WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Fri"ar
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OR. frere, F. fr?re brother, friar, fr. L. frater brother. See Brother.]
Definition : 1. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A brother or member of any religious order, but especially of one of the four mendicant orders, viz: (a) Minors, Gray Friars, or Franciscans. (b) Augustines. (c) Dominicans or Black Friars. (d) White Friars or Carmelites. See these names in the Vocabulary.

2. (Print.)

Defn: A white or pale patch on a printed page.

3. (Zo?l.)

Defn: An American fish; the silversides. Friar bird (Zo?l.), an Australian bird (Tropidorhynchus corniculatus), having the head destitute of feathers; -- called also coldong, leatherhead, pimlico; poor soldier, and four-o'clock. The name is also applied to several other species of the same genus. -- Friar's balsam (Med.), a stimulating application for wounds and ulcers, being an alcoholic solution of benzoin, styrax, tolu balsam, and aloes; compound tincture of benzoin. Brande & C. -- Friar's cap (Bot.), the monkshood. -- Friar's cowl (Bot.), an arumlike plant (Arisarum vulgare) with a spathe or involucral leaf resembling a cowl. -- Friar's lantern, the ignis fatuus or Will-o'-the-wisp. Milton. -- Friar skate (Zo?l.), the European white or sharpnosed skate (Raia alba); -- called also Burton skate, border ray, scad, and doctor.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913