n. [ F. fifre, OHG. pfīfa, LL. pipa pipe, pipare to play on the pipe, fr. L. pipire, pipare, to peep, pip, chirp, as a chiken. See Pipe. ] (Mus.) A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fife major (Mil.), a noncommissioned officer who superintends the fifers of a regiment. --
Fife rail. (Naut.) (a) A rail about the mast, at the deck, to hold belaying pins, etc. (b) A railing around the break of a poop deck. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fifed p. pr. & vb. n. fifing. ] To play on a fife. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who plays on a fife. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ acronym, First In First Out. ] 1. (accounting) an accounting method in which goods in inventory are valued at the price of the most recent acquisition of each type of goods, and those used up from inventory are valued at the cost of those first acquired. [ PJC ]

a. [ OE. fiftene, AS. fīft&ymacr_;ne, fīftēne. See Five, and Ten, and cf. Fifty. ] Five and ten; one more than fourteen. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The sum of five and ten; fifteen units or objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A symbol representing fifteen units, as 15, or xv. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. fiftenthe; cf. fiftethe, AS. fīfteōða. See Fifteen. ] 1. Next in order after the fourteenth; -- the ordinal of fifteen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting of one of fifteen equal parts or divisions of a thing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One of fifteen equal parts or divisions; the quotient of a unit divided by fifteen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A species of tax upon personal property formerly laid on towns, boroughs, etc., in England, being one fifteenth part of what the personal property in each town, etc., had been valued at. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) (a) A stop in an organ tuned two octaves above the diaposon. (b) An interval consisting of two octaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. fifte, fifthe, AS. fīfta. See Five. ] 1. Next in order after the fourth; -- the ordinal of five. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting of one of five equal divisions of a thing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fifth monarchy men (Hist.), a fanatical sect in England, of the time of the commonwealth, who maintained that there would be a fifth universal monarchy, during which Christ would reign on earth a thousand years. --
Fifth wheel, a horizontal wheel or segment above the fore axle of a carriage and beneath the body, forming an extended support to prevent careening. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quotient of a unit divided by five; one of five equal parts; a fifth part. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) The interval of three tones and a semitone, embracing five diatonic degrees of the scale; the dominant of any key. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ from a statement during the Spanish Civil War (1936) that the Falange had four columns of soldiers marching on the city, and a fifth column “already there” (i.e. sympathizers inside the Republican lines). ] 1. a group of persons inside the battle lines of a territory engaged in a conflict, who secretly sympathize with the enemy, and who engage in espionage or sabotage; -- sometimes also referred to as a trojan horse. [ RP ]

2. Hence, any faction of persons within a group who secretly sympathize with an enemy, especially those who engage in activities harmful to the group; an enemy in one's midst; a group of traitors. [ RP ]

adv. In the fifth place; as the fifth in order. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the decade from 1950 to 1959. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. the time of life between 50 and 60.
Syn. -- mid-fifties. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ AS. fīftigoða. See Fifty. ] 1. Next in order after the forty-ninth; -- the ordinal of fifty. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting of one of fifty equal parts or divisions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One of fifty equal parts; the quotient of a unit divided by fifty. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. fīftig; akin to OHG. finfzug, fimfzuc, G. fünfzig, funfzig, Goth. fimftigjus. See Five, and Ten, and cf. Fifteen. ] Five times ten; as, fifty men. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Fifties 1. The sum of five tens; fifty units or objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A symbol representing fifty units, as 50, or l. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. equally large; -- of probabilities.
Syn. -- even. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. a lottery in which the organizers retain fifty percent of the money wagered, and distribute fifty percent of the wagered money to the winner. [ PJC ]

n. the time of life between 50 and 60.
Syn. -- fifties. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A fifth part.
Syn. -- fifth, fifth part, twenty percent. [ WordNet 1.5 ]