Fo"li*um (?), n.; pl. E. Foliums (#), L. Folia (#). [L., a leaf.] 1. A
leaf, esp. a thin leaf or plate.
2. (Geom.) A curve of the third order, consisting of two infinite
branches, which have a common asymptote. The curve has a double point,
and a leaf-shaped loop; whence the name. Its equation is x3 + y3 = axy.
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{ Folk (fk), Folks (fks) }, n. collect. & pl. [AS. folc; akin to D.
volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. flk, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith.
pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.] 1. (Eng. Hist.) In Anglo-Saxon
times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a
tribe. [Obs.]
The organization of each folk, as such, sprang mainly from war.
J. R. Green.
2. People in general, or a separate class of people; -- generally used
in the plural form, and often with a qualifying adjective; as, the old
folks; poor folks. [Colloq.]
In winter's tedious nights, sit by the fire With good old folks,
and let them tell thee tales.
Shak.
3. The persons of one's own family; as, our folks are all well.
[Colloq. New Eng.] Bartlett.
Folk song, one of a class of songs long popular with the common people.
-- Folk speech, the speech of the common people, as distinguished from
that of the educated class.
Folk"land` (?), n. [AS. folcland.] (O.Eng. Law) Land held in villenage,
being distributed among the folk, or people, at the pleasure of the
lord of the manor, and resumed at his discretion. Not being held by any
assurance in writing, it was opposed to bookland or charter land, which
was held by deed. Mozley & W.
{ Folk"lore` (?), n., or Folk" lore` }. Tales, legends, or
superstitions long current among the people. Trench.
Folk"mote` (?), n. [AS. folcmt folk meeting.] An assembly of the
people; esp. (Sax. Law), a general assembly of the people to consider
and order matters of the commonwealth; also, a local court. [Hist.]
To which folkmote they all with one consent Agreed to travel.
Spenser.
Folk"mot`er (?), n. One who takes part in a folkmote, or local court.
[Obs.] Milton.
Fol"li*cle (?), n. [L. folliculus a small bag, husk, pod, dim of follis
bellows, an inflated ball, a leathern money bag, perh. akin to E.
bellows: cf. F. follicule. Cf. 2d Fool.] 1. (Bot.) A simple podlike
pericarp which contains several seeds and opens along the inner or
ventral suture, as in the peony, larkspur and milkweed.
2. (Anat.) (a) A small cavity, tubular depression, or sac; as, a hair
follicle. (b) A simple gland or glandular cavity; a crypt. (c) A small
mass of adenoid tissue; as, a lymphatic follicle.
Fol*lic"u*lar (?), a. 1. Like, pertaining to, or consisting of, a
follicles or follicles.