fabricate v.#build; lie. If we fabricate the buildings in this project out of standardized sections, we can reduce construction costs considerably. Because of Jack's tendency to fabricate, Jill had trouble believing a word he said.#facade n.#front (of building); superficial or false appearance. The ornate facade of the church was often photographed by tourists, who never bothered to walk around the building to view its other sides. Susan seemed super-confident, but that was just a facade she put on to hide her insecurity.#facet n.#small plane surface (of a gem); a side. The stonecutter decided to improve the rough diamond by providing it with several facets.#facetious adj.#joking (often inappropriately); humorous. I'm serious about this project; I don't need any facetious, smart-alecky cracks about do-gooder little rich girls.#facile adj.#easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial. Words came easily to Jonathan: he was a facile speaker and prided himself on being ready to make a speech at a moment's notice.#facilitate v.# help bring about; make less difficult. Rest and proper nourishment should facilitate the patient's recovery.#facsimile n.#copy. Many museums sell facsimiles of the works of art on display.#faction n.#party; clique; dissension. The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.#faculty n.#mental or bodily powers; teaching staff. As he grew old, Professor Twiggly feared he might lose his faculties and become unfit to teach. However, he had tenure: whether or not he was in full possession of his faculties, the school couldn't kick him off the faculty.#fallacious adj.# false; misleading. Paradoxically, fallacious reasoning does not always yield erroneous results: even though your logic may be faulty, the answer you get may nevertheless be correct. fallacy, n.#fallible adj.#liable to err. I know I am fallible, but I feel confident that I am right this time.#fallow adj.# plowed but not sowed; uncultivated. Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to lie fallow every few years.#falter v.# hesitate. When told to dive off the high board, she did not falter, but proceeded at once.#fanaticism n.# excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause. When Islamic fundamentalists demanded the death of Salman Rushdie because his novel questioned their faith, world opinion condemned them for their fanaticism.#fancy n.#notion; whim; inclination. Martin took a fancy to paint his toenails purple. Assuming he would outgrow such fanciful behavior, his parents ignored his fancy feet. also adj. #fanfare n.#call by bugles or trumpets. The exposition was opened with a fanfare of trumpets and the firing of cannon.#farce n.#broad comedy; mockery. Nothing went right; the entire interview degenerated into a farce. farcical, adj. #fastidious adj.# difficult to please; squeamish. Bobby was such a fastidious eater that he would eat a sandwich only if his mother first cut off every scrap of crust.#fatalism n.#belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control. With fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset him. fatalistic, adj. #fathom v.# comprehend; investigate. I find his motives impossible to fathom; in fact, I'm totally clueless about what goes on in his mind.#fatuous adj.#foolish; inane. He is far too intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks.#fauna n.#animals of a period or region. The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils.#fawning adj.#courting favor by cringing and flattering. She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers who hoped to win some favor. fawn, v.#faze v.#disconcert; dismay. No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager.#feasible adj.# practical. Is it feasible to build a new stadium for the Yankees on New York's West Side? Without additional funding, the project is clearly unrealistic.#fecundity n.#fertility; fruitfulness. The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.#feign v.#pretend. Bobby feigned illness, hoping that his mother would let him stay home from school.#feint n.#trick; shift; sham blow. The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his guard. also v.#felicitous adj.#apt; suitably expressed; well chosen. He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to serve as master-of-ceremonies at many a banquet. felicity, n.#felicity n.#happiness; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.). She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life.#fell adj.#cruel; deadly. Newspaper reports of the SARS epidemic told of the tragic spread of the fell disease.#fell v.# cut or knock down; bring down (with a missile). Crying "Timber!" Paul Bunyan felled the mighty redwood tree. Robin Hood loosed his arrow and felled the king's deer.#felon n.#person convicted of a grave crime. A convicted felon loses the right to vote.#feral adj.#not domestic; wild. Abandoned by their owners, dogs may revert to their feral state, roaming the woods in packs.#ferment n.#agitation; commotion. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Eastern Europe was in a state of ferment.#ferret v.#drive or hunt out of hiding. She ferreted out their secret.#fervent adj.#ardent; hot. She felt that the fervent praise was excessive and somewhat undeserved.#fervid adj.#ardent. Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the dangerous mission.#fervor n.# glowing ardor; intensity of feeling. At the protest rally, the students cheered the strikers and booed the dean with equal fervor.#fester v.#rankle; produce irritation or resentment. Joe's insult festered in Anne's mind for days, and made her too angry to speak to him.#festive adj.#joyous; celebratory. Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion.#fetid adj.#malodorous. The neglected wound became fetid. #fetter v.#shackle. The prisoner was fettered to the wall.#fiasco n.#total failure. Tanya's attempt to look sophisticated by taking up smoking was a fiasco: she lit the filter, choked when she tried to inhale, and burned a hole in her boyfriend's couch.#fickle adj.#changeable; faithless. As soon as Romeo saw Juliet, he forgot all about his old girlfriend Rosaline. Was Romeo fickle?#fictitious adj.#imaginary. Although this book purports to be a biography of George Washington, many of the incidents are fictitious.#fidelity n.#loyalty. Iago wickedly manipulates Othello, arousing his jealousy and causing him to question his wife's fidelity.#figment n.#invention; imaginary thing. Was he hearing real voices in the night, or were they just a figment of his imagination?#figurative adj.#not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of speech. "To lose one's marbles" is a figurative expression; if you're told that Jack has lost his marbles, no one expects you to rush out to buy him a replacement set.#figurine n.#small ornamental statuette. In The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird.#filament n.#fine thread or fiber; threadlike structure within a lightbulb. A ray of sunlight illuminated the filaments of the spider web, turning the web into a net of gold.#filch v.#steal. The boys filched apples from the fruit stand.#filial adj.#pertaining to a son or daughter. Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents.#filibuster v.#to block legislation by making long speeches. Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn's political goals, we were impressed by his ability to filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.#finale n.#conclusion. It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author's message.#finesse n.#delicate skill. The finesse and adroitness with which the surgeon wielded her scalpel impressed all the observers in the operating room.#finicky adj.#too particular; fussy. The little girl was finicky about her food, leaving over anything that wasn't to her taste.#firebrand n.#hothead: troublemaker. The police tried to keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.#fissure n.#crevice. The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock.#fitful adj.# spasmodic; intermittent. After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic.#flabbergasted adj.#astounded; astonished; overcome with surprise. In the film Flubber, the hero invents a remarkable substance whose amazing properties leave his coworkers flabbergasted. flabbergast, v.#flaccid adj.#flabby. His sedentary life had left him with flaccid muscles.#flag v.#droop; grow feeble. When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first quarter, the home team's spirits flagged. flagging, adj. #flagrant adj.# conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous. The governor's appointment of his brother-in-law to the State Supreme Court was a flagrant violation of the state laws against nepotism (favoritism based on kinship).#flair n.#talent. She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence.#flamboyant adj.#ornate. Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line.#flaunt v.#display ostentatiously. Mae West saw nothing wrong with showing off her considerable physical charms, saying, "Honey, if you've got it, flaunt it!"#fleck v.#spot. Her cheeks, flecked with tears, were testimony to the hours of weeping.#fledgling adj.#inexperienced. The folk dance club set up an apprentice program to allow fledgling dance callers a chance to polish their skills. also n.#fleece n.#wool coat of a sheep. They shear sheep of their fleece, which they then comb into separate strands of wool.#fleece v.#rob; plunder. The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance.#flick n.#light stroke as with a whip. The horse needed no encouragement; one flick of the whip was all the jockey had to apply to get the animal to run at top speed.#flinch v.#hesitate, shrink. He did not flinch in the face of danger but fought back bravely.#flippant adj.#lacking proper seriousness. When Mark told Mona he loved her, she dismissed his earnest declaration with a flippant "Oh, you say that to all the girls!" flippancy, n.#flit v.#fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by. Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next. #floe n.#mass of floating ice. The ship made slow progress as it battered its way through the ice floes.#flora n.#plants of a region or era. Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.#florid adj.# ruddy; reddish; flowery. If you go to Florida and get a sunburn, your complexion will look florid. If your postcards about the trip praise Florida in flowery words, your prose sounds florid.#flounder v.#struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter. Up to his knees in the bog, Floyd floundered about, trying to regain his footing. Bewildered by the new software, Flo floundered until Jan showed her how to get started.#flourish v.#grow well; prosper; decorate with ornaments. The orange trees flourished in the sun.#flout v.#reject; mock. The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be curbed.#fluctuate v.#waver; shift. The water pressure in our shower fluctuates wildly; you start rinsing yourself off with a trickle, and, two minutes later, a blast of water nearly knocks you down.#fluency n.#smoothness of speech. He spoke French with fluency and ease.#fluke n.#unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune. When Douglas defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship, some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke.#fluster v.#confuse. The teacher's sudden question flustered him and he stammered his reply.#flux n.#flowing; series of changes. While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.#fodder n.#coarse food for cattle, horses, etc. One of Nancy's chores at the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses' stalls.#foible n.#weakness; slight fault. We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.#foil n.#contrast. In Star Wars, dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired, naive Luke Skywalker.#foil v.#defeat; frustrate. In the end, Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes.#foliage n.#masses of leaves. Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive through New England to admire the colorful fall foliage.#foment v.#stir up; instigate. Cheryl's archenemy Heather spread some nasty rumors that fomented trouble in the club. Do you think Cheryl's foe meant to foment such discord?#foolhardy adj.# rash. Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture.#fop n.#dandy; man excessively concerned with his clothes. People who dismissed young Mizrahi as a fop felt chagrined when he turned into one of the top fashion designers of his day. foppish, adj. #forbearance n.#patience. Be patient with John. Treat him with forbearance: he is still weak from his illness.#ford n.#place where a river can be crossed on foot. Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge, David walked a half-mile downstream until he came to the nearest ford. also v.#forebears n.#ancestors. Reverence for one's forebears (sometimes referred to as ancestor worship) plays an important part in many Oriental cultures.#foreboding n.#premonition of evil. Suspecting no conspiracies against him, Caesar gently ridiculed his wife's forebodings about the Ides of March. #forensic adj.#suitable to debate or courts of law. In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury. forensics, n.#foreshadow v.#give an indication beforehand; portend; prefigure. In retrospect, political analysts realized that Yeltsin's defiance of the attempted coup foreshadowed his emergence as the dominant figure of the new Russian republic.#foresight n.#ability to foresee future happenings; prudence. A wise investor, she had the foresight to buy land just before the current real estate boom.#forestall v.#prevent by taking action in advance. By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce.#forgo v.#give up; do without. Determined to lose weight for the summer, Ida decided to forgo dessert until she could fit into a size eight again.#forlorn adj.#sad and lonely; wretched. Deserted by her big sisters and her friends, the forlorn child sat sadly on the steps awaiting their return.#formality n.#ceremonious quality; something done just for form's sake. The president received the visiting heads of state with due formality: flags waving, honor guards standing at attention, anthems sounding at full blast. Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you in any way. #formidable adj.#inspiring fear or apprehension; difficult; awe-inspiring. In the film Meet the Parents, the hero is understandably nervous around his fiancee's father, a formidable CIA agent.#forsake v.#desert; abandon; renounce. No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman.#forswear v.#renounce; abandon. The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the one true faith.#forte n.#strong point or special talent. I am not eager to play this rather serious role, for my forte is comedy.#forthright adj.#outspoken; straightforward; frank. Never afraid to call a spade a spade, she was perhaps too forthright to be a successful party politician.#fortitude n.#bravery; courage. He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle.#fortuitous adj.#accidental; by chance. Though he pretended their encounter was fortuitous, he'd actually been hanging around her usual haunts for the past two weeks, hoping she'd turn up.#forum n.#place of assembly to discuss public concerns; meeting for discussion. The film opens with a shot of the ancient Forum in Rome, where several senators are discussing the strange new sect known as Christians. At the end of the movie, its director presided over a forum examining new fashions in filmmaking.#foster v.#rear; encourage. According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf who raised the abandoned infants with her own cubs. also adj. #founder v.#fail completely; sink. After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered.#founder n.#person who establishes (an organization, business). Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham &amp; Straus department store.#fracas n.#brawl, melee. The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents. #fractious adj.#unruly; disobedient; irritable. Bucking and kicking, the fractious horse unseated its rider. #frail adj.#weak. The delicate child seemed too frail to lift the heavy carton. frailty, n.#franchise n.#right granted by authority; right to vote; business licensed to sell a product in a particular territory. The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine years. For most of American history women lacked the right to vote: not until the early twentieth century was the franchise granted to women. Stan owns a Carvel's ice cream franchise in Chinatown.#frantic adj.#wild. At the time of the collision, many people became frantic with fear.#fraternize v.#associate in a friendly way. After the game, the members of the two teams fraternized as cheerfully as if they had never been rivals.#fraudulent adj.#cheating; deceitful. The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading advertising.#fraught adj.#filled. Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks.#fray n.#brawl. The three musketeers were in the thick of the fray.#frenetic adj.#frenzied; frantic. His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan of operation.#frenzied adj.#madly excited. As soon as they smelled smoke, the frenzied animals milled about in their cages. #fresco n.#painting on plaster (usually fresh). The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the frescoes by Giotto.#fret v.#to be annoyed or vexed. To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work harder in the future.#friction n.#clash in opinion; rubbing against. At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have any friction in our group. #frigid adj.#intensely cold. Alaska is in the frigid zone.#frivolous adj.# lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant. Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be serious. frivolity, n.#frolicsome adj.#prankish; gay. The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master.#frond n.#fern leaf; palm or banana leaf. After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees.#frugality n.# thrift; economy. In economically hard times, anyone who doesn't learn to practice frugality risks bankruptcy. frugal, adj. #fruition n.#bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization. After years of saving and scrimping, her dream of owning her own home finally came to fruition.#frustrate v.#thwart; defeat. Constant partisan bickering frustrated the governor's efforts to convince the legislature to approve his proposed budget.#fugitive adj.#fleeting or transitory; roving. The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind, but on the whole it made no lasting impression upon her.#fulcrum n.#support on which a lever rests. If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we may be able to move this boulder.#fulsome adj.#disgustingly excessive. Disgusted by her fans' fulsome admiration, the movie star retreated from the public, crying, "I want to be alone!"#fundamental v.#basic; primary; essential. The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever getting down to addressing the fundamental problem.#furlough n.#leave of absence; vacation granted a soldier or civil servant. Dreaming of her loved ones back in the States, the young soldier could hardly wait for her upcoming furlough.#furor n.#frenzy; great excitement. The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the Stock Exchange.#furtive adj.# stealthy; sneaky. Noticing the furtive glance the customer gave the diamond bracelet on the counter, the jeweler wondered whether he had a potential shoplifter on his hands.#fusion n.#union; blending; synthesis. So-called rockabilly music represents a fusion of country music and blues that became rock and roll.#futile adj.#useless; hopeless; ineffectual. It is futile for me to try to get any work done around here while the telephone is ringing every thirty seconds. futility, n.#