Fa"kir (?), n. [Ar. faqr poor.] An Oriental religious ascetic or
begging monk. [Written also faquir anf fakeer.]
||Fa"la*na"ka (?), n. [Native name.] (Zoˆl.) A viverrine mammal of
||Madagascar (Eupleres Goudotii), allied to the civet; -- called also
||Falanouc.
Fal*cade" (fl*kd"), n. [F., ultimately fr. L. falx, falcis, a sickle or
scythe.] (Man.) The action of a horse, when he throws himself on his
haunches two or three times, bending himself, as it were, in very quick
curvets. Harris.
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{ Fal"cate (?), Fal"ca*ted (?), } a. [L. falcatus, fr. falx, falcis, a
sickle or scythe.] Hooked or bent like a sickle; as, a falcate leaf; a
falcate claw; -- said also of the moon, or a planet, when horned or
crescent- formed.
Fal*ca"tion (?), n. The state of being falcate; a bend in the form of a
sickle. Sir T. Browne.
Fal"cer (?), n. [From L. falx, falcis, a sickle.] (Zoˆl.) One of the
mandibles of a spider.
Fal"chion (?), n. [OE. fauchon, OF. fauchon, LL. f‰lcio, fr. L. falx,
falcis, a sickle, cf. Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;&?;&?; a ship's rib,
&?;&?;&?;&?;&?;&?; bandy-legged; perh, akin to E. falcon; cf. It.
falcione. Cf. Defalcation.] 1. A broad-bladed sword, slightly curved,
shorter and lighter than the ordinary sword; -- used in the Middle
Ages.
2. A name given generally and poetically to a sword, especially to the
swords of Oriental and fabled warriors.
Fal*cid"i*an (?), a. [L. Falcidius.] Of or pertaining to Publius
Falcidius, a Roman tribune.
Falcidian law (Civil Law), a law by which a testator was obliged to
leave at least a fourth of his estate to the heir. Burrill.
Fal"ci*form (?), a. [L. falx, falcis, a sickle + -form: cf. F.
falciforme.] Having the shape of a scithe or sickle; resembling a
reaping hook; as, the falciform ligatment of the liver.
Fal"con (?), n. [OE. faucon, faucoun, OF. faucon, falcon, &?;. faucon,
fr. LL. falco, perh. from L. falx, falcis, a sickle or scythe, and
named from its curving talons. Cf. Falchion.] 1. (Zoˆl.) (a) One of a
family (FalconidÊ) of raptorial birds, characterized by a short, hooked
beak, strong claws, and powerful flight. (b) Any species of the genus
Falco, distinguished by having a toothlike lobe on the upper mandible;
especially, one of this genus trained to the pursuit of other birds, or
game.
In the language of falconry, the female peregrine (Falco
peregrinus) is exclusively called the falcon.
Yarrell.