FRAGRANT, fr[=a]'grant, _adj._ sweet-scented.--_ns._ FR[=A]'GRANCE,
FR[=A]'GRANCY, pleasantness of smell or perfume: sweet or grateful
influence.--_adv._ FR[=A]'GRANTLY.--_n._ FR[=A]'GRANTNESS. [Fr.,--L.
_fragrans_, _-antis_, pr.p. of _fragr[=a]re_, to smell.]
FRAIL, fr[=a]l, _adj._ wanting in strength or firmness: weak:
unchaste.--_adj._ FRAIL'ISH, somewhat frail.--_adv._ FRAIL'LY.--_ns._
FRAIL'NESS, FRAIL'TY, weakness: infirmity. [O. Fr. _fraile_--L. _fragilis_,
fragile.]
FRAIL, fr[=a]l, _n._ a rush: a basket made of rushes. [O. Fr. _frayel_; of
dubious origin.]
FRAISE, fr[=a]z, _n._ (_fort._) a palisade of pointed stakes planted in the
rampart horizontally or in an inclined position: a tool used for enlarging
a drill-hole: a 16th-cent. ruff.--_v.t._ to fence with a fraise. [Fr.]
FRAISE, fr[=a]z, _n._ (_prov._) commotion.
FRAMBOESIA, fram-b[=e]'zi-a, _n._ the yaws (q.v.). [Fr. _framboise_, a
raspberry.]
FRAME, fr[=a]m, _v.t._ to form: to shape: to construct by fitting the parts
to each other: to plan, adjust, or adapt to an end: to contrive or devise:
to constitute: to put a frame or border round, as a picture: to put into a
frame: (_Spens._) to support.--_v.i._ (_dial._) to move: (_B._) to
contrive.--_n._ the form: a putting together of parts: a case made to
enclose or support anything: the skeleton of anything: state of mind: in
gardening, a movable structure used for the cultivation or the sheltering
of plants, as a 'forcing-frame,' 'cucumber-frame,' &c.: (_Shak._) the act
of devising.--_ns._ FRAME'-BRIDGE, a bridge constructed of pieces of timber
framed together; FRAME'-HOUSE, a house consisting of a skeleton of timber,
with boards or shingles laid on; FRAME'-MAK'ER, a maker of frames for
pictures; FRAM'ER, he who forms or constructs: one who makes frames for
pictures, &c.; FRAME'-SAW, a thin saw stretched in a frame for greater
rigidity; FRAME'WORK, the work that forms the frame: the skeleton or
outline of anything; FRAM'ING, the act of constructing: a frame or setting.
[A.S. _framian_, to be helpful, _fram_, forward.]
FRAMPOLD, fram'p[=o]ld, _adj._ (_Shak._) peevish, cross-grained:
quarrelsome.--Also FRAM'PEL. [Prob. _fram_, from, _poll_, head.]
FRANC, frangk, _n._ a French silver coin, forming since 1795 the unit of
the French monetary system, and now also used in Belgium, Switzerland,
equal to fully 9½d. sterling, the equivalent of the Italian _lira_, the
Greek _drachma_. [O. Fr. _franc_, from the legend _Francorum rex_ on the
first coins.]
FRANCHISE, fran'chiz, or -ch[=i]z, _n._ liberty: a privilege or exemption
belonging to a subject by prescription or conferred by grant: the right of
voting for a member of Parliament.--_v.t._ to enfranchise: to give one the
franchise.--_ns._ FRAN'CHISEMENT (_Spens._), freedom, release; FRAN'CHISER,
one who has the franchise. [O. Fr., from _franc_, free.]
FRANCISCAN, fran-sis'kan, _adj._ belonging to the order of mendicant friars
in the R.C. Church founded by St _Francis_ of Assisi (1182-1226).--_n._ a
monk of this order. [L. _Franciscus_, Francis.]
FRANCO-, frangk'[=o], French, in combinations as _Franco-German_,
_Franco-Russian_, &c.
FRANCOLIN, frang'k[=o]-lin, _n._ a genus of birds of the grouse family,
closely allied to partridges. [Fr.]
FRANC-TIREUR, frang-t[=e]-r[.e]r', _n._ a French sharp-shooter, one of an
armed band of French peasants and others prominent in the later stages of
the Franco-Prussian war. [Fr. _franc_, free, _tireur_, a shooter.]
FRANGIBLE, fran'ji-bl, _adj._ easily broken.--_n._ FRANGIBIL'ITY. [See
FRACTION.]
FRANGIPANE, fran'ji-p[=a]n, _n._ a kind of pastry-cake, filled with cream,
almonds, and sugar: a perfume from the flower of the red jasmine, or in
imitation of it.--Also FRAN'GIPANI. [Fr., from a personal name.]
FRANION, fran'yun, _n._ (_Spens._) a paramour: a boon-companion. [Origin
uncertain.]
FRANK, frangk, _adj._ free, open: (_obs._) liberal: open or candid in
expression: (_Spens._) unrestrained.--_v.t._ to send free of expense, as a
letter.--_n._ the signature of a person who had the right to frank a
letter.--_n._ FRANK'-FEE, a species of tenure in fee-simple, the opposite
of copyhold.--_adv._ FRANK'LY, candidly: (_obs._) gratuitously.--_ns._
FRANK'NESS; FRANK'-PLEDGE, a system of mutual suretyship by which the
members of a tithing were made responsible for one another;
FRANK'-TEN'EMENT, freehold. [O. Fr. _franc_--Low L. _francus_--Old High
Ger. _Franko_, one of the tribe called Franks, a free man.]
FRANK, frangk, _n._ one of the German tribes from _Franconia_ who conquered
Gaul in the 5th century, and founded France: the name given in the East to
a native of Western Europe.--_adj._ FRANK'ISH.
FRANK, frangk, _n._ (_Shak._) a pig-sty.--_v.t._ (_Shak._) to shut up in a
sty, to cram, to fatten. [O. Fr. _franc_.]
FRANKALMOIGN, frangk'al-moin, _n._ (_Eng. law_) a form of land-tenure in
which no obligations were enforced except religious ones, as praying, &c.
[O. Fr. _franc_, free, _almoigne_, alms.]
FRANKENSTEIN, frangk'en-st[=i]n, _n._ any creation which brings anxiety or
disaster to its author--from the _Frankenstein_ in Mrs Shelley's romance so
named, who by his skill forms an animate creature like a man, only to his
own torment.
FRANKINCENSE, frangk'in-sens, _n._ a sweet-smelling vegetable resin from
Arabia, used in sacrifices. [O. Fr. _franc encens_, pure incense.]
FRANKLIN, frangk'lin, _n._ an old English freeholder, free from feudal
servitude to a subject-superior. [Low L. _francus_, frank.]
FRANTIC, fran'tik, _adj._ mad, furious: wild.--_advs._ FRAN'TICALLY,
FRAN'TICLY (_Shak._).--_adj._ FRAN'TIC-MAD, raving mad.--_n._ FRAN'TICNESS,
the state of being frantic. [O. Fr. _frenetique_--L. _phreneticus_--Gr.
_phren[=e]tikos_, mad, _phren[=i]tis_, inflammation of the
brain--_phr[=e]n_, the mind; see FRENZY.]
FRANZY, fran'zi, _adj._ (_prov._) cross: particular.
FRAP, frap, _v.t._ to strike: (_naut._) to secure by many turns of a
lashing. [Fr. _frapper_, to strike.]