9. A person, thing, or action, conceived of as analogous to another person, thing, or action, of which it
thus becomes a type or representative.
Who is the figure of Him that was to come.
Rom. v. 14. 10. (Rhet.) A mode of expressing abstract or immaterial ideas by words which suggest pictures or
images from the physical world; pictorial language; a trope; hence, any deviation from the plainest form
of statement.
To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing.
Macaulay. 11. (Logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
12. (Dancing) Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer.
13. (Astrol.) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. Johnson.
14. (Music) (a) Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce
a single complete and distinct impression. Grove.
(b) A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical phrase or motive; a
florid embellishment.
Figures are often written upon the staff in music to denote the kind of measure. They are usually in
the form of a fraction, the upper figure showing how many notes of the kind indicated by the lower are
contained in one measure or bar. Thus, 2/4 signifies that the measure contains two quarter notes. The
following are the principal figures used for this purpose: —
2/22/42/8 4/22/44/8 3/23/43/8 6/46/46/8
Academy figure, Canceled figures, Lay figure, etc. See under Academy, Cancel, Lay, etc. —
Figure caster, or Figure flinger, an astrologer. "This figure caster." Milton. - - Figure flinging,
the practice of astrology. — Figure-of-eight knot, a knot shaped like the figure 8. See Illust. under
Knot. — Figure painting, a picture of the human figure, or the act or art of depicting the human figure.
— Figure stone (Min.), agalmatolite. — Figure weaving, the art or process of weaving figured
fabrics. — To cut a figure, to make a display. [Colloq.] Sir W. Scott.
Figure
(Fig"ure), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Figured ; p. pr. & vb. n. Figuring.] [F. figurer, L. figurare, fr.
figura. See Figure, n.]
1. To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to
fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
If love, alas! be pain I bear,
No thought can figure, and no tongue declare.Prior.
2. To embellish with design; to adorn with figures.
The vaulty top of heaven
Figured quite o'er with burning meteors.
Shak. 3. To indicate by numerals; also, to compute.
As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen.
Dryden.
