Little Johnny and his family lived in the country, and as a result seldom had guests. He was eager to help his mother after his father appeared with two dinner guests from the office. When the dinner was nearly over, Little Johnny went to the kitchen and proudly carried in the first piece of apple pie, giving it to his father who passed it to a guest.
Little Johnny came in with a second piece of pie and gave it to his father, who again gave it to a guest.
This was too much for Little Johnny, who said, "It"s no use, Dad. The pieces are all the same size."
- comb. Form free of or from (worry-free; duty-free).
- enterprise n. Freedom of private business from state control.
- fall n. Movement under the force of gravity only.
- fight n. General fight in which all present join.
- hand n. Freedom to act at one's own discretion.
- house n. Public house not controlled by a brewery.
- kick n. Kick granted in football as a minor penalty.
- love n. Sexual freedom.
- market n. Market governed by unrestricted competition.
- port n. - port without customs duties.
- port open to all traders.
- radical n. Chem. Atom or group of atoms with one or more unpaired electrons.
- speech n. Right of expression.
- spirit n. Independent or uninhibited person.
- trade n. Trade without import restrictions etc.
- vote n. Parliamentary vote not subject to party discipline.
- wheel n. Driving wheel of a bicycle, able to revolve with the pedals at rest.
- will n. - power of acting independently of necessity or fate.
- ability to act without coercion (did it of my own free will).
- world n. Hist. Non-communist countries' collective name for themselves.
- —adj. (freer; freest) 1 not a slave or under another's control; having personal rights and social and political liberty.
- (of a state, its citizens, etc.) Autonomous; democratic.
- a unrestricted; not confined or fixed. B not imprisoned. C released from duties etc. D independent (free agent).
- (foll. By of, from) a exempt from (tax etc.). B not containing or subject to (free of preservatives; free from disease).
- (foll. By to + infin.) Permitted; at liberty to.
- costing nothing.
- a clear of duties etc. (am free tomorrow). B not in use (bathroom is free).
- spontaneous, unforced (free offer).
- available to all. 10 lavish (free with their money). 11 frank, unreserved. 12 (of literary style) informal, unmetrical. 13 (of translation) not literal. 14 familiar, impudent. 15 (of stories etc.) Slightly indecent. 16 chem. Not combined (free oxygen). 17 (of power or energy) disengaged, available. —adv. - freely.
- without cost or payment. —v. (frees, freed) 1 make free; liberate.
- (foll. By of, from) relieve from.
- disentangle, clear. for free colloq. Free of charge, gratis. Free on board (or rail) without charge for delivery to a ship or railway wagon. freely adv. [old english]
FRET
—v. (-tt-) 1 be worried or distressed.
- worry, vex.
- wear or consume by gnawing or rubbing. —n. Worry, vexation. [old english: related to *for, *eat]
- —n. Ornamental pattern of straight lines joined usu. At right angles. —v. (-tt-) embellish with a fret or with carved or embossed work. [french freter]
- n. Each of a series of bars or ridges on the finger-board of a guitar etc. To guide fingering. [origin unknown]
- n. Horny substance in the sole of a horse's foot. [origin uncertain: perhaps a use of *frog1]
- n. Ornamental coat-fastening of a button and loop. [origin unknown]
FROM
prep. Expressing separation or origin, followed by: 1 person, place, time, etc., that is the starting-point (dinner is served from 8; from start to finish).
- place, object, etc. At a specified distance etc. (10 miles from rome; far from sure).
- a source (gravel from a pit; quotations from shaw). B giver or sender (not heard from her).
- thing or person avoided, deprived, etc. (released him from prison; took his gun from him).
- reason, cause, motive (died from fatigue; did it from jealousy).
- thing distinguished or unlike (know black from white).
- lower limit (from 10 to 20 boats).
- state changed for another (from being poor he became rich).
- adverb or preposition of time or place (from long ago; from abroad; from under the bed). from time to time occasionally. [old english]
FTSE
abbr. Financial times stock exchange 100 share index (based on the share values of britain's largest public companies).
FUCK
coarse slang —v. - (often absol. Or as int. Expressing annoyance) curse (a person or thing).
- have sexual intercourse (with).
- (foll. By about, around) mess about; fool around.
- (as fucking adj., adv.) Expressing annoyance etc. —n. - a act of sexual intercourse. B partner in this.
- slightest amount (don't give a fuck). fuck-all nothing. Fuck off go away. Fuck up 1 bungle.
- disturb emotionally. fucker n. (often as a term of abuse). [origin unknown]
FUEL
cell n. Cell producing electricity direct from a chemical reaction.
- —n. - material for burning or as a source of heat, power, or nuclear energy.
- food as a source of energy.
- thing that sustains or inflames passion etc. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 supply with, take in, or get, fuel.
- inflame (feeling etc.). [french from latin]
FULL
back n. Defensive player near the goal in football, hockey, etc.
- board n. Provision of bed and all meals at a hotel etc.
- house n. - maximum attendance at a theatre etc.
- hand in poker with three of a kind and a pair.
- moon n. - moon with its whole disc illuminated.
- time of this.
- stop n. - punctuation mark (.) At the end of a sentence or an abbreviation.
- complete cessation.
- term n. Completion of a normal pregnancy.
- —adj. - holding all it can (bucket is full; full of water).
- having eaten all one can or wants.
- abundant, copious, satisfying (a full life; full details).
- (foll. By of) having an abundance of (full of vitality).
- (foll. By of) engrossed in (full of himself).
- complete, perfect (full membership; in full bloom).
- (of tone) deep and clear.
- plump, rounded (full figure).
- (of clothes) ample, hanging in folds. —adv. - very (knows full well).
- quite, fully (full six miles).
- exactly (full on the nose). full up colloq. Completely full. In full 1 without abridgement.
- to or for the full amount
- v. Clean and thicken (cloth). [from *fuller]
FUME
—n. (usu. In pl.) Exuded gas, smoke, or vapour, esp. When harmful or unpleasant. —v. (-ming) 1 emit fumes or as fumes.
- be very angry.
- subject (oak, film, etc.) To fumes to darken. [latin fumus smoke]
