a. [ Compar. Fresher superl. Freshest. ] [ OE. fresch, AS. fersc; akin to D. versch, G. frisch, OHG. frisc, Sw. frisk, Dan. frisk, fersk, Icel. frīskr frisky, brisk, ferskr fresh; cf. It. fresco, OF. fres, freis, fem. freske, fresche, F. frais, fem. fraîche, which are of German origin. Cf. Fraischeur, Fresco, Frisk. ] 1. Possessed of original life and vigor; new and strong; unimpaired; sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. New; original; additional. “Fear of fresh mistakes.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fresh pleasure in every fresh posture of the limbs. Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Lately produced, gathered, or prepared for market; not stale; not dried or preserved; not wilted, faded, or tainted; in good condition; as, fresh vegetables, flowers, eggs, meat, fruit, etc.; recently made or obtained; occurring again; repeated; as, a fresh supply of goods; fresh tea, raisins, etc.; lately come or made public; as, fresh news; recently taken from a well or spring; as, fresh water. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Youthful; florid; as, these fresh nymphs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. In a raw, green, or untried state; uncultivated; uncultured; unpracticed; as, a fresh hand on a ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Renewed in vigor, alacrity, or readiness for action; as, fresh for a combat; hence, tending to renew in vigor; rather strong; cool or brisk; as, a fresh wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Not salt; as, fresh water, in distinction from that which is from the sea, or brackish; fresh meat, in distinction from that which is pickled or salted. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fresh breeze (Naut.), a breeze between a moderate and a strong breeze; one blowinq about twenty miles an hour. --
Fresh gale, a gale blowing about forty-five miles an hour. --
Fresh way (Naut.), increased speed.

Syn. -- Sound; unimpaired; recent; unfaded: ruddy; florid; sweet; good: inexperienced; unpracticed: unused; lively; vigorous; strong. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Freshes 1. A stream or spring of fresh water. [ 1913 Webster ]

He shall drink naught but brine; for I'll not show him
Where the quick freshes are. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A flood; a freshet. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The mingling of fresh water with salt in rivers or bays, as by means of a flood of fresh water flowing toward or into the sea. Beverly. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To refresh; to freshen. [ Obs. ] Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. recently cut; -- of flowers; as, a fresh-cut bouquet. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Freshened p. pr. & vb. n. Freshening 1. To make fresh; to separate, as water, from saline ingredients; to make less salty; as, to freshen water, fish, or flesh. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To refresh; to revive. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it; or to renew, as the material used to prevent chafing; as, to freshen a hawse. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

To freshen ballast (Naut.), to shift Or restore it. --
To freshen the hawse, to pay out a little more cable, so as to bring the chafe on another part. --
To freshen the way, to increase the speed of a vessel. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To grow fresh; to lose saltness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To grow brisk or strong; as, the wind freshens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a first-year undergraduate. [ Brit. slang ]
Syn. -- freshman. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OE. fresche flood + -et. See Fresh, a. ] 1. A stream of fresh water. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A flood or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melted snow; a sudden inundation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cracked the sky, as ice in rivers
When the freshet is at highest. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a fresh manner; vigorously; newly, recently; brightly; briskly; coolly; as, freshly gathered; freshly painted; the wind blows freshly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Looks he as freshly as he did? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Freshmen A novice; one in the rudiments of knowledge; especially, a student during his first year in a high school, college, or university.
Syn. -- frosh. [ 1913 Webster ]

He drank his glass and cracked his joke,
And freshmen wondered as he spoke. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Freshman class, the lowest of the four classes in an American college. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]