A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

fume (n.) --- c.1390, from O.Fr. fum "smoke, steam, vapor," from L. fumus "smoke" (v.), from PIE *dhumo- (cf. Skt. dhumah, O.C.S. dymu, Lith. dumai, O.Prus. dumis "smoke," M.Ir. dumacha "fog," Gk. thymos "spirit, mind, soul"). The verb is first recorded c.1400; figurative sense of "show anger" is first recorded 1522.

fumigation --- c.1384, "make aromatic smoke as part of a ceremony," from O.Fr. fumigation, from L. fumigationem (nom. fumigatio), from fumigare "to smoke," from fumus "smoke, fume" + root of agere "to drive" (see act). Sense of "expose (someone or something) to aromatic fumes" is c.1400, originally as a medicinal or therapeutic treatment.

fun --- 1685, v., "to cheat, hoax," probably a variant of M.E. fon "befool" (c.1400), later "trick, hoax, practical joke," of uncertain origin. Stigmatized by Johnson as "a low cant word." Older sense is preserved in phrase to make fun of and funny money "counterfeit bills" (1938, though this may be more for the sake of the rhyme); sense of "amusement" is 1727. See also funny.

funambulist --- rope-walker, 1793, coined from L. funis "rope" + ambulare "to walk."

function (n.) --- 1533, from M.Fr. fonction, from O.Fr. function, from L. functio (gen. functionis) "performance, execution," from functus, pp. of fungi "perform, execute, discharge." Use in mathematics probably begun by Leibnitz (1692). Functional as a term in architecture meaning "utilitarian" is from 1928. Functionary "one who has a certain function" is 1791, from Fr. fonctionnaire, a word of the Revolution.

fund (n.) --- 1664, from Fr. fond "a bottom, floor, ground," also "a merchant's basic stock or capital," from L. fundus "bottom, piece of land," from PIE base *bhu(n)d-, cognate with Skt. budhnah, Gk. pythmen "foundation, bottom," O.E. botm "lowest part" (see bottom). The verb is 1776, from the noun. Funds "money at one's disposal" is from 1728. Fund-raiser first attested 1957.

fundament --- 1297, "buttocks, anus," from L. fundamentum, from fundare "to found" (see found (1)). So called because it is where one sits. "Alle þe filþ of his magh ['maw'] salle breste out atte his fondament for drede." ["Cursor Mundi," c.1340]

fundamental --- c.1443, "primary, original, pertaining to a foundation," modeled on L.L. fundamentalis "of the foundation," from L. fundamentum "foundation" (see fundament). Religious senses of fundamentalist (1920) and fundamentalism (1923) began in Amer.Eng. with a movement among Protestants c.1920-25 based on scriptural inerrancy, etc., and associated with William Jennings Bryan, among others. Fundamentalist first used in print by Curtis Lee Laws, editor of "The Watchman Examiner," a Baptist newspaper. " 'Fundamentalism' ... appears to have been used first in connexion with the (American) Northern Baptist Convention of 1920 to describe the more conservative delegates who desired 'to restate, reaffirm, and reemphasize the fundamentals of our New Testament faith.' ... Now 'Fundamentalism' ... appears to describe the bigoted rejection of all Biblical criticism, a mechanical view of inspiration and an excessively literalist interpretation of scripture." ["London Times," Aug. 25, 1955] Garry Wills, in "Under God" (1990) traces the terms and the movement to the Presbyterian General Assembly of 1910, which drew up a list of five defining qualities of "true believers" which other evangelicals published in a mass-circulation series of books called "The Fundamentals." A World's Christian Fundamentals Association was founded in 1918. Applied to other religions, especially Islam, since 1957.

funeral (n.) --- 1437, from M.Fr. funérailles (pl.) "funeral rites," from M.L. funeralia "funeral rites," originally neut. pl. of L.L. funeralis "having to do with a funeral," from L. funus (gen. funeris) "funeral, death, corpse," origin unknown, perhaps ult. from PIE base *dheu- "to die." Singular and plural used interchangeably in Eng. until c.1700. The adj. funereal is first attested 1725, by influence of M.Fr. funerail, from L. funereus, from funus.

fungo --- 1867, baseball slang, perhaps from dial. fonge "catch," a relic of O.E. fon "seize" (see fang), or possibly from the Ger. cognate fangen. Not in OED 2nd ed. (1989).

fungus --- 1527, from L. fungus, learned alternative to mushroom. (Though funge was used in this sense late 14c.). The L. is believed to be cognate with (or derived from) Gk. sphongos, the Attic form of spongos "sponge" (see sponge).

funk (1) --- depression, ill-humor, 1743, probably originally Scottish and northern English, earlier as a verb, "panic, fail through panic," (1737), said to be 17c. Oxford University slang, perhaps from Flem. fonck "perturbation, agitation, distress," possibly related to O.Fr. funicle "wild, mad."

funk (2) --- bad smell, 1623, from dial. Fr. funkière "smoke," from O.Fr. fungier "give off smoke," from L. fumigare "to smoke." In reference to a style of music, it is first attested 1959, a back formation of funky. Funky was originally "old, musty" (1784), in reference to cheeses, then "repulsive," but began to develop an approving sense in jazz slang c.1900, probably on the notion of "earthy, strong, deeply felt." Funky also was used early 20c. by white writers in ref. to body odor allegedly peculiar to blacks. The word reached wider popularity c.1954 (e.g. definition in "Time" magazine, Nov. 8, 1954) and in the 1960s acquired a broad slang sense of "fine, stylish, excellent."

funnel (n.) --- 1402, from M.Fr. fonel, from Prov. enfounilh, "a word from the Southern wine trade" [Weekley], from L.L. fundibulum, shortened from L. infundibulum "a funnel or hopper in a mill," from infundere "pour in," from in- "in" + fundere "pour" (see found (2)). The verb is from 1594.

funny --- humorous, 1756, from fun (q.v.). Meaning "strange, odd" is 1806, said to be originally U.S. Southern. The two senses of the word lead to the retort question "funny ha-ha or funny peculiar," which is attested from 1938. Funny farm "mental hospital" is slang from 1963. Funny bone "elbow end of the humerus" is 1840; funnies "newspaper comic strips" is from 1852.

fur --- 1301, probably from O.Fr. fourrer "to line, sheathe," from fuerre "sheath, covering," from Frank. *fodr (cf. O.H.G. >*poul-/*pul-fotar "a cover"), from P.Gmc. *fothram "sheath." The n. (c.1366) is from the verb. It was first applied c.1430 to "animal hair still on the animal." Furrier (1576) is on the model of clothier. "I'le make the fur Flie 'bout the eares of the old Cur." [Butler, "Hudibras," 1663]

furbish --- c.1260, from O.Fr. forbiss-, prp. stem of forbir "to polish," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. furban "to polish").

furious --- c.1374, from O.Fr. furieus, from L. furiosus "full of rage, mad," from furia "rage, passion, fury." Furioso, from the It. form of the word, was used in Eng. 17c.-18c. for "an enraged person," probably from Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso."

furl --- 1556, possibly from M.Fr. ferler "to furl," from O.Fr. ferlier, perhaps from fer "firm" (from L. firmus; see firm (adj.)) + -lier "to bind" (from L. ligare).

furlong --- O.E. furlang "measure of distance" (roughly 220 yards), originally the length of a furrow in the common field of 10 acres, from furh "furrow" + lang "long." But the "acre" of the common field being variously measured, the furlong was fixed 9c. on the stadium, one-eighth of a Roman mile.

furlough --- 1625, from Du. verlof, lit. "permission," from M.Du. ver- "completely, for" + laf "permission," which is related to the second element in believe and to leave (n.). The -gh spelling developed by 1770s and represents an "f" that was once pronounced at the end of the word.

furnace --- c.1225, from O.Fr. fornais, from L. fornacem (nom. fornax) "an oven, kiln," related to fornus, furnus "oven," and to formus "warm," from PIE base *ghworm- "warm" (cf. Gk. thermos, O.E. wearm; see warm).

furnish --- 1442, from M.Fr. furniss-, prp. stem of furnir "furnish, accomplish," from O.Fr., from V.L. *fornire, alteration of *fromire, from W.Gmc. *frumjan "forward movement, advancement" (cf. O.H.G. frumjan "to do, execute, provide"), from P.Gmc. *fram- "forwards" (see from).

furniture --- 1529, "act of furnishing," from M.Fr. fourniture, from fournir "furnish." Sense of "chairs, tables, etc.; household stuff" (1573) is unique to Eng.; most other European languages derive their words for this from L. mobile "movable."

furor --- c.1477, from M.Fr. fureur, from L. furor, related to furia "rage, passion, fury."

furrow (n.) --- O.E. furh "furrow," from P.Gmc. *furkh- (cf. O.N. for "furrow, drainage ditch;" M.Du. vore, Du. voor; Ger. Furche "furrow"), from PIE *prk- (cf. L. porca "ridge between two furrows," O.Ir. -rech, Welsh rhych "furrow"). "Some scholars connect this word with L. porcus, Eng. FARROW, assigning to the common root the sense 'to root like a swine.' " [OED] The verb meaning "to make wrinkles in one's face, brow, etc." is from 1593.

further --- O.E. furðor (adv.), furðra (adj.), (ge)fyrðan (v.) "further, impel," etymologically representing either "forth-er" or "fore-ther." The former would be from furðum (see forth) + comp. suffix *-eron-, *-uron- (cf. inner, outer). Alternate etymology traces it to P.Gmc. *furþeron-, from PIE *pr-tero, (cf. Gk. proteros "former"), from root of fore + comp. suffix also found in after, other. Senses of "in addition, to a greater extent" are later metaphoric developments. Furthermore is from c.1200.

furtive --- 1490 (implied in furtively), from Fr. furtif, from L. furtivus "stolen, hidden, secret," from furtum "theft, robbery," from fur (gen. furis) "thief."

fury --- c.1374, "fierce passion," from O.Fr. furie, from L. furia "violent passion, rage, madness," related to furere "to rage, be mad." Romans used Furiæ to translate Gk. Erinyes, the collecting name for the avenging deities sent from Tartarus to punish criminals (in later accounts three in number and female). Hence, figuratively, "an angry woman" (c.1374).

furze --- evergreen shrub, O.E. fyrs, of unknown origin, with no known connections.

fuse (v.) --- 1681, "to melt," from fusion. Figurative sense of "blending of different things" is first recorded 1776.

fuse/fuze (n.) --- 1644, from It. fuso "spindle" (so called because the originals were long, thin tubes filled with gunpowder), from L. fusus "spindle," of uncertain origin. Influenced by Fr. fusée "spindleful of hemp fiber," and obsolete Eng. fusee "musket fired by a fuse." Meaning of "device that breaks an electrical circuit" first recorded 1884, so named for its shape, but erroneously attributed to fuse (v.) because it melts.

fuselage --- 1909, from Fr. fuselage, from fuselé "spindle-shaped," from O.Fr. *fus "spindle," from L. fusus "spindle." So called from its shape.

fusilier --- 1680, "soldier armed with a musket," from Fr. fusilier, from O.Fr. fusil "musket," earlier "steel for a tinderbox," from V.L. *focilis (petra) "(stone) producing fire," from L. focus "hearth," in V.L. "fire." Retained by certain regiments of the British army that were formerly armed with fusils.

fusillade --- simultaneous discharge of firearms, 1801, from Fr. fusillade, from fusiller "to shoot," from fusil "musket" (see fusilier).

fusion --- 1555, from M.Fr. fusion, from L. fusionem (nom. fusio), from fusus, pp. of fundere "pour, melt" (see found (2)). In nuclear physics sense, first recorded 1947.

fuss (n.) --- 1701, perhaps an alteration of force, or imitative of bubbling or sputtering sounds, or from Dan. fjas "foolery, nonsense." First attested in Anglo-Irish writers, but no obvious connections to Irish. The verb is first attested 1792, from the noun; fussy is from 1831. To make a fuss was earlier to keep a fuss (1726).

fustian --- thick cotton cloth, c.1200, from O.Fr. fustaigne, from M.L. fustaneum, probably from L. fustis "staff, stick of wood," probably a loan-translation of Gk. xylina lina "linens of wood" (i.e. "cotton"), but the M.L. word is also derived from Fostat, town near Cairo where this cloth was manufactured. Figurative sense of "pompous, inflated language" first recorded c.1590.

fusty --- stale-smelling, 1398, from O.Fr. fusté "fusty, tasting of the cask," from O.Fr. fuist, "wine cask," originally "stick, stave," from L. fustis "staff, stick of wood."

futhorc --- 1851, historians' name for the Gmc. runic alphabet, so called from its first six letters, on the model of alphabet.

futile --- c.1555, from M.Fr. futile, from L. futilis "vain, worthless, futile," lit. "pouring out easily" (of a vessel), hence "easily emptied, leaky, unreliable," from base of fundere "pour, melt," from PIE *gheu- "to pour" (see found (2)).

futon --- 1876, from Japanese, said to mean "bedroll" or "place to rest."

future (adj.) --- c.1374, from O.Fr. futur, from L. futurus "about to be," irregular suppletive future participle of esse "to be." The n. is modeled on L. futura, neut. pl. of futurus. As a movement in the arts, futurism is from It. futurismo, coined 1909 by It. poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876-1944). Futuristic first attested 1915 in the futurism sense; as "of or pertaining to the future" it is attested from 1958.

fuzz --- 1601, fusse, first attested in fusball "puff ball of tiny spores," of uncertain origin. Meaning "the police" is Amer.Eng. 1929, underworld slang, origin and connection to the older word unknown. Perhaps a variant of fuss, with a notion of "hard to please." Fuzzy is 1616 as "soft, spongy;" 1713 as "covered with fuzz;" 1778 as "blurred;" and 1937 as "imprecise," with ref. to thought, etc.

G.I. --- 1936 (adj.), Amer.Eng., apparently an abbreviation of Government Issue, applied to anything associated with servicemen. Transferred sense to "soldiers" during World War II (first recorded 1943) is from the jocular notion that the men themselves were manufactured by the government. An earlier G.I. was an abbreviation of Galvanized Iron in G.I. can, a type of metal trash can, the term being picked up by U.S. soldiers in World War I as slang for a similar-looking type of German artillery shells. This use is attested from 1928, but it is highly unlikely that this came to mean "soldier." I probably get more e-mail about this entry than any other. No two sources I have agree on the etymology, but none backs the widespread notion that it stands for *General Infantry.

gab --- c.1200, via Scottish and northern England dialect, from O.N. gabba "to mock," or O.Fr. gabber "mock, boast," both probably ultimately imitative. Gabby first attested 1719; gabfest "session of conversation" is 1897 Amer.Eng. slang. Gift of the gab "talent for speaking" is from 1681.

gabardine --- fine worsted cloth, 1904, earlier gaberdine "long, coarse outer garment" (1520), from Sp. gabardina, from M.Fr. galverdine, which is perhaps from M.H.G. wallevart "pilgrimage," in the sense of "pilgrim's cloak." The Sp. form perhaps infl. by gabán "overcoat" and tabardina "coarse coat."

gabble --- 1577, frequentative of gab (q.v.).

gabbro --- type of igneous rock, 1837, from It. (Tuscan), from L. glaber "bare, smooth, bald."

gable --- 1338, from O.Fr. gable, from O.N. gafl (in north of England, directly from O.N.), probably from a P.Gmc. root meaning "fork" (cf. O.E. gafol, geafel "fork," M.H.G. gabel "pitchfork"), from PIE *ghebhel (cf. O.Ir. gabul "forked twig"). So called from the Y-shaped timber supports of the roof at gable ends.

Gabriel --- name of an archangel in O.T., from Heb. Gabhri el, lit. "man of God," from gebher "man" + El "God." First element is from base of verb gabhar "was strong" (cf. Arabic jabr "strong, young man;" jabbar "tyrant").

gad (v.) --- to rove about, 1460, perhaps a back-formation of O.E. gædeling "wandering," or associated with gad (n.) "a goad for driving cattle" (see gadfly). Gadabout (n.) is 1837, from earlier noun gadder about (1568).

gadfly (n.) --- 1626, "fly which bites cattle," probably from gad "goad, metal rod" (c.1225), here in the sense of "stinger," from O.N. gaddr "spike, nail," from P.Gmc. *gadaz "pointed stick;" but sense is entangled with gad (v.) and an early meaning of gadfly was also "someone who likes to go about, often stopping here and there." Sense of "one who irritates another" is from 1649 (equivalent of L. oestrus).

gadget --- 1886, gadjet (but said to date back to 1850s), sailors' slang word for any small mechanical thing or part of a ship for which they lacked, or forgot, a name; perhaps from Fr. gâchette "catchpiece of a mechanism," dim. of gâche "staple of a lock."

gadzooks --- 1694, from some exclamation, possibly God's hooks (nails of the cross) or even God's hocks. The use of Gad for God (cf. egad) is first attested 1598. Among other similar phraseological combinations (all from 17c.) were gadsbobs, gadslid, and gadsniggers.

Gaelic --- 1774, earlier Gathelik (1596), from Gael (Scottish Gaidheal), from O.Ir. Goidhel, the original form of the word. The native name in both Ireland and Scotland, Gael was first used in Eng. exclusively of Scottish Highlanders (1596).

gaffe --- blunder, 1909, from Fr. gaffe "clumsy remark," originally "boat hook," from O.Fr. gaffe, from O.Prov. gaf, probably from W.Goth. *gafa "hook," from P.Gmc. *gafa. Sense connection is obscure. The gaff was also used to land big fish. Or it may derive from Brit. slang gaff "to cheat, trick" (1893); or gaff "criticism" (1896), from Scot. dial. sense of "loud, rude talk," which ultimately may be from O.E. gaf-spræc "blasphemous or ribald speech."

gaffer --- 1589, "elderly rustic," apparently a contraction of godfather; originally "old man," it was applied from 1841 to foremen and supervisors, which sense carried over 20c. to "electrician in charge of lighting on a film set."

gag (n.) --- joke, 1823, probably related to theatrical sense of "matter interpolated in a written piece by the actor" (1847), or from slang verbal sense of "to deceive, take in with talk" (1777), both on notion of "stuff, fill" (see gag (v.)).

gag (v.) --- c.1440, "to choke, strangle," possibly imitative or influenced by O.N. gaghals "with head thrown back." The sense of "stop a person's mouth" is first attested 1509. The noun is 1553, from the verb.

gaga --- crazy, silly, 1905, probably from Fr. gaga "senile, foolish."

gaggle --- c.1470, gagyll, with ref. to both geese and women. Barnhardt says possibly from O.N. gagl "goose;" OED calls it "one of the many artificial terms invented in the 15th c. as distinctive collectives referring to particular animals or classes of persons." Possibly of imitative origin (cf. Du. gagelen "to chatter;" M.E. gaggle "to cackle," used of geese, attested from 1399).

Gaia --- Earth as a goddess, from Gk. Gaia, personification of gaia "earth," a collateral form of ge (Dorian ga) "earth," of unknown origin. The Roman equivalent goddess of the earth was Tellus (see tellurian), sometimes used in Eng. poetically or rhetorically for "Earth personified" or "the Earth as a planet."

gaiety --- 1647, from Fr. gaieté, from gai "gay" (see gay).

gain --- 1496 (n.), 1530 (v.), from M.Fr. gain, from O.Fr. gaaigne, from gaaignier "to gain," also "cultivate land," from Frank. *waidanjan "hunt, forage," also "graze, pasture," from P.Gmc. *wartho "hunting ground" (cf. Ger. weide "pasture, pasturage," O.N. veiðr "hunting"), from PIE *wei "to strive after." The original O.Fr. sense enfolded the notions of "profit from agriculture" and "booty, prey."

gainsay --- to contradict, c.1300, lit. "say against," from O.E. gegn- "against" + say. "Solitary survival of a once common prefix" [Weekley], which was used to form such now-obsolete compounds as gain-taking "taking back again," gainclap "a counterstroke," gainbuy "redeem," and gainstand "to oppose."

gait --- c.1200, gate "a going or walking, departure, journey," earlier "way, road, path," from O.N. gata "way, road, path." Meaning "manner of walking" is from 1509. Modern spelling developed before 1750, originally in Scottish.

gaiter --- leather cover for the ankle, 1775, perhaps from Fr. guêtre "belonging to peasant attire," from M.Fr. *guestre, probably from Frank. *wrist "instep," from P.Gmc. *wirstiz from *wrig-, *wreik- "to turn" (see wry).

gal --- slang pronunciation of girl, 1795, execrated as a Cockney vulgarism. Gal Friday is 1940, in reference to "Robinson Crusoe."

gala --- 1625, "festive dress or attire," from Fr. en gala, from It. gala (as in phrase vestido de gala "robe of state"), perhaps from Arabic khil'a "fine garment given as a presentation." Sense of "festive occasion" (characterized by display of finery) first recorded 1777.

galaxy --- c.1384, from L.L. galaxias "Milky Way," from Gk. galaxis (adj.), from gala (gen. galaktos) "milk" (see lactation). The technical astronomical sense emerged 1848. Fig. sense of "brilliant assembly of persons" is from 1590. Milky Way is a translation of L. via lactea. "See yonder, lo, the Galaxyë Which men clepeth the Milky Wey, For hit is whyt." [Chaucer, "House of Fame"]

Galbraith --- surname, from O.Gael. Gall-Bhreathnach "stranger-Briton," a name given to Britons settled among Gaels.

gale --- storm at sea, c.1547, from gaile "wind," origin uncertain, perhaps from O.N. gol "breeze," or O.Dan. gal "bad, furious" (often used of weather), from O.N. galinn "bewitched." Or perhaps it is from O.E. galan "to sing" (the second element in nightingale), or giellan "to yell." In technical meteorological use, a wind between 32 and 63 miles per hour.

Galilee --- northernmost province of Palestine, c.1186, from L. Galilaea, Gk. Galilaia, from Heb. Haggalil, lit. "The District," a compressed form of Gelil haggoyim "the District of Nations" (cf. Isa. viii:23). The adj. Galilean is used both of Christ (1637), who was born there, and of the It. astronomer Galileo (1727) who so shook the Christian Church.

gall (1) --- bile, O.E. galla (Anglian), gealla (W. Saxon), from P.Gmc. *gallon- (cf. O.N. gall, O.H.G. galla), from PIE base *ghol-/*ghel- "gold, yellow, yellowish-green" (cf. Gk. khole, see cholera; L. fel; perhaps also O.E. geolo "yellow," Gk. khloros). Informal sense of "impudence, boldness" first recorded Amer.Eng. 1882; but meaning "embittered spirit, rancor" is from c.1200.

gall (2) --- sore spot on a horse, O.E. gealla "painful swelling," from L. galla "gall, lump on plant," originally "oak apple," of uncertain origin. Perhaps from or influenced by gall (1) on notion of "poison-sore." The verb meaning "to make sore by chafing" is from c.1440; fig. sense of "harass, irritate" is from 1573.

Gallagher --- surname, from Ir. Gallchobhar "foreign-help."

gallant (adj.) --- c.1420, from O.Fr. galant "courteous," earlier "spirited, dashing," prp. of galer "make merry," from gala (q.v.). Sense of "politely attentive to women" was adopted from Fr. 17c. The noun, "man of fashion and pleasure," is from 1388.

galleon --- 1529, from O.Fr. galion, from Sp. galeón "galleon, armed merchant ship," from Byzantine Gk. galea "galley" (see galley) + augmentive suffix -on.

gallery --- 1500, from M.Fr. galerie "a long portico," from M.L. galeria, of uncertain origin, perhaps alteration of galilea "church porch," which is probably from L. Galilaea "Galilee," the northernmost region of Palestine; church porches sometimes were so called from being at the far end of the church. Sense of "building to house art" first recorded 1591; that of "people who occupy a (theater) gallery" (contrasted with "gentlemen of the pit") first by Lovelace, 1649, hence to play to the gallery (1872). "Super altare Beatæ Mariæ in occidentali porte ejusdem ecclesiæ quæ Galilæ a vocatur." [c.1186 charter in "Durham Cathedral"]

galley --- c.1300, from O.Fr. galie, from M.L. galea, from Late Gk. galea, of unknown origin. The word has made its way into most Western European languages. Originally "low flat-built seagoing vessel of one deck," once common in the Mediterranean; meaning "cooking range on a ship" dates from 1750. The printing sense is from 1652, from Fr. galée in the same sense, in reference to the shape of the oblong tray that holds the type. As a short form of galley-proof it is attested from 1890. To knock something or someone galleywest is Amer.Eng. slang (1875, originally in Mark Twain), a corruption of western England dialectal collyweston, name of a village in Northamptonshire that somehow came to signify "askew, not right."