(Min.) A variety of amianthus which is very light, like cork. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. effossio. See Effodient. ] A digging out or up. [ R. ] “The effossion of coins.” Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. fossæ [ L., a ditch. See Fosse. ] (Anat.) A pit, groove, cavity, or depression, of greater or less depth; as, the temporal fossa on the side of the skull; the nasal fossæ containing the nostrils in most birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. fossane. ] (Zool.) A species of civet (Viverra fossa) resembling the genet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. fossa, fr. fodere, fossum, to dig. ] 1. (Fort.) A ditch or moat. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) See Fossa. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fosse road. See Fosseway. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A faucet. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., dim. of fosse a fosse. ] 1. A little hollow; hence, a dimple. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) A small, deep-centered ulcer of the transparent cornea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One of the great military roads constructed by the Romans in England and other parts of Europe; -- so called from the fosse or ditch on each side for keeping it dry. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Dial. E. fossick, fossuck, a troublesome person, fussick to potter over one's work, fussock to bustle about; of uncertain origin. Cf. Fuss. ] 1. (Mining) To search for gold by picking at stone or earth or among roots in isolated spots, picking over abandoned workings, etc.; hence, to steal gold or auriferous matter from another's claim. [ Australia ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. To search about; to rummage.

A man who has fossicked in nature's byways. D. Macdonald. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. fossilis, fr. fodere to dig: cf. F. fossile. See Fosse. ] 1. Dug out of the earth; as, fossil coal; fossil salt. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. preserved from a previous geological age; as, fossil water from deep wells; -- usually implying that the object so described has had its substance modified by long residence in the ground, but also used (as with fossil water) in cases where chemical composition is not altered. [ PJC ]

3. (Paleon.) Like or pertaining to fossils; contained in rocks, whether petrified or not; as, fossil plants, shells. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fossil copal, a resinous substance, first found in the blue clay at Highgate, near London, and apparently a vegetable resin, partly changed by remaining in the earth. --
Fossil cork,
Fossil flax,
Fossil paper, or
Fossil wood, varieties of amianthus. --
Fossil farina, a soft carbonate of lime. --
Fossil ore, fossiliferous red hematite. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A substance dug from the earth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly all minerals were called fossils, but the word is now restricted to express the remains of animals and plants found buried in the earth. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Paleon.) The remains of an animal or plant found in stratified rocks. Most fossils belong to extinct species, but many of the later ones belong to species still living. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A person whose views and opinions are extremely antiquated; one whose sympathies are with a former time rather than with the present. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Fossil + -ferous. ] (Paleon.) Containing or composed of fossils. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Fossil + L. facere to make. ] The process of becoming fossil. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The science or state of fossils. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being extremely antiquated in views and opinions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is versed in the science of fossils; a paleontologist. Joseph Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. fossilisation. ] The process of converting, or of being converted, into a fossil. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fossilized p. pr. & vb. n. Fossilizing ] [ Cf. F. fossiliser. ] 1. To convert into a fossil; to petrify; as, to fossilize bones or wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by fossilization; to mummify; to deaden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ten layers of birthdays on a woman's head
Are apt to fossilize her girlish mirth. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To become fossil. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, beyond the influence of change or progress. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Converted into a fossil; antiquated; firmly fixed in views or opinions. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fossilized sample of confused provincialism. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. fossor&unr_; digger, fr. fodere to dig. ] (Zool.) A group of hymenopterous insects including the sand wasps. They excavate cells in earth, where they deposit their eggs, with the bodies of other insects for the food of the young when hatched. [ Written also Fossoria. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) See Fossores. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. fossor a digger. ] Fitted for digging, adapted for burrowing or digging; as, a fossorial foot; a fossorial animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Adapted for digging; -- said of the legs of certain insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. fossula little ditch, dim. of fossa. See Fosse. ] Having, or surrounded by, long, narrow depressions or furrows. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be nourished or trained up together. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fostered p. pr. & vb. n. Fostering. ] [ OE. fostren, fr. AS. fōster, fōstor, food, nourishment, fr. fōda food. √75. See Food. ] 1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster genius. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. fōster, fōstor, nourishment. See Foster, v. t. ] Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; -- applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc., as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foster babe or
Foster child, an infant or child nursed or raised by a woman not its mother, or bred by a man not its father. --
Foster brother,
Foster sister, one who is, or has been, nursed at the same breast, or brought up by the same nurse as another, but is not of the same parentage. --
Foster dam, one who takes the place of a mother; a nurse. Dryden. --
Foster earth, earth by which a plant is nourished, though not its native soil. J. Philips. --
Foster father, a man who takes the place of a father in caring for a child. Bacon. --
Foster land. (a) Land allotted for the maintenance of any one. [ Obs. ] (b) One's adopted country. --
Foster lean [ foster + AS. læn a loan See Loan. ], remuneration fixed for the rearing of a foster child; also, the jointure of a wife. [ Obs. ] Wharton. --
Foster mother, a woman who takes a mother's place in the nurture and care of a child; a nurse. --
Foster nurse, a nurse; a nourisher. [ R. ] Shak. --
Foster parent, a foster mother or foster father. --
Foster son, a male foster child. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A forester. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The care of a foster child; the charge of nursing. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, fosters. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. fōstorling. ] A foster child. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Food; nourishment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ For fosteress. ] A woman who feeds and cherishes; a nurse. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. refodere, refossum, to dig up again. See Fosse. ] The act of digging up again. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. suffossio, from suffodere, suffossum, to dig under; sub under + fodere to dig. ] A digging under; an undermining. [ R. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. avant-fossé; avant before + fossé ditch. Cf. Fosse. ] (Fort.) A ditch on the outside of the counterscarp, usually full of water. [ 1913 Webster ]