fig

¹

[ fig ]

noun

1. any tree or shrub belonging to the genus Ficus, of the mulberry family, especially a small tree, F. carica, native to southwestern Asia, bearing a turbinate or pear-shaped fruit that is eaten fresh, preserved, or dried.
2. the fruit of such a tree or shrub, or of any related species.
3. any of various plants having a fruit somewhat resembling this.
4. a contemptibly trifling or worthless amount; the least bit:

   His help wasn't worth a fig.

5. a gesture of contempt.

fig

²

[ fig ]

noun

1. dress or array:

   to appear at a party in full fig.

2. condition:

   to feel in fine fig.

fig.

³

abbreviation for

1. figurative.
2. figuratively.
3. figure; figures.

fig

¹

/ fɪɡ /

verb

1. foll byout or up to dress (up) or rig (out)
2. to administer stimulating drugs to (a horse)

noun

1. dress, appearance, or array (esp in the phrase in full fig )
2. physical condition or form

   in bad fig

fig.

²

abbreviation for

1. figurative(ly)
2. figure

fig

³

/ fɪɡ /

noun

1. any moraceous tree or shrub of the tropical and subtropical genus Ficus , in which the flowers are borne inside a pear-shaped receptacle
2. the fruit of any of these trees, esp of F. carica , which develops from the receptacle and has sweet flesh containing numerous seedlike structures
3. any of various plants or trees having a fruit similar to this
4. Hottentot fig or sour fig
   a succulent plant, Mesembryanthemum edule , of southern Africa, having a capsular fruit containing edible pulp: family Aizoaceae
5. used with a negative something of negligible value; jot

   I don't care a fig for your opinion

6. dialect.
   Alsofeg a piece or segment from an orange
7. Also calledfico an insulting gesture made with the thumb between the first two fingers or under the upper teeth

Word History and Origins

Origin of fig¹

1175–1225; Middle English fige < Old French < Old Provençal figa < Vulgar Latin *fīca, for Latin fīcus

Origin of fig²

1685–95; earlier feague to liven, whip up < German fegen to furbish, sweep, clean; akin to fair ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of fig¹

C17 feague , of uncertain origin

Origin of fig²

C13: from Old French figue , from Old Provençal figa , from Latin fīcus fig tree

Idioms and Phrases

see under not give a damn .

Example Sentences

Talents such as Baier and Wallace work at Fox News in the capacity of fig leaves.

From Washington Post

I like to pipe the cheese into each fig by putting the cheese into a plastic bag, snipping the end and squeezing it out.

From Washington Post

The figs, grapes and pears can be roasted a few days in advance.

From Washington Post

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degreesAdd the figs to the baking sheet and return it to the oven.

From Washington Post

Turn the oven off and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes, so the figs continue to soften.

From Washington Post

Or is Rand co-opting them by merely using his newfound adviser as a fig leaf?

From The Daily Beast

To say that a consignment is “in compliance” with packing regulations is a mere fig leaf.

From The Daily Beast

Finally in 2003, the absurdity of the explosive numbers forced MLB to institute a fig leaf of testing.

From The Daily Beast

This fig leaf of legality must be stripped away, otherwise violence will persist.

From The Daily Beast

Powers never found the house he was looking for, because he never cared a fig for how he might pay for it.

From The Daily Beast

Frequently they are found in alveolar arrangement, retaining the original outline of the alveoli of the lung (Fig. 4, b).

From Project Gutenberg

Each is surrounded by a gelatinous capsule, which is its distinctive feature (Fig. 9).

From Project Gutenberg

The specific gravity is most conveniently estimated by means of the urinometer—Squibb's is preferable (Fig. 14).

From Project Gutenberg

Crystals of urea nitrate or oxalate (Fig. 19) will soon appear and can be recognized with the microscope.

From Project Gutenberg

Hydrogen sulphid is easily prepared in the simple apparatus shown in Fig. 30.

From Project Gutenberg