <zoology> Finch falcon, one of several very small East Indian falcons of the genus Hierax. To pull a finch, to swindle an ignorant or unsuspecting person. "Privily a finch eke could he pull." Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Finckh test | A psychological test in which the patient is asked to explain certain proverbial expressions, such as "burn the candle at both ends," "the early bird catches the worm," etc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Finckh, Johann | <person> German psychiatrist, *1873. See: Finckh test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| find | 1. To meet with, or light upon, accidentally; to gain the first sight or knowledge of, as of something new, or unknown; hence, to fall in with, as a person. "Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus sealed up." (Shak) "In woods and forests thou art found." (Cowley) 2. To learn by experience or trial; to perceive; to experience; to discover by the intellect or the feelings; to detect; to feel. "I find you passing gentle." "The torrid zone is now found habitable." (Cowley) 3. To come upon by seeking; as, to find something lost. To discover by sounding; as, to find bottom. To discover by study or experiment direct to an object or end; as, water is found to be a compound substance. To gain, as the object of desire or effort; as, to find leisure; to find means. To attain to; to arrive at; to acquire. "Seek, and ye shall find." (Matt. Vii. 7) "Every mountain now hath found a tongue." (Byron) 4. To provide for; to supply; to furnish; as, to find food for workemen; he finds his nephew in money. "Wages |
| finder | <astronomy> One who, or that which, finds; specifically, a small telescope of low power and large field of view, attached to a larger telescope, for the purpose of finding an object more readily. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| finding | 1. That which is found, come upon, or provided; especially. (pl), that which a journeyman artisan finds or provides for himself; as tools, trimmings, etc. "When a man hath been laboring . . . In the deep mines of knowledge, hath furnished out his findings in all their equipage." (Milton) 2. Support; maintenance; that which is provided for one; expence; provision. 3. The result of a judicial examination or inquiry, especially into some matter of fact; a verdict; as, the finding of a jury. "After his friends finding and his rent." (Chaucer) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| fine | 1. Finished; brought to perfection; refined; hence, free from impurity; excellent; superior; elegant; worthy of admiration; accomplished; beautiful. "The gain thereof [is better] than fine gold." (Prov. Iii. 14) "A cup of wine that's brisk and fine." (Shak) "Not only the finest gentleman of his time, but one of the finest scholars." (Felton) "To soothe the sick bed of so fine a being [Keats]" (Leigh Hunt) 2. Aiming at show or effect; loaded with ornament; overdressed or overdecorated; showy. "He gratified them with occasional . . . Fine writing." (M. Arnold) 3. Nice; delicate; subtle; exquisite; artful; skillful; dexterous. "The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine!" (Pope) "The nicest and most delicate touches of satire consist in fine raillery." (Dryden) "He has as fine a hand at picking a pocket as a woman." (T. Gray) 4. Not coarse, gross, or heavy; as: Not gross; subtile; thin; tenous. "The eye standeth in the finer medium and the object in the grosser." (Bacon) Not coarse; comminuted; in small particles; as, fine sand or flour. Not thick or heavy; slender; filmy; as, a fine thread. Thin; attenuate; keen; as, a fine edge. Made of fine materials; light; delicate; as, fine linen or silk. 5. Having (such) a proportion of pure metal in its composition; as, coins nine tenths fine. 6. (Used ironically) "Ye have made a fine hand, fellows." (Shak) Fine is often compounded with participles and adjectives, modifying them adverbially; a, fine-drawn, fine-featured, fine-grained, fine-spoken, fine-spun, etc. Fine arch, to sail as close to the wind as possible. Synonym: Fine, Beautiful. When used as a word of praise, fine (being opposed to coarse) denotes no "ordinary thing of its kind." It is not as strong as beautiful, in reference to the single attribute implied in the latter term; but when we speak of a fine woman, we include a greater variety of particulars, viz, all the qualities which become a woman, breeding, sentiment, tact, etc. The term is equally comprehensive when we speak of a fine garden, landscape, horse, poem, etc.; and, though applied to a great variety of objects, the word has still a very definite sense, denoting a high degree of characteristic excellence. Origin: F. Fin, LL. Finus fine, pure, fr. L. Finire to finish; cf. Finitus, p.p, finished, completed (hence the sense accomplished, perfect) See Finish, and cf. Finite. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| fine needle aspiration | Procedure to remove cells or fluid from tissues using a needle with an empty syringe. Cells or breast fluid is extracted by pulling back on plunger and then is analysed by a physician. (09 Oct 1997) |
| fine needle biopsy | Removal of tissue or suspensions of cells through a small needle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fine structure | <pathology> General term to describe the level of organisation that is below the level of resolution of the light microscope. In practice, a shorthand term for structure observed using the electron microscope, although other techniques could give information about structure in the sub micrometre range. (18 Nov 1997) |
| fine structure mapping | A technique of DNA mapping which makes use of extremely rare recombination events where the crossing over occurs between two genes or two alleles of a gene that are only a few nucleotides apart. (09 Oct 1997) |
| fine tremor | A tremor in which the amplitude is small and the frequency is usually greater than 12 Hz. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fineness | A designator used to indicate the precious metal content of an alloy, 1000 fine being 24-carat or pure gold. (05 Mar 2000) |
| finery | 1. Fineness; beauty. "Don't choose your place of study by the finery of the prospects." (I. Watts) 2. Ornament; decoration; especially, excecially decoration; showy clothes; jewels. "Her mistress' cast-off finery." (F. W. Robertson) 3. [Cf. Refinery. A charcoal hearth or furnace for the conversion of cast iron into wrought iron, or into iron suitable for puddling. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |