| flagellum | <cell biology> Long thin projection from a cell used in movement. In eukaryotes flagella (like cilia) have a characteristic axial 9+2 microtubular array (axoneme) and bends are generated along the length of the flagellum by restricted sliding of the nine outer doublets. In prokaryotes the flagellum is made of polymerised flagellin and is rotated by the basal motor. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| flageolet | A small wooden pipe, having six or more holes, and a mouthpiece inserted at one end. It produces a shrill sound, softer than of the piccolo flute, and is said to have superseded the old recorder. Flageolet tones, the naturel harmonics or overtones of stringed instruments. Origin: F. Flageolet, dim. Of OF. Flajl (as if fr. A LL. Flautio;us), of flaute, flahute, F. Flte. See Flute. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flaggy | Abounding with the plant called flag; as, a flaggy marsh. Origin: From 5th Flag. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flagworm | <zoology> A worm or grub found among flags and sedge. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flail | 1. An instrument for threshing or beating grain from the ear by hand, consisting of a wooden staff or handle, at the end of which a stouter and shorter pole or club, called a swipe, is so hung as to swing freely. "His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn." (Milton) 2. An ancient military weapon, like the common flail, often having the striking part armed with rows of spikes, or loaded. "No citizen thought himself safe unless he carried under his coat a small flail, loaded with lead, to brain the Popish assassins." (Macaulay) Origin: L. Flagellum whip, scourge, in LL, a threshing flail: cf. OF. Flael, flaiel, F. Fleau. See Flagellum. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flail chest | <orthopaedics> An unstable chest wall after fractures of the sternum and/or ribs. (27 Sep 1997) |
| flail joint | A joint with loss of function caused by loss of ability to stabilise the joint in any plane within its normal range of motion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| flake | 1. A paling; a hurdle. 2. A platform of hurdles, or small sticks made fast or interwoven, supported by stanchions, for drying codfish and other things. "You shall also, after they be ripe, neither suffer them to have straw nor fern under them, but lay them either upon some smooth table, boards, or flakes of wands, and they will last the longer." (English Husbandman) 3. A small stage hung over a vessel's side, for workmen to stand on in calking, etc. Origin: Cf. Icel. Flaki, fleki, Dan. Flage, D. Vlaak. 1. A loose filmy mass or a thin chiplike layer of anything; a film; flock; lamina; layer; scale; as, a flake of snow, tallow, or fish. "Lottle flakes of scurf." "Great flakes of ice encompassing our boat." (Evelyn) 2. A little particle of lighted or incandescent matter, darted from a fire; a flash. "With flakes of ruddy fire." (Somerville) 3. <botany> A sort of carnation with only two colours in the flower, the petals having large stripes. Flake knife The purest white lead, in the form of flakes or scales. The trisnitrate of bismuth. Origin: Cf. Icel. Flakna to flake off, split, flagna to flake off, Sw. Flaga flaw, flake, flake plate, Dan. Flage snowflake. Cf. Flag a flat stone. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flam | Origin: Cf. AS. Fleam, flm, floght. A freak or whim; also, a falsehood; a lie; an illusory pretext; deception; delusion. "A perpetual abuse and flam upon posterity." (South) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flamboyer | <botany> A name given in the East and West Indies to certain trees with brilliant blossoms, probably species of Caesalpinia. Origin: F. Flamboyer to be bright. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flame | 1. A stream of burning vapor or gas, emitting light and heat; darting or streaming fire; a blaze; a fire. 2. Burning zeal or passion; elevated and noble enthusiasm; glowing imagination; passionate excitement or anger. "In a flame of zeal severe." "Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow." (Pope) "Smit with the love of sister arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame." (Pope) 3. Ardor of affection; the passion of love. 4. A person beloved; a sweetheart. Synonym: Blaze, brightness, ardor. See Blaze. Flame bridge, a bridge wall. See Bridge. Flame colour, brilliant orange or yellow. Flame engine, an early name for the gas engine. Flame manometer, an instrument, invented by Koenig, to obtain graphic representation of the action of the human vocal organs. See Manometer. <chemistry> Flame reaction, a method of testing for the presence of certain elements by the characteristic colour imparted to a flame; as, sodium colours a flame yellow, potassium violet, lithium crimson, boracic acid green, etc. Cf. Spectrum analysis, under Spectrum. <botany> Flame tree, a tree with showy scarlet flowers, as the Rhododendron arboreum in India, and the Brachychiton acerifolium of Australia. Origin: OE. Flame, flaume, flaumbe, OF. Flame, flambe, F. Flamme, fr. L. Flamma, fr. Flamma, fr. Flagrare to burn. See Flagrant, and cf. Flamneau, Flamingo. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| flame arc | An arc between two impregnated electrodes that causes volatilization of the core with resultant flame. (05 Mar 2000) |
| flame emission spectrophotometry | Determination of the concentration of an element by measurement of light emitted when the element is excited by energy in the form of heat. (05 Mar 2000) |
| flame figure | A small area of dermal or subcutaneous necrosis with intense eosinophil staining of collagen bundles; seen in the lesions of Well's syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| flame ionisation detector | <apparatus> A piece of equipment used in gas chromatography that uses a flame to decompose the neutral solute molecules into charged particles, then measures any changes in conductivity. (09 Oct 1997) |