F — False Ceiling to Farmer George (Part 1 of 3)

False Ceiling The space between the garret-ceiling and the roof.

Falstaff A fat, sensual, boastful, and mendacious knight; full of wit and humour; he was the boon companion of Henry, Prince of Wales. (1 and 2 Henry IV., and Merry Wives of Windsor.)

Falutin (High). Oratorical bombast; affected pomposity; "Ercles vein." (See Hifaluten.)
   None of your high falutin airs with me. None of your swell ways with me. (Dutch, verlooten.)

Familiar A cat, dog, raven, or other dumb creature, petted by a "witch," and supposed to be her demon in disguise. (See below.)

Familiar Spirits Spirit slaves. From the Latin, famulus (an attendant).

"Away with him! he has a familiar under his tongue." - Shakespeare: 2 Henry VI., iv. 7.

Familiarity Too much familiarity breeds contempt.
   Latin: Nimia familiaritas contemptum parit.
   French: La familiarité engendre le mépris.
   Italian: La famigliarità fà dispregiamento.

"E tribus optimis rebus tres pessimæ oriuntur: e veritate odium; e familiaritate contemptus; e felicitate invidia." - Plutarch (translated).

Familists Members of the "Family of Love," a fanatical sect founded by David George, of Delft, in 1556. They maintained that all men are of one family, and should love each other as brothers and sisters. Their system is called Familism.

Family A person of family. One of aristocratic birth. The Latin gens.

"Family will take a person anywhere." -
Warner: Little Journey in the World, chap. iv.

Fan I could brain him with his lady's fan (1 Henry IV., ii. 3) - i.e. knock his brains out with a fan handle. The ancient fans had long handles, so that ladies used their fans for walking-sticks, and it was by no means unusual for very testy dames to chastise unruly children by beating them with their fan-sticks.

"Wer't not better
Your head were broken with the handle of a fan?"
Beaumont and Fletcher: Wit at Several Weapons, v.

Fan-light (A), placed over a door, is a semicircular window with radiating bars, like the ribs of an open fan.

Fanatic Those transported with religious or temple madness. Among the Romans there were certain persons who attended the temples and fell into strange fits, in which they pretended to see spectres, and uttered what were termed predictions. (Latin, fanum, a temple.)

"That wild energy which leads
The enthusiast to fanatic deeds."
Hemans: Tale of the Secret Tribunal.

Fancy Love - i.e. the passion of the fantasy or imagination. A fancyman is a man (not your husband) whom you fancy or select for chaperon.

"Tell me where is fancy bred,
Or in the heart or in the head."
Shakespeare: Merchant of Venice, iii. 2.

   The fancy. Pugilists. So called because boxing is the chief of sports, and fancy means sports, pets, or fancies. Hence "dog-fanciers," "pigeon-fanciers," etc.

Fancy-free Not in love.

"In maiden meditation fancy-free."
Shakespeare: Midsummer Night's Dream, ii. 2.

Fancy Man (A). A cavalier servant or cicisbeo; one selected by a married lady to escort her to theatres, etc., to ride about with her, and to amuse her. The man she "fancies" or likes.

Fancy-sick Love-sick.

"All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer."
Shakespeare: Midsummer Night's Dream, iii. 2.

Fanesii A Scandinavian tribe far north, whose ears were so long that they would cover their whole body. (Pliny.)