The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section F, G and H — Background and Themes

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In Category - Philology

Authors: Project Gutenberg, Webster, Noah, 1758-1843 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 1996 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: English language -- Dictionaries Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 488,242

Reading time 2123 min

Text sections 64

The catalog record for The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section F, G and H — Background and Themes provides practical reading context through 488,242 words, 35 hr 23 min estimated reading time, and 64 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 10.5 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “English language -- Dictionaries,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #663

This editorial note examines how the opening entries for F, G, and H in the 1913 Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary establish patterns of etymology, pronunciation, and cross-referencing that guide a first reading of this reference work.

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Tithe was received by the bishop, . . . for the fabric of the churches for the poor.

4. Any system or structure consisting of connected parts; as, the fabric of the universe.

The whole vast fabric of society.

Fab"ric, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fabricked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabricking.] To frame; to build; to construct. [Obs.] "Fabric their mansions." J. Philips.

Fab"ri*cant (?), n. [F.] One who fabricates; a manufacturer. Simmonds.

Fab"ri*cate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fabricated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabricating (?).] [L. fabricatus, p. p. of fabricari, fabricare, to frame, build, forge, fr. fabrica. See Fabric, Farge.] 1. To form into a whole by uniting its parts; to frame; to construct; to build; as, to fabricate a bridge or ship.

2. To form by art and labor; to manufacture; to produce; as, to fabricate woolens.

3. To invent and form; to forge; to devise falsely; as, to fabricate a lie or story.

Our books were not fabricated with an accomodation to prevailing usages.

Fab`ri*ca"tion (?), n. [L. fabricatio; cf. F. fabrication.] 1. The act of fabricating, framing, or constructing; construction; manufacture; as, the fabrication of a bridge, a church, or a government. Burke.

2. That which is fabricated; a falsehood; as, the story is doubtless a fabrication.

Fab"ri*ca`tor (?), n. [L.] One who fabricates; one who constructs or makes.

The fabricator of the works of Ossian.

Fab"ri*ca`tress (?), n. A woman who fabricates.

Fab"rile (?), a. [L. fabrilis, fr. faber workman. See Forge.] Pertaining to a workman, or to work in stone, metal, wood etc.; as, fabrile skill.

Fab"u*list (?), n. [Cf. F. fabuliste, fr. L. fabula. See Fable.] One who invents or writes fables.

Fab"u*lize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fabulized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fabulizing (?).] [Cf. F. fabuliser. See Fable.] To invent, compose, or relate fables or fictions. G. S. Faber.

Fab`u*los"i*ty (?), n. [L. fabulositas: cf. F. fabulositÈ.] 1. Fabulousness. [R.] Abp. Abbot.

2. A fabulous or fictitious story. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Fab"u*lous (fb"*ls), a. [L. fabulosus; cf. F. fabuleux. See Fable.] 1. Feigned, as a story or fable; related in fable; devised; invented; not real; fictitious; as, a fabulous description; a fabulous hero.

The fabulous birth of Minerva.

2. Passing belief; exceedingly great; as, a fabulous price. Macaulay.

Fabulous age, that period in the history of a nation of which the only accounts are myths and unverified legends; as, the fabulous age of Greece and Rome.

-- Fab"u*lous*ly (#), adv. -- Fab"u*lous*ness, n.

Fab"ur*den (fb"r*den), n. [F. faux bourdon. See False, and Burden a verse.] 1. (Mus.) (a) A species of counterpoint with a drone bass. (b) A succession of chords of the sixth. [Obs.]

2. A monotonous refrain. [Obs.] Holland.

Fac (fk), n. [Abbrev. of facsimile.] A large ornamental letter used, esp. by the early printers, at the commencement of the chapters and other divisions of a book. Brande & C.

||Fa`Áade" (f`sd" or f`sd"), n. [F., fr. It. facciata, fr. faccia face, ||L. facies. See Face.] (Arch.) The front of a building; esp., the ||principal front, having some architectural pretensions. Thus a church ||is said to have its faÁade unfinished, though the interior may be in ||use.

Face (?), n. [F., from L. facies form, shape, face, perh. from facere to make (see Fact); or perh. orig. meaning appearance, and from a root meaning to shine, and akin to E. fancy. Cf. Facetious.] 1. The exterior form or appearance of anything; that part which presents itself to the view; especially, the front or upper part or surface; that which particularly offers itself to the view of a spectator.

A mist . . . watered the whole face of the ground.

Lake Leman wooes me with its crystal face.

2. That part of a body, having several sides, which may be seen from one point, or which is presented toward a certain direction; one of the bounding planes of a solid; as, a cube has six faces.

3. (Mach.) (a) The principal dressed surface of a plate, disk, or pulley; the principal flat surface of a part or object. (b) That part of the acting surface of a cog in a cog wheel, which projects beyond the pitch line. (c) The width of a pulley, or the length of a cog from end to end; as, a pulley or cog wheel of ten inches face.

4. (Print.) (a) The upper surface, or the character upon the surface, of a type, plate, etc. (b) The style or cut of a type or font of type.

5. Outside appearance; surface show; look; external aspect, whether natural, assumed, or acquired.

To set a face upon their own malignant design.

This would produce a new face of things in Europe.

Continue Reading →

The first entry under F begins not with a definition but with a detailed account of the letter's history, tracing its form from Egyptian through Phœnician, Greek, and Latin. This immediately signals that the dictionary treats words as historical artifacts, not mere labels. The entry for 'Fabian' illustrates this approach: it defines the term through the Roman general Quintus Fabius Maximus and his cautious tactics, then lists the compound 'Fabian policy' with a full explanation. Such entries show how the dictionary embeds cultural and historical context within definitions.

Etymological Foundations

The opening of the F section establishes etymology as a core concern. The entry for 'F' itself devotes several lines to cognates: 'f is most closely related to p, k, v, and b; as in E. five, Gr. pe`nte; E. wolf, L. lupus, Gr. ly`kos.' This comparative method recurs throughout. For example, 'Fabaceous' is traced to Latin faba (bean), and 'Fabian' to the Roman name Fabius. The dictionary consistently provides the source language and original form, often with references to Greek, Latin, or French. A reader new to this work will quickly learn that each entry is a mini-essay on word origins, not just a definition.

Pronunciation and Orthographic Detail

Pronunciation is given thorough treatment. The entry for 'F' includes a note: 'See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 178, 179, 188, 198, 230.' This cross-reference to the front matter is typical. Within entries, diacritical marks and respellings are used: for 'Fabellae,' the pronunciation is given as 'fă-bĕl′lȧ,' with a macron and breve. The dictionary also notes variant forms, such as 'Glare' as a noun meaning 'a viscous, transparent substance. See Glair.' Such cross-references between entries encourage the reader to follow links, building a network of related terms. The inclusion of obsolete or rare senses, like 'glare' meaning 'glair,' adds depth.

Specialized and Technical Vocabulary

The dictionary covers specialized fields with precision. Under 'G,' entries like 'Glandiferous' (bearing acorns), 'Glandiform' (having the form of a gland), and 'Glandulation' (the situation of secretory vessels in plants) show attention to botanical and anatomical terminology. The entry for 'Glans' lists three distinct senses: anatomical (the apex of the penis), botanical (the acorn), and medical (goiter or pessary). This multi-domain approach means a reader encountering a word in a scientific text can find its exact meaning here. The inclusion of Latin and French etymons, such as 'glandifère' for 'Glandiferous,' further aids those working with older scientific literature.

Literary and Quotational Evidence

Definitions are frequently supported by quotations from canonical authors. The entry for 'Fable' cites Addison, Dryden, and Tennyson: 'We grew / The fable of the city where we dwelt.' For 'Glare,' the verb is illustrated with lines from Dryden, Byron, and Pope: 'She glares in balls, front boxes, and the ring.' These quotations do more than confirm usage; they place the word in a literary context, showing how poets and writers have employed it. The dictionary thus serves as a reading companion for English literature. A first-time user can look up a word in a poem and find not only its definition but also examples from other authors, enriching their understanding of the text.

For a first reading, approach this dictionary as a collection of interconnected essays rather than a simple lookup tool. Follow cross-references like 'See Glair' under 'Glare' to see how entries build on each other. Pay attention to the etymological notes and literary quotations, which reveal the historical and cultural layers of the language. The 1913 Webster's is a work of scholarship that rewards browsing as much as targeted searching.

Flipping through the F, G, and H entries feels like revisiting an old friend’s house—the same sturdy furniture of etymology and pronunciation, arranged just so. It made me think back to the earlier rooms in The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section A and B — Inside the Classic, where the same patient cross-references first taught me how to wander. That quiet consistency is oddly comforting.