5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fin  \Fin\,  n.  (A["e]ronautics) 
  A  fixed  stabilizing  surface,  usually  vertical,  similar  in 
  purpose  to  a  bilge  keel  on  a  ship. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fin  \Fin\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Finned};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Finning}.]  [Cf.  {Fin}  of  a  fish.] 
  To  carve  or  cut  up  as  a  chub. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fin  \Fin\,  n.  [See  {Fine},  n.] 
  End  conclusion;  object.  [Obs.]  ``She  knew  eke  the  fin  of  his 
  intent.''  --Chaucer. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fin  \Fin\,  n.[OE.  finne,  fin,  AS  finn;  akin  to  D.  vin,  G.  & 
  Dan.  finne,  Sw  fena,  L.  pinna,  penna,  a  wing,  feather.  Cf 
  {pen}  a  feather.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  An  organ  of  a  fish,  consisting  of  a  membrane 
  supported  by  rays,  or  little  bony  or  cartilaginous 
  ossicles,  and  serving  to  balance  and  propel  it  in  the 
  water. 
 
  Note:  Fishes  move  through  the  water  chiefly  by  means  of  the 
  caudal  fin  or  tail,  the  principal  office  of  the  other 
  fins  being  to  balance  or  direct  the  body,  though  they 
  are  also  to  a  certain  extent,  employed  in  producing 
  motion. 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  A  membranous,  finlike,  swimming  organ,  as  in 
  pteropod  and  heteropod  mollusks. 
 
  3.  A  finlike  organ  or  attachment;  a  part  of  an  object  or 
  product  which  protrudes  like  a  fin,  as: 
  a  The  hand.  [Slang] 
  b  (Com.)  A  blade  of  whalebone.  [Eng.]  --McElrath. 
  c  (Mech.)  A  mark  or  ridge  left  on  a  casting  at  the 
  junction  of  the  parts  of  a  mold. 
  d  (Mech.)  The  thin  sheet  of  metal  squeezed  out  between 
  the  collars  of  the  rolls  in  the  process  of  rolling. 
  --Raymond. 
  e  (Mech.)  A  feather;  a  spline. 
 
  4.  A  finlike  appendage,  as  to  submarine  boats. 
 
  {Apidose  fin}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  under  {Adipose},  a. 
 
  {Fin  ray}  (Anat.),  one  of  the  hornlike,  cartilaginous,  or 
  bony,  dermal  rods  which  form  the  skeleton  of  the  fins  of 
  fishes. 
 
  {Fin  whale}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  finback. 
 
  {Paired  fins}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  pectoral  and  ventral  fins, 
  corresponding  to  the  fore  and  hind  legs  of  the  higher 
  animals. 
 
  {Unpaired,  or  Median},  {fins}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  dorsal,  caudal, 
  and  anal  fins. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  fin 
  n  1:  the  cardinal  number  that  is  the  sum  of  four  and  one  [syn:  {five}, 
  {5},  {V},  {cinque},  {quint},  {quintet},  {fivesome},  {quintuplet}, 
  {pentad},  {Phoebe},  {Little  Phoebe}] 
  2:  one  of  a  pair  of  decorative  projections  on  the  rear  fenders 
  of  an  automobile  [syn:  {tail  fin},  {tailfin}] 
  3:  one  of  a  set  of  parallel  slats  in  a  door  or  window  to  admit 
  air  and  reject  rain  [syn:  {louver},  {louvre}] 
  4:  paddle-like  front  is  an  aid  in  swimming  (especially 
  underwater)  [syn:  {flipper},  {flippers},  {fins}] 
  5:  a  stabilizer  that  resembles  the  fins  of  a  fish 
  6:  organ  of  locomotion  and  balance  in  fishes  and  some  other 
  aquatic  animals 
  v  1:  equip  with  fins,  as  of  a  car 
  2:  propel  oneself  through  the  water  in  a  finning  motion 
  3:  show  the  fins  above  the  water  while  swimming  (of  fish);  "The 
  sharks  were  finning  near  the  surface"  [syn:  {break  water}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words