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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Friar's lantern

Friar \Fri"ar\, n. [OR. frere, F. fr[`e]re brother, friar, fr. L. frater brother. See Brother.]

  1. (R. C. Ch.) A brother or member of any religious order, but especially of one of the four mendicant orders, viz:

    1. Minors, Gray Friars, or Franciscans.

    2. Augustines.

    3. Dominicans or Black Friars.

    4. White Friars or Carmelites. See these names in the Vocabulary.

  2. (Print.) A white or pale patch on a printed page.

  3. (Zo["o]l.) An American fish; the silversides.

    Friar bird (Zo["o]l.), an Australian bird ( Tropidorhynchus corniculatus), having the head destitute of feathers; -- called also coldong, leatherhead, pimlico; poor soldier, and four-o'clock. The name is also applied to several other species of the same genus.

    Friar's balsam (Med.), a stimulating application for wounds and ulcers, being an alcoholic solution of benzoin, styrax, tolu balsam, and aloes; compound tincture of benzoin.
    --Brande & C.

    Friar's cap (Bot.), the monkshood.

    Friar's cowl (Bot.), an arumlike plant ( Arisarum vulgare) with a spathe or involucral leaf resembling a cowl.

    Friar's lantern, the ignis fatuus or Will-o'-the-wisp.
    --Milton.

    Friar skate (Zo["o]l.), the European white or sharpnosed skate ( Raia alba); -- called also Burton skate, border ray, scad, and doctor.

WordNet
friar's lantern

n. a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground [syn: ignis fatuus, jack-o'-lantern, will-o'-the-wisp]