The sixth letter and fourth consonant in the English alphabet, as in the Latin and the Phenician, and also as in the early Greek alphabet, through which the Latin was derived from the Phenician (see A), although it has gone out of use in the alphabet generally known to us as Greek.In the adaptation of the alphabet to Latin use the sign first received the value we give it, since the f-sound occurred in Latin and needed a representative; the w-sound was provided for by being written with the same character as u. (See U and V.) The sound f, as we pronounce it, is a surd (or breathed, or voiceless) labiodental, a fricative sound or spirant: that is to say, it is made by the audible friction or rustling of the unintonated breath, when forced out between the edge of the lower lip and the tips of the upper teeth, these being held in contact with one another. If, everything else remaining the same, the intonated breath be forced out instead, the sound is v (as in valve, vivid); hence, f and v are corresponding surd and sonant. An f, nearly identical with ours in audible character, may also be made between the edges of the two lips alone, without any help from the teeth; and such a purely labial f is heard in many languages, and is with probability to be regarded as more primitive than the labiodental f, and as forming the transition to it, in the languages where the latter prevails. The same sound is also widely represented in English by ph, but almost only in words coming from the Greek; it also exists in some words written with gh, as laugh, cough, clough, rough, tough, etc., the labial aspirant having taken in such words the place of the palatal, such change being recognized in the spelling in only a few words, as dwarf, draft (= draught), duff (= dough, as formerly pronounced), etc. Historically, f stands in general for a more original p, as found in Sanskrit and the classical languages: thus, father for pitar, πατήρ, pater, etc.As a medieval Roman numeral, 40, and with a dash over it, F, 40,000.In music: The key-note of the major key of one flat having the signature shown in fig. 3, or of the minor key of four flats having the signature shown in fig. 4; also, the final of the Lydian mode in medieval music.In the fixed system of solmization, the fourth tone of the scale of C, called fa, and hence so named by French musicians.On the keyboard of the pianoforte, the white key next to the left of each group of three black keys.The tone given by such a key, or a tone in unison with such a tone.The degree of a staff assigned to such a key or tone; with the treble clef, the lower space or upper line .A note on such a degree, indicating such a key or tone .[cap. or lowercase] [Abbr. of function.] In algebra, the sign of an operation in general, and especially of a function having a differential coefficient.An abbreviation— of Fellow (see F. R. S., F. S. A., etc.);in physics, of Fahrenheit (which see);in fisheries, of full fish—a commercial mark;in a ship's log-book, of fog.The chemical symbol of fluorin.n. An abbreviation of Free Church (of Scotland): as, the F. C. Presbytery.n. An abbreviation of Fidei Defensor, Defender of the Faith. See Defender of the Faith, under defender.n. An abbreviation of field-marshal.n. An abbreviation of field-officer.n. An abbreviation of Fenian Brother-hood;n. of Free Baptist.n. An abbreviation in freemasonry, of Fellow-craft;n. [lowercase] of the Latin fidei commissum, bequeathed in trust.n. An abbreviation of Foreign Mission.n. An abbreviation of Foreign Office.An abbreviation of fire-plug.n. An abbreviation of foot-second.
