Fig″ure (fĭg″ū̍r; 135), n. [F., figure, L. figura; akin to fingere to form, shape, feign. See Feign.] 1. The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance.
Flowers have all exquisite figures. Bacon.
2. The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modeling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body; as, a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble.
A coin that bears the figure of an angel. Shak.
3. A pattern in cloth, paper, or other manufactured article; a design wrought out in a fabric; as, the muslin was of a pretty figure.
4. (Geom.) A diagram or drawing; made to represent a magnitude or the relation of two or more magnitudes; a surface or space inclosed on all sides; — called superficial when inclosed by lines, and solid when inclosed by surfaces; any arrangement made up of points, lines, angles, surfaces, etc.
5. The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person; as, a sorry figure.
I made some figure there. Dryden.
Gentlemen of the best figure in the county. Blackstone.
6. Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show.
That he may live in figure and indulgence. Law.
7. A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc.
8. Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are estimated or sold at a low figure.
With nineteen thousand a year at the very lowest figure. Thackeray.
9. A person, thing, or action, conceived of as analogous to another person, thing, or action, of which it thus becomes a type or representative.
Who is the figure of Him that was to come. Rom. v. 14.
10. (Rhet.) A mode of expressing abstract or immaterial ideas by words which suggest pictures or images from the physical world; pictorial language; a trope; hence, any deviation from the plainest form of statement.
To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing. Macaulay.
11. (Logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
12. (Dancing) Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer.
13. (Astrol.) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. Johnson.
14. (Music) (a) Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression. Grove.
(b) A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical phrase or motive; a florid embellishment.
☞ Figures are often written upon the staff in music to denote the kind of measure. They are usually in the form of a fraction, the upper figure showing how many notes of the kind indicated by the lower are contained in one measure or bar. Thus, ²⁄₄ signifies that the measure contains two quarter notes. The following are the principal figures used for this purpose: —
²⁄₂²⁄₄²⁄₈ ⁴⁄₂²⁄₄⁴⁄₈ ³⁄₂³⁄₄³⁄₈ ⁶⁄₄⁶⁄₄⁶⁄₈
Academy figure, Canceled figures, Lay figure, etc. See under Academy, Cancel, Lay, etc. — Figure caster, orFigure flinger, an astrologer. “This figure caster.” Milton. — Figure flinging, the practice of astrology. — Figure-of-eight knot, a knot shaped like the figure 8. See Illust. under Knot. — Figure painting, a picture of the human figure, or the act or art of depicting the human figure. — Figure stone(Min.), agalmatolite. — Figure weaving, the art or process of weaving figured fabrics. — To cut a figure, to make a display. Sir W. Scott.