Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Fetch?

\Fetch\ (?; 224), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fetched} 2; p. pr. & vb. n.. {Fetching}.] [OE. fecchen, AS. feccan, perh. the same word as fetian; or cf. facian to wish to get, OFries. faka to prepare. [root] 77. Cf. {Fet}, v. t.] 1. To bear toward the person speaking, or the person or thing from whose point of view the action is contemplated; to go and bring; to get. Time will run back and fetch the age of gold. --Milton. He called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bred in thine hand. --1 Kings xvii. 11, 12. 2. To obtain as price or equivalent; to sell for. Our native horses were held in small esteem, and fetched low prices. --Macaulay. 3. To recall from a swoon; to revive; -- sometimes with to; as, to fetch a man to. Fetching men again when they swoon. --Bacon. 4. To reduce; to throw. The sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a man to the ground. --South. 5. To bring to accomplishment; to achieve; to make; to perform, with certain objects; as, to fetch a compass; to fetch a leap; to fetch a sigh. I'll fetch a turn about the garden. --Shak. He fetches his blow quick and sure. --South. 6. To bring or get within reach by going; to reach; to arrive at; to attain; to reach by sailing. Meantine flew our ships, and straight we fetched The siren's isle. --Chapman. 7. To cause to come; to bring to a particular state. They could n't fetch the butter in the churn. --W. Barnes. {To fetch a compass} (Naut.), to make a sircuit; to take a circuitious route going to a place. {To fetch a pump}, to make it draw water by pouring water into the top and working the handle. {To fetch} {headway or sternway} (Naut.), to move ahead or astern. {To fetch out}, to develop. ``The skill of the polisher fetches out the colors [of marble]'' --Addison. {To fetch up}. (a) To overtake. [Obs.] ``Says [the hare], I can fetch up the tortoise when I please.'' --L'Estrange. (b) To stop suddenly.
\fetch\, v. i. To bring one's self; to make headway; to veer; as, to fetch about; to fetch to windward. --Totten. {To fetch away} (Naut.), to break loose; to roll slide to leeward. {To fetch and carry}, to serve obsequiously, like a trained spaniel.
\Fetch\, n. 1. A stratagem by which a thing is indirectly brought to pass, or by which one thing seems intended and another is done; a trick; an artifice. Every little fetch of wit and criticism. --South. 2. The apparation of a living person; a wraith. The very fetch and ghost of Mrs. Gamp. --Dickens. {Fetch candle}, a light seen at night, superstitiously believed to portend a person's death.