foible

SYLLABICATION: foi·ble
PRONUNCIATION:
foi b l
NOUN: 1. A minor weakness or failing of character. 2. The weaker section of a sword blade, from the
middle to the tip.
ETYMOLOGY: Obsolete French foible, weak point of a sword, weak, from Old French feble, weak. See feeble.
foil1

PRONUNCIATION:
foil
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: foiled, foil·ing, foils
1. To prevent from being successful; thwart. 2. To obscure or confuse (a trail or scent) so as to
evade pursuers.
NOUN: Archaic 1. A repulse; a setback. 2. The trail or scent of an animal.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English foilen, to trample, defile, variant of filen, to defile. See file3.
foil2

PRONUNCIATION:
foil
NOUN: 1. A thin, flexible leaf or sheet of metal: aluminum foil. 2. A thin layer of polished metal placed
under a displayed gem to lend it brilliance. 3. One that by contrast underscores or enhances the
distinctive characteristics of another: “I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to
me” (Charlotte Brontë). 4. The reflective metal coating on the back of a glass mirror. 5.
Architecture A curvilinear, often lobelike figure or space formed between the cusps of
intersecting arcs, found especially in Gothic tracery and Moorish ornament. 6a. An airfoil. b.
Nautical A hydrofoil.
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: foiled, foil·ing, foils
1. To cover or back with foil. 2. To set off by contrast.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Old French foille, from Latin folia, pl. of folium, leaf. See bhel-3 in
Appendix I.
foil3

PRONUNCIATION:
foil
NOUN: 1. A fencing sword having a usually circular guard and a thin, flexible four-sided blade with a
button on the tip to prevent injury. 2. The art or sport of fencing with such a sword. Often used in
the plural: a contest at foils.
ETYMOLOGY: Origin unknown.
foliage

SYLLABICATION: fo·li·age
PRONUNCIATION:
f l - j, f l j
NOUN: 1a. Plant leaves, especially tree leaves, considered as a group. b. A cluster of leaves. 2. An
ornamental representation of leaves, stems, and flowers, especially in architecture.
ETYMOLOGY: Alteration (influenced by Latin folium, leaf) of Middle English foilage, from Old French
 foillage, from foille, leaf. See foil2.
OTHER FORMS:
fo li·aged —ADJECTIVE
folklore

SYLLABICATION: folk·lore
PRONUNCIATION:
f k lôr , -l r
NOUN: 1. The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally. 2. The
comparative study of folk knowledge and culture. Also called folkloristics. 3a. A body of widely
accepted but usually specious notions about a place, a group, or an institution: Rumors of their
antics became part of the folklore of Hollywood. b. A popular but unfounded belief.
OTHER FORMS:
folk lor ic —ADJECTIVE

folk lor ish —ADJECTIVE

folk lor ist —NOUN

folk lor·is tic —ADJECTIVE

folly

SYLLABICATION: fol·ly
PRONUNCIATION:
f l
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. fol·lies
1. A lack of good sense, understanding, or foresight. 2a. An act or instance of foolishness:
regretted the follies of his youth. b. A costly undertaking having an absurd or ruinous outcome.
3. follies (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An elaborate theatrical revue consisting of music, dance,
and skits. 4. Obsolete a. Perilously or criminally foolish action. b. Evil; wickedness. c.
Lewdness; lasciviousness.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English folie, from Old French, from fol, foolish, from Late Latin follis, windbag, fool.
See fool.
foment

SYLLABICATION: fo·ment
PRONUNCIATION:
f -m nt
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: fo·ment·ed, fo·ment·ing, fo·ments
1. To promote the growth of; incite. 2. To treat (the skin, for example) by fomentation.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English fomenten, to apply warm liquids to the skin, from Old French fomenter, from
Late Latin f ment re, from Latin f mentum, poultice, from fov re, to warm. See dhegwh- in
Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:
fo·ment er —NOUN
fondle

SYLLABICATION: fon·dle
PRONUNCIATION:
f n dl
VERB: Inflected forms: fon·dled, fon·dling, fon·dles
TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To handle, stroke, or caress lovingly. See synonyms at caress. 2. Obsolete To treat with
indulgence and solicitude; pamper.
INTRANSITIVE VERB: To show fondness or affection by caressing.
ETYMOLOGY: Frequentative of fond1, to show fondness for (obsolete).
OTHER FORMS:
fon dler —NOUN
foolhardy

SYLLABICATION: fool·har·dy
PRONUNCIATION:
f l här d
ADJECTIVE: Inflected forms: fool·har·di·er, fool·har·di·est
Unwisely bold or venturesome; rash. See synonyms at reckless.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English folhardi, from Old French fol hardi : fol, fool; see fool + hardi, bold; see hardy1.
OTHER FORMS:
fool har di·ly —ADVERB

fool har di·ness —NOUN

foolproof

SYLLABICATION: fool·proof
PRONUNCIATION:
f l pr f
ADJECTIVE: 1. Designed so as to be impervious to human incompetence, error, or misuse: a foolproof
detonator; a foolproof safety lock. 2. Effective; infallible: a foolproof scheme.
footle

SYLLABICATION: foo·tle
PRONUNCIATION:
f tl
INTRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: foo·tled, foo·tling, foo·tles
1. Informal To waste time; trifle. 2. To talk nonsense.
NOUN: Nonsense; foolishness.
ETYMOLOGY: Probably variant of footer, to screw around, from obsolete fouter, an act of sexual intercourse,
from French foutre, to have sexual intercourse, from Latin futuere. See bhau- in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:
foo tler —NOUN
footloose

SYLLABICATION: foot·loose
PRONUNCIATION:
f tl s
ADJECTIVE: Having no attachments or ties; free to do as one pleases.
fop

PRONUNCIATION:
f p
NOUN: A man who is preoccupied with and often vain about his clothes and manners; a dandy.
 ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, fool; akin to probably akin to Middle English fob, trickster, cheat. See fob2.
forage

SYLLABICATION: for·age
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr j, f r -
NOUN: 1. Food for domestic animals; fodder. 2. The act of looking or searching for food or provisions.
VERB: Inflected forms: for·aged, for·ag·ing, for·ag·es
INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To wander in search of food or provisions. 2. To make a raid, as for food: soldiers foraging
near an abandoned farm. 3. To conduct a search; rummage.
TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To collect forage from; strip of food or supplies: troops who were foraging the countryside. 2.
Informal To obtain by foraging: foraged a snack from the refrigerator.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Old French fourrage, from forrer, to forage, from feurre, fodder, of
Germanic origin. See p - in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:
for ag·er —NOUN
foray

SYLLABICATION: for·ay
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr ,f r ,f r
NOUN: 1. A sudden raid or military advance. 2. A venture or an initial attempt, especially outside one's
usual area: an actor's foray into politics.
VERB: Inflected forms: for·ayed, for·ay·ing, for·ays
INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To make a raid. 2. To make inroads, as for profit or adventure.
TRANSITIVE VERB: Archaic To pillage in search of spoils.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English forrai, from forraien, to plunder, probably back-formation from forreour, raider,
plunderer, from Old French forrier, from forrer, to forage. See forage.
forbearance

SYLLABICATION: for·bear·ance
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr-bâr ns
NOUN: 1. The act of forbearing. 2. Tolerance and restraint in the face of provocation; patience. See
synonyms at patience. 3. The quality of being forbearing. 4. Law The act of a creditor who
refrains from enforcing a debt when it falls due.
ford

PRONUNCIATION:
fôrd, f rd
NOUN: A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can cross by walking or riding on
an animal or in a vehicle.
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: ford·ed, ford·ing, fords
To cross (a body of water) at a ford.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Old English. See per-2 in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:
ford a·ble —ADJECTIVE
forebear
SYLLABICATION: fore·bear
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr bâr , f r -
VARIANT FORMS: also for·bear
NOUN: A person from whom one is descended; an ancestor. See synonyms at ancestor.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English forbear : fore-, fore- + beer, one who is (from ben, to be; see be).
forbear2

SYLLABICATION: for·bear
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr bâr , f r -
NOUN: Variant of forebear.
forebode

SYLLABICATION: fore·bode
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr-b d , f r-
VERB: Inflected forms: fore·bod·ed, fore·bod·ing, fore·bodes
TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To indicate the likelihood of; portend: harsh words that foreboded estrangement. 2. To have a
premonition of (a future misfortune).
INTRANSITIVE VERB: To prophesy or predict.
OTHER FORMS:
fore·bod er —NOUN
foreclose

SYLLABICATION: fore·close
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr-kl z , f r-
VERB: Inflected forms: fore·closed, fore·clos·ing, fore·clos·es
TRANSITIVE VERB: 1a. To deprive (a mortgagor) of the right to redeem mortgaged property, as when payments have
not been made. b. To bar an equity or a right to redeem (a mortgage). 2. To exclude or rule out;
bar. 3. To settle or resolve beforehand.
INTRANSITIVE VERB: To bar an equity or a right to redeem a mortgage.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English forclosen, to exclude from an inheritance, from Old French forclos, shut out,
past participle of forclore, to exclude : fors-, outside (from Latin for s; see dhwer- in Appendix
I) + clore, to close (from Latin claudere).
OTHER FORMS:
fore·clos a·ble —ADJECTIVE
foreknowledge

SYLLABICATION: fore·knowl·edge
PRONUNCIATION:
fôr-n l j, f r-, fôr n l -, f r -
NOUN: Knowledge or awareness of something before its existence or occurrence; prescience.
forensic
SYLLABICATION: fo·ren·sic
PRONUNCIATION:
f -r n s k, -z k
ADJECTIVE: 1. Relating to, used in, or appropriate for courts of law or for public discussion or argumentation. 2.
Of, relating to, or used in debate or argument; rhetorical. 3. Relating to the use of science or
technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law: a forensic
laboratory.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin for nsis, public, of a forum, from forum, forum. See dhwer- in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:
fo·ren si·cal·ly —ADVERB
3061,"foible","[\G50BS]n （性格上的）小缺点；小毛病＝fault【记】foible 是你身上的 feeble（adj 虚弱的；薄
弱的）之处【类】foible:flaw＝quibble:objection 小缺点对缺点＝轻微反对对反对 tiff:squabble＝
foible:failing『squabble:[dispute]quarrel』小争吵对争吵＝小缺点对缺点『争吵:争吵』"
3062,"foil","[G50S]n 箔（薄而软的金属，比如：镜子背面的反射金属覆盖面）；阻挠使失败＝thwart＝baffle＝
balk＝bilk＝dash（原指：搅乱痕迹或气味以躲避追击者）【根】foli 树叶；参：foliage（n 树叶）【记】foil＝
fail（v 失败）－阻挠【类】foil:metal＝veneer:wood 金属压制形成箔＝木头压制形成薄板【反】implement（v
贯彻；执行）"
3063,"fold","[G:7SD]v 折叠；n 羊栏【类】crease:folding＝hole:perforating 折叠产生折痕＝打洞形成洞"
3064,"folder","[\G:7SD:]n （一个中间折起 fold 的）文件夹；纸夹【记】fold（v 折叠）【类】folder:papers＝
drawer:clothing 文件夹用来放文件＝抽屉用来放衣服"
3065,"foliage","[\G:7S00DN]n 叶子（总称）＝leafage【记】foil（n 箔）作为词根 foli 树叶【类】plumage:bird＝
foliage:bush 鸟类羽毛对鸟＝树叶对树丛【参】portfolio（n 有价证券；文件夹）；folivore（n 食叶动物）"
3066,"folklore","[\G:7ES5:]n 民间传说；民俗学（对民间知识和文化的研究）【记】folk（adj 民间的），
lore（n 传说；学问；知识）【参】folktale（n 民间故事）"
3067,"folly","[\G5S0]n 愚蠢＝silliness；费力不讨好的事【记】fool（n 白痴；受骗者）【反】sagacity（n 聪明；
睿智）"
3068,"foment","[G:7\P<QC]v 煽动；助长（坏事）＝instigate＝incite【记】ferment（v 使发酵，激动，动乱）
【类】disseminate:information＝foment:discontentment 传播使消息扩散＝煽动使不满扩散 conducive:foment＝
tonic:invigorate 助长的煽动＝激励的激励【反】inhibit（v 抑制；约束）；quell（v 镇压）；squelch（v 压
制）；stifle（vt 使窒息；抑制）；defuse（v 缓和；平息）；quash（v 取消）；thwart（vt 反对；阻碍）；
placate（v 安抚）；impede（v 阻止）"
3069,"fondle","[\G5QDS]v 爱抚＝caress【记】fond（adj 喜爱的）"
3070,"fondness","[\G5QDQ0K]n 强烈的喜爱；爱好＝taste＝devotion【类】mania:enthusiasm＝doting:fondness 狂
热是过分热情＝溺爱是过分喜爱 fascination:interest＝adoration:fondness 着迷是十分感兴趣＝爱慕是十分喜欢
【反】antipathy（n 反感；憎恶）"
3071,"foodstuff","[\G7:DKC8G]n 食料（准备用来制作食物的物质）【记】stuff（n 原料 vt 塞满；填充）"
3072,"foolhardy","[\G7:S]O4:D0]adj 有勇无谋的（莽撞不明智的）＝reckless＝audacious＝daredevil【记】
fool（adj 傻的），hardy（adj 艰苦的；勇敢的）－傻而勇敢的"
3073,"foolproof","[\G7:SAT7:G]adj 傻瓜用的（不受人的无能、错误、滥用而设计的简易而不会误用的，如：傻
瓜相机）；绝无谬误的＝infallible【记】fool，proof（n 证据 adj 防…的 vt 检验）－防傻瓜的【参】fool's
errand（n 徒劳无功的工作）【类】foolproof:fail＝airtight:leak 绝无谬误的不会出错＝密封的不会泄露"
3074,"foot","[G7C]n 脚；最低部；步兵＝infantry；英尺【参】foothold（n 立足点；据点）；footlights（n 脚灯；
演艺界）；footnote（n 脚注：书页底的注释，对文中的一部分加以评论或引出参考书目；无足轻重的事）
【类】foot:perambulate＝eye:observe 脚用来漫步＝眼用来观察"
3075,"footle","[\G7:CS]v （常与 about 连用）闲荡浪费时间＝trifle【记】foot，le 乐：脚乐了－闲荡来闲荡去最
高兴的就是脚"
3076,"footloose","[\G7CS7:K]adj 自由自在的（无束缚的，任意做喜欢的事的）【记】foot，loose（adj 宽松的；
散漫自由的）【类】dauntless:trepidation＝footloose:attachment＝unversed:familiarity 大胆的不胆小＝自由的不
依附＝不熟练的不熟悉【反】attached（adj 非独立的；附着的）"
3077,"fop","[G5A]n 花花公子（纨绔子弟：过于注重衣着和仪表并且自负的人）＝dandy【参】foppish（adj 浮
华的；纨绔的）＝dandified"
3078,"forager","[\G5T0DN:]n 为动物寻找饲料的人；抢劫者【记】forage（n 草料＝fodder；v 搜索粮食＝
rummage）for，age：为了年龄成长－搜索粮食【类】grazing:foragers＝stalking:hunters 放牧者放牧＝猎人跟
踪猎物"
3079,"foray","[\G5:T<0]v /n （军事上的）突袭，偷袭；劫掠＝plunder＝pillage（见 forager）【记】for，ray：
为了光明－偷袭敌人，劫掠财产"
3080,"forbearance","[G5:\B2:T:QK]n （面对挑衅时的）自制，忍耐＝self-control＝restraint＝patience【记】
forbear（v 忍耐；克制 n 祖先）；bear（n 熊 v 忍受）；forbore（forbear 的过去式）【反】impatience（n 急躁；
不耐烦）"
3081,"forbid","[G:\B0D]v 禁止；妨碍；阻止＝prohibit＝preclude【参】forbidding（adj 可怕的：企图威胁阻止
进展的；令人难亲近的）【反】countenance（v 赞助；支持 n 面容）"
3082,"forbidden","[G:\B0DQ]adj 被禁止的（具有很小的发生可能性的）；forbid 的过去分词【类】
mandatory:comply＝forbidden:abstain 命令的必须服从＝禁止的必须戒绝"
3083,"ford","[G5:D]n 可涉水而过的地方；v 涉水而过【源】福特－美国汽车制造商，他改进了汽油为燃料的汽
车，并大量生产最早的大众担负得起且广泛使用的 T 型车，这种车成为第一辆可以涉水而过的车！如果注意
ford 广告就会发现涉水的镜头【记】ford 后到达 fort（n 堡垒）【参】fordable（adj 可涉水而过的）"
3084,"ford","[fC:d]n 浅滩（通过步行或骑动物或用交通工具可涉水而过的河等水体的浅处）【类】ford:river＝
pass:mountain『shore:lake』通过浅滩穿过河流＝通过山峡穿过山『海岸:湖』"
3085,"forebear","[\G5:B2:]n 祖宗，祖先＝ancestor＝forbear【记】fore（adj 以前的 adv 在前面 n 前部 prep 在前）
bear（n 熊 v 忍受）－从前的熊－祖先【反】descendant（n 子孙后代）"
3086,"forebode","[G5:\B:7D]v 预感（到不祥的凶兆）＝foretell＝predict＝portend；n 凶兆【记】fore 前，
bode（v 预示）－前兆【参】bodement（n 兆头；预言）；foreboding（n 预感 adj 预感的）"
3087,"forecast","[\G5:E4:KC]v （通过对气象数据的分析来）预报，预测；n 预言【记】fore 前，cast 扔－原指
巫师扔一种叫障柄的东西预测天气 cast 第 21 个意思：占星，算命"
3088,"foreclose","[G5:\ES:7L]v （当无法付款时）取消抵押品的赎回权（剥夺分期付款者收回抵押财产的权
利）；排除，排斥＝bar；【记】fore 前，close（v 关；结束；包围）－提前结束抵押品的赎回权【参】
foreclosure（n 丧失抵押品赎回权；排斥）"
3089,"foreknowledge","[\G5:\Q5S0DN]n 先见之明；预见【记】fore 前，knowledge（n 知识）－提前知道－先见
之明"
3090,"forensic","[G:\T<QK0E]adj 法庭的；辩论的＝rhetorical【记】源于：forum（n 古罗马城镇的广场；论坛；
法庭）fo 佛，ren 人，si 死：佛和人中死了一个，需要在法庭上辩论一下，是佛谋杀了人，还是人谋杀了佛？
结果是大臭佛（李宏志）谋杀了人！！！"