figure

n. [ F., figure, L. figura; akin to fingere to form, shape, feign. See Feign. ] 1. The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance. [ 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 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Figured p. pr. & vb. n. Figuring. ] [ F. figurer, L. figurare, fr. figura. See Figure, n. ] 1. To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape. [ 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 ]

v. i. 1. To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court. [ 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 ]

a. 1. Adorned with figures; marked with figures; as, figured muslin. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]