Figure

1. The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance.
2. The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modeling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body; as, a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble.
3. A pattern in cloth, paper, or other manufactured article; a design wrought out in a fabric; as, the muslin was of a pretty figure.
4. (Geom.) A diagram or drawing, made to represent a magnitude or the relation of two or more magnitudes; a surface or space inclosed on all sides; -- called superficial when inclosed by lines, and solid when inclosed by surfaces; any arrangement made up of points, lines, angles, surfaces, etc.
5. The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person; as, a sorry figure.
6. Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show.
7. A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc.
8. Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are estimated or sold at a low figure.
9. A person, thing, or action, conceived of as analogous to another person, thing, or action, of which it thus becomes a type or representative.
10. (Rhet.) A mode of expressing abstract or immaterial ideas by words which suggest pictures or images from the physical world; pictorial language; a trope; hence, any deviation from the plainest form of statement. Also called a figure of speech.
11. (Logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
12. (Dancing) Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer.
13. (Astrol.) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
1. Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
2. A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical phrase or motive; a florid embellishment.
Academy figure, Canceled figures, Lay figure, etc.
See under Academy, Cancel, Lay, etc.
Figure caster, or Figure flinger ,
an astrologer.
Figure flinging ,
the practice of astrology.
Figure-of-eight knot ,
a knot shaped like the figure 8. See Illust. under Knot.
Figure painting ,
a picture of the human figure, or the act or art of depicting the human figure.
Figure stone (Min.),
agalmatolite.
Figure weaving ,
the art or process of weaving figured fabrics.
To cut a figure ,
to make a display.

1. To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
2. To embellish with design; to adorn with figures.
3. To indicate by numerals; also, to compute.
4. To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize.
5. To prefigure; to foreshow.
1. To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords.
2. To embellish.
To figure out ,
to solve; to compute or find the result of.
To figure up ,
to add; to reckon; to compute the amount of.

1. To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court.
2. To calculate; to contrive; to scheme; as, he is figuring to secure the nomination.
go figure
a phrase used by itself as an interjection to mean “How can one explain that?”, or to express puzzlement over some seeming contradiction.