feminize
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femi-nize also -ise BE /'femənaiz/ v [T] to change something so that it includes women, is suitable for women, or is considered typical of women: women who resist cultural attempts to feminize them
femme fatele /faem fa'ta:li,fem-/ n pl. femmes fatales (same pronunciation) Fr a woman who attracts men, especially into dangerous situations, by ber mysterious charm
fe-mur /fi:mər/ n pl. femurs or femora /femara/ med the long bone in the upper part of the leg -femoral /'femaral/ adj
fen /fen/ n an area of low wet land, especially in E England →
see also FENS
fence¹/fens/ n 1 an upright structure like a wall, but made of posts of wood or metal joined together by boards of wood or wire, dividing two areas of land: They were talking across the garden fence. 1 a picket fence→ compare WALL 2 slang someone who buys and sells stolen goods 3 on/off the fence in/not in a situation where one avoids taking sides in an argument, in order to see where one's own advantage lies: Stop sitting on the fence and say what you really think. 1
Why don't you come down off the fence and commit yourself for once? → see also mend (one's) fences (MEND¹)
fence² v 1 (I) to fight with a long thin sword as a sport 2 [(for)] to try to gain an advantage over an opponent who is doing the same: The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead. 3 [(AROUND)] to put a fence round: The tree was fenced around with wire.
fence sthg./sbdy. ⇔ in phr v [T] 1 to surround or close in (an area) with a fence, especially to protect what is inside: We fenced in the garden to keep the sheep out. 2 to keep in by surrounding with a fence: Why don't you fence your sheep in? | (fig) I like being at home with the baby, but sometimes I feel very fenced in.
fence sthg. ⇔ off phr v [T] to separate or shut out (an area) with a fence: We fenced off the lake in case the children should fall in.
fenc.er/'fensər/ n someone who fences as a sport
fencing/fensin/ n [U] 1 the sport of fighting with a long sword 2 (material for making) fences: Has the fencing been delivered to the site? 1 The camp was surrounded by wire fencing.
fend/fend/ v fend for oneself to look after oneself: I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.
fend sthg. ⇔ off phr v [T] to push away; act to avoid: She fended off their blows with her arms. | He fended off the difficult questions.
fender /'fender/ n 1 a low metal wall round an open fireplace, to stop the coal from falling out 2 AmE for a) WI (a guard over the wheel of a car) → see picture at CAR b) MUDGUARD → see picture at BICYCLE 3 an object such as a mass of rope, an old tyre, a lump of wood etc, that hangs over the side of a boat to protect it from damage by other boats or when coming to land
'fender-bender n AmE infml a car accident in which no people are hurt and there is only slight damage to cars: Traffic was held up because of a fender-bender on the expressway.
feng shui,/fen 'wei/ n [U] a Chinese method of arranging things inside your home, in order to bring good luck, wealth, good health, and happiness, which some people in the US and UK also try
fen-land /'fenland, -land/ n [C,U] a FEN
fen-nel /'fenl/ n [U] a plant with yellow flowers whose root can be eaten and whose leaves and seeds are used for giving a special taste to food
Fens, the /fenz/ an area of flat land in eastern England which used to be partly covered by the sea and now produces good crops
fe-nu-greek /'fenju,gri:k/n [U] an Asian plant whose seeds are used for giving a special taste to food, especially in Indian cooking
Fen-way Park /'fenwer 'paikll-pa:rkl the home STADIUM of the Boston Red Sox baseball team in Boston, Massachusetts
fer-al /'feral, 'fararal/ adj [no comp.] tech (of an animal) wild, especially after living with people and later escaping feral cats/pigeons
Ferdinand, Rio /'f3:danandl far-, 'ri:au/ (1978-) a British FOOTBALLER who was bought by Manchester United in 2002 for £30 million. This was the highest price a British club had ever paid for a DEFENDER at the time. He has also played for the English national team. He was BANNED from playing for eight months after he forgot to attend a DRUGS TEST (=test that shows if someone has taken illegal drugs) in September 2003.
Ferdinand and Isabella /,f3:dinand. and iza'bolal, far-/ King Ferdinand of Spain (1452-1516), and his wife, Queen Isabella of Spain (1451-1504), who were known as the Catholic Monarchs. They are famous for giving Christopher Columbus the money and ships to make the journey on which he discovered America.
Fergie /f3:gilfar-/ a naine used especially in British popular newspapers for either Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, or Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United football club
Ferguson, Sarah /'f:garsanl'f3:r-, 'seara/ → see
DUCHESs OF YORK
Ferguson, Sir Al-ex /'aeliks/ (1941-) a Scottish football player, best known as the manager of Manchester United, a very successful English football club. He is often called 'Fergie' in the newspapers.
Fermanagh/famǝna|fər-/ a former COUNTY in the southwest of Northern Ireland, now a local government DISTRICT
fer-menti /fa'mentlfor-/ v [LT] 1 to (cause to) change chemically and become filled with gas by the action of certain living substances such as YEAST, especially in such a way that sugar turns to alcohol: The wine is beginning to ferment. I Cider is fermented apple juice. 2 to be in or cause (a state of political trouble and excitement): His speeches fermented trouble among the workforce —ation /,f3:men'teran, f3:rmən-/ n [U]
fer-ment /f3:mantil'f3:r-/ n [U] (the condition of) trouble and excitement, especially of a political kind: UNREST: The whole country was in a state of ferment.
Fermi, Enrico /'farmil f3:r., en'ri:kəu/ (1901-54) a US scientist, born in Italy, who won a Nobel prize for his work on RADIOACTIVITY and produced the first controlled NUCLEAR REACTION (a process in which the parts in the centre of an atom are rearranged to form new substances).
fern fern
fern /f3:n1f3:rn/ n a green plant with feathery shaped leaves and no flowers -femny adj
fe-ro-cious/farousas/ adj fierce, cruel, and violent: a ferocious lion la ferocious attack | (fig.) The heat is fero- cious today. ¹ly adv
-ness n [U]
fe-ro-ci-ty
/fo'rostiltfə'ra:-/ n [U] fero- ciousness
Fer-ra-ri /fa'ra:ri/ trademark a very fast expensive type of car made by the Italian company Ferrari, which produces both SPORTS CARS and RACING CARS
Fer-re-ro Rocher /fe rearau rofell-roſfei/ trademark a type of chocolate, wrapped in gold paper. Ferrero Rocher chocolates are popular to give as gifts and Ferrero Rocher is known for their television advertisements, in which the chocolates are given to all the guests at a party given by an AMBASSADOR.
fer-ret /'ferit/n 1 a small fierce European animal of the WEASEL family with a pointed nose, which catches rats and rabbits by going into their holes 2 someone who searches with great activity, especially habitually
ferret2 v [1] 1 [+adv / prep] infml to search by pushing things about: I've been ferreting aboutlaround in my desk for that missing letter. 2 to hunt rats and rabbits with ferrets