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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Fairy \Fair"y\, a.
1. Of or pertaining to fairies.
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2. Given by fairies; as, fairy money. --Dryden.
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{Fairy bird} (Zool.), the Euoropean little tern ({Sterna
minuta}); -- called also {sea swallow}, and {hooded tern}.


{Fairy bluebird}. (Zool.) See under {Bluebird}.

{Fairy martin} (Zool.), a European swallow ({Hirrundo ariel})
that builds flask-shaped nests of mud on overhanging
cliffs.

{Fairy rings} or {Fairy circles}, the circles formed in
grassy lawns by certain fungi (as {Marasmius Oreades}),
formerly supposed to be caused by fairies in their
midnight dances; also, the mushrooms themselves. Such
circles may have diameters larger than three meters.

{Fairy shrimp} (Zool.), a European fresh-water phyllopod
crustacean ({Chirocephalus diaphanus}); -- so called from
its delicate colors, transparency, and graceful motions.
The name is sometimes applied to similar American species.


{Fairy stone} (Paleon.), an echinite.
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Fairy \Fair"y\, n.; pl. {Fairies}. [OE. fairie, faierie,
enchantment, fairy folk, fairy, OF. faerie enchantment, F.
f['e]er, fr. LL. Fata one of the goddesses of fate. See
{Fate}, and cf. {Fay} a fairy.] [Written also {fa["e]ry}.]
1. Enchantment; illusion. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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The God of her has made an end,
And fro this worlde's fairy
Hath taken her into company. --Gower.
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2. The country of the fays; land of illusions. [Obs.]
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He [Arthur] is a king y-crowned in Fairy. --Lydgate.
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3. An imaginary supernatural being or spirit, supposed to
assume a human form (usually diminutive), either male or
female, and to meddle for good or evil in the affairs of
mankind; a fay. See {Elf}, and {Demon}.
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The fourth kind of spirit [is] called the Fairy.
--K. James.
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And now about the caldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring. --Shak.
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5. An enchantress. [Obs.] --Shak.
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{Fairy of the mine}, an imaginary being supposed to inhabit
mines, etc. German folklore tells of two species; one
fierce and malevolent, the other gentle, See {Kobold}.
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No goblin or swart fairy of the mine
Hath hurtful power over true virginity. --Milton.
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