Fair, fār, n. a great periodical market for one kind of merchandise, or for the general sales and purchases of a district: a collection of miscellaneous goods for sale on behoof of charity at a bazaar, &c.—n. Fair′ing, a present given at a fair, any complimentary gift.—A day after the fair, too late; Get one's fairing (Scot.), to get one's deserts. [O. Fr. feire—L. feria, holiday.]
Fairy, fār′i, n. an imaginary being, generally of diminutive and graceful human form, capable of kindly or unkindly acts towards man: fairy-folk collectively: an enchantress, or creature of overpowering charm.—adj. like a fairy, fanciful, whimsical, delicate.—adv. Fair′ily.—n.pl. Fair′y-beads, the separate joints of the stems of fossil crinoids found in carboniferous limestone.—ns. Fair′y-butt′er, a name applied in northern England to certain gelatinous fungi; Fair′ydom; Fair′yhood, Fair′yism; Fair′yland, the country of the fairies.—adj. Fair′y-like, like or acting like fairies.—n. Fair′y-mon′ey, money given by fairies, which quickly changes into withered leaves, &c.: money found.—ns.pl. Fair′y-rings, -cir′cles, spots or circles in pastures, either barer than the rest of the field, or greener—due to the outwardly spreading growth of various fungi.—ns. Fair′y-stone, a fossil echinite found abundantly in chalk-pits; Fair′y-tale, a story about fairies: an incredible tale. [O. Fr. faerie, enchantment—fae (mod. fée). See Fay.]
Faith, fāth, n. trust or confidence in any person: belief in the statement of another: belief in the truth of revealed religion: confidence and trust in God: the living reception by the heart of the truth as it is in Christ: that which is believed: any system of religious belief, esp. the religion one considers true—'the faith;' fidelity to promises: honesty: word or honour pledged.—adjs. Faithed (Shak.), credited; Faith′ful, full of faith, believing: firm in adherence to promises, duty, allegiance, &c.: loyal: conformable to truth: worthy of belief: true.—adv. Faith′fully, sincerely, truthfully, exactly.—ns. Faith′fulness; Faith′-heal′ing, a system of belief based on James, v. 14, that sickness may be treated without any medical advice or appliances, if the prayer of Christians be accompanied in the sufferer by true faith.—adj. Faith′less, without faith or belief: not believing, esp. in God or Christianity: not adhering to promises, allegiance, or duty: delusive.—adv. Faith′lessly.—ns. Faith′lessness; Faith′worthiness, trustworthiness.—adj. Faith′worthy, worthy of faith or belief.—Bad faith, treachery.—Father of the faithful, Abraham: the caliph.—In good faith, with sincerity.—The Faithful, believers. [M. E. feith, feyth—O. Fr. feid—L. fides—fidĕre, to trust.]
Faitor, fā′tor, n. an impostor: an evil-doer, a scoundrel.—Often Fai′tour. [O. Fr. faitor—L. factor.]
Fake, fāk, v.t. to fold, coil.—n. a coil of rope, &c.
Fake, fāk, v.t. to steal: to make up an article so as to hide its defects.—n. Fake′ment, any swindling device. [Prof. Skeat thinks it merely the Mid. Dut. facken, to catch; Mr Bradley suggests the earlier feak, feague, Ger. fegen, to furbish up.]
Fakir, fa-kēr′, or fā′kėr, n. a member of a religious order of mendicants or penitents in India, &c.—n. Fakir′ism, religious mendicancy. [Ar. faqîr, a poor man, fakr, faqr, poverty.]
Fa-la, fä-lä, n. an old kind of madrigal.
Falbala, fal′ba-la, n. a trimming for women's petticoats: a furbelow. [Ety. dub.; cf. furbelow.]
Falcade, fal′kād′, n. the motion of a horse when he throws himself on his haunches in a very quick curvet. [Fr.,—L. fulcatus, bent.]