Figure \Fig"ure\ (f[i^]g"[-u]r; 135), n. [F., figure, L. figura;
akin to fingere to form, shape, feign. See {Feign}.]
1. The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance.
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Flowers have all exquisite figures. --Bacon.
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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.
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A coin that bears the figure of an angel. --Shak.
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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.
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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.
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5. The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career
of a person; as, a sorry figure.
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I made some figure there. --Dryden.
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Gentlemen of the best figure in the county.
--Blackstone.
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6. Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous
representation; splendor; show.
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That he may live in figure and indulgence. --Law.
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7. A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a
digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc.
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8. Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are
estimated or sold at a low figure. [Colloq.]
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With nineteen thousand a year at the very lowest
figure. --Thackeray.
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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.
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Who is the figure of Him that was to come. --Rom. v.
14.
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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}.
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To represent the imagination under the figure of a
wing. --Macaulay.
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11. (Logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the
relative position of the middle term.
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12. (Dancing) Any one of the several regular steps or
movements made by a dancer.
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13. (Astrol.) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the
astrological houses. --Johnson.
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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 phrase or motive; a
florid embellishment.
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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
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{Academy figure}, {Canceled figures}, {Lay figure}, etc. See
under {Academy}, {Cancel}, {Lay}, etc.
{Figure caster}, or {Figure flinger}, an astrologer. "This
figure caster." --Milton.
{Figure flinging}, the practice of astrology.
{Figure-of-eight knot}, a knot shaped like the figure 8. See
Illust. under {Knot}.
{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.] --Sir W.
Scott.
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