Bryson•s Dictionary for Writers and Editors

132
Friedrichshafen / further, farther
Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Friesian/Frisian. Friesian is a breed of cattle; Frisian is the name of a
north Germanic language and of a chain of islands lying off, and
politically divided between, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany.
Friesian cattle in the United States are normally called Holsteins.
Frisian is also sometimes applied to people from Friesland,
the Dutch province that partly encompasses the Frisian islands.
frieze.
Friml, Rudolf. (1879–1972) Czech-born American pianist and composer
of light operas.
Frisbee. (Cap.)
frisson. “A slight frisson went through the nation yesterday” (London
Times). There is no other kind of frisson than a slight one.
The word means shiver or shudder.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Region of Italy.
frontispiece. Illustration facing the title page of a book.
frowsty, frowzy. The first means musty or stale; the second, untidy or
dingy.
Frühstück. (Ger.) Breakfast.
FTC. Federal Trade Commission.
Führer (pref.)/Fuehrer (alt.). German leader, particularly Adolf Hitler.
Fujiyama means Mount Fuji, so “Mount Fujiyama” is redundant.
Make it either Fujiyama or Mount Fuji. The Japanese also call it
Fujisan and Fuki-no-Yama.
fulfill, fulfillment, fulfilled, fulfilling.
fulsome means odiously insincere. “Fulsome praise,” properly used,
isn’t a lavish tribute; it is unctuous and insincere toadying.
furor.
further, farther. Insofar as the two are distinguished, farther usually
appears in contexts involving literal distance (“New York is farther
from Sydney than from London”) and further in contexts
involving figurative distance (“I can take this plan no further”).