early 13c., from O.Fr. figue, from O.Prov. figa, from V.L. *fica, from L. ficus "fig tree, fig," from a pre-I.E. Mediterranean language, possibly Semitic (cf. Phoenician pagh "half-ripe fig"). Earlier borrowed directly into O.E. from L. as fic. The insulting sense of the word in Shakespeare, etc. (A fig for ...) is 1570s, from Gk. and It. use of their versions of the word as slang for "cunt," apparently because of how a ripe fig looks when split open. Giving the fig (Fr. faire la figue, Sp. dar la higa) was an indecent gesture of ancient provenance, made by putting the thumb between two fingers or into the mouth. See sycophant. Use of fig leaf in figurative sense of "flimsy disguise" (1550s) is from Gen. iii.7.
O.E. feohtan "to fight" (class III strong verb; past tense feaht, pp. fohten), from P.Gmc. *fekhtanan (cf. O.H.G. fehtan, Du. vechten, O.Fris. fiuhta), from PIE *pek- "to pluck out" (wool or hair), apparently with a notion of "pulling roughly." Spelling substitution of -gh- for a "hard H" sound was a M.E. scribal habit, especially before -t-. In some late O.E. examples, the middle consonant was represented by a yogh. Related: Fighting. The noun is from O.E. feohte, gefeoht.
late 14c., from Fr. figuratif, from L.L. figurativus, from figurare (see figure). Of speech, language, etc., "involving figures of speech," from 1845. Related: Figuratively.
early 13c., from O.Fr. figure, from L. figura "a shape, form, figure," from PIE *dheigh- "to form, build" (see dough); originally in English with meaning "numeral," but sense of "form, likeness" is almost as old (mid-13c.). The verb meaning "to picture in the mind" is from c.1600. Related: Figured; figuring. Philosophical and scientific senses are from L. figura being used to translate Gk. skhema. The rhetorical use of figure dates to late 14c.; hence figure of speech (1824).
"hazelnut," 1393, from Anglo-Norm. philber (1292), from Norman dialect noix de filbert, in allusion to St. Philbert, 7c. Frank. abbot, so called because the hazel nuts ripen near his feast day, Aug. 22.
"to place (papers) in consecutive order for future reference," late 15c., from M.Fr. filer "string documents on a wire for preservation or reference," from fil "thread, string," from L. filum "thread," from PIE base *gwhis-lom (cf. Armenian jil "sinew, string, line," Lith. gysla "vein, sinew," O.C.S. zila "vein"). The notion is of documents hung up on a line like drying laundry. Methods have become more sophisticated, but the word has stuck. The noun first attested in Eng. in the military sense, "line or row of men," 1590s, from M.Fr. filer in the sense of "spin out (thread), march in file." Related: Filed; filing. The noun meaning "arranged collection of papers" is from 1620s; computer sense is from 1954.
"metal tool," O.E. feol (Mercian fil), from P.Gmc. *finkhlo (cf. O.H.G. fila, M.Du. vile, Ger. Feile), probably from PIE *pik-/*peik- "cut" (cf. Skt. pimsati "hews out, carves," L. pingere "to paint," O.C.S. pila "file, saw," Lith. pela "file;" see paint). The verb in this sense is from early 13c. Related: Filed; filing.
1841, reborrowing from Fr. of the same word that had been taken 14c. and Anglicized as fillet (q.v.). Filet mignon first recorded in Eng. 1906 in writings of O. Henry.
1393, from M.Fr. filial, from L.L. filialis "of a son or daughter," from L. filius "son," filia "daughter," possibly from a suffixed form of PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow" (see be), though *dhe(i)- "to suck, suckle" (see fecund) "is more likely" [Watkins].
1580s, flibutor "pirate," probably ultimately from Du. vrijbuiter "freebooter," used of pirates in the West Indies as Sp. filibustero and Fr. flibustier, either or both of which gave the word to Amer.Eng. (see freebooter). Used 1850s and '60s of lawless adventurers from the U.S. who tried to overthrow Central American countries. The legislative sense is first recorded c.1851, probably because obstructionist legislators "pirated" debate. Not technically restricted to U.S. Senate, but that's where the strategy works best. Related: Filibustered; filibustering.
1660s, “action of killing a son or daughter,” from L. filius, filia “son, daughter” (see filial). Meaning “one who kills a son or daughter” is from 1823. Related: Filicidal.
1690s, shortening of filigreen (1660s), from Fr. filigrane "filigree," from It. filigrana, from L. filum "thread" + granum "grain." Related: Filigreed.
O.E. fyllan, from P.Gmc. *fullijan (cf. O.S. fulljan, O.N. fylla, O.Fris. fella, Du. vullen, Ger. füllen "to fill"), a derivative of adj. *fullaz "full." The related noun meaning "a full supply" is M.E. fille, from O.E. fylle. To fill the bill (1882) was originally U.S. theatrical slang, in reference to a star whose name would be the only one on a show's poster. Related: Filled; filling.
early 14c., "headband," from O.Fr. filet, dim. of fil "thread." Sense of "cut of meat or fish" is early 15c., apparently so called because it was prepared by being tied up with a string.
O.E. filmen "membrane, skin," from W.Gmc. *filminjan (cf. O.Fris. filmene "skin," O.E. fell "hide"), extended from P.Gmc. *fello(m) "animal hide," from PIE *pello-/*pelno- (cf. Gk. pella, L. pellis "skin"). Sense of "a thin coat of something" is 1577, extended by 1845 to the coating of chemical gel on photographic plates. By 1895 this also meant the coating plus the paper or celluloid. First used of "motion pictures" in 1905. The verb "to make a movie of" is from 1899.
c.1400, from M.L. filtrum "felt," which was used to strain impurities from liquid, from W.Gmc. *filtiz (see felt). Of cigarettes, from 1908. The verb is from 1570s; the figurative sense is from 1830. Related: Filtered; filtering.
O.E. fylð, from P.Gmc. *fulitho, noun derivative of *fulo- "foul" (see foul). A classic case of i-mutation. Moral sense of "obscene" is first recorded 1530s.
O.E. fin, from P.Gmc. *finno (cf. M.L.G. vinne, Du. vin), perhaps from L. pinna "feather, wing," or, less likely, from L. spina "thorn, spine" (see spike (n.1)). U.S. underworld slang sense of "$5 bill" is 1925, from Yiddish finif "five," from Ger. fünf. The same word had been used in England 1868 to mean "five pound note" (earlier finnip, 1839).
1890, from Fr. fin de siècle "end of century," phrase used as an adj. At the time it meant "modern;" now it means "from the 1890s." "App. first in title of a comedy, Paris fin de siècle, produced at the Gymnase, Feb. 1890" [Weekley].
early 14c., from L. finalis "of or pertaining to an end," from finis "end" (see finish). Finalist "competitor remaining after eliminations" is from 1898.
c.1400, "an end," from M.Fr. finance "ending, settlement of a debt," from M.L. finis "a payment in settlement, fine or tax," from L. finis "end" (see finish). The notion is of "ending" (by satisfying) something that is due (cf. Gk. telos "end;" pl. tele "services due, dues exacted by the state, financial means." See also fine (n.)). The French senses gradually were brought into English: "ransom" (mid-15c.), "taxation" (late 15c.); the sense of "manage money" first recorded in English 1770. The verb, in the capital sense, is recorded from 1827. Related: Financed; financing.