fid

¹ American  

[fid] / fɪd /

noun

Nautical.

1. a stout bar of wood or metal placed across a lower spar so as to support a higher one.

2. a stout bar used to hold a running bowsprit in its extended position.

3. a wooden or metal pin for parting strands of a rope.

4. a bar or pin used as a key or toggle.

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-fid ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “divided,” “lobed,” occurring in adjectives borrowed from Latin (bifid ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (pinnatifid ).

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fid. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. fiduciary.

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fid ¹ British  

/ fɪd /

noun

1. a spike for separating strands of rope in splicing

2. a wooden or metal bar for supporting the heel of a topmast

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-fid ² British  

combining form

1. divided into parts or lobes

   bifid

   pinnatifid

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Etymology

Origin of fid¹

First recorded in 1605–15; origin uncertain

Origin of -fid²

< Latin -fidus divided, equivalent to -fid- (variant stem of findere to split) + -us adj. suffix

Example Sentences

Then as soon as I fid someone, he cancels everything?

From Slate • Nov. 11, 2019

He picked them up, took the fid off the can, and painstakingly pulled the bag out while trying not to make very much noise.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

Also, the lifting an upper mast to withdraw its fid, in order that it may be lowered by means of the mast-rope.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

So, when we get them on to the stream, We'll knock out the fid and roll them in, Heigh ho! drink round, &c.,

From Forest Life and Forest Trees: comprising winter camp-life among the loggers, and wild-wood adventure. with Descriptions of lumbering operations on the various rivers of Maine and New Brunswick by Springer, John S.

It is kept aloft for driving the iron fid in or out of the top-mast.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir