(FIXED).

FIZZ. The burning of priming.

FLABBERGAST, TO. To throw a person aback by a confounding assertion; to
produce a state of extreme surprise.

FLADDERMUS. A base silver German coin of four kreutzers' value.

FLAG. A general name for the distinguishing colours of any nation. Also,
a certain banner by which an admiral is distinguished at sea from the
inferior ships of his squadron. The flags of the British navy were
severally on a red, white, or blue field, and were displayed from the
top of the royal pole of the main, fore, or mizen mast, according to the
rank of the admiral, thus indicating nine degrees. This diversity of
colour has now been long done away with. The white field, with the red
St. George's cross, and the sinister upper corner occupied by the union,
is now alone used in the British navy--the blue being assigned to the
reserve, and the red to the mercantile navy. An admiral still displays
his flag exclusively at the main truck; a vice-admiral at the fore; a
rear-admiral at the mizen. The first flag in importance is the royal
standard of Great Britain and Ireland, hoisted only when the king or
queen is on board; the second is the anchor of hope, for the lord
high-admiral, or the lords-commissioners of the admiralty; and the third
is the union flag, for the admiral of the fleet, who is the next
officer under the lord high-admiral. The various other departments, such
as the navy board, custom-house, &c., have each their respective flags.
Besides the national flag, merchant ships are permitted to bear lesser
flags on any mast, with the arms or design of the firm to which they
belong, but they "must not resemble or be mistaken for any of the flags
or signals used by the royal navy," under certain penalties. When a
council of war is held at sea, if it be on board the admiral's ship, a
flag is hung on the main-shrouds; if the vice-admiral's, on the
fore-shrouds; and if the rear-admiral's, on the mizen-shrouds. The flags
borne on the mizen were particularly called gallants. There are also
smaller flags used for signals. The word _flag_ is often familiarly used
to denote the admiral himself. Also, the reply from the boat if an
admiral is on board--Flag!

FLAG-OFFICER. A term synonymous with _admiral_.

FLAG OF TRUCE. A white flag, hoisted to denote a wish to parley between
the belligerent parties, but so frequently abused, with the design of
obtaining intelligence, or to cover stratagems, &c., that of