The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (32 page)

fracas (frakah, frakaS) FRENCH [din,
derived from Italian fracassare to shatter] noun an outbreak of noise,
uproar, clamor, often the result of a
quarrel or brawl: "And at the beginning
of the whole fracas I said I've said right
along - that we ought to have entered
the war the minute Germany invaded
Belgium" (Sinclair Lewis, Main Street,
1920).

Fraktur (fraktoor) GERMAN [breaking, so called because of the curlicues
that broke up the continuous line of a

word] noun a style of typeface formerly used for typesetting German.

framboise (frombwaz, frombwahz)
FRENCH [raspberry] noun a liqueur
made from raspberries, or something
with a color of raspberry. adjective of
or relating to a raspberry color.

franco (franko) ITALIAN [free] adverb
(in law) free.

franc-tireur (fron(g)-tircr) FRENCH
[free shooter] noun a sharpshooter
or guerrilla fighting independently of
the regular armed forces: "The column
was harried by franc-tireurs all the way to
the coast."

franglais (fronglay) FRENCH [from
francais French and anglais English]
noun an informal variety of the
French language in which much use is
made of British and American words
and phrases: "Nothing arouses the wrath
of a certain breed of patriotic Frenchman
so much as the idea that practicality will
force pure French to submit to such bastardized forms asfranglais."

frankfurter (frankferter) GERMAN
[after Frankfurt am Main, Germany]
noun a cured, usually skinless,
cooked beef or pork sausage (also
called hot dog).

frappe (frapay) FRENCH [past participle offrapper to strike, to chill] adjective chilled or partly frozen. -noun a drink served iced or chilled or thickened with crushed ice: "... frappe
eoffee."

frappucccino (frapacheeno) ITALIAN
[from French frappe iced and Italian cappuccino frothy coffee] noun a
trademark used for a blend of coffee,
milk, ice, and flavorings: "7 had a bagel
and a frappuccino for breakfast."

Fraticelli (fratachelee) ITALIAN [little
brethren] plural noun groups of mendicant friars, who separated from the
Franciscan Order between the 13th
and 15th centuries in protest against
the wealth of the Catholic Church.

Frau (frow) GERMAN [woman] noun
a title borne by a German married
woman.

fraulein froilin) GERMAN [diminutive
of Frau woman] noun an unmarried
German woman, or a governess.

fresco (fresko) ITALIAN [fresh, cool]
noun (plural frescoes) an artistic
technique in which paint is applied
directly to moist plaster, or a painting
executed in this manner: "The articles
of furniture, which stood out from the
walls, were duplicated on the floor distinctly as f they floated upon unrippled
water; even the panelling of the walls, the
figures upon them in painting and hasrelief and the fresco of the ceiling were
r flected on the floor" (Lew Wallace, Ben
Hur, 1880).

fricassee (frikasee) FRENCH [feminine
past participle of fricasser to cut up and
stew in sauce] noun a dish in which
the meat is sliced and fried or stewed
in a white sauce. -verb to prepare
meat in such a way.

frijoles refritos (freeholeez rayfreetoz) SPANISH [refried beans] plural noun
(in Mexican cuisine) a dish of pinto or
black beans that have been cooked and
then mashed and fried.

frisson (freeson(g)) FRENCH [shiver,
derived from Latin frigere to be cold]
noun a thrill or shudder of excitement or emotion: "The news of his death
caused a frisson of fear to run down her
spine."

frites (freet) FRENCH [from pommes frites fried potatoes] plural noun
French fries: "We ordered steak with
salad andfrites."

fromage frais (fromarzh f) FRENCH
[fresh cheese] noun phrase soft curd
cheese: "The child took a small pot of
fromage frais from her lunehboa"

frottage (frotahzh) FRENCH [friction,
derived from frotter to rub] noun the
practice of rubbing one's body against
other people for the purposes of
sexual excitement; alternatively, the
artistic technique of making impressions of textured material by rubbing
a pencil over a sheet of paper laid on
top of it.

fruits de mer (frwee da mair) FRENCH
[fruits of the sea] noun phrase a dish of
seafood usually comprising a variety
of shellfish.

fugu (ftUguu) JAPANESE noun a poisonous pufferfish eaten as a delicacy, especially in Japanese cuisine,
after the poisonous parts have been
removed.

fugue ( oo) FRENCH [flight, derived
from Latin fuga flight] noun a contrapuntal musical composition based on
repetitions and elaborations of one or
more themes: "The spot at which their
instrumentation rose loudest was a place
called Ten Hatches, whence during high
springs there proceeded a very fugue of
sounds" (Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of
Casterbridge, 1886).

fiihrer (fyoorar) GERMAN [leader,
derived from Old High Germanfuoren
to lead] noun title assumed in 1934
by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler (18891945), and since used of any official or
bureaucrat who behaves in a despotic
manner.

fulcrum (fulkram) LATIN [bedpost,
derived from fulcire to prop] noun
(plural fulcrums or fulcra, folks) a
prop, or the point of support on
which a lever turns or hinges: "The
head and neck were moved frequently, and
apparently with force; and the extended
wings seemed to form the fulcrum on which
the movements of the neck, body and tail

acted" (Charles Darwin, The Voyage of
the Beagle, 1839).

fungus (fungas) LATIN [probably
derived from Greek sphoggos or spoggos, sponge] noun (plural fungi, fungee,
funjee, fungi) a class of spore-producing, chlorophyll-lacking plantlike
organisms including mildews, molds,
mushrooms, rusts, and yeasts: "I was
startled by a great patch of vivid scarlet on
the ground, and going up to it found it to be
a peculiar fungus, branched and corrugated
like a foliaceous lichen, but deliquescing
into slime at the touch..." (H. G. Wells,
The Island of Dr. Moreau, 1896).

funicular (fyoonikyoolar, fanikyoola)
ITALIAN [derived from Latin funis rope]
noun a cable railroad in which an
ascending car is usually counterbalanced
by another descending car. adjective of
or relating to such a railroad system:
"It is possible to reach the top of the clff by
means of a short funicular railroad."

furioso (fyoorioso) ITALIAN [furious,
violent] adverb with great strength
or vigor, especially in music. -adjective vigorous, forceful.

furore (ff ooror) ITALIAN [rage, derived
from Latin furere to rage] noun a
general commotion, fuss, or uproar,
variously motivated by anger, indignation, excitement, or enthusiasm: Joe
was not of the nation that keeps us forever
in a furore with fugues and fruit" (0.
Henry, Strictly Business, 1910).

fuselage ( oosalazh) FRENCH [derived
from fusel spindle-shaped] noun the
central body section of an aircraft,
including the cargo and crew areas:
"The fuselage of the plane was peppered
with bulletholes."

fusillade (f),oozalad, fyoozalahd)
FRENCH [derived from fusiller to
shoot] noun a volley of shots fired
simultaneously or in quick succession;
by extension, any similar noise, such
as applause, or sustained barrage (of
criticisms, etc.): "At all events it drew
from him a furious fusillade of artillery
and musketry, plainly heard but not felt by
us" (Ul),sses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs,
1885-86).

fusilli (f)'oosili) ITALIAN [diminutive
of Italian dialect fuso spindle] noun
a type of twisted or spiral-shaped
pasta.

futon (footon) JAPANESE noun a
low-slung wooden bed frame with
a cotton-filled mattress, or simply
the mattress itself laid out on a mat
on the floor for sleeping: "No fashionable modern home is complete without a
futon that can be folded away when not
in use."

fu yung (foo Wig) CHINESE [hibiscus] noun phrase a Chinese dish of
eggs cooked with beansprouts, onions,
and various other ingredients.

gaffe (gaf) FRENCH [blunder] noun
a social or diplomatic blunder or
indiscretion; also used more generally
of any mistake: "The ambassador made
futile attempts to prevent the press from
hearing about his unfortunate gaffe."

gaga (gahgah) FRENCH [crazy] adjective crazy, insane, foolish, senile, or
wildly enthusiastic: "All the kids went
completely gaga when they learned of their
team's success."

gala (gayla, gala, gahla) ITALIAN [merrymaking, derived via Spanish from
Middle French gale festivity, pleasure]
noun (plural galas) a celebration or
festival. '"adjective of or relating to
such a celebration or festivity: "It
was to be a gala occasion and every man,
woman and child in the settlement had
assembled on the green" (Zane Gre),,
Betty Zane, 1904).

galabiya (galabiya), gallabiya, galabieh, galabia ARABIC [Egyptian
variant of jallabiyya] noun a long,
loose-fitting gown of the type widely
worn in Egypt and other Arabian countries: "His wife chose a black galabiyah with gold spangles to take home as
a souvenir of the trip."

galant (galant, galant,
galont) FRENCH [gallant] adjective courteous, charming, polite, or gentlemanly:
"War is one of the gifts of life; but, alas!
no war appears so very necessary when
time has laid its soothing hand upon
the passionate misunderstandings and
the passionate desires of great peoples.
`Le temps,' as a distinguished Frenchman has said, test un galant homme"'
(Joseph Conrad, The Mirror of the
Sea, 1906).

galette (gales) FRENCH [flat cake] noun
a thin pastry cake, usually with a fruit
or chocolate filling.

gallabiya See GALABIYA.

galleon (galeean) SPANISH [from
galeon] noun a large square-rigged
sailing ship that constituted significant
parts of the navies of Spain, England,
and other countries between the 15th
and 18th centuries: `But, seeing that the treasure must fall into the enemy's hands,
he burnt and scuttled every galleon, which
went to the bottom with their immense
riches" (Jules Verne, 20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea, 1869).

galleria (galareea) ITALIAN [gallery]
noun a shopping arcade, or a shop
within such an arcade: "His mother
now works in a stylish galleria selling
designer clothing to the nouveau riche of
the town."

gallimaufry (galamorfree) FRENCH
[from Middle French galimafree stew]
noun (plural gallimaufries) a hodgepodge, medley or jumble: `Master,
there is three carters, three shepherds, /
three neat-herds, three swine-herds, that
have made themselves / all men of hair,
they call themselves Saltiers, and they have
a dance which the wenches / say is a gallimaufry of gambols, because they are /
not in't.. "(William Shakespeare, The
Winter's Tale, 1611).

gambit (gambit) ITALIAN [from gambetto act of tripping someone, from
gamba leg] noun a calculated move
or stratagem, or an opening remark
in a conversation or negotiation: "So
now once again you know exactly how
we stand, and it is clear that I must plan
some fresh opening move, for this gambit
won't work" (Arthur Conan Doyle,
"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client," The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,
1891-93).

gamelan (gamalan) JAVANESE [from
game] to strike or hammer] noun an
Indonesian orchestra composed mainly
of percussion instruments, including
xylophones, gongs, drums, chimes,
and marimbas, plus strings and wood-
wind.

gamin (gaman, gamin) FRENCH [meaning unknown] noun a street urchin
or waif: "The gamin the street Arab
of Paris is the dwarf of the giant. Let us
not exaggerate, this cherub of the gutter
sometimes has a shirt, but, in that case,
he owns but one; he sometimes has shoes,
but then they have no soles; he sometimes
has a lodging, and he loves it, for he finds
his mother there; but he prefers the street,
because there he finds liberty" (Victor
Hugo, Les Miserables, 1862).

gamine (gameen, gameen) FRENCH
[feminine of gamin] noun a small girl
who spends much of her time in the
streets. -adjective of or relating to a girl
or young woman with a mischievous,
playful manner.

ganglion (gangleean) GREEK [cystlike tumor] noun (plural ganglions
or ganglia, gangleea) a benign cystic
swelling on a tendon: "If you hit a
ganglion with a heavy book, it should
disperse."

ganja (ganja) HINDI [hemp] noun
marijuana.

garage (garahzh, gam) FRENCH [act
of docking, from garer to dock] noun
a shelter or repair shop for motor vehicles: "This morning he was darkly prepared
to find something wrong, and he felt belittled
when the mixture exploded sweet and strong,
and the car didn't even brush the door jamb,
gouged and splintery with many bruisings
by fenders, as he backed out of the garage"
(Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, 1922). -verb
to keep in a garage, or to take a motor
vehicle to a garage for repair, etc.

garam masala (garam masahla) URDU
[hot spices] noun phrase a mixture of
ground spices used in Indian cuisine.