front-end
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people, as opposed to the part which is in the background: We're hoping to get a new front end without updating our mainframe.
'front·end adj AmE infml happening or needed at the beginning: She wants a front-end payment of $50,000 with the rest due in six months.
fron·tier /'frʌntɪəʳ||'frʌn'tər/ n 1 [C[between, with]] the limit or edge of the land of one country, where it meets the land of another country; border: They were shot trying to cross the frontier. | Sweden has frontiers with Norway and Finland. 2 [the] the area between settled and wild country, especially in the US in former times: Areas near the frontier were rough and lawless in the old days. 3 [C[often]] also frontiers pl. a border between what is known and what is unknown: They are pushing back the frontiers of medical knowledge.
fron·tiers·man /'frʌntɪəzmən||frʌn'tɪərz-/ n pl. -men /-mən/ a man living on the edge of a settled area (FRONTIER); an early settler
fron·tis·piece /'frʌntɪspi:s/ n a picture or photograph at the beginning of a book, usually on the left-hand page opposite the title page
,front 'line, the n 1 the most advanced or important position: in the front line of the fight against disease 2 the area where fighting takes place in a war; the FRONT: soldiers in the front line —front-line adj [A] front-line soldiers
,front-line 'states n [P] the name given to the countries nearest South Africa, such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, which opposed the system of APARTHEID in South Africa
'front man n someone who explains the views or future plans of especially a large company or illegal organization to the public: a front man for the Mafia/Bureau of Indian Affairs
'front-page adj [A] infml so interesting, important, or exciting that it is worthy of being printed on the front page of a newspaper: front-page news | a front-page story
,front 'room n a LIVING ROOM in a small house or flat, not usually in a large house
,front-'runner n a person (or sometimes a thing) that has the best chance of success in competing for something: 'Who do you think will get the job?' 'Thomson, Murray, and Jenkinson are the three front-runners.' | The government has several options for increasing its revenue, but the current front-runner is an increase in local taxes.
frost¹ /frɒst||frɔ:st/ n 1 [U] a white powdery substance (frozen DEW) formed on outside surfaces when the temperature of the air is below freezing point: The grass was covered with frost in the morning. 2 [C;U] (a period or state of) weather at a temperature below the freezing point of water: There was a hard (=severe) frost last night. | The young shoots have been damaged by a late frost. (=one towards the end of spring) | Frost has killed several of our new young plants. | (tech) There was five degrees of frost last night. (=the temperature was -5° Celsius) → see also FROSTY, JACK FROST
frost² v 1 [I;T (OVER, UP)] to (cause to) become covered with frost: The cold has frosted the windows. | The fields have frosted over. | The car windscreen has frosted up. 2 [T] to make (something, especially glass) look as if it is covered with frost: frosted glass (=glass through which you cannot see clearly) | Her cocktail glass was frosted with sugar. 3 [T] especially AmE to cover (a cake) with a mixture of fine powdery sugar and liquid; ICE
Frost, Ro·bert /'rɒbət||'rɑ:bərt/ (1874–1963) an American writer who is considered by many people to be the greatest American POET of the 20th century. He is known for his poems about life in the country, especially in New England. He won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times.
Frost, Sir David (1939–) a British television PRESENTER, who appeared in the humorous political programme That Was The Week That Was in the 1960s, and is now known especially for his British and US television programmes in which he talks to politicians and asks them questions
frost·bite /'frɒstbaɪt||'frɔ:st-/ n [U] harmful swelling and discoloration of a person's limbs, caused by great cold: The rescued climbers were brought down from the mountain suffering from frostbite. —bitten /-bɪtn/ adj: frostbitten toes
frost·bound /'frɒstbaʊnd||'frɔ:st-/ adj (of the ground) hardened by FROST: We can't plant the vegetables while the earth is still frostbound.
frost·ing /'frɒstɪŋ||'frɔ:stɪŋ/ n [U] 1 a non-shiny surface on glass or metal 2 especially AmE a covering on a cake made from fine sugar and liquid; ICING
frost·y /'frɒstɪl||'frɔ:sti/ adj 1 a) very cold: It was a frosty morning. b) covered with FROST: The fields look frosty this morning. 2 unfriendly; cold: She gave me a frosty greeting. —ily adv —iness n [U]
froth¹ /frɒθ||frɔ:θ/ n 1 [S;U] a white mass of small bubbles formed on top of a liquid, or in the mouth; FOAM: the froth on a glass of beer 2 [U] derog a light empty show of talk or ideas: The play was amusing, but it was little more than froth. → see also FROTHY
froth² v [I] to make or produce froth: The beer frothed as it was poured out. | The sick animal was frothing at the mouth. | (humor) 'Is he annoyed about it?' 'Yes, he's frothing at the mouth!' (=showing signs of great excitement and anger)
froth·y /'frɒθi||'frɔ:θi/ adj 1 full of or covered with froth: frothy beer | frothy coffee 2 sometimes derog light and amusing; without serious content: a frothy piece of entertainment —ily adv —iness n [U]
frown /fraʊn/ v [I] to bring the EYEBROWS together in anger or effort, causing lines to appear on the forehead: He frowned with displeasure as he read his son's school report. | A fiddly task, like threading a needle, often makes you frown. | (fig.) frowning cliffs (=having an unfriendly threatening appearance) —ingly adv
frown on/upon sthg. phr v [T] to disapprove of: Mary wanted to go to Europe by herself, but her parents frowned on the idea. | Smoking in the building is rather frowned on here.
frown² n a serious or displeased look, causing lines on the forehead: She looked at her exam paper with a worried frown.
froze /frəʊz/ past tense of FREEZE
fro·zen¹ /'frəʊzən/ past participle of FREEZE
frozen² adj 1 frozen food has been stored at a very low temperature in order to preserve it: You can use fresh or frozen fish. | frozen peas → see FREEZE 2 be frozen (stiff) to feel very cold: You must be frozen! Come and sit by the fire. 3 earth that is frozen is so cold it has become very hard: The ground is frozen for most of the year. | the frozen wastes of Siberia 4 a river, lake etc that is frozen has a layer of ice on the surface 5 be frozen with fear/terror/fright to be so afraid, shocked etc that you cannot move
fruc·ti·fy /'frʌktɪfaɪ/ v [I;T] fm 1 to (cause to) produce fruit 2 to (cause to) produce successful results —fication /ˌfrʌktɪfɪ'keɪʃən/ n [U]
fru·gal /'fru:gəl/ adj 1 not wasteful; careful in the use of money, food etc: Although he's become rich, he's still very frugal with his money. | frugal habits 2 small in quantity and cost; MEAGRE: a frugal supper of bread and cheese —ly adv —ity /fru:'gælɪti/ n [U]
fruit¹ /fru:t/ n 1 [C;U] (a particular variety of) the parts of a tree or bush that contain seeds and are often eaten for their usually sweet flesh: Apples, oranges, strawberries, and bananas are kinds of fruit/are all fruit. | Would you like fruit or cheese after your main course? | The potato is a vegetable not a fruit. | This drink is made from four tropical fruits. | a fruit bowl | a fruit flan | dried fruit → see also SOFT FRUIT 2 [C] tech a seed-containing part of any plant 3 [C] also fruits pl. a result: It was a tragedy that he died before he could enjoy the fruits (=rewards) of all his hard work. | Their plans haven't borne fruit. (=had a successful result) → see also FRUITFUL 4 BrE old-fash slang (used for addressing a male friend): Hello, old fruit! 5 [C] AmE derog slang a male HOMOSEXUAL
fruit² v [I] tech (of a tree, bush etc) to produce fruit: The apple trees are fruiting early this year.
,Fruit and 'Nut trademark a type of chocolate bar containing nuts and RAISINS, made by the Cadbury company
'fruit bat also flying fox n a large type of flying animal (BAT) that lives in hot countries and feeds on fruit