The 4 letter words with definitions, separated alphabetically.
Now updated for CSW24. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| faan | (Pt.) FAA, to fall. |
| faas | (3rd.) FAA, to fall. |
| fabs | (Pl.) FAB, fabrication. |
| face | To oppose or meet defiantly > FACES, FACING, FACED. |
| fact | Something known with certainty > FACTS. |
| fade | To lose color or brightness > FADES, FADING, FADED. |
| fado | (Port.) a type of Portugese folk-song or dance > FADOS. [Port. fado, fate]. |
| fads | (Pl.) FAD, a craze. |
| fady | Wearing away, fading > FADIER, FADIEST. |
| faff | (Coll.) to mess around > FAFFS, FAFFING, FAFFED. |
| fags | (3rd.) FAG, to work, or be worked, hard. |
| fahs | (Pl.) FAH, a musical note. |
| faik | (Scots) to abate; to excuse > FAIKS, FAIKING, FAIKED. |
| fail | To be unsuccessful in an attempt > FAILS, FAILING, FAILED. |
| fain | Happy; inclined; pleased > FAINER, FAINEST; FAINLY; (verb) (Spenser) to feign > FAINS, FAINING, FAINED. Also FAINE, FAYNE |
| fair | Just; pleasant to look at > FAIRER, FAIREST; FAIRLY; (verb) to make fair > FAIRS, FAIRING, FAIRED. |
| faix | (Dial.) faith! |
| fake | To contrive and present as genuine > FAKES, FAKING, FAKED. |
| fall | To descend under the force of gravity > FALLS, FALLING, FELL, FALLEN. |
| falx | (Lat.) the sickle-shaped fold of the dura mater on the midline of the brain between the cerebral hemispheres > FALCES. [L. falx, sickle]. |
| fame | (Verb) to report, make famous > FAMES, FAMING, FAMED. |
| fams | (pl) FAM, (short for) family. |
| fand | (Obs.) to try or attempt > FANDS, FANDING, FANDED. |
| fane | A temple > FANES. |
| fang | (Shakesp.) to seize in the teeth > FANGS, FANGING, FANGED. Also PHANG. |
| fank | (Scots) a coil, tangle; an enclosure for sheep > FANKS. |
| fano | A liturgical cape worn by the Pope when celebrating a solemn pontifical mass > FANOS. Also FANUM, FANON. |
| fans | (3rd.) FAN, to cool, as with a fan. |
| faps | (vf) FAP, to masturbate. |
| fard | To paint, as the face or cheeks > FARDS, FARDING, FARDED. |
| fare | To get along > FARES, FARING, FARED. |
| farl | (Scots) the quarter of a round cake of flour or oatmeal > FARLS. Also FARLE, FARTHEL. |
| farm | To manage and cultivate as a farm (a tract of land devoted to agriculture) > FARMS, FARMING, FARMED. |
| faro | A card game > FAROS. |
| fars | (3rd.) FAR, to remove to a distance. |
| fart | To expel gas through the anus -- usually considered vulgar > FARTS, FARTING, FARTED. |
| fash | (Scots) to vex, to annoy, to trouble > FASHES, FASHING, FASHED. |
| fast | Speedy > FASTER, FASTEST; (verb) to go without food > FASTS, FASTING, FASTED. |
| fate | To destine > FATES, FATING, FATED. |
| fats | (3rd.) FAT, to make or grow fat. |
| faun | (In Roman legend) a rural deity represented as a man with a goat's ears, horns, tail, and hind legs > FAUNS. |
| faur | (Scots) far > FAURER, FAUREST. |
| faut | (Scots) to fault > FAUTS, FAUTING, FAUTED. |
| faux | (Fr.) fake, as in faux naif > falsely simple or naive, feigning artlessness. |
| fava | (Ital.) a broad bean > FAVAS. |
| fave | (Sl.) favourite > FAVER, FAVEST. |
| favs | (pl) FAV, (short for) favorite. |
| fawn | (Verb) to ingratiate oneself with > FAWNS, FAWNING, FAWNED. |
| faws | (Pl.) FAW, a gypsy. |
| fays | (3rd.) FAY, to clean out a ditch. |
| faze | To worry, perturb > FAZES, FAZING, FAZED. Also FEESE, PHEESE, PHESE, PHEEZE, FEEZE, FEASE, FEAZE. |
| feal | Faithful; loyal; (verb) to conceal > FEALS, FEALING, FEALED. |
| fear | To be afraid of > FEARS, FEARING, FEARED. |
| feat | (Verb) to fashion, make neat > FEATS, FEATED, FEATING; (adj.) neat, deft > FEATER, FEATEST; FEATLY. |
| feck | (Scots) quantity, number; (verb) to fuck > FECKS, FECKING, FECKED. |
| feds | (Pl.) FED, short for federal agent. |
| feeb | (US) a weak ineffectual person, a wimp > FEEBS. |
| feed | To give food to > FEEDS, FEEDING, FED. |
| feel | To perceive through the sense of touch > FEELS, FEELING, FELT. |
| feen | (Irish) an informal word for a man > FEENS. |
| feer | (Scots) to draw the first furrow in ploughing > FEERS, FEERING, FEERED. |
| fees | (3rd.) FEE, to pay a fee to. |
| feet | (3rd.) FOOT, to walk. |
| fegs | (Scots) a mild oath. |
| fehm | (Ger.) a mediaeval German court > FEHME. Also VEHM. |
| fehs | (Pl.) FEH, a Hebrew letter. |
| feis | (Irish) an ancient Irish assembly for the proclamation of laws etc > FEISEANNA. |
| fell | (Verb) to cause to fall > FELLS, FELLING, FELLED; (adj.) inhumanly cruel > FELLER, FELLEST. |
| felt | A soft fabric formed without weaving, filaments pressed together using the natural tendency of the fibres of wool and certain kinds of hair to interlace and cling together; (verb) to cover with felt > FELTS, FELTING, FELTED. |
| feme | A legal term for a woman, as in feme covert, married woman, feme sole, unmarried woman or widow > FEMES. |
| fems | (Pl.) FEM, a passive homosexual. |
| fend | To ward off > FENDS, FENDING, FENDED. |
| feni | (Hindi) an alcoholic spirit produced in Goa from coconuts or cashew nuts > FENIS. Also FENNY. |
| fens | (Pl.) FEN, wet land with alkaline, neutral, or only slightly acid peaty soil. |
| fent | A slit or crack > FENTS. |
| feod | A fief or land held on condition of service > FEODS. Also FEUD. |
| fere | Able, sound > FERER, FEREST; (noun) a companion or mate > FERES. Also FEARE, FIERE, PHEERE, PHEER. |
| ferm | (Spenser) a farm, lodging > FERMS. |
| fern | A flowerless vascular plant > FERNS. |
| fess | A band over the middle of an escutcheon; (verb) (Scots) to fetch > FESSES, FESSING, FESSED. |
| fest | A festival, a special occasion; chiefly in combination, as SONGFEST, GABFEST > FESTS. |
| feta | (Mod. Gr.) a white sheep or goat cheese popular in Greece > FETAS. Also FETTA. |
| fete | (Fr.) a festival; a lavish often outdoor entertainment; (verb) to honour with a celebration > FETES, FETING, FETED. |
| fets | (3rd.) FET, to fetch. |
| fett | (Obs.) to fetch > FETTS, FETTING, FETTED. Also FET, FESS. |
| feud | To engage in a feud (a bitter, continuous hostility) > FEUDS, FEUDING, FEUDED. |
| feus | (Pl.) FEU, a Scottish form of land tenure. |
| fews | (Pl.) FEW, a small number. |
| feys | (3rd.) FEY, to clean out. |
| fiar | (Scots) in law, the owner of a property in fee simple > FIARS. Also FEUAR. |
| fiat | (Lat.) a formal authorization for a proposed arrangement; (verb) to sanction > FIATS, FIATING, FIATED. |
| fibs | (3rd.) FIB, to tell a small lie. |
| fice | A small dog > FICES. Also FYCE, FEIST. |
| fico | (Ital.) a contemptibly worthless trifle, a fig > FICOS or FICOES. [Ital, denoting an obscene gesture]. Also FIGO. |
| fido | A coin having a minting error (from freaks + irregulars + defects + oddities) > FIDOS. |
| fids | (Pl.) FID, a conical pin of hard wood. |
| fief | An estate held of a superior on condition of military service; a FEE; a FEUD > FIEFS. |
| fier | (Comp.) FIE, fey; (noun) a companion > FIERS. |
| fife | A high-pitched flute; (verb) to play a fife > FIFES, FIFING, FIFED. |
| fifi | A kind of hook > FIFIS. |
| figo | (Ital.) a fig, or gesture of contempt > FIGOS. Also FICO. |
| figs | (3rd.) FIG, to adorn, dress up. |
| fike | (Scots) to fidget restlessly > FIKES, FIKING, FIKED. Also FYKE. |
| fiky | (Scots) fidgety > FIKIER, FIKIEST. Also FIKISH. |
| fila | (Pl.) FILUM, a threadlike anatomical structure. |
| file | To arrange in order for future reference > FILES, FILING, FILED. |
| filk | A type of popular music that parodies folk songs > FILKS. |
| fill | To put as much as can be held into > FILLS, FILLING, FILLED. |
| film | To make a motion picture > FILMS, FILMING, FILMED. |
| filo | (Greek) very thin pastry dough > FILOS. [Gk. phyllon, leaf]. Also FILLO, PHYLLO. |
| fils | (Pl.) FIL, the shaft of a vehicle. |
| find | To come upon after a search > FINDS, FINDING, FOUND. |
| fine | Of excellent quality > FINER, FINEST; FINELY; (verb) to subject to a fine (a monetary penalty) > FINES, FINING, FINED. |
| fini | (Fr.) finished; ruined. |
| fink | A strike-breaker; an informer; (verb) to inform on > FINKS, FINKING, FINKED. |
| fino | (Spanish) a type of light-coloured dry sherry; a glass or drink of such sherry > FINOS. |
| fins | (3rd.) FIN, to equip with fins. |
| fiqh | Islamic jurisprudence, an extension of shariat law > ERHUS. |
| fire | To project by discharging from a gun > FIRES, FIRING, FIRED. |
| firk | (Dial.) to drive or rouse; to speed along > FIRKS, FIRKING, FIRKED. |
| firm | Unyielding to pressure > FIRMER, FIRMEST; FIRMLY; (verb) to make firm > FIRMS, FIRMING, FIRMED. |
| firn | (Ger.) granular ice formed by the recrystallization of snow > FIRNS. [Ger. firn, of last year]. Aka NEVE. |
| firs | (Pl.) FIR, the name of several conifers. |
| fisc | The state treasury; the public revenue > FISCS. Also FISK. |
| fish | To catch or try to catch fish (cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates) > FISHES, FISHING, FISHED. |
| fisk | 1. the state treasury; the public revenue. Also FISC. 2. (verb) to frisk, to gad about > FISKS, FISKING, FISKED. |
| fist | (Verb) to strike or grip with the fist > FISTS, FISTING, FISTED. |
| fits | (3rd.) FIT, to make suitable. |
| fitt | A division of a poem > FITTS. Also FIT, FITTE, FYTTE. |
| five | A number > FIVES. |
| fixt | (Obs.) (Pt.) FIX, to make firm, fasten. |
| fizz | To effervesce > FIZZES, FIZZING, FIZZED. Also FIZ. |
| flab | Excess body fat > FLABS. |
| flag | (Verb) to grow weary > FLAGS, FLAGGING, FLAGGED. |
| flak | Anti-aircraft fire; strong criticism; hostile reaction > FLAKS. [An acronym of German Fliegerabwehrkanone (anti-aircraft gun), from Flieger (aircraft, literally flyer) + Abwehr (defense) + Kanone (gun).] |
| flam | 1. a custard. Also FLAN, FLAUNE, FLAWN, FLAM. |
| flan | A custard > FLAN or FLANES. Also FLAUNE, FLAWN, FLAM, FLAMM. |
| flap | To wave up and down > FLAPS, FLAPPING, FLAPPED. |
| flat | Smooth, level > FLATTER, FLATTEST; FLATLY; (verb) to flatten > FLATS, FLATTING, FLATTED. |
| flaw | (Verb) to make defective > FLAWS, FLAWING, FLAWED. |
| flax | The fibres of the plant Linum, which are woven to make linen cloth; the plant itself > FLAXES. |
| flay | To strip off the skin from > FLAYS, FLAYING, FLAYED. |
| flea | Any of an order of wingless, very agile, parasitic, bloodsucking insects > FLEAS. |
| fled | (Pt.) FLEE, to run away. |
| flee | To run away > FLEES, FLEEING, FLED. |
| fleg | (Scots) to frighten > FLEGS, FLEGGING, FLEGGED. Also FLEY. |
| flew | (Noun) the pendulous upper lip of a bloodhound or similar dog > FLEWS. |
| flex | To bend > FLEXES, FLEXING, FLEXED. |
| fley | (Scots) to frighten > FLEYS, FLEYING, FLEYED. Also FLEG. |
| flic | (Fr.) (sl.) policeman > FLICS. |
| flim | (Dial.) a five-pound note > FLIMS. |
| flip | Flippant > FLIPPER, FLIPPEST; (verb) to throw with a brisk motion > FLIPS, FLIPPING, FLIPPED. |
| flir | An electronic heat sensor able to detect and display on a T.V-like screen a distant scene despite darkness, smoke etc used esp in military aircraft (Forward Looking Infrared Radar) > FLIRS. |
| flit | To move lightly and swiftly > FLITS, FLITTING, FLITTED. |
| flix | (Noun) fur, beaver-down; (verb) an old form of FLUX > FLIXES, FLIXING, FLIXED. |
| flob | to spit or gob > FLOBS, FLOBBING, FLOBBING. |
| floc | To aggregate into FLOCCULES > FLOCS, FLOCCING, FLOCCED. |
| floe | A large mass of floating ice > FLOES. |
| flog | To beat with a whip or rod > FLOGS, FLOGGING, FLOGGED. |
| flop | To fall heavily and noisily > FLOPS, FLOPPING, FLOPPED. |
| flor | A yeasty growth which is allowed to form on the surface of sherry wines and which gives them a nutty taste > FLORS. |
| flow | To move steadily and smoothly along > FLOWS, FLOWING, FLOWED. |
| flox | as in flox silk, the same as floss silk. |
| flub | To bungle, botch > FLUBS, FLUBBING, FLUBBED. |
| flue | A shaft, tube, or pipe, esp. as used in a chimney, to carry off smoke, gas, etc > FLUES, FLUED. |
| flus | (Pl.) FLU, influenza. |
| flux | (Verb) to flow, to fuse > FLUXES, FLUXING, FLUXED. Also FLIX. |
| foal | (Verb) to give birth to a foal > FOALS, FOALING, FOALED. |
| foam | To form foam (a light, bubbly, gas and liquid mass) > FOAMS, FOAMING, FOAMED. |
| fobs | (3rd.) FOB, to cheat, to trick. |
| foci | (Pl.) FOCUS, a point at which rays or waves (of light, heat, sound, etc. |
| foen | (Spenser) pl. of FOE. Also FONE. |
| foes | (Pl.) FOE, an enemy. |
| fogs | (3rd.) FOG, to be affected by fog. |
| fogy | A very conservative person > FOGIES. Also FOGEY, FOGIE. |
| fohn | (Ger.) a hot dry wind that blows down Alpine valleys > FOHNS. Also FOEHN. |
| foid | An agreed term for FELDSPATHOID, any mineral of a group related to FELDSPAR > FOIDS. |
| foil | A light slender flexible sword tipped by a button and usually having a bell-shaped guard; (verb) to frustrate > FOILS, FOILING, FOILED. |
| foin | To thrust with a sword or spear > FOINS, FOINING, FOINED. Also FOYNE. |
| fold | To lay one part over another part of > FOLDS, FOLDING, FOLDED. |
| folk | A people or tribe > FOLKS. |
| folx | (pl) folks, especially inclusive of groups often marginalised. |
| fond | Kindly disposed > FONDER, FONDEST; FONDLY; (verb) to dote > FONDS, FONDING, FONDED. |
| fone | (Spenser) pl. of FOE. Also FOEN. |
| fons | (Pl.) FON, a fool. |
| font | A receptacle for baptismal water > FONTS. |
| food | A substance taken into the body to maintain life and growth > FOODS. |
| fool | To deceive > FOOLS, FOOLING, FOOLED. |
| foos | (Pl.) FOO, a name for a temporary computer variable or file. |
| foot | The terminal part of the leg on which the body stands and moves > FEET; (verb) to walk > FOOTS, FOOTING, FOOTED. |
| fops | (3rd.) FOP, to deceive. |
| fora | (Pl.) FORUM, a marketplace; a place for discussion. |
| forb | (Greek) any herb that does not resemble grass > FORBS. [Gk. phorbe, fodder, forage]. |
| ford | (Verb) to cross water by wading > FORDS, FORDING, FORDED. |
| fore | At an earlier time or period; (noun) the front > FORES. |
| fork | To work with a fork (a pronged implement) > FORKS, FORKING, FORKED. |
| form | To produce > FORMS, FORMING, FORMED. |
| fort | A small fortress; (verb) to fortify > FORTS, FORTING, FORTED. |
| foss | A ditch or moat > FOSSES. Also FOSSE. |
| foud | (ON) a bailiff or magistrate in Orkney or Shetland > FOUDS. [ON fogeti]. Cf. FOUDRIE. |
| foul | Dirty, repulsive > FOULER, FOULEST; FOULLY; (verb) to make dirty > FOULS, FOULING, FOULED. |
| four | A number > FOURS. |
| fous | (Pl.) FOU, bushel. |
| fowl | (Verb) to hunt birds > FOWLS, FOWLING, FOWLED. |
| foxy | LIke a fox, crafty > FOXIER, FOXIEST; FOXILY. |
| foys | (Pl.) FOY, loyalty, allegiance. |
| fozy | (Scots) spongy, lacking firmness > FOZIER, FOZIEST. |
| frab | (Dial.) to worry > FRABS, FRABBING, FRABBED. |
| frae | (Scots) from. Also THRAE. |
| frag | To blow up an unpopular officer with a grenade (short for FRAGMENT) > FRAGS, FRAGGING, FRAGGED. |
| frap | To draw tight (as with ropes or cables) > FRAPS, FRAPPING, FRAPPED. |
| fras | (Pl.) FRA, brother. |
| frat | A college fraternity > FRATS. |
| frau | (Ger.) woman, housewife > FRAUS. |
| fray | To wear off by rubbing > FRAYS, FRAYING, FRAYED. |
| free | Unconfined > FREER, FREEST; FREELY; (verb) to set free > FREES, FREEING, FREED. |
| fret | To worry > FRETS, FRETTING, FRETTED. |
| frib | A piece of wool taken from a fleece > FRIBS. |
| frig | (Sl.) to have sex > FRIGS, FRIGGING, FRIGGED. |
| fris | (Hungarian) the quick dance movement of a Hungarian CSARDAS. Also FRISKA. |
| frit | 1. Mixed materials for making glass; (verb) to fuse into a vitreous substance > FRITS, FRITTING, FRITTED. Also FRITT. |
| friz | To fry with a sizzling noise > FRIZZES, FRIZZING, FRIZZED. Also FRIZZ. |
| froe | A cleaving tool with its blade at right angles to its handle > FROES. Also FROW. |
| frog | Any insectivorous anuran amphibian of the family Ranidae; (verb) to hunt frogs > FROGS, FROGGING, FROGGED. |
| from | Starting at. |
| fros | (Pl.) FRO, a hairstyle. |
| frow | (Dutch) a woman, goodwife > FROWS. Also VROW, VROUW, VROU. |
| frug | A vigorous dance performed to pop music, popularized in the 1960s; (verb) to perform this dance > FRUGS, FRUGGING, FRUGGED. |
| fubs | (3rd.) FUB, to put off. |
| fuci | (Pl.) FUCUS, a genus of seaweed. |
| fuck | To copulate -- usually considered obscene > FUCKS, FUCKING, FUCKED. |
| fuds | (Pl.) FUD, a rabbit's or hare's tail. |
| fuel | (Verb) to supply with fuel > FUELS, FUELING or FUELLING, FUELED or FUELLED. |
| fuff | To spit like a cat > FUFFS, FUFFING, FUFFED. |
| fugs | (3rd.) FUG, to cause a fug in. |
| fugu | (Japanese) a toxin-containing fish > FUGUS. |
| fuji | (Japanese) a silk fabric > FUJIS. |
| full | Having no spare room > FULLER, FULLEST; FULLY; (verb) to shrink and thicken cloth > FULLS, FULLING, FULLED. |
| fume | To give off fumes (gaseous exhalations) > FUMES, FUMING, FUMED. |
| fums | (Pl.) FUM, a fabulous Chinese bird. |
| fumy | Producing fumes > FUMIER, FUMIEST. |
| fund | To provide money for > FUNDS, FUNDING, FUNDED. |
| fung | (Chinese) a fabulous bird > FUNGS. Also FUM. |
| funk | To be afraid > FUNKS, FUNKING, FUNKED. |
| funs | (3rd.) FUN, to tease. |
| furl | To roll up > FURLS, FURLING, FURLED. |
| furr | (Scots) a furrow > FURRS. |
| furs | (3rd.) FUR, to cover or coat with fur. |
| fury | Violent anger > FURIES. |
| fusc | Of a brownish-gray color; dusky. No comp. Also FUSCOUS. |
| fuse | To equip with a fuse (a detonating device) > FUSES, FUSING, FUSED. |
| fusk | to obtain data from (a website) by using a fusker > FUSKS, FUSKING, FUSKED. |
| fuss | To be overly concerned with small details > FUSSES, FUSSING, FUSSED. |
| fust | A strong, musty smell; mustiness; (verb) to smell mouldy > FUSTS, FUSTING, FUSTED. |
| futz | (Yiddish) to spend time aimlessly > FUTZES, FUTZING, FUTZED. |
| fuze | To fuse > FUZES, FUZING, FUZED. |
| fuzz | (Verb) to become fuzzy > FUZZES, FUZZING, FUZZED. |
| fyce | A small dog > FYCES. Also FICE, FEIST. |
| fyke | (Scots) to fidget restlessly > FYKES, FYKING, FYKED. Also FIKE. |
| fyle | (Spenser) a file > FYLES. |
| fyrd | (OE) a local militia in Anglo-Saxon times > FYRDS. |