Fin"fish` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) (a) A finback whale. (b) (pl.) True fish, as
distinguished from shellfish.
Fin"foot` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A South American bird (Heliornis fulica)
allied to the grebes. The name is also applied to several related
species of the genus Podica.
Fin"-foot`ed, a. (Zoˆl.) (a) Having palmate feet. (b) Having lobate
toes, as the coot and grebe.
Fin"ger (f"gr), n. [AS. finger; akin to D. vinger, OS. & OHG. fingar,
G. finger, Icel. fingr, Sw. & Dan. finger, Goth. figgrs; of unknown
origin; perh. akin to E. fang.] 1. One of the five terminating members
of the hand; a digit; esp., one of the four extremities of the hand,
other than the thumb.
2. Anything that does the work of a finger; as, the pointer of a clock,
watch, or other registering machine; especially (Mech.) a small
projecting rod, wire, or piece, which is brought into contact with an
object to effect, direct, or restrain a motion.
3. The breadth of a finger, or the fourth part of the hand; a measure
of nearly an inch; also, the length of finger, a measure in domestic
use in the United States, of about four and a half inches or one eighth
of a yard.
A piece of steel three fingers thick.
Bp. Wilkins.
4. Skill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a musical
instrument. [R.]
She has a good finger.
Busby.
Ear finger, the little finger. -- Finger alphabet. See Dactylology. - -
Finger bar, the horizontal bar, carrying slotted spikes, or fingers,
through which the vibratory knives of mowing and reaping machines play.
-- Finger board (Mus.), the part of a stringed instrument against which
the fingers press the strings to vary the tone; the keyboard of a
piano, organ, etc.; manual. -- Finger bowl or glass, a bowl or glass to
hold water for rinsing the fingers at table. -- Finger flower (Bot.),
the foxglove. -- Finger grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Panicum
sanguinale) with slender radiating spikes; common crab grass. See Crab
grass, under Crab. -- Finger nut, a fly nut or thumb nut. -- Finger
plate, a strip of metal, glass, etc., to protect a painted or polished
door from finger marks. -- Finger post, a guide post bearing an index
finger. -- Finger reading, reading printed in relief so as to be
sensible to the touch; -- so made for the blind. -- Finger shell
(Zoˆl.), a marine shell (Pholas dactylus) resembling a finger in form.
-- Finger sponge (Zoˆl.), a sponge having finger-shaped lobes, or
branches. -- Finger stall, a cover or shield for a finger. -- Finger
steel, a steel instrument for whetting a currier's knife.
To burn one's fingers. See under Burn. -- To have a finger in, to be
concerned in. [Colloq.] -- To have at one's fingers' ends, to be
thoroughly familiar with. [Colloq.]
Fin"ger (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fingered (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Fingering.] 1. To touch with the fingers; to handle; to meddle with.
Let the papers lie; You would be fingering them to anger me.
Shak.