factory floor, the
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small cages and made to grow or produce eggs, milk etc, very quickly —factory-farm v —factory farming n [U]
factory 'floor, the also the shop floor n the part of a factory where ordinary workers do their jobs, away from the management: That decision won't go down well on the factory floor. (=with the workers)
fac-to-tum /fæk'təutəm/ n a servant who has to do all kinds of work
'fact sheet n a piece of paper with only the most important information about something, especially from a radio or television programme: Our fact sheet for this week's programme contains both these recipes. Write to...
'facts of 'life, the n euph the details of sex and how babies are born: Have you told your son the facts of life yet? ➜ see also FACT OF LIFE
fac-tu-al /'fæktʃuəl/ adj based (only) on fact: a factual account of the war —ly adv: factually accurate
fac-ul-ty /'fækəlti/ n 1 [(of)] a natural power of the mind or body: the faculty of hearing/memory | He has lost the use of his limbs but he is still in possession of all his faculties. (=can think, see, hear etc) 2 [(for, of)] an ability or skill: Yes, he does seem to have a faculty for making friends. 3 (often cap.) a group of similar subject departments in a university: The department of physics is in the Faculty of Science. 4 [+sing./pl. v] AmE all the teachers and other professional workers of a school, university, or college
FA Cup, the /ˌef eɪ 'kʌp/ n a football competition open to all AMATEUR and professional football teams in the FA in England and Wales, and arranged by the FA. It is the most PRESTIGIOUS football competition in England: Liverpool won the FA Cup. ➜ see also FOOTBALL
fad /fæd/ n infml something that people like or do for a short time: His interest in photography is only a passing fad. | the latest fad —dish adj —dishly adv —dy adj
'fad,diet n a DIET of few or strange foods which is supposed to make people lose weight but which is often unsuccessful
fade /feid/ v 1 [(AWAY);T] to (cause to) lose brightness, colour, strength, freshness etc: Flowers soon fade when they have been cut. | These curtains were once bright green but the sun has faded them. 2 [(AWAY)] to disappear or die gradually: The shapes faded (away) into the night. | Hopes of a peace settlement are now fading.
fade in/up phr v [;T[= fade sthg./sbdy. ⇔ in/up)] (in film making or broadcasting) to (cause to) appear or be heard gradually: We fade in the closing music as the hero rides off into the sunset.
fade out phr v [;T[= fade sthg./sbdy. ⇔ out)] (in film making or broadcasting) to (cause to) disappear or become silent gradually: When she started insulting everyone during the television interview they faded her out and showed an advertisement.
—fadeout /'feidaut/ n
fae·ces also feces AmE /'fi:si:z/ n [P] fml or tech the solid waste material passed from the bowels —faecal /'fi:kəl/ adj
Fae·roe Is·lands, the, the Faroe Islands /'fearou aıləndz/ also the Faeroes, the Faroes a group of islands in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. They belong to Denmark, but have their own government.
fae-ry, faerie /'fearı/ n [U] poet the world or power of fairies; the imaginary world of stories —faery adj
faff /fæf/ v
faff about/around phr v [I] BrE infml to do unnecessary things without any organization: Sit down and stop faffing around. I'll do it.
fag¹ /fæg/ n BrE slang a cigarette
fag² n especially AmE derog slang for HOMOSEXUAL
fag³ n BrE infml 1 [S] an unpleasant and tiring piece of work: Cleaning the oven is a real fag! 2 [C] (in certain British PUBLIC SCHOOLS) a young pupil who has to do jobs for an older pupil
fag⁴ v -g- [I] BrE infml 1 [(for)] (of a pupil in certain British PUBLIC SCHOOLS) to have to do jobs for an older pupil 2 [(AWAY)] to work hard
'fag end n infml 1 [C] BrE || cigarette butt AmE the last bit of a smoked and usually no longer burning cigarette: an ashtray full of fag ends 2 [the S+of] especially BrE the very end or last part of something especially when it is of lower quality or less interesting: At the fag end of the football season the fans lose interest.
fagged /fægd/ also fagged 'out adj [F] BrE slang extremely tired
fag-got also fagot AmE /'fægıt/ n 1 BrE a ball of cut-up meat mixed with bread, which is cooked 2 especially AmE derog slang for HOMOSEXUAL 3 BrE derog slang an unpleasant or silly person: 'He thinks he's going to make a lot of money out of it.' 'Silly old faggot!' 4 old use a bunch of small sticks for burning
'fag-hag n especially AmE slang a woman who likes to spend time with HOMOSEXUAL men rather than with other men
Fa-gin /'fegın/ n a character in the book OLIVER TWIST by Charles DICKENS. Fagin is the leader of a group of young thieves, who collects and then sells the objects that they have stolen.
Fahd ibn Ab-dul-Aziz, King /fa:d ibən æbdələ'zi:z/ (1923-2005) the king of Saudi Arabia since 1982
Fah-ren-heit /'færənhart/ abbrev. F n [U] a temperature scale in which water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°: Is it measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit? | The temperature can reach 100° Fahrenheit in the summer. ➜ see Cultural Note at CELSIUS —Fahrenheit adj: a Fahrenheit thermometer
fai-ence /faı'انس, -'ons|fer'ans/ n [U] cups, dishes etc made of baked clay decorated with a GLAZE, of European origin
fail¹ /feıl/ v 1 [;T+to-v; obj] to not do what is expected, wanted, or needed: I tried to fix it but I failed. | If the crops fail (=do not grow) there will be a serious food shortage. | She failed miserably (=completely) in her attempt to persuade the committee. | The letter failed to arrive. | His secretary failed to tell him about the meeting. | My grandson never fails to phone me on my birthday. (=always telephones me) | I would be failing in my duty if I did not warn you of the dangers of your action. 2 [;T] to be unsuccessful in (a test or examination); not pass: 'Why did you fail (your driving test)?' 'I went through a red light.' 3 [T] to judge (someone) to be unsuccessful in a test or examination: He passed the practical exam but the teachers failed him in the written paper. 4 [T+to-v; obj; not in progressive forms] fml or pomp to be unable: I fail to see why you find it so amusing. 5 [I] to stop operating properly, or to be unable to continue: The rocket's engine failed a few seconds after takeoff. | When the price of oil doubled many businesses failed. 6 [T] to disappoint or leave (someone), especially at a difficult time: Her friends failed her when she most needed them. | At the last moment his courage failed him and he ran away. | When I think of all this waste words fail me. (=it makes me so angry that I cannot find words to describe it) 7 [I] to lose strength; become weak: The President's health is failing fast. | In the failing light I could hardly see the road in front of me.
fail² n 1 also F AmE an unsuccessful result in a test: 'What were your results?' 'A fail in history and passes in everything else.' 2 without fail with complete certainty: I'll bring you that book next time, without fail.
fail-ing¹ /'feılın/ n a fault, imperfection, or weakness: That machine has one big failing: it uses too much fuel.
failing² prep in the absence or failure of: You may find her in the cafeteria or failing that try the library.
'fail-safe adj 1 made so that a failure in any part causes the whole machine, plan etc to return to a safe, usually inactive, state: a fail-safe device/mechanism 2 that cannot fail: a fail-safe plan
fail-ure /'feılǝr/ n 1 [U] lack of success; act of failing: His plans ended in failure. 2 [C] a person, attempt, or thing that fails: As a writer, he was a complete failure. | She had many failures before finding the right method. | The party was a dismal failure. 3 [C/U] the non-performance or non-production of something: The drought caused crop failure. | She died of (a) heart failure. | [+to-v] the government's failure to carry out their election pledge 4 [C/U] inability of a business to continue, especially through lack of money
fain /fein/ adv old use 1 with pleasure: I would fain stay here for ever. 2 rather; as a PREFERENCE: They would fain be wed, but...
faint¹ /feınt/ adj 1 weak and about to lose consciousness: He felt faint from lack of food/faint with hunger 2 lacking clearness, brightness, strength etc: I heard a faint sound in the