Fig
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fig \Fig\ (f[i^]g), n. [F. figue the fruit of the tree, Pr.
figa, fr. L. ficus fig tree, fig. Cf. {Fico}.]
1. (Bot.) A small fruit tree ({Ficus Carica}) with large
leaves, known from the remotest antiquity. It was probably
native from Syria westward to the Canary Islands.
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2. The fruit of a fig tree, which is of round or oblong
shape, and of various colors.
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Note: The fruit of a fig tree is really the hollow end of a
stem, and bears numerous achenia inside the cavity.
Many species have little, hard, inedible figs, and in
only a few does the fruit become soft and pulpy. The
fruit of the cultivated varieties is much prized in its
fresh state, and also when dried or preserved. See
{Caprification}.
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3. A small piece of tobacco. [U.S.]
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4. The value of a fig, practically nothing; a fico; -- used
in scorn or contempt. "A fig for Peter." --Shak.
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{Cochineal fig}. See {Conchineal fig}.
{Fig dust}, a preparation of fine oatmeal for feeding caged
birds.
{Fig faun}, one of a class of rural deities or monsters
supposed to live on figs. "Therefore shall dragons dwell
there with the fig fauns." --Jer. i. 39. (Douay version).
{Fig gnat} (Zool.), a small fly said to be injurious to figs.
{Fig leaf}, the leaf tree; hence, in allusion to the first
clothing of Adam and Eve (Genesis iii.7), a covering for a
thing that ought to be concealed; esp., an inadequate
covering; a symbol for affected modesty.
{Fig marigold} (Bot.), the name of several plants of the
genus {Mesembryanthemum}, some of which are prized for the
brilliancy and beauty of their flowers.
{Fig tree} (Bot.), any tree of the genus {Ficus}, but
especially {F. Carica} which produces the fig of commerce.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Fig \Fig\, v. t. [See {Fico}, {Fig}, n.]
1. To insult with a fico, or contemptuous motion. See {Fico}.
[Obs.]
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When Pistol lies, do this, and fig me like
The bragging Spaniard. --Shak.
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2. To put into the head of, as something useless o?
contemptible. [Obs.] --L'Estrange.
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from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Fig
First mentioned in Gen. 3:7. The fig-tree is mentioned (Deut.
8:8) as one of the valuable products of Palestine. It was a sign
of peace and prosperity (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Zech. 3:10).
Figs were used medicinally (2 Kings 20:7), and pressed together
and formed into "cakes" as articles of diet (1 Sam. 30:12; Jer.
24:2).
Our Lord's cursing the fig-tree near Bethany (Mark 11:13) has
occasioned much perplexity from the circumstance, as mentioned
by the evangelist, that "the time of figs was not yet." The
explanation of the words, however, lies in the simple fact that
the fruit of the fig-tree appears before the leaves, and hence
that if the tree produced leaves it ought also to have had
fruit. It ought to have had fruit if it had been true to its
"pretensions," in showing its leaves at this particular season.
"This tree, so to speak, vaunted itself to be in advance of all
the other trees, challenged the passer-by that he should come
and refresh himself with its fruit. Yet when the Lord accepted
its challenge and drew near, it proved to be but as the others,
without fruit as they; for indeed, as the evangelist observes,
the time of figs had not yet arrived. Its fault, if one may use
the word, lay in its pretensions, in its making a show to run
before the rest when it did not so indeed" (Trench, Miracles).
The fig-tree of Palestine (Ficus carica) produces two and
sometimes three crops of figs in a year, (1) the bikkurah, or
"early-ripe fig" (Micah 7:1; Isa. 28:4; Hos. 9:10, R.V.), which
is ripe about the end of June, dropping off as soon as it is
ripe (Nah. 3:12); (2) the kermus, or "summer fig," then begins
to be formed, and is ripe about August; and (3) the pag (plural
"green figs," Cant. 2:13; Gr. olynthos, Rev. 6:13, "the untimely
fig"), or "winter fig," which ripens in sheltered spots in
spring.
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
93 Moby Thesaurus words for "fig":
a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn, a hoot, apparel, array,
attire, bagatelle, bauble, bean, bedizenment, bibelot, bit,
brass farthing, button, cent, clothes, clothing, costume, curio,
drapery, dress, dressing, duds, farce, farthing, fashion, fatigues,
feather, feathers, fleabite, folderol, fribble, frippery, garb,
garments, gaud, gear, gewgaw, gimcrack, guise, habiliment, habit,
hair, halfpenny, hill of beans, investiture, investment, jest,
joke, kickshaw, knickknack, knickknackery, linen, minikin, mockery,
molehill, peppercorn, picayune, pin, pinch of snuff, pinprick,
rags, raiment, rap, red cent, robes, row of pins, rush, shit, snap,
sneeshing, sou, sportswear, straw, style, threads, togs, toilette,
toy, trifle, trim, trinket, triviality, tuppence, two cents,
twopence, vestment, vesture, wear, wearing apparel, whim-wham
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