[fill the bases] See: LOAD THE BASES.

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

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

[filthy lucre]{n.}, {informal} Money, especially when thought of as 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 filthy lucre."/

[filthy rich]{adj. phr.} Extremely rich but without cultural refinement; nouveau riche. •/"The Murgatroyds are filthy rich," Ted complained. "They are rolling in money but they never learned how to behave properly 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 claim the 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 knife now!/

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

[find it in one’s heart]{v. phr.} To be able or willing because of your nature. •/He could not find it in his heart to tell her about her mother’s death./ •/Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?/ •/He could 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 the body or mind.) •/In the program for the parents, John was nervous and could not speak at first; then he found his tongue./ •/The young bird had just found its wings./ •/The baby was just beginning to find his feet./ •/The question surprised him, and it was a minute before he found his tongue./

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

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

[find out]{v.} 1. To learn or discover (something you did not know before.) •/One morning the baby found out for the first time that she could walk./ •/I don’t know how this car works, but I’ll soon find out./ •/He watched the birds to find out where they go./ •/Mary was angry when Jane found out her secret./ 2. To get facts; to get facts about. •/He wrote to find out about a job in Alaska./ •/She found out how much the house would cost./ 3. To discover (someone) doing wrong; catch. •/Some children are bad when no one is watching them, but they are usually found out./ •/The boy knew 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 wears fine clothes may not be as good as he looks. — A proverb. •/Mary is pretty and she wears pretty clothes, but she is very mean. Fine feathers do not make fine 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 to miss anything. •/The police searched the scene of the crime with a fine-tooth comb for clues./ •/My room is so clean you couldn’t find dirt if you went over 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 FINGERS CROSSED, LAY A FINGER ON, LIFT A FINGER, PUT ONE’S FINGER ON also LAY ONE’S FINGER 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 what happens; part interest or responsibility. •/When the girls got up a Christmas party, I felt sure Alice had a finger in the pie./ •/The Jones Company was chosen to build the new hospital and we knew Mr. Smith had a finger in the pie./ •/Jack is a boy with a finger in every pie at school, from dramatics to 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 or BETWEEN 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 OF FIRE ON ONE’S HEAD, HOLD ONE’S FIRE or HOLD FIRE, IRON IN THE FIRE, KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING, LINE OF FIRE, ON FIRE, OPEN FIRE, OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE, PLAY WITH FIRE, PULL ONE’S CHESTNUTS OUT OF THE FIRE, SET FIRE TO, SET THE WORLD ON FIRE, TILL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED or UNTIL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED, 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 barn ablaze in the country./

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

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

[firsthand]{adj.} Fresh; genuine; from the original source. •/John says 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 pay that bill first and foremost./ •/First and foremost, we must keep America free./

[first and last]{adv. phr.} Most noticeably; all the time; chiefly. •/He was first and last a school teacher./ •/Steven joined the army because 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 a baseball 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 best group. •/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 best groups in which to travel, especially by ship, train, or airplane. •/Most people 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, anything written by hand or typewriter, and anything sealed so that it cannot be inspected, and that is the most expensive class of mail but receives the best treatment. •/The usual way to send a letter is by first class./ Compare: SECOND CLASS, THIRD CLASS.