[fill the bases] See: LOAD THE BASES.

[fill the bill]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be just what is needed; begood enough for something; be just right. •/The boss was worried about hiringa deaf boy, but after he tried Tom out for a few weeks, he said that Tom filledthe bill./ •/I thought I would need a special tool, but this wrench fillsthe bill./

[fill up] or [fill it up] or [fill her up] {v. phr.} To fillentirely. (Said by the driver of a car to a gas station attendant). •/Whenthe attendant asked Andrew how much gas he wanted in the tank, Andrew replied,"Fill her up."/

[filthy lucre]{n.}, {informal} Money, especially when thought ofas bad or shameful. •/When the rich gambler tried to make Sarah marry him,she said, "Keep your filthy lucre — I shall marry the man I love."/ — Sometimes used in a joking way. •/"Come and let’s get rid of some filthylucre."/

[filthy rich]{adj. phr.} Extremely rich but without culturalrefinement; nouveau riche. •/"The Murgatroyds are filthy rich," Tedcomplained. "They are rolling in money but they never learned how to behaveproperly at a dinner table."/

[finders keepers] or [finders keepers, losers weepers] {informal}Those who find lost things can keep them. — Used usually by children to claimthe right to keep something they have found. •/I don’t have to give it back;it’s finders keepers./ •/Finders keepers, losers weepers! It’s my knifenow!/

[find fault]{v. phr.} To find something wrong; complain; criticize.•/She tries to please him, but he always finds fault./ •/They found faultwith every box I made./ Compare: JUMP ON, PICK AT(3).

[find it in one’s heart]{v. phr.} To be able or willing because ofyour nature. •/He could not find it in his heart to tell her about hermother’s death./ •/Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?/ •/Hecould never find it in his heart to be mean to a dog./

[find one’s ---]{v. phr.} To become able to use (some power of thebody or mind.) •/In the program for the parents, John was nervous and couldnot speak at first; then he found his tongue./ •/The young bird had justfound its wings./ •/The baby was just beginning to find his feet./•/The question surprised him, and it was a minute before he found histongue./

[find oneself]{v. phr.} To find out what one is fitted for and succeedin that. •/Mary tried several lines of work, but at last found herself as ateacher./ •/Sometimes young people move around a long time from job to jobbefore they find themselves./

[find] or [get one’s bearings] {v. phr.} To know where one is orwhere one is headed. •/"Without a compass," the sergeant warned the enlistedmen, "you will never find your bearings in the desert."/

[find out]{v.} 1. To learn or discover (something you did not knowbefore.) •/One morning the baby found out for the first time that she couldwalk./ •/I don’t know how this car works, but I’ll soon find out./ •/Hewatched the birds to find out where they go./ •/Mary was angry when Janefound out her secret./ 2. To get facts; to get facts about. •/He wrote tofind out about a job in Alaska./ •/She found out how much the house wouldcost./ 3. To discover (someone) doing wrong; catch. •/Some children are badwhen no one is watching them, but they are usually found out./ •/The boyknew that if he cheated on the test the teacher would find him out./

[find out the hard way] See: HARD WAY.

[fine feathers do not make fine birds]{literary} A person who wearsfine clothes may not be as good as he looks. — A proverb. •/Mary is prettyand she wears pretty clothes, but she is very mean. Fine feathers do not makefine birds./ Compare: HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES.

[fine kettle of fish] See: KETTLE OF FISH.

[fine-tooth comb]{n. phr.} Great care; careful attention so as not tomiss anything. •/The police searched the scene of the crime with a fine-toothcomb for clues./ •/My room is so clean you couldn’t find dirt if you wentover it with a fine-tooth comb./ Compare: LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.

[finger] See: BURN ONE’S FINGERS, CROSS ONE’S FINGERS or KEEP ONE’S FINGERSCROSSED, LAY A FINGER ON, LIFT A FINGER, PUT ONE’S FINGER ON also LAY ONE’SFINGER ON, SLIP THROUGH ONE’S FINGERS, SNAP ONE’S FINGERS AT, STICKY FINGERS,TWIST AROUND ONE’S LITTLE FINGER, WORK ONE’S FINGERS TO THE BONE.

[finger in the pie]{n. phr.}, {informal} Something to do with whathappens; part interest or responsibility. •/When the girls got up a Christmasparty, I felt sure Alice had a finger in the pie./ •/The Jones Company waschosen to build the new hospital and we knew Mr. Smith had a finger in thepie./ •/Jack is a boy with a finger in every pie at school, from dramaticsto football./ Compare: HAVE A HAND IN, TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE.

[fingertip] See: AT ONE’S FINGERTIPS.

[finish up] See: END UP(4).

[fire] See: BALL OF FIRE, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA orBETWEEN TWO FIRES, BUILD A FIRE UNDER, BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE, CATCH FIRE,DRAW FIRE, FAT’S IN THE FIRE, FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, HANG FIRE, HEAP COALS OFFIRE ON ONE’S HEAD, HOLD ONE’S FIRE or HOLD FIRE, IRON IN THE FIRE, KEEP THEHOME FIRES BURNING, LINE OF FIRE, ON FIRE, OPEN FIRE, OUT OF THE FRYING PANINTO THE FIRE, PLAY WITH FIRE, PULL ONE’S CHESTNUTS OUT OF THE FIRE, SET FIRETO, SET THE WORLD ON FIRE, TILL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED or UNTIL THE LAST GUN ISFIRED, UNDER FIRE.

[firebug]{n.} An arsonist; one who willfully sets fire to property.•/The police caught the firebug just as he was about to set another barnablaze in the country./

[firing squad]{n.} A group of soldiers chosen to shoot a prisoner todeath or to fire shots over a grave as a tribute. •/A dictator often sendshis enemies before a firing squad./ •/The dead general was honored by afiring squad./

[first] See: AT FIRST BLUSH, AT FIRST SIGHT, CAST THE FIRST STONE, GET TOFIRST BASE or REACH FIRST BASE, IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF THE FIRST WATER.

[firsthand]{adj.} Fresh; genuine; from the original source. •/Johnsays he got the information firsthand from the president himself./

[first and foremost]{adv. phr.} As the most important thing; first.•/First and foremost they needed food./ •/I want you to remember to paythat bill first and foremost./ •/First and foremost, we must keep Americafree./

[first and last]{adv. phr.} Most noticeably; all the time; chiefly.•/He was first and last a school teacher./ •/Steven joined the armybecause first and last he wanted to help his country./ Syn.: ABOVE ALL.

[first base]{n. phr.} 1. The base that must be touched first by abaseball player after batting. •/He got to first base on four balls./ 2.See: GET TO FIRST BASE.

[first class]{n.} 1. The first rank; the highest class; the bestgroup. •/The pianist was quite good but he was not in the first class./ 2.The most expensive or comfortable class of travel; the best or one of the bestgroups in which to travel, especially by ship, train, or airplane. •/Mostpeople can’t afford the first class when they take a long journey by ship./3. The way of sending all mail that includes letters and post cards, anythingwritten by hand or typewriter, and anything sealed so that it cannot beinspected, and that is the most expensive class of mail but receives the besttreatment. •/The usual way to send a letter is by first class./ Compare:SECOND CLASS, THIRD CLASS.