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fishing expedition

An investigation searching for evidence of wrongdoing, with no credible evidence of such wrongdoing available at the outset of the investigation, and often without specifying in advance the wrongdoing to be proven.

Fishlike

Like fish; suggestive of fish; having some of the qualities of fish.

Fishskin

The skin of a fish (dog fish, shark, etc.)

fishtail

to have the rear end skid from side to side, out of control: -- said of automobiles or other vehicles.

Fishwoman

A woman who retails fish; a female fishmonger.

Fishy

Consisting of fish; fishlike; having the qualities or taste of fish; abounding in fish.

Fisk

To run about; to frisk; to whisk.

Fissigemmation

A process of reproduction intermediate between fission and gemmation.

Fissile

Capable of being split, cleft, or divided in the direction of the grain, like wood, or along natural planes of cleavage, like crystals.

Fissilinguia

A group of Lacertilia having the tongue forked, including the common lizards.

Fission

A cleaving, splitting, or breaking up into parts.

fissionable

Capable of undergoing nuclear fission; -- a property of certain isotopes of elements with heavy nuclei.

Fissipalmate

Semipalmate and loboped, as a grebe's foot. See Illust. under Aves.

Fissiparous

Reproducing by spontaneous fission. See Fission.

Fissipedia

A division of the Carnivora, including the dogs, cats, and bears, in which the feet are not webbed; -- opposed to Pinnipedia.

Fissirostral

Having the bill cleft beyond the horny part, as in the case of swallows and goatsuckers.

Fissural

Pertaining to a fissure or fissures; as, the fissural pattern of a brain.

Fissuration

The act of dividing or opening; the state of being fissured.

Fissure

To cleave; to divide; to crack or fracture.

Fissurella

A genus of marine gastropod mollusks, having a conical or limpetlike shell, with an opening at the apex; -- called also keyhole limpet.

Fist

To strike with the fist.

Fistic

Pertaining to boxing, or to encounters with the fists; puglistic; as, fistic exploits; fistic heroes.

Fisticuff

A cuff or blow with the fist or hand a fight with the fists; boxing.

Fistuca

An instrument used by the ancients in driving piles.

Fistular

Hollow and cylindrical, like a pipe or reed.

Fistularia

A genus of fishes, having the head prolonged into a tube, with the mouth at the extremity.

Fistulate

To make hollow or become hollow like a fistula, or pipe.

Fistulose

Formed like a fistula; hollow; reedlike.

Fistulous

Having the form or nature of a fistula; as, a fistulous ulcer.

Fit

A stroke or blow.

Fitch

The European polecat; also, its fur.

fitche

Sharpened to a point; pointed.

Fitful

Full of fits; irregularly variable; impulsive and unstable.

Fitly

In a fit manner; suitably; properly; conveniently; as, a maxim fitly applied.

Fitment

The act of fitting; that which is proper or becoming; equipment.

Fitness

The state or quality of being fit; as, the fitness of measures or laws; a person's fitness for office.

Fittedness

The state or quality of being fitted; adaptation.

Fitter

A little piece; a flitter; a flinder.

Fitting

Fit; appropriate; suitable; proper.

Fitweed

A plant (Eryngium f/tidum) supposed to be a remedy for fits.

Fitz

A son; -- used in compound names, to indicate paternity, esp. of the illegitimate sons of kings and princes of the blood; as, Fitzroy, the son of the king; Fitzclarence, the son of the duke of Clarence.

Five

The number next greater than four, and less than six; five units or objects.

five-hitter

A game in which a pitcher allows the opposing team 5 hits.

five-spot

A California annual (Nemophila maculata) having white flowers with a deep purple blotch on each petal.

Five-twenties

Five-twenty bonds of the United States (bearing six per cent interest), issued in 1862, '64, and '65, redeemable after five and payable in twenty years.

Fivefold

In fives; consisting of five in one; five repeated; quintuple.

Fiveling

A compound or twin crystal consisting of five individuals.

Fives

A disease of the glands under the ear in horses; the vives.

Fix

A position of difficulty or embarassment; predicament; dilemma.

Fixation

The act of fixing, or the state of being fixed.

Fixative

That which serves to set or fix colors or drawings, as a mordant.

Fixed

Securely placed or fastened; settled; established; firm; imovable; unalterable.

Fixedly

In a fixed, stable, or constant manner.

Fixedness

The state or quality of being fixed; stability; steadfastness.

Fixing

The act or process of making fixed.

Fixity

Fixedness; as, fixity of tenure; also, that which is fixed.

Fixture

That which is fixed or attached to something as a permanent appendage; as, the fixtures of a pump; the fixtures of a farm or of a dwelling, that is, the articles which a tenant may not take away.

Fixure

Fixed position; stable condition; firmness.

fizgig

A gadding, flirting girl.

fizz

To make a hissing sound, such as that of a burning fuse or a bubbling carbonated beverage.

Fizz

A hissing sound; as, the fizz of a fly.

fizzle

A failure or abortive effort; a fiasco.

flab

Loose or flaccid body fat.

Flabbergast

To astonish; to strike with wonder, esp. by extraordinary statements.

flabby

Yielding to the touch, and easily moved or shaken; hanging loose by its own weight; wanting firmness; flaccid; as, flabby flesh.

Flabellation

The act of keeping fractured limbs cool by the use of a fan or some other contrivance.

Flabelliform

Having the form of a fan; fan-shaped; flabellate.

Flabellinerved

Having many nerves diverging radiately from the base; -- said of a leaf.

Flabellum

A fan; especially, the fan carried before the pope on state occasions, made in ostrich and peacock feathers.

flaccid

Yielding to pressure for want of firmness and stiffness; soft and weak; limber; lax; drooping; flabby; as, a flaccid muscle; flaccid flesh.

Flacherie

A bacterial disease of silkworms, supposed to be due to eating contaminated mulberry leaves.

Flacket

A barrel-shaped bottle; a flagon.

Flacon

A small glass bottle with a stopper; as, a flacon for perfume.

Flag

To lay with flags of flat stones.

flag-waving

fanatically patriotic; same as chauvinistic.

Flagellant

One of a fanatical sect which flourished in Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries, and maintained that flagellation was of equal virtue with baptism and the sacrament; -- called also disciplinant.

Flagellata

An order of Infusoria, having one or two long, whiplike cilia, at the anterior end. It includes monads. See Infusoria, and Monad.

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