Known by the name of uniformity;
Where pyramids to pyramids relate
And the whole fabric doth configurate. Jordan. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is the variety of configurations [ of the mouth ] . . . which gives birth and origin to the several vowels. Harris. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astrol.) Relative position or aspect of the planets; the face of the horoscope, according to the relative positions of the planets at any time. [ 1913 Webster ]

They [ astrologers ] undertook . . . to determine the course of a man's character and life from the configuration of the stars at the moment of his birth. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

These two stones as they are here defigured. Weever. [ 1913 Webster ]

Disfiguring not God's likeness, but their own. Milton.

Syn. -- To deface; deform; mar; injure. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which disfigures; a defacement; a blot. [ 1913 Webster ]

Uncommon expressions . . . are a disfigurement rather than any embellishment of discourse. Hume. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lead is figurable, but water is not. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) Figurate. See Figurate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Figural numbers. See Figurate numbers, under Figurate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Plants are all figurate and determinate, which inanimate bodies are not. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Figurative; metaphorical. [ Obs. ] Bale. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) Florid; figurative; involving passing discords by the freer melodic movement of one or more parts or voices in the harmony; as, figurate counterpoint or descant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Figurate counterpoint or
Figurate descant (Mus.), that which is not simple, or in which the parts do not move together tone for tone, but in which freer movement of one or more parts mingles passing discords with the harmony; -- called also figural, figurative, and figured counterpoint or descant (although the term figured is more commonly applied to a bass with numerals written above or below to indicate the other notes of the harmony). --
Figurate numbers (Math.), numbers, or series of numbers, formed from any arithmetical progression in which the first term is a unit, and the difference a whole number, by taking the first term, and the sums of the first two, first three, first four, etc., as the successive terms of a new series, from which another may be formed in the same manner, and so on, the numbers in the resulting series being such that points representing them are capable of symmetrical arrangement in different geometrical figures, as triangles, squares, pentagons, etc. In the following example, the two lower lines are composed of figurate numbers, those in the second line being triangular, and represented thus: --
. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. . . . 1, 3, 6, 10, etc. . . . . . . . etc. 1, 4, 10, 20, etc . . . . . . . . . . . .
[ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) Mixture of concords and discords. [ 1913 Webster ]

This, they will say, was figurative, and served, by God's appointment, but for a time, to shadow out the true glory of a more divine sanctity. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Used in a sense that is tropical, as a metaphor; not literal; -- applied to words and expressions. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Abounding in figures of speech; flowery; florid; as, a highly figurative description. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Relating to the representation of form or figure by drawing, carving, etc. See Figure, n., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

They belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form. J. A. Symonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

Figurative counterpoint or
Figurative descant. See under Figurate.

-- Fig"ur*a*tive*ly, adv. -- Fig"ur*a*tive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Flowers have all exquisite figures. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A coin that bears the figure of an angel. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person; as, a sorry figure. [ 1913 Webster ]

I made some figure there. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gentlemen of the best figure in the county. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show. [ 1913 Webster ]

That he may live in figure and indulgence. Law. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2, 3, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are estimated or sold at a low figure. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

With nineteen thousand a year at the very lowest figure. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who is the figure of Him that was to come. Rom. v. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. (Logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. (Dancing) Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. (Astrol.) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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 [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

If love, alas! be pain I bear, [ 1913 Webster ]

No thought can figure, and no tongue declare.Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To embellish with design; to adorn with figures. [ 1913 Webster ]

The vaulty top of heaven
Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To indicate by numerals; also, to compute. [ 1913 Webster ]

As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose white vestments figure innocence. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To prefigure; to foreshow. [ 1913 Webster ]

In this the heaven figures some event. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mus.) (a) To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords. (b) To embellish. [ 1913 Webster ]

To figure out, to solve; to compute or find the result of. --
To figure up, to add; to reckon; to compute the amount of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sociable, hospitable, eloquent, admired, figuring away brilliantly. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To calculate; to contrive; to scheme; as, he is figuring to secure the nomination. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

go figure a phrase used by itself as an interjection to mean “How can one explain that?”, or to express puzzlement over some seeming contradiction. [ Colloq. ] [ PJC ]

2. Not literal; figurative. [ Obs. ] Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) (a) Free and florid; as, a figured descant. See Figurate, 3. (b) Indicated or noted by figures. [ 1913 Webster ]

Figured bass. See Continued bass, under Continued. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person who allows his name to be used to give standing to enterprises in which he has no responsible interest or duties; a nominal, but not real, head or chief. [ 1913 Webster ]

A variety of prophecies and prefigurations. Norris. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eccl.) A feast held by some branches of the Christian church on the 6th of August, in commemoration of the miraculous change above mentioned. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Especially, to change to something exalted and glorious; to give an ideal form to. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Jesus ] was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Matt. xvii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]