Fumble, fum′bl, v.i. to grope about awkwardly: to handle awkwardly: to stammer in speech: to find by groping.—v.t. to manage awkwardly.—n. Fum′bler.—adv. Fum′blingly. [Dut. fommelen, to fumble; cf. Dan. famle, Ice. fâlma, to grope about.]
Fume, fūm, n. smoke or vapour: any volatile matter: heat of mind, rage, a passionate person: anything unsubstantial, vain conceit.—v.i. to smoke: to throw off vapour: to be in a rage: to offer incense to.—n. Fum′atory, a place for smoking or fumigation.—adjs. Fū′mid, smoky; Fumif′erous, producing fumes.—n. Fumos′ity, quality of being fumous: (pl.) the fumes arising from over eating or drinking.—adjs. Fum′ous, Fumose′, Fum′y, producing fumes. [O. Fr. fum—L. fumus, smoke.]
Fumet, fū′met, n. the dung of deer, hares, &c. [O. Fr. fumets, fumer—L. fimāre, to dung.]
Fumette, fū-met′, n. the scent of game when high.—Also Fumet′. [Fr.]
Fumigate, fūm′i-gāt, v.t. to expose to smoke or gas, to expose to fumes, as of sulphur, for purposes of disinfecting: to perfume.—ns. Fumigā′tion, act of fumigating or of applying purifying smoke, &c., to; Fum′igator, a brazier for burning disinfectants, &c.—adj. Fum′igatory. [L. fumigāre, -ātum.]
Fumitory, fūm′i-to-ri, n. a plant of a disagreeable smell.—n. Fum′iter (Shak.). [O. Fr. fume-terre, earth-smoke—L. fumus, smoke, terra, earth.]
Fummel. Same as Funnel.
Fun, fun, n. merriment: sport.—Be great fun, to be very amusing; In fun, in joke, not seriously; Like fun (coll.), in a rapid manner; Not to see the fun of, not to take as a joke. [Prob. a form of obs. fon, to befool. Skeat refers to Ir. fonn, delight.]
Funambulate, fū-nam′bū-lāt, v.i. to walk on a rope.—ns. Funambulā′tion; Funam′bulator, Funam′bulus, Funam′bulist, a rope-walker.—adj. Funam′bulatory. [L. funis, a rope, ambulāre, to walk.]
Function, fungk′shun, n. the doing of a thing: duty peculiar to any office: faculty, exercise of faculty: the peculiar office of any part of the body or mind: power: a solemn service: (math.) a quantity so connected with another that any change in the one produces a corresponding change in the other: the technical term in physiology for the vital activity of organ, tissue, or cell.—adj. Func′tional, pertaining to or performed by functions—opp. to Organic or Structural.—vs.t. Func′tionalise, Func′tionate.—adv. Func′tionally.—n. Func′tionary, one who discharges any duty: one who holds an office.—adj. Func′tionless, having no function. [O. Fr.,—L. function-em—fungi, functus, to perform.]