1 N‑COUNT A fender is a low metal wall built around a fireplace, which stops any coals that fall out of the fire from rolling onto the carpet. □ …a brass fender.
2 N‑COUNT A fender is the same as a fireguard .
3 N‑COUNT The fenders of a car are the parts of the body over the wheels. [AM ] in BRIT, use wing 4 N‑COUNT The fender of a car is a bar at the front or back that protects the car if it bumps into something. [AM ] in BRIT, use bumper 5 N‑COUNT The fenders of a boat are objects which hang against the outside and protect it from damage when it comes next to a harbour wall or another boat.
feng shui /fʌŋ ʃwe I / N‑UNCOUNT Feng shui is a Chinese art which is based on the belief that the way you arrange things within a building, and within the rooms of that building, can affect aspects of your life such as how happy and successful you are.
fen|nel /fe n ə l/ N‑UNCOUNT Fennel is a plant with a crisp rounded base and feathery leaves. It can be eaten as a vegetable or the leaves can be used as a herb.
fe|ral /fe rəl, f I ə r-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Feral animals are wild animals that are not owned or controlled by anyone, especially ones that belong to species which are normally owned and kept by people. [FORMAL ] □ …feral cats.
fer|ment (ferments , fermenting , fermented ) The noun is pronounced /fɜː r ment/. The verb is pronounced /fə r me nt/. 1 N‑UNCOUNT Ferment is excitement and trouble caused by change or uncertainty. □ The whole country has been in a state of political ferment for some months.
2 VERB If a food, drink, or other natural substance ferments , or if it is fermented , a chemical change takes place in it so that alcohol is produced. This process forms part of the production of alcoholic drinks such as wine and beer. □ [V ] The dried grapes are allowed to ferment until there is no sugar left and the wine is dry. □ [V n] Manufacturers ferment the yeast to produce a more concentrated product. ● fer|men|ta|tion /fɜː r mente I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Yeast is essential for the fermentation that produces alcohol.
fern /fɜː r n/ (ferns ) N‑VAR A fern is a plant that has long stems with feathery leaves and no flowers. There are many types of fern.
fe|ro|cious /fəroʊ ʃəs/
1 ADJ A ferocious animal, person, or action is very fierce and violent. □ …a ferocious guard-dog. □ The police had had to deal with some of the most ferocious violence ever seen on the streets of London.
2 ADJ A ferocious war, argument, or other form of conflict involves a great deal of anger, bitterness, and determination. □ Fighting has been ferocious. □ A ferocious battle to select a new parliamentary candidate is in progress.
3 ADJ If you describe actions or feelings as ferocious , you mean that they are intense and determined. □ Lindbergh was startled at the ferocious depth of anti-British feeling.
fe|roc|ity /fərɒ s I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT The ferocity of something is its fierce or violent nature. □ The armed forces seem to have been taken by surprise by the ferocity of the attack.
fer|ret /fe r I t/ (ferrets , ferreting , ferreted )
1 N‑COUNT A ferret is a small, fierce animal which is used for hunting rabbits and rats.
2 VERB If you ferret about for something, you look for it in a lot of different places or in a place where it is hidden. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V about/around ] She nonetheless continued to ferret about for possible jobs. □ [V prep] She ferreted among some papers.
▸ ferret out PHRASAL VERB If you ferret out some information, you discover it by searching for it very thoroughly. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] The team is trying to ferret out missing details. □ [V n P ] I leave it to the reader to ferret these out. WORD HISTORY ferret
Ferret comes from Old French furet meaning 'little thief', from Latin fūr , meaning 'thief'.
Fer|ris wheel /fe r I s wiːl/ (Ferris wheels ) also ferris wheel N‑COUNT A Ferris wheel is a very large upright wheel with carriages around the edge of it which people can ride in. Ferris wheels are often found at theme parks or funfairs. [AM ] in BRIT, use big wheel
fer|rous /fe rəs/ ADJ [ADJ n] Ferrous means containing or relating to iron. □ …ferrous metals. □ …ferrous chloride.
fer|rule /fe ruːl, [AM ] -r ə l/ (ferrules ) N‑COUNT A ferrule is a metal or rubber cap that is fixed onto the end of a stick or post in order to prevent it from splitting or wearing down. [FORMAL ]
fer|ry /fe ri/ (ferries , ferrying , ferried )
1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A ferry is a boat that transports passengers and sometimes also vehicles, usually across rivers or short stretches of sea. □ They had recrossed the River Gambia by ferry.
2 VERB If a vehicle ferries people or goods, it transports them, usually by means of regular journeys between the same two places. □ [V n prep/adv] Every day, a plane arrives to ferry guests to and from Bird Island Lodge. □ [V n amount] It was still dark when five coaches started to ferry the miners the 140 miles from the Silverhill colliery. □ [V n with adv] A helicopter ferried in more soldiers to help in the search. [Also V n]
fer|ry|boat /fe riboʊt/ (ferryboats ) N‑COUNT A ferryboat is a boat used as a ferry.
fer|tile /fɜː r ta I l, [AM ] -t ə l/
1 ADJ Land or soil that is fertile is able to support the growth of a large number of strong healthy plants. □ …fertile soil. □ …the rolling fertile countryside of East Cork. ● fer|til|ity /fɜː r t I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ He was able to bring large sterile acreages back to fertility.