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 ]
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