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Figure   /fˈɪgjər/   Listen
noun
Figure  n.  
1.
The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance. "Flowers have all exquisite figures."
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."
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 surfaces; any arrangement made up of points, lines, angles, surfaces, etc.
5.
The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person; as, a sorry figure. "I made some figure there." "Gentlemen of the best figure in the county."
6.
Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show. "That he may live in figure and indulgence."
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."
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."
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. Also called a figure of speech. "To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing."
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.
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.
(b)
A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical phrase 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: 2/22/42/8 4/22/44/8 3/23/43/8 6/46/46/8
Academy figure, Canceled figures, Lay figure, etc. See under Academy, Cancel, Lay, etc.
Figure caster, or Figure flinger, an astrologer. "This figure caster."
Figure flinging, the practice of astrology.
Figure painting, a picture of the human figure, or the act or art of depicting the human figure.
Figure stone (Min.), agalmatolite.
Figure weaving, the art or process of weaving figured fabrics.
To cut a figure, to make a display. (Colloq.)


verb
Figure  v. t.  (past & past part. figured; pres. part. figuring)  
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."
3.
To indicate by numerals; also, to compute. "As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen."
4.
To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize. "Whose white vestments figure innocence."
5.
To prefigure; to foreshow. "In this the heaven figures some event."
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.


Figure  v. i.  
1.
To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court. "Sociable, hospitable, eloquent, admired, figuring away brilliantly."
2.
To calculate; to contrive; to scheme; as, he is figuring to secure the nomination. (Colloq.)
go figure a phrase used by itself as an interjection to mean "How can one explain that?", or to express puzzlement over some seeming contradiction. (Colloq.)





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Figure" Quotes from Famous Books



... was under observation from the two mysterious iron towers in Wingles. Beyond Fort Glatz, the engineers had a store of trench materials. The place was called "Crucifix Dump," on account of the large crucifix which stood there on a mound of earth. The figure on the crucifix was made of metal and it had been struck by shrapnel. It looked so pathetic standing there amid the ruin and desolation around, mutely saying to those who had ears to hear, "Is it nothing to you, all ye who pass by; behold and see if there was ever sorrow like unto ...
— The Great War As I Saw It • Frederick George Scott
... to be hoped that the figure for the double-flat suggested by Mattheson (who also suggested the St. Andrew's cross ([symbol]) for the double-sharp) may some time be readopted. This figure was the Greek letter B, made thus, [Greek: b], ...
— Music Notation and Terminology • Karl W. Gehrkens
... express and not to suppress truth. But the poison that has crept through the minds of our finer folk paralyses their utterance so far as truth is concerned; and society may be fairly caricatured by a figure of the Father of Lies blinking through an immense ...
— The Ethics of Drink and Other Social Questions - Joints In Our Social Armour • James Runciman
... red flushed all over his face. He took two steps down the aisle, and caught the little figure ...
— Stories of a Western Town • Octave Thanet
... rustics laboring, or playing on their pipes; sheep bleating; lambs skipping; the sea, and a scene of fish and fishing; little naked cupids laughing, playing, and pelting each other with apples; and, on the summit, a female figure, turning with the slightest breath, and thence denominated the wind's attendant. 8. The Phrygian shepherd presenting to Venus the prize of beauty, the apple of discord. 9. The incomparable statue of Helen, which is delineated by Nicetas in the ...
— The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Volume 6 • Edward Gibbon


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