Pepys.
Fer*ra"ra (?), n. A sword bearing the mark of one of the Ferrara family
of Italy. These swords were highly esteemed in England and Scotland in
the 16th and 17th centuries.
Fer`ra*rese" (?), a. Pertaining to Ferrara, in Italy. -- n., sing. &
pl. A citizen of Ferrara; collectively, the inhabitants of Ferrara.
Fer"ra*ry (?), n. [L. ferraria iron works. See Ferreous.] The art of
working in iron. [Obs.] Chapman.
Fer"rate (?), n. [L. ferrum iron.] (Chem.) A salt of ferric acid.
{ Fer"re (?), Fer"rer (?), a. & adv. } Obs. compar. of Fer.
Fer"re*ous (?), a. [L. ferreus, fr. ferrum iron. Cf. Farrier, Ferrous.]
Partaking of, made of, or pertaining to, iron; like iron. [Obs.] Sir T.
Browne.
Fer"rest (?), a. & adv. Obs. superl. of Fer. Chaucer.
Fer"ret (?), n. [F. furet, cf. LL. furo; prob. fr. L. fur thief (cf.
Furtive); cf. Arm. fur wise, sly.] (Zoˆl.) An animal of the Weasel
family (Mustela or Putorius furo), about fourteen inches in length, of
a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa,
but has been domesticated in Europe. Ferrets are used to drive rabbits
and rats out of their holes.
Fer"ret, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ferreted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ferreting.] [Cf.
F. fureter. See Ferret, n.] To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as
a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts;
-- often used with out; as, to ferret out a secret.
Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.
Shak.
Fer"ret, n. [Ital. foretto, dim. of fiore flower; or F. fleuret. Cf.
Floret.] A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of
cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting.
Fer"ret, n. [F. feret, dim. or fer iron, L. ferrum.] (Glass Making) The
iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for
shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.
Fer"ret*er (?), n. One who ferrets. Johnson.
Fer"ret-eye` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The spur-winged goose; -- so called from
the red circle around the eyes.
Fer*ret"to (?), n. [It. ferretto di Spagna, dim. of ferro iron, fr. L.
ferrum.] Copper sulphide, used to color glass. Hebert.
Fer"ri- (&?;). (Chem.) A combining form indicating ferric iron as an
ingredient; as, ferricyanide.
Fer"ri*age (?; 48), n. [From Ferry.] The price or fare to be paid for
passage at a ferry.
Fer"ric (?), a. [L. ferrum iron: cf. F. ferrique. See Ferrous.]
Pertaining to, derived from, or containing iron. Specifically (Chem.),
denoting those compounds in which iron has a higher valence than in the
ferrous compounds; as, ferric oxide; ferric acid.
Ferric acid (Chem.), an acid, H2FeO4, which is not known in the free
state, but forms definite salts, analogous to the chromates and
sulphates. -- Ferric oxide (Chem.), sesquioxide of iron, Fe2O3;
hematite. See Hematite.
Fer`ri*cy"a*nate (?), n. [Ferri- + cyanate.] (Chem.) A salt of
ferricyanic acid; a ferricyanide.
Fer`ri*cy*an"ic (?), a. [Ferri- + cyanic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or
derived from, a ferricyanide.
Ferricyanic acid (Chem.), a brown crystalline substance, H6(CN)12Fe2,
obtained from potassium ferricyanide, and regarded as the type of the
ferricyanides; -- called also hydro-ferricyanic acid, hydrogen
ferricyanide, etc.
Fer`ri*cy"a*nide (?; 104), n. [Ferri- + cyanide.] (Chem.) One of a
complex series of double cyanides of ferric iron and some other base.
Potassium ferricyanide (Chem.), red prussiate of potash; a dark, red,
crystalline salt, K6(CN)12Fe2, consisting of the double cyanide of
potassium and ferric iron. From it is derived the ferrous ferricyanate,
Turnbull's blue.
Fer"ri*er (?), n. A ferryman. Calthrop.
Fer*rif"er*ous (?), a. [L. ferrum iron + -ferous: cf. F. ferrifËre.]
Producing or yielding iron.
Fer`ri*prus"si*ate (? or ?; see Prussiate, 277), n. [Ferri- +
prussiate.] (Chem.) A ferricyanate; a ferricyanide. [R.]
Fer`ri*prus"sic (? or ?; see Prussik, 277), a. [Ferri- + prussic.]
(Chem.) Ferricyanic. [R.]
Fer"ro- (&?;). (Chem.) A prefix, or combining form, indicating ferrous
iron as an ingredient; as, ferrocyanide.
Fer`ro*cal"cite (?), n. [Ferro- + calcite.] Limestone containing a
large percentage of iron carbonate, and hence turning brown on
exposure.
Fer`ro*cy"a*nate (?), n. [Ferro- + cyanate: cf. F. ferrocyanate.]
(Chem.) A salt of ferrocyanic acid; a ferrocyanide.
Fer`ro*cy*an"ic (?), a. [Ferro- + cyanic: cf. F. ferrocyanique.]
(Chem.) Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, a ferrocyanide.
ferrocyanic acid (Chem.), a white crystalline substance, H4(CN)6Fe, of
strong acid properties, obtained from potassium ferrocyanide, and
regarded as the type of the ferrocyanides; -- called also
hydro-ferrocyanic acid, hydrogen ferrocyanide. etc.
Fer`ro*cy"a*nide (? or ?; 104), n. [Ferro- + cyanide.] (Chem.) One of a
series of complex double cyanides of ferrous iron and some other base.
Potassium ferrocyanide (Chem.), yellow prussiate of potash; a tough,
yellow, crystalline salt, K4(CN)6Fe, the starting point in the
manufacture of almost all cyanogen compounds, and the basis of the
ferric ferrocyanate, prussian blue. It is obtained by strongly heating
together potash, scrap iron, and animal matter containing nitrogen, as
horn, leather, blood, etc., in iron pots.
Fer`ro*prus"si*ate (&?; or &?; or &?;; see Prussiate, 277), n. [Ferro-
+ prussiate.] (Chem.) A ferrocyanate; a ferocyanide. [R.]
Fer`ro*prus"sic (? or ?; see Prussic, 277), a. [Ferro- + prussic.]
(Chem.) Ferrocyanic.
Fer*ro"so- (&?;). (Chem.) See Ferro- .
Fer"ro*type (?), n. [L. ferrum iron + -type.] A photographic picture
taken on an iron plate by a collodion process; -- familiarly called
tintype.
Fer"rous (?), a. [Cf. F. ferreux. See Ferreous.] (Chem.) Pertaining to,
or derived from, iron; -- especially used of compounds of iron in which
the iron has its lower valence; as, ferrous sulphate.
Fer*ru"gi*na`ted (?), a. [See Ferrugo.] Having the color or properties
of the rust of iron.