Passion's too fierce to be in fetters bound.
Dryden.
Fet"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fettered (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Fettering.] 1. To put fetters upon; to shackle or confine the feet of
with a chain; to bind.
My heels are fettered, but my fist is free.
Milton.
2. To restrain from motion; to impose restraints on; to confine; to
enchain; as, fettered by obligations.
My conscience! thou art fettered More than my shanks and wrists.
Shak.
Fet"tered (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Seeming as if fettered, as the feet of
certain animals which bend backward, and appear unfit for walking.
Fet"ter*er (?), n. One who fetters. Landor.
Fet"ter*less, a. Free from fetters. Marston.
Fet"tle (?), v. t. [OE. & Prov. E., to fettle (in sense 1), fettle, n.,
order, repair, preparation, dress; prob. akin to E. fit. See Fit, a.]
1. To repair; to prepare; to put in order. [Prov. Eng.] Carlyle.
2. (Metal.) To cover or line with a mixture of ore, cinders, etc., as
the hearth of a puddling furnace.
Fet"tle, v. i. To make preparations; to put things in order; to do
trifling business. [Prov. Eng.] Bp. Hall.
Fet"tle, n. The act of fettling. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
In fine fettle, in good spirits.
Fet"tling (?), n. 1. (Metal.) A mixture of ore, cinders, etc., used to
line the hearth of a puddling furnace. [Eng.] [It is commonly called
fix in the United States.]
2. (Pottery) The operation of shaving or smoothing the surface of
undried clay ware.
Fet"u*ous (?), a. Neat; feat. [Obs.] Herrick.
Fe"tus (?), n.; pl. Fetuses (#). [L. fetus, foetus, a bringing forth,
brood, offspring, young ones, cf. fetus fruitful, fructified, that is
or was filled with young; akin to E. fawn a deer, fecundity, felicity,
feminine, female, and prob. to do, or according to others, to be.] The
young or embryo of an animal in the womb, or in the egg; often
restricted to the later stages in the development of viviparous and
oviparous animals, embryo being applied to the earlier stages. [Written
also fútus.]
||Fet"wah (?), n. [Ar.] A written decision of a Turkish mufti on some
||point of law. Whitworth.
Feu (?), n. [See 2d Feud, and Fee.] (Scots Law) A free and gratuitous
right to lands made to one for service to be performed by him; a tenure
where the vassal, in place of military services, makes a return in
grain or in money. Burrill.
Feu"ar (?), n. [From Feu.] (Scots Law) One who holds a feu. Sir W.
Scott.
Feud (fd), n. [OE. feide, AS. fh, fr. fh hostile; akin to OHG. fhida,
G. fehde, Sw. fejd, D. feide; prob. akin to E. fiend. See Foe.] 1. A
combination of kindred to avenge injuries or affronts, done or offered
to any of their blood, on the offender and all his race.
2. A contention or quarrel; especially, an inveterate strife between
families, clans, or parties; deadly hatred; contention satisfied only
by bloodshed.
Mutual feuds and battles betwixt their several tribes and kindreds.
Purchas.
Syn. -- Affray; fray; broil; contest; dispute; strife.
Feud, n. [LL. feudum, feodum prob. of same origin as E. fief. See Fief,
Fee.] (Law) A stipendiary estate in land, held of superior, by service;
the right which a vassal or tenant had to the lands or other immovable
thing of his lord, to use the same and take the profists thereof
hereditarily, rendering to his superior such duties and services as
belong to military tenure, etc., the property of the soil always
remaining in the lord or superior; a fief; a fee.
Feu"dal (?), a. [F. fÈodal, or LL. feudalis.] 1. Of or pertaining to
feuds, fiefs, or feels; as, feudal rights or services; feudal tenures.
2. Consisting of, or founded upon, feuds or fiefs; embracing tenures by
military services; as, the feudal system.
Feu"dal*ism (?), n. [Cf. F. fÈodalisme.] The feudal system; a system by
which the holding of estates in land is made dependent upon an
obligation to render military service to the kind or feudal superior;
feudal principles and usages.
Feu"dal*ist, n. An upholder of feudalism.
Feu*dal"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. fÈodalitÈ.] The state or quality of being
feudal; feudal form or constitution. Burke.
Feu`dal*i*za"tion (?), n. The act of reducing to feudal tenure.
Feu"dal*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feudalized (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Feudalizing (?).] To reduce to a feudal tenure; to conform to
feudalism.
Feu"dal*ly, adv. In a feudal manner.
Feu"da*ry (?), a. [LL. feudarius, fr. feudum. See 2d Feud.] Held by, or
pertaining to, feudal tenure.
Feu"da*ry, n. 1. A tenant who holds his lands by feudal service; a
feudatory. Foxe.