a b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
FAITH
FAITH, noun [Latin fides, fido, to trust; Gr. to persuade, to draw towards any thing, to conciliate; to believe, to obey. In the Greek Lexicon of Hederic it is said, the primitive signification of the verb is to bind and draw or lead, as signifies a rope or cable. But this remark is a little incorrect. The sense of the verb, from which that of rope and binding is derived, is to strain, to draw, and thus to bind or make fast. A rope or cable is that which makes fast. Heb.]
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth. I have strong faith or no faith in the testimony of a witness, or in what a historian narrates.
2. The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, or probable evidence of any kind.
3. In theology, the assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed. Simple belief of the scriptures, of the being and perfections of God, and of the existence, character and doctrines of Christ, founded on the testimony of the sacred writers, is called historical or speculative faith; a faith little distinguished from the belief of the existence and achievements of Alexander or of Cesar.
4. Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God’s testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God’s character and declarations, and in the character and doctrines of Christ, with an unreserved surrender of the will to his guidance, and dependence on his merits for salvation. In other words, that firm belief of God’s testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation.
Being justified by faith Romans 5:1.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:1.
For we walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7.
With the heart man believeth to righteousness. Romans 10:6.
The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the mind, which is called trust or confidence, exercised towards the moral character of God, and particularly of the Savior.
FAITH is an affectionate practical confidence in the testimony of God.
FAITH is a firm, cordial belief in the veracity of God, in all the declarations of his word; or a full and affectionate confidence in the certainty of those things which God has declared, and because he has declared them.
5. The object of belief; a doctrine or system of doctrines believed; a system of revealed truths received by christians.
They heard only, that he who persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. Galatians 1:23.
6. The promises of God, or his truth and faithfulness.
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? Rom 3.
7. An open profession of gospel truth.
Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom 1.
8. A persuasion or belief of the lawfulness of things indifferent.
Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Rom 14.
9. Faithfulness; fidelity; a strict adherence to duty and fulfillment of promises.
Her failing, while her faith to me remains, I would conceal.
Children in whom is no faith Deuteronomy 32:20.
10. Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity. He violated his plighted faith
For you alone I broke my faith with injured Palamon.
11. Sincerity; honesty; veracity; faithfulness. We ought in good faith to fulfill all our engagements.
12. Credibility or truth. Unusual.]
The faith of the foregoing narrative.
FAITHFUL
FA’ITHFUL, adjective
1. Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion.
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10.
2. Firmly adhering to duty; of true fidelity; loyal; true to allegiance; as a faithful subject.
3. constant in the performance of duties or services; exact in attending to commands; as a faithful servant.
4. Observant of compact, treaties, contracts, vows or other engagements; true to one’s word. A government should be faithful to its treaties; individuals, to their word.
5. True; exact; in conformity to the letter and spirit; as a faithful execution of a will.
6. True to the marriage covenant; as a faithful wife or husband.
7. Conformable to truth; as a faithful narrative or representation.
8. Constant; not fickle; as a faithful lover or friend.
9. True; worthy of belief. 2 Timothy 2:2.
FAITHFULNESS
FA’ITHFULNESS, noun
1. Fidelity; loyalty; firm adherence to allegiance and duty; as the faithfulness of a subject.
2. Truth; veracity; as the faithfulness of God.
3. Strict adherence to injunctions, and to the duties of a station; as the faithfulness of servants or ministers.
4. Strict performance of promises, vows or covenants; constancy in affection; as the faithfulness of a husband or wife.
FALLOW
FAL’LOW, adjective [Latin fulvus; qu. helvus, for felvus. This word may be from the root of fail, fallo; so called from the fading color of autumnal leaves, or from failure, withering. Hence also the sense of unoccupied, applied to land.]
1. Pale red or pale yellow; as a fallow deer.
2. Unsowed; not tilled; left to rest after a year or more of tillage; as fallow ground; a fallow field.
Break up your fallow ground. Jeremiah 4:3.
3. Left unsowed after plowing. The word is applied to the land after plowing.
4. Unplowed; uncultivated.
5. Unoccupied; neglected. [Not in use.]
Let the cause lie fallow
FAL’LOW, noun
1. Land that has lain a year or more untilled or unseeded. It is also called fallow when plowed without being sowed.
The plowing of fallows is a benefit to land.
2. The plowing or tilling of land, without sowing it, for a season. Summer fallow properly conducted, has ever been found a sure method of destroying weeds.
By a complete summer fallow land is rendered tender and mellow. The fallow gives it a better tilth, than can be given by a fallow crop.
A green fallow in England, is that where land is rendered mellow and clean from weeks, by means of some green crop, as turnips, potatoes, etc.
FAL’LOW, verb intransitive To fade; to become yellow. obsolete
FAL’LOW, verb transitive To plow, harrow and break land without seeding it, for the purpose of destroying weeds and insects, and rendering it mellow. It is found for the interest of the farmer to fallow cold, strong, clayey land.
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FALLOWING
FAL’LOWING, participle present tense Plowing and harrowing land without sowing it.
FAL’LOWING, noun The operation of plowing and harrowing land without sowing it. fallowing is found to contribute to the destruction of snails and other vermin.
FARTHING
F’ARTHING, noun
1. The fourth of a penny; a small copper coin of Great Britain, being the fourth of a penny in value. In America we have no coin of this kind. We however use the word to denote the fourth part of a penny in value, but the penny is of different value from the English penny, and different in different states. It is becoming obsolete, with the old denominations of money.
2. Farthings, in the plural, copper coin.
3. Very small price or value. It is not worth a farthing that is, it is of very little worth, or worth nothing.
4. A division of land. [Not now used.]
Thirty acres make a farthing-land; nine farthings a Cornish acre; and four Cornish acres a knight’s fee.
Fervor
FERV’OR, noun [Latin fervor ]
1. Heat or warmth; as the fervor of a summer’s day.
2. Heat of mind; ardor; warm or animated zeal and earnestness in the duties of religion, particularly in prayer.
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Fetter
FET’TER, noun
1. A CHAIN for the feet; a chain by which an animal is confined by the foot, either made fast or fixed, as a prisoner, or impeded in motion and hindered from leaping, as a horse whose fore and hind feet are confined by a chain.
The Philistines bound Samson with fetters of brass.
2. Any thing that confines or restrains from motion.
Passions too fierce to be in fetters bound.
FET’TER, verb transitive
1. To put on fetters; to shackle or confine the feet with a chain.
2. To bind; to enchain; to confine; to restrain motion; to impose restraints on.
Fetter strong madness in a silken thread.
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FETTERED
FET’TERED, participle passive Bound or confined by fetters; enchained.
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Festal
FES’TAL, adjective [Latin festus, festive. See Feast.]
Pertaining to a feast; joyous; gay; mirthful.
Firmament
FIRMAMENT, noun ferm’ament. [Latin firmamentum, from firmus, firmo.]
The region of the air; the sky or heavens. In scripture, the word denotes an expanse, a wide extent; for such is the signification of the Hebrew word, coinciding with regio, region, and reach. The original therefore does not convey the sense of solidity, but of stretching, extension; the great arch or expanse over our heads, in which are placed the atmosphere and the clouds, and in which the stars appear to be placed, and are really seen.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. Genesis 1:6.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament Genesis 1:14.