fess
1or fesse
[ fes ]
/ fɛs /
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noun Heraldry.
an ordinary in the form of a broad horizontal band across the middle of an escutcheon.
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QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
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Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
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Origin of fess
1Words nearby fess
fervour, Fès, fescennine, fescue, fescue foot, fess, fesse, Fessenden, fesse point, fess point, fest
Definition for fess (2 of 3)
fess2
[ fes ]
/ fɛs /
Verb Phrases
fess up, Informal. to admit or concede, especially freely.
Origin of fess
2First recorded in 1830–40; aphetic shortening of confess
Definition for fess (3 of 3)
fess3
[ fes ]
/ fɛs /
noun Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.
a teacher.
Also fes·sor [fes-er] /ˈfɛs ər/ .
Origin of fess
3Shortening of professor
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for fess
British Dictionary definitions for fess
fess
/ (fɛs) /
verb
(intr foll by up) informal, mainly US to make a confession
Word Origin for fess
C19: shortened from confess
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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