- Finnmark Act (Norway [2005])
Norway: Constitutional framework: The Finnmark Act, adopted by the Storting in 2005, transferred some 95 percent of the fylke (county) of Finnmark from state ownership to its residents through the establishment of the Finnmark Estate. The act recognized in particular that the Sami people, through protracted traditional use of…
- Finnmark Plateau (plateau, Norway)
Norway: Relief: …in southern Norway; and the Finnmark Plateau (1,000 feet [300 metres] above sea level), occupying most of Finnmark, the northernmost and largest county of Norway.
- Finnmarksvidda (plain, Norway)
Finnmarksvidda, swampy plain, northern Norway. Though it has no exact natural boundaries, the plain’s principal section is about 60 miles (100 km) from east to west and 50 miles from north to south. The Finnmarksvidda, made up of ancient crystalline rock, is characterized by numerous small lakes
- Finno-Ugric (people)
Finland: Ethnic groups: Peoples of Uralic (specifically Finno-Ugric) stock dominated two settlement areas. Those who entered southwestern Finland across the Gulf of Finland were the ancestors of the Hämäläiset (Tavastians, or Tavastlanders), the people of southern and western Finland (especially the historic region of Häme); those who entered from the southeast were…
- Finno-Ugric languages
Finno-Ugric languages, group of languages constituting much the larger of the two branches of a more comprehensive grouping, the Uralic languages (q.v.). The Finno-Ugric languages are spoken by several million people distributed discontinuously over an area extending from Norway in the west to the
- Finno-Ugric religion
Finno-Ugric religion, pre-Christian and pre-Islamic religious beliefs and practices of the Finno-Ugric peoples, who inhabit regions of northern Scandinavia, Siberia, the Baltic area, and central Europe. In modern times the religion of many of these peoples has been an admixture of agrarian and
- Finow Canal (canal, Germany)
canals and inland waterways: Germany: The 40-km (25-mile) Finow Canal along the Havel to the Liepe, a tributary of the Oder, had been built earlier but fell into decay because of flooding and neglect and was not rebuilt until 1751. Thus, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, under Frederick William, the…
- FINRA (American organization)
over-the-counter market: …Stock Exchange to form the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which became the main regulatory body of that market in the United States. Although retail prices of over-the-counter transactions are not publicly reported, interdealer prices for the issues have been published since February 1965 by NASD and later FINRA.
- Finschhafen (Papua New Guinea)
Finschhafen, town and port at the tip of Huon Peninsula, eastern Papua New Guinea, southwestern Pacific Ocean. The three-basin harbour, an inlet of the Solomon Sea, was charted by the British navigator Capt. John Moresby in 1873–74. Named for German explorer Otto Finsch, the town was claimed by
- Finschia novaeseelandiae (bird, Finschia novaeseelandiae species)
creeper: The brown creeper (Mohoua novaeseelandiae, or Finschia novaeseelandiae) of New Zealand belongs to the family Pachycephalidae. It is about 13 cm long, with a rather long tail and a tiny bill. Flocks or pairs call constantly in forests of South Island.
- Finsen, Niels Ryberg (Danish physician)
Niels Ryberg Finsen was a Danish physician and the founder of modern phototherapy (the treatment of disease by the influence of light). He received the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for the application of light in the treatment of skin diseases. Finsen was born into a prominent
- Finsky Zaliv (gulf, Northern Europe)
Gulf of Finland, easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea, between Finland (north) and Russia and Estonia (east and south, respectively). Covering an area of 11,600 square miles (30,000 square km), the gulf extends for 250 miles (400 km) from east to west but only 12 to 80 miles (19 to 130 km) from north
- Finsteraarhorn (mountain, Switzerland)
Finsteraarhorn, highest peak (14,022 feet [4,274 metres]) of the Bernese Alps in south-central Switzerland, it lies between the cantons of Bern and Valais south-southeast of the mountain resort of Grindelwald. First ascended in 1812 by three Swiss guides (though this is disputed, and the first
- Finsterwalder, Ulrich (German engineer)
bridge: Ulrich Finsterwalder: During the years after World War II, a German engineer and builder, Ulrich Finsterwalder, developed the cantilever method of construction with prestressed concrete. Finsterwalder’s Bendorf Bridge over the Rhine at Koblenz, Germany, was completed in 1962 with thin piers and a centre
- finta giardiniera, La (opera by Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Early maturity: …to write an opera buffa, La finta giardiniera (“The Feigned Gardener Girl”), for the Munich carnival season, where it was duly successful. It shows Mozart, in his first comic opera since his childhood, finding ways of using the orchestra more expressively and of giving real personality to the pasteboard figures…
- finta semplice, La (opera buffa by Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Early life and works: …having an Italian opera buffa, La finta semplice (“The Feigned Simpleton”), done at the court theatre—hopes that were, however, frustrated, much to Leopold’s indignation. But a substantial, festal mass setting (probably K 139/47a) was successfully given before the court at the dedication of the Orphanage Church. La finta semplice was…
- Fiona, Hurricane (storm [2022])
Puerto Rico: Hurricanes Maria and Fiona: …not as strong as Maria, Hurricane Fiona caused flooding and landslides, and it knocked out the island’s electricity.
- Fionn (Irish legendary figure)
Finn, legendary Irish hero, leader of the group of warriors known as the Fianna Éireann. See Fenian
- Fionn cycle (Irish literature)
Fenian cycle, in Irish literature, tales and ballads centring on the deeds of the legendary Finn MacCumhaill (MacCool) and his war band, the Fianna Éireann. An elite volunteer corps of warriors and huntsmen, skilled in poetry, the Fianna flourished under the reign of Cormac mac Airt in the 3rd
- Fionnlagh Ruadh (Scottish bard)
Celtic literature: Writings of the medieval period: The bard best represented is Fionnlagh Ruadh, bard to John, chief of clan Gregor (died 1519). There are three poems by Giolla Coluim mac an Ollaimh, a professional poet at the court of the Lord of the Isles and almost certainly a member of the MacMhuirich bardic family, the famous…
- Fioravanti, Alfredo Adolfo (forger)
forgery: Forgery in the visual arts: Finally, Alfredo Adolfo Fioravanti confessed that he was the sole survivor of the three forgers.
- fiord (sea inlet)
fjord, long narrow arm of the sea, commonly extending far inland, that results from marine inundation of a glaciated valley. Many fjords are astonishingly deep; Sogn Fjord in Norway is 1,308 m (4,290 feet) deep, and Canal Messier in Chile is 1,270 m (4,167 feet). The great depth of these submerged
- Fiordland crested penguin (bird)
Fiordland penguin, (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), species of crested penguin (genus Eudyptes, order Sphenisciformes) characterized by a thick stripe of pale yellow feather plumes above each eye (the superciliary stripe) that extends from the bill to the rear of the head. The terminal ends of each of the
- Fiordland National Park (national park, New Zealand)
Fiordland National Park, scenic natural area in the southernmost part of South Island, New Zealand. Established as a reserve in 1904, it was designated a national park in 1952. It covers an area of some 4,600 square miles (12,000 square km), making it one of the largest national parks in the world.
- Fiordland penguin (bird)
Fiordland penguin, (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), species of crested penguin (genus Eudyptes, order Sphenisciformes) characterized by a thick stripe of pale yellow feather plumes above each eye (the superciliary stripe) that extends from the bill to the rear of the head. The terminal ends of each of the
- Fiore, Gioacchino da (Italian theologian)
Joachim Of Fiore was an Italian mystic, theologian, biblical commentator, philosopher of history, and founder of the monastic order of San Giovanni in Fiore. He developed a philosophy of history according to which history develops in three ages of increasing spirituality: the ages of the Father,
- Fiore, Pasquale (Italian jurist)
Pasquale Fiore was an Italian jurist and leading authority on international law. Fiore studied at Urbino, Pisa, and Turin, and, after a period of teaching philosophy at Cremona, during which he published Elementi di diritto pubblico constituzionale e amministrativo (1862; “Elements of Public
- Fiorelli, Giuseppe (Italian archaeologist)
Giuseppe Fiorelli was an Italian archaeologist whose systematic excavation at Pompeii helped to preserve much of the ancient city as nearly intact as possible and contributed significantly to modern archaeological methods. Fiorelli’s initial work at Pompeii was completed in 1848. Then, when he
- Fiorelli, Silvio (Italian actor)
Compagnia degli Uniti: …perform with the Uniti was Silvio Fiorillo, known for the innovations he made in the characters of the cowardly braggart Capitano Mattamoros and the eccentric curmudgeon Pulcinella.
- Fiorello! (musical score by Bock and Harnick)
Jerry Bock: … he had his greatest successes: Fiorello! (1959, Pulitzer Prize) and Fiddler on the Roof (1964). Bock and Harnick’s other musicals included The Body Beautiful (1958), Tenderloin (1960), the admired She Loves Me (1963), The Apple Tree (1966), and The Rothschilds (1966).
- Fiorentina (Italian football club)
Roberto Baggio: Baggio blossomed into stardom with Fiorentina, his distinctive ponytail becoming famous throughout the country. When he transferred to Juventus for a then record fee in 1990, there were riots in Florence. In his first match against Fiorentina as a member of Juventus, Baggio refused to take a penalty kick, an…
- Fiorentino, Linda (American actress)
William Friedkin: …point toward his ex-girlfriend (Linda Fiorentino). Friedkin returned to television for 12 Angry Men (1997), a remake of the 1957 classic that earned solid reviews.
- Fioretti di San Francesco (Italian literature)
Italian literature: Religious and historical literature: …Fioretti di San Francesco (The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi).
- Fiori da Urbino (Italian painter)
Federico Barocci was a leading painter of the central Italian school in the last decades of the 16th century and an important precursor of the Baroque style. Barocci studied in Urbino with Battista Franco, a follower of Michelangelo’s maniera. Although he made two visits to Rome—one in about 1550
- Fiori musicali (work by Frescobaldi)
Girolamo Frescobaldi: …of Frescobaldi’s remaining publications, the Fiori musicali of 1635, consists of organ music intended for liturgical use.
- Fiori, Ernesto de (Italian sculptor)
Western sculpture: Conservative reaction (1920s): …Arno Breker, Karl Albiker, and Ernesto de Fiori were simply variations on a studio theme in praise of youth and body culture. In the United States adherents of the countermovement included William Zorach, Chaim Gross, Adolph Block, Paul Manship, and Wheeler Williams.
- Fiori, Federico (Italian painter)
Federico Barocci was a leading painter of the central Italian school in the last decades of the 16th century and an important precursor of the Baroque style. Barocci studied in Urbino with Battista Franco, a follower of Michelangelo’s maniera. Although he made two visits to Rome—one in about 1550
- Fiorilli, Tiberio (Italian actor)
Tiberio Fiorillo was an Italian actor of the commedia dell’arte who developed the character Scaramouche. Perhaps the son of Silvio Fiorillo, a famous Pulcinella, Tiberio Fiorillo quit an undistinguished company of players to gain fame as the braggart captain called Scaramuccia. He was especially
- Fiorillo, Silvio (Italian actor)
Compagnia degli Uniti: …perform with the Uniti was Silvio Fiorillo, known for the innovations he made in the characters of the cowardly braggart Capitano Mattamoros and the eccentric curmudgeon Pulcinella.
- Fiorillo, Tiberio (Italian actor)
Tiberio Fiorillo was an Italian actor of the commedia dell’arte who developed the character Scaramouche. Perhaps the son of Silvio Fiorillo, a famous Pulcinella, Tiberio Fiorillo quit an undistinguished company of players to gain fame as the braggart captain called Scaramuccia. He was especially
- fiorin (plant)
creeping bent, (Agrostis stolonifera), perennial grass of the family Poaceae, widely used as a lawn and turf grass. Creeping bent is native to Eurasia and northern Africa and commonly grows in wetlands. The plant is widely naturalized in many places throughout the world and is considered an
- Fiorina, Carly (American business executive and politician)
Carly Fiorina is an American business executive who, as CEO (1999–2005) of Hewlett-Packard Company, was the first woman to head a company listed on the Dow Jones average. She sought the Republican Party nomination for president in 2016. Cara Carleton Sneed is the daughter of Joseph Sneed, a judge
- fiorino d’oro (coin)
coin: Italy and Sicily: …famous and profuse series of fiorini d’oro, or gold florins. The lily continued as the civic type, together with the standing figure of the Baptist. Regular weight (about 3.50 grams, 54 grains) and fineness won the fiorino universal fame and wide imitation; double florins were introduced in 1504. Venice in…
- fiorite (mineral)
silica mineral: Solubility of silica minerals: …silica results in formation of siliceous sinter or geyserite, as at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park in the western United States.
- Fipa (people)
Fipa, a Bantu-speaking people linguistically related to Lungu, Pimbwe, and Mambwe who inhabit the Ufipa plateau between lakes Tanganyika and Rukwa in southwestern Tanzania. From prehistoric times the plateau has been a corridor between northeastern and south central Africa. The Fipa are an amalgam
- fipple flute (musical instrument)
fipple flute, any of several end-blown flutes having a plug (“block,” or “fipple”) inside the pipe below the mouth hole, forming a flue, duct, or windway that directs the player’s breath alternately above and below the sharp edge of a lateral hole. This arrangement causes the enclosed air column to
- FIQ (international bowling organization)
bowling: International competition: …of any consequence until the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) was formed in 1952 to coordinate international amateur competition. Its headquarters is in Helsinki, and it has grown to more than 70 member nations.
- fiqh (Islam)
fiqh, Muslim jurisprudence—i.e., the science of ascertaining the precise terms of the Sharīʿah, or Islamic law. The collective sources of Muslim jurisprudence are known as uṣūl al-fiqh. While Sharīʿah is considered to be divine and immutable, fiqh, the human effort to know the Sharīʿah, is
- fiqī (Islamic jurist)
North Africa: The Maghrib under the Almoravids and the Almohads: The fuqahāʾ (experts on Islamic law) supervised both the administration of justice by the qāḍīs and the work of the provincial governors, and they acted as advisers to the rulers. The empire’s simple system of government, in which military commanders acted as administrators, was rendered especially…
- fir (tree, Abies genus)
fir, (genus Abies), genus of more than 40 species of evergreen trees of the conifer family Pinaceae. Although several other coniferous trees are commonly called firs—e.g., the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga), the hemlock fir (see hemlock), and the joint fir (see Ephedra), true firs are native to North
- fir (tree)
pine: Major Eurasian pines: The Scotch pine (P. sylvestris) of northern Europe, when grown under optimum conditions, attains a height of 20 to 40 metres (70 to 130 feet). It is conical in youth, acquires a mushroom-shaped crown in maturity, and has a straight trunk as much as one metre…
- FIR (air-traffic control)
airport: Air traffic control: …as it flies through successive flight information regions (FIRs). Upon approaching an airport at which a landing is to be made, the aircraft passes into the terminal control area (TCA). Within this area, there may be a greatly increased density of air traffic, and this is closely monitored on radar…
- fir club moss (plant)
club moss: Major genera and species: Fir club moss (H. selago), a 20-cm- (8-inch-) tall plant native to rocks and bog margins in the Northern Hemisphere, also lacks distinct strobili.
- fir, balsam of (oleoresin)
Canada balsam, oleoresin consisting of a viscous yellowish to greenish liquid exuded by the balsam fir of North America, Abies balsamea. It is actually a turpentine, belonging to the class of oleoresins (natural products consisting of a resin dissolved in an essential oil), and not a balsam. Canada
- Firá (Greece)
Thera: The chief town, Thíra (locally called Firá), was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1956. Other settlements include Emboríon and Pírgos to the south and the port of Oía at the north entrance to the lagoon, which was destroyed by the 1956 earthquake.
- Fırat Nehri (river, Middle East)
Euphrates River, river, Middle East. The longest river in southwest Asia, it is 1,740 miles (2,800 km) long, and it is one of the two main constituents of the Tigris-Euphrates river system. The river rises in Turkey and flows southeast across Syria and through Iraq. Formed by the confluence of the
- Firbank, Arthur Annesley Ronald (British author)
Ronald Firbank was an English novelist who was a literary innovator of some importance. Greatly indebted to the literature of the 1890s, his is a peculiarly fantastic and perverse, idiosyncratic humour. His wit largely depends upon the shape and cadence of the sentence and upon an eccentric and
- Firbank, Ronald (British author)
Ronald Firbank was an English novelist who was a literary innovator of some importance. Greatly indebted to the literature of the 1890s, his is a peculiarly fantastic and perverse, idiosyncratic humour. His wit largely depends upon the shape and cadence of the sentence and upon an eccentric and
- Firdawsī (Persian poet)
Ferdowsī was a Persian poet, author of the Shāh-nāmeh (“Book of Kings”), the Persian national epic, to which he gave a final and enduring form, although he based his poem mainly on an earlier prose version. Ferdowsī was born in a village on the outskirts of the ancient city of Ṭūs. In the course of
- Firdousi (Persian poet)
Ferdowsī was a Persian poet, author of the Shāh-nāmeh (“Book of Kings”), the Persian national epic, to which he gave a final and enduring form, although he based his poem mainly on an earlier prose version. Ferdowsī was born in a village on the outskirts of the ancient city of Ṭūs. In the course of
- Firdusi (Persian poet)
Ferdowsī was a Persian poet, author of the Shāh-nāmeh (“Book of Kings”), the Persian national epic, to which he gave a final and enduring form, although he based his poem mainly on an earlier prose version. Ferdowsī was born in a village on the outskirts of the ancient city of Ṭūs. In the course of
- fire (gem)
fire, in gems, rapidly changing flashes of colour seen in some gems, such as diamonds. Some minerals show dispersion; that is, they break incident white light into its component colours. The greater the separation between rays of red light (at one end of the visible spectrum) and rays of violet
- fire (weaponry)
military technology: Fortress design: …the ramparts and for enfilade fire from flanking towers. By classical Greek times, fortress architecture had attained a high level of sophistication; both the profile and the trace (that is, the height above ground level and the outline of the walls) of fortifications were designed to achieve overlapping fields of…
- fire (combustion)
fire, rapid burning of combustible material with the evolution of heat and usually accompanied by flame. It is one of the human race’s essential tools, control of which helped start it on the path toward civilization. The original source of fire undoubtedly was lightning, and such fortuitously
- fire alarm
fire alarm, means of warning in case of fire. Originally, watchmen provided the only fire-alarm system, but, with the advent of electric power, boxes wired to fire departments provided a warning system from city streets and such institutional buildings as schools. While some of the latter remain in
- Fire and Air (play by McNally)
Terrence McNally: Fire and Air (2018) is about the Ballets Russes and founder Serge Diaghilev’s relationship with Vaslav Nijinsky.
- Fire and All Risks Insurance Co. (Australian company)
Lawrence James Adler: (later renamed FAI Insurance, Ltd.) and one of the 10 richest men in the country.
- Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House (work by Wolff)
Steve Bannon: Association with Trump: …quoted in Michael Wolff’s book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, in which White House insiders describe Trump as woefully ill-suited to serve as president. Most notably, Bannon reportedly characterized the meeting of Donald Trump, Jr., with Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.” In…
- Fire and Ice (film by Bakshi [1983])
Frank Frazetta: The film, Fire and Ice, was poorly received upon its release in 1983.
- Fire and Sword in the Sudan (work by Slatin)
Rudolf Karl, baron von Slatin: His book, Feuer und Schwert im Sudan, 2 vol. (1896, 1922; “Fire and Sword in the Sudan”), was instrumental in enlisting support against the Mahdists. After serving with Lord Kitchener (1897–98) in the reconquest of the Sudan, he was named inspector general of the Sudan in 1900…
- fire ant (insect)
fire ant, (genus Solenopsis), genus of nearly 200 species of ants that occur in tropical regions of the world, such as Central and South America, and in some temperate regions, such as North America. They are noted for their ability to survive extreme conditions, including floods. Taxonomy See also
- fire blight (disease)
fire blight, plant disease, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, that can give infected plants a scorched appearance. Fire blight largely affects members of the rose family (Rosaceae). It has destroyed pear and apple orchards in much of North America, in parts of Europe, and in New Zealand
- fire bomb (military technology)
bomb: Conventional bomb types: Incendiary bombs are of two main types. The burning material of the intensive type is thermite, a mixture of aluminum powder and iron oxide that burns at a very high temperature. The casing of such a bomb is composed of magnesium, a metal that itself burns…
- fire bottle (weapon)
Molotov cocktail, a crude bomb, typically consisting of a bottle filled with a flammable liquid and a wick that is ignited before throwing. It is named for Vyacheslav Molotov, the foreign minister of the Soviet Union during and after World War II, though Molotov was not its inventor. It is also
- fire brigade
firefighting, activity directed at limiting the spread of fire and extinguishing it, particularly as performed by members of organizations (fire services or fire departments) trained for the purpose. When it is possible, firefighters rescue persons endangered by the fire, if necessary, before
- fire cherry (tree)
ecological disturbance: Disturbance frequency and recovery: The biology of pin cherries (Prunus pensylvanica) illustrates an extension of this theme. In the course of secondary succession in forests of the eastern United States and southern Canada, these small trees grow into gaps and are abundant for periods of about 10 to 25 years; over time,…
- fire control (military)
artillery: Fire control: In the 1850s the tactics of artillery were simple: the gun was positioned well to the front and fired across open sights straight at the enemy. The general adoption after the 1880s of long-range rifles firing smokeless-powder rounds rendered this…
- fire coral (hydrocoral order)
cnidarian: Support mechanisms and skeletons: Hydrocorals, which include the order Milleporina (millepores), commonly called fire coral, and the precious red coral used for jewelry, form encrusting or branching skeletons similar to those of anthozoan corals.
- fire curing (agriculture)
tobacco: Curing: The fire-curing process resembles air curing except that open wood fires are kindled on the floor of the curing barn after the tobacco has been hanging for two to six days. The smoke imparts to the tobacco a characteristic aroma of creosote. The firing process may…
- Fire Dance (dance by Fuller)
Loie Fuller: …the Folies Bergère in her "Fire Dance," in which she danced on glass illuminated from below. She quickly became the toast of avant-garde Paris. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Auguste Rodin, and Jules Chéret used her as a subject, several writers dedicated works to her, and daring society women sought her out.…
- fire detection
construction: Life-safety systems: …include life-threatening events, such as fire and smoke and earthquakes, and less critical ones, such as electric power failures. To deal with the threat of fire and smoke there is an array of fire-detection and fire-suppression systems. These include electronic heat and smoke detectors that can activate audible alarm devices…
- fire drill (tool)
fire: Manufacture of fire: The simple fire drill, a pointed stick of hard wood twirled between the palms and pressed into a hole on the edge of a stick of softer wood, is almost universal. The fire-plow and the fire saw are variations on the friction method common in Oceania, Australia,…
- Fire Dwellers, The (novel by Laurence)
Margaret Laurence: …Rachel, Rachel in 1968) and The Fire Dwellers (1969) are about two sisters, a Manitoba schoolteacher and a Vancouver housewife, each trying to achieve personal fulfillment. After The Diviners (1974), a novel, and Heart of a Stranger (1977), a collection of essays, Laurence turned to writing children’s stories.
- fire ecology (ecology)
- fire engine
fire engine, mobile (nowadays self-propelled) piece of equipment used in firefighting. Early fire engines were hand pumps equipped with reservoirs and were moved to the scene of a fire by human or animal power. For large fires, the reservoir was kept filled by a bucket brigade, but that method was
- fire escape
fire escape, means of rapid egress from a building, primarily intended for use in case of fire. Several types have been used: a knotted rope or rope ladder secured to an inside wall; an open iron stairway on the building’s exterior, an iron balcony; a chute; and an enclosed fire- and smokeproof
- fire extinguisher
fire extinguisher, portable or movable apparatus used to put out a small fire by directing onto it a substance that cools the burning material, deprives the flame of oxygen, or interferes with the chemical reactions occurring in the flame. Water performs two of these functions: its conversion to
- fire fighting
firefighting, activity directed at limiting the spread of fire and extinguishing it, particularly as performed by members of organizations (fire services or fire departments) trained for the purpose. When it is possible, firefighters rescue persons endangered by the fire, if necessary, before
- fire finch (bird)
fire finch, any of several red-and-brown or red-and-black birds of Africa that usually have fine white dots on their undersides. Fire finches belong to the family Estrildidae (order Passeriformes). Perhaps the commonest and tamest bird in Africa is the 8-centimetre (3-inch) red-billed, or Senegal,
- fire fungus (biological organism)
cup fungus: Fire fungus is the common name for two genera (Pyronema and Anthracobia) of the order that grow on burned wood or steamed soil.
- fire gilding (decorative art)
ormolu, (from French dorure d’or moulu: “gilding with gold paste”), gold-coloured alloy of copper, zinc, and sometimes tin, in various proportions but usually containing at least 50 percent copper. Ormolu is used in mounts (ornaments on borders, edges, and as angle guards) for furniture, especially
- Fire in My Head: Poems for the Dawn, A (poetry by Okri)
Ben Okri: …for the Many (2018), and A Fire in My Head: Poems for the Dawn (2021). His short-story collections from this time included Prayer for the Living (2019). A Way of Being Free (1997) and A Time for New Dreams (2011) are collections of Okri’s essays. Although typically not overtly political,…
- Fire in the Borgo (work by Raphael)
Raphael: Last years in Rome of Raphael: …exception of one fresco, the Fire in the Borgo, in which his pursuit of more dramatic pictorial incidents and his continuing study of the male nude are plainly apparent.
- fire in the fern, the (New Zealand history)
Māori: Māori versus Pākehā: …and to the Māori as Te riri Pākehā, “the white man’s anger,”—was fought from 1864 to 1872. Hostilities spread to virtually the whole of North Island. The main Māori combatants in the mid-60s were the fanatic Hauhau warriors. The British government wanted to conclude peace in 1864, but the colonial…
- Fire in the Flint, The (novel by White)
Harlem Renaissance: Fiction: Walter White’s The Fire in the Flint (1924) focused on the career and then the lynching of a Black physician and veteran of World War I. Protesting racial oppression and exposing its most barbaric expressions, White’s novel also brought attention to a distinguished Black professional class whose…
- fire insurance
fire insurance, provision against losses caused by fire, lightning, and the removal of property from premises endangered by fire. The insurer agrees, for a fee, to reimburse the insured in the event of such an occurrence. The standard policy limits coverage to the replacement cost of the property
- Fire Island (sandspit, New York, United States)
Fire Island, elongated sandspit, 32 miles (51 km) long and 0.5 mile (1 km) across (at its widest point), Suffolk county, New York, U.S. It lies off the southern shore of Long Island and shelters Great South Bay and part of Moriches Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The origin of the island’s name is
- fire lily (plant)
bear grass: Physical description: tenax), is also known as elk grass and fire lily. It is a light green mountain perennial with a stout unbranched stem, 0.6 to 2 metres (2 to 6 feet) high, which rises from a tuberlike rootstock and cordlike roots. The stem bears a dense basal tuft of narrow rough-edged…
- Fire Next Time, The (work by Baldwin)
The Fire Next Time, nonfiction book, published in 1963, comprising two previously published essays in letter form by James Baldwin. In these essays Baldwin warned that, if white America did not change its attitudes and policies toward Black Americans and alter the conditions under which Black
- Fire on the Mountain (novel by Desai)
Anita Desai: Fire on the Mountain (1977) was criticized as relying too heavily on imagery at the expense of plot and characterization, but it was praised for its poetic symbolism and use of sounds. Clear Light of Day (1980), considered the author’s most successful work, is praised…