figure, n.f., figure, form, shape; countenance, face, appearance, show; court-card, diagram; representation; symbol, type; (mus.) figured passage. Faire —; to make, to cut, a figure. À la —; to one’s face, in one’s teeth. Être bien de —; to be good-looking. Être mal de —; to be ill-looking.
figuré, n.m., (gram.) figurative sense.
figuré, -e, part., figured; figurative; (mus.) figured; (math.) figural. Sens —; figurative meaning.
figurément, adv., figuratively.
figurer, v.a., to figure, to represent, to typify.
se figurer, v.r., to imagine, to fancy, to picture to one’s self. Figurez-vous que; would you believe that. Se figure-t-il que...? does he imagine for a moment that...?
figurer, v.n., to look well, to match, to suit; to make, to cut, a figure; to flourish, to dance in figures; (theat.) to be a supernumerary.
figurine, n.f., (paint.) little figure, miniature figure; postage stamp.
figuriste, n.m., figurist.
fil, n.m., thread, wire; yarn; edge; grain; chain, string, series; crack, flaw (in marble, stone); stream, current (of water). — de caret; rope-yarn. — retors; twine. — à voile; sail-twine. — d’emballage; pack-thread. — à plomb; plumb-line, plumb-rule. — de la bonne Vierge; air-thread, gossamer. — d’archal, — de fer; iron wire. — de laiton; brass wire. — d’Ecosse; cotton. Le — d’une épée; the edge of a sword. — d’Ariane; Ariadne’s thread; clew. Grillage en — métallique; wire-work. À — fin; fine-grained (of wood). A gros —; coarse-grained. Aller de — en aiguille; to go from point to point; minutely. Aller contre le —; to go against the stream; to go against the grain. Aller de droit —; to go straightforwardly. Avoir du — à retordre; to have work cut out for one. Donner du — à retordre à quelqu’un; to give no end of trouble to any one, to annoy any one. Donner le — à; to whet, to sharpen, to put an edge on. Faire un —; to spin a yarn. Mettre, passer, au fil de l’épée; to put to the edge of the sword. Oter le — de; to take the edge off. Suivre le — de l’eau or du courant; to go with the stream. Ne tenir qu’à un —; to hang upon a thread. A toile ourdie Dieu envoie le —; make a beginning; God will provide for the ending. Finesses cousues de — blanc; tricks easily found out.