fustian
564
'Would you like tea or coffee?' 'I'm not fussy.' (=I would like
either.) | [+WH-] Are you fussy what time we have dinner? —ily
adv —iness n [U]
fus·ti·an /'fʌstɪən||-tʃən/ adj, n [A;U] 1 (made from) a type of
rough heavy cotton material 2 rare (consisting of) empty,
important-sounding words
fus·ty /'fʌsti/ adj derog 1 (of a room, box, clothes etc) having
an unpleasant smell as a result of having been shut up for a
long time, especially when not quite dry 2 infml not modern;
old-fashioned: We want to clear away all these fusty ideas
about education and bring in some up-to-date methods.
—tiness n [U]
fu·tile /'fju:taɪl||-tl/ adj 1 (of an action) having no effect;
unsuccessful; useless: All my attempts to unlock the door were
futile, because I was using the wrong key. | Don't waste time by
asking futile questions. | It's futile to complain. 2 rare (of a
person) lacking ability to succeed: INEFFECTUAL —tility
/'fju:'tɪləti/ n [U] the futility of war
fu·ton /'fju:tɒn||-ta:n/ n 1 a large bag filled with cotton,
feathers etc, used as a bed in Japan, which can be rolled up
and put away during the day → see picture at BED 2 a
similar MATTRESS on a wooden frame, used in other coun-
tries as a SOFA that can also be used as a bed
fu·ture¹ /'fju:tʃər/ n 1 [the] the time after the present; time
that has not yet come: It's a good idea to save some money for
the future. | The old lady claims to be able to tell what will
happen in the future. | At some time in the future, we may all
work fewer hours a day. | In the distant future (=much later)
people may live on the moon. | We're hoping to move to
Scotland in the near future (=soon)/ in the not too distant
future. (=quite soon) 2 [C] that which will happen to
someone or something in the future: I wish you a very happy
future. | The company's future is uncertain. | He has a great
future ahead of him as an actor. (=he is likely to become
successful and famous) | These unemployed young people have
not got much of a future. (=much chance of becoming
successful) 3 [U(in) usually in questions and negatives] infml likelihood
of success: There's no future in trying to sell fur coats in a hot
country. 4 [the] tech (in grammar) the form of a verb that
shows that the act or state described will happen or exist at
a later time: In the sentence 'I will leave tomorrow', the verb
'will' indicates the future. 5 in future BrE || in the future AmE
(used especially in giving warnings) from now on: In future,
make sure you get here on time. → compare PAST 6 I have
seen the future, and it works quote a phrase used by Lincoln
Steffens (1866–1936) after he had visited the Soviet Union
in 1919. People often repeat it with slight changes in a
humorous way: I have seen the future and it costs a packet. |
They have seen the future and it stinks.
future² adj [A] 1 belonging to or happening in the time after
the present: I'd like you to meet my future wife. (=the woman
I am going to marry) | This brilliant young player may be a
future member of the England team. | You couldn't have
known about it, but for future reference (=remember this for
the next time) his parents must be consulted first. 2 tech (in
grammar) being the form of a verb used to show a future act
or state: the future tense
future 'perfect, the n tech (in grammar) the form of a verb
that shows that the action described by the verb will be
complete before a particular time in the future, formed in
English by will have or shall have and a past participle
—future perfect adj
fu·tures /'fju:tʃəz||-ərz/ n [P] tech (agreements or contracts
for) goods bought and sold in large quantities at the present
price, but not produced or sent until a later time: the futures
market
'futures ,market → see FORWARD MARKET
'Future ,Systems trademark a company of ARCHITECTS,
known for designing interesting and unusual buildings such
as the Media Centre at Lord's Cricket Ground and the
Selfridge's DEPARTMENT STORE in Birmingham
fu·tur·ism /'fju:tʃərɪzəm/ n [U] (often cap.) a new style of
painting, music, and literature in the early 20th century
which claimed to express the violent active quality of life in
the modern age of machines —ist n
fu·tur·is·tic /ˌfju:tʃə'rɪstɪk / adj 1 dealing with the future,
especially by imagining what may happen then: She writes
futuristic novels about voyages to distant galaxies. 2 infml, often
derog of strange modern appearance; having no connection
with known forms of art: futuristic furniture, made of steel
tubes and plastic —tically /-kli/ adv
fuzz¹ /fʌz/ n 1 [U] infml a mass of soft thin hair, or hair-like
substance: Apricots are covered in fuzz. 2 AmE for FLUFF
fuzz² v [T] to make (something) fuzzy
fuzz³ n [the+sing./pl. v] slang becoming old-fash the police
fuzz·y /'fʌzi/ adj infml 1 (of hair) standing up in a light short
mass 2 (of something seen or heard) not clear in shape or
sound: The television picture/sound is rather fuzzy
tonight. 3 (of cloth, clothing etc) having a raised soft hairy
surface —ily adv —iness n [U]
fwd written abbrev. for forward;
f-word, the /'ef wɜ:dl||-wɜ:rd/ n euph for FUCK (used only
when talking about the word 'fuck', and not used instead of
the word): That child has terrible language — he uses the
f-word without even thinking about it!
fwy written abbrev. for FREEWAY
FX /ˌef 'eks/ 1 an abbrev. for FOREIGN EXCHANGE 2 an abbrev. for
SPECIAL EFFECTS
FY AmE written abbrev. for FISCAL YEAR
FYI abbrev. for for your information