<B>fuse</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>fused,</B> <B>fusing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a part of an electric circuit that melts and breaks the circuit if the current becomes dangerously strong. A fuse consists of a wire or strip of metal that is easily melted. <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=fuze </B>(def. 1). <DD><I>v.i. </I> (Informal.) (of an electric light) to be extinguished because of the melting of a fuse. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>(Informal.) to extinguish by the melting of a fuse. <BR> <I>Ex. A professional photographer had fused the lights, engulfing the entire house in darkness (Maclean's).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to put a fuse into (a circuit). <BR><I>expr. <B>blow a fuse,</B> </I>(Informal.) to get very angry. <BR> <I>Ex. I'm afraid he'll blow a fuse when he hears that you lost the money.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>have a short fuse,</B> </I>(U.S. Informal.) to get excited or angry easily; to blow up easily or quickly. <BR> <I>Ex. He is famous for his nasty temper. He has a very short fuse (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="fuse">
<B>fuse</B> (2), verb, <B>fused,</B> <B>fusing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to join together by melting; melt. <BR> <I>Ex. Copper and zinc are fused to make brass. A quantity of silver which had been fused in a ladle was allowed to solidify (John Tyndall).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to blend; unite. <BR> <I>Ex. to fuse the various ingredients into glass. The intense heat fused the rocks together.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to become melted; melt together. <BR> <I>Ex. The wax from the two candles fused as they burned.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to become blended; unite. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) Two political parties fused to form a new party.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="fusebox">
<B>fuse box,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a box mounted in or on a wall, containing electrical fuses. </DL>
<A NAME="fusedquartz">
<B>fused quartz</B> or <B>silica, =quartz glass.</B></DL>
<A NAME="fusee">
<B>fusee, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a large-headed match that will burn in a wind; lucifer; vesuvian. <DD><B> 2. </B>a flare used on railroads and highways as a warning signal. A fusee burns with a red or yellow light. <DD><B> 3. </B>a spirally grooved, conical pulley between the barrel and the central pinion of a watch or clock to keep the power of the mainspring constant. <DD><B> 4. </B><B>=fuse.</B> Also, <B>fuzee.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fusel">
<B>fusel, </B>noun. <B>=fusel oil.</B></DL>
<A NAME="fuselage">
<B>fuselage, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the body of an airplane, helicopter, or glider to which the wings, tail, and other parts are fastened. The fuselage holds the pilot, passengers, and cargo. </DL>
<A NAME="fuselink">
<B>fuse link,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Electricity.) the part of a fuse which melts when the current becomes dangerously strong. </DL>
<A NAME="fuseloil">
<B>fusel oil,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an acrid, poisonous, oily liquid consisting mainly ofamyl alcohol, that occurs in alcoholic liquors when they are not distilled enough. It is much used as a solvent. <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=amyl alcohol.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fusibility">
<B>fusibility, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the condition or quality of being fusible. <DD><B> 2. </B>the degree to which a substance possesses this quality, especially as given in terms of a particular scale. </DL>
<A NAME="fusible">
<B>fusible, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> that can be fused or melted. <DD><I>noun </I> a fabric that can be joined together or to another fabric through pressure. noun <B>fusibleness.</B> adv. <B>fusibly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fusiblemetal">
<B>fusible metal</B> or <B>alloy,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> any alloy, usually containing bismuth, lead, tin, or cadmium which melts at a low temperature and can be used for making various safety devices. </DL>
<A NAME="fusiform">
<B>fusiform, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> rounded and tapering from the middle toward each end; shaped like a spindle. <BR> <I>Ex. A milkweed pod is somewhat fusiform.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="fusil">
<B>fusil</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a light flintlock musket. </DL>
<A NAME="fusil">
<B>fusil</B> (2), adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>formed by melting or casting; founded. <DD><B> 2. </B>fused; molten. <BR> <I>Ex. and o'er the silver pours the fusil gold (Alexander Pope).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>fusible. </DL>
<A NAME="fusile">
<B>fusile, </B>adjective. <B>=fusil</B> (2).</DL>
<A NAME="fusilier">
<B>fusilier</B> or <B>fusileer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(formerly), a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket. <DD><B> 2. </B>a soldier belonging to any of several British regiments who were formerly so armed. The members of these regiments wear tall fur hats called <I>busbies.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="fusillade">
<B>fusillade, </B>noun, verb, <B>-laded,</B> <B>-lading.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a rapid or continuous discharge of many firearms at the same time. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) something that resembles a fusillade. <BR> <I>Ex. The reporters greeted the mayor with a fusillade of questions.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> to attack or shoot down by a fusillade. </DL>
<A NAME="fusilly">
<B>fusilly, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Heraldry.) covered with elongated lozenges. </DL>
<A NAME="fusingdisk">
<B>fusing disk,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a flat, circular plate of steel mounted on an axis and rotated very rapidly to cause fusion, used for cutting metal bars. </DL>
<A NAME="fusingpoint">
<B>fusing point,</B> <B>=melting point.</B></DL>
<A NAME="fusion">
<B>fusion, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the action or process of fusing; melting; melting together. <BR> <I>Ex. Bronze is made by the fusion of copper and tin.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the action or process of blending; union; coalition. <BR> <I>Ex. A third party was formed by the fusion of independent Republicans and Democrats. The fusion of many nationalities is found in the United States. She is a fusion of the dreamer and the doer.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>a fused mass. <DD><B> 4. </B>the action or process of combining two atomic nuclei to produce a nucleus of greater mass; nuclear fusion. The fusion of the atomic nuclei of elements of low atomic number requires a very high temperature and releases tremendous amounts of energy. Fusion is used to produce the reaction in the hydrogen bomb. <DD><B> 5. </B>a blend of jazz and other popular musical styles; crossover. <BR> <I>Ex. Fusion enjoys a crucial advantage over mainstream and avant-garde jazz: it "crosses over" a wide range of formats (Rolling Stone).</I> adj. <B>fusionable.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fusional">
<B>fusional, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with fusion. <BR> <I>Ex. Fusional language expresses relations ... by adding prefixes or suffixes that cannot stand alone (Alfred L. Kroeber).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="fusionbomb">
<B>fusion bomb,</B> <B>=hydrogen bomb.</B></DL>
<A NAME="fusionism">
<B>fusionism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the principle of supporting a coalition between political parties. </DL>
<A NAME="fusionist">
<B>fusionist, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a person who advocates or supports a coalition of political parties or factions. <DD><I>adj. </I> advocating or supporting a coalition of political parties or factions. </DL>
<A NAME="fusionreaction">
<B>fusion reaction,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Nuclear Physics.) a reaction in which fusion takes place. </DL>
<A NAME="fusobacterium">
<B>fusobacterium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-teria.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> any of a group of rod-shaped bacteria that are parasites of man and animals. </DL>
<A NAME="fuss">
<B>fuss, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>much bother about small matters; useless talk and worry; attention given to something not worth it. <BR> <I>Ex. She got under weigh with very little fuss (Richard Henry Dana). The king and queen meant to treat this fuss about the national finance as a terrible bore (H. G. Wells).</I> (SYN) ado, commotion. <DD><B> 2. </B>a person who fusses too much. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to make a fuss; be in a bustle; busy oneself restlessly about trifles. <BR> <I>Ex. She fussed about with her work in a nervous manner.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> to put intoa fuss; make nervous or worried; bother. <BR> <I>Ex. Don't fuss me while I'm doing this experiment.</I> (SYN) agitate, worry. noun <B>fusser.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fussandfeathers">
<B>fuss and feathers,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) an excessive display; fuss. <BR> <I>Ex. We give you comfortable shelter at a moderate price, with an absolute minimum of fuss and feathers (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="fussbudget">
<B>fuss-budget, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) a fussy or fidgety person. </DL>
<A NAME="fussbudgety">
<B>fuss-budgety, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) characterized by fussiness; very fussy or particular. </DL>
<A NAME="fussock">
<B>fussock, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (British Dialect.) a large, fat woman. </DL>
<A NAME="fusspot">
<B>fusspot, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) a fussy person. </DL>
<A NAME="fussy">
<B>fussy, </B>adjective, <B>fussier,</B> <B>fussiest.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>hard to please; hard to satisfy; very particular. <BR> <I>Ex. A sick person is likely to be fussy about his food; nothing suits him.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>moving and acting with fuss; habitually busy about trifles. <DD><B> 2. </B>much trimmed; elaborately made. <BR> <I>Ex. Some girls like fussy dresses with many bows and much lace.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>full of details; requiring much care. <BR> <I>Ex. a fussy job.</I> adv. <B>fussily.</B> noun <B>fussiness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fust">
<B>fust, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Obsolete or Dialect.) <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>mold. <DD><B> 2. </B>a moldy smell. <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to become moldy or musty. <DD><B> 2. </B>to smell moldy or musty. </DL>
<A NAME="fustanella">
<B>fustanella, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a kind of skirt or kilt of white cotton or linen, very full and stiffened, worn by men in modern Greece. </DL>
<A NAME="fusteric">
<B>fusteric, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the yellow dye obtained from fustet. </DL>
<A NAME="fustet">
<B>fustet, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a European smoke tree from which a yellow coloring matter is extracted. <DD><B> 2. </B>the wood of this tree. </DL>
