Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Figure?

\Fig"ure\ (?; 135), n. [F., figure, L. figura; akin to fingere to form, shape, feign. See {Feign}.] 1. The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance. Flowers have all exquisite figures. --Bacon. 2. The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modeling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body; as, a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble. A coin that bears the figure of an angel. --Shak. 3. A pattern in cloth, paper, or other manufactured article; a design wrought out in a fabric; as, the muslin was of a pretty figure. 4. (Geom.) A diagram or drawing; made to represent a magnitude or the relation of two or more magnitudes; a surface or space inclosed on all sides; -- called superficial when inclosed by lines, and solid when inclosed by surface; any arrangement made up of points, lines, angles, surfaces, etc. 5. The appearance or impression made by the conduct or carrer of a person; as, a sorry figure. I made some figure there. --Dryden. Gentlemen of the best figure in the county. --Blackstone. 6. Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show. That he may live in figure and indulgence. --Law. 7. A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc. 8. Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are estimated or sold at a low figure. [Colloq.] With nineteen thousand a year at the very lowest figure. --Thackeray. 9. A person, thing, or action, conceived of as analogous to another person, thing, or action, of which it thus becomes a type or representative. Who is the figure of Him that was to come. --Rom. v. 14. 10. (Rhet.) A mode of expressing abstract or immaterial ideas by words which suggest pictures or images from the physical world; pictorial language; a trope; hence, any deviation from the plainest form of statement. To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing. --Macaulay. 11. (Logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term. 12. (Dancing) Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer. 13. (Astrol.) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. --Johnson. 14. (Music) (a) Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression. --Grove. (b) A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical or motive; a florid embellishment. Note: Figures are often written upon the staff in music to denote the kind of measure. They are usually in the form of a fraction, the upper figure showing how many notes of the kind indicated by the lower are contained in one measure or bar. Thus, 2/4 signifies that the measure contains two quarter notes. The following are the principal figures used for this purpose:
\Fig"ure\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Figured}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Figuring}.] [F. figurer, L. figurare, fr. figura. See {Figure}, n.] 1. To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape. If love, alas! be pain I bear, No thought can figure, and no tongue declare.Prior. 2. To embellish with design; to adorn with figures. The vaulty top of heaven Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. --Shak. 3. To indicate by numerals; also, to compute. As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen. --Dryden. 4. To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize. Whose white vestments figure innocence. --Shak. 5. To prefigure; to foreshow. In this the heaven figures some event. --Shak. 6. (Mus.) (a) To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords. (b) To embellish. {To figure out}, to solve; to compute or find the result of. {To figure up}, to add; to reckon; to compute the amount of.
\Fig"ure\, v. t. 1. To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court. Sociable, hospitable, eloquent, admired, figuring away brilliantly. --M. Arnold. 2. To calculate; to contrive; to scheme; as, he is figuring to secure the nomination. [Colloq.]