[ 'fɪgə ]
■ noun
1》 a number or a numerical symbol.
↘an amount of money.
↘( ~s ) arithmetical calculations.
2》 a person of a particular kind: a public ~.
↘a person seen indistinctly.
↘an artistic representation of a human or animal form.
3》 a person's bodily shape, especially that of a woman.
4》 a shape defined by one or more lines in two dimensions, or one or more surfaces in three dimensions.
↘a diagram or illustrative drawing.
↘(in skating) a movement or series of movements following a prescribed pattern.
↘a pattern formed by the movements of a group of people, for example in country dancing, as part of a longer dance or display.
↘ archaic external form or shape.
5》 Music a short succession of notes producing a single impression.
6》 Logic the form of a syllogism, classified according to the position of the middle term.
■ verb
1》 be a significant part of or contributor to something.
2》 N. Amer. calculate arithmetically.
3》 informal, chiefly N. Amer. think; consider.
↘be perfectly understandable: she supposed that ~d.
↘( ~ someone/thing out ) reach an understanding of someone or something.
4》 ( ~ on ) N. Amer. informal expect (something) to happen or be the case.
5》 represent in a diagram or picture.
↘[usu. as adjective ~d ] embellish with a pattern.
Derivatives
~less adjective
Origin
ME: from OFr. ~ (n.), ~r (v.), from L. figura '~, form'; related to fingere 'form, contrive'.