Also 7 fasickle. [ad. L. fasciculus, dim. of fascis: see FASCES.]
1. A bunch, bundle. Now only in scientific use. Formerly also fig.
1622. F. Markham, Bk. War, IV. v. 138. To this Fasickle or bundle of vertues … hee must haue one other excellencie added, which is as good, or great, as necessary, and as glorious as any of the other, and that is, he must bee a perfit and absolute Horseman.
1792. Char., in Ann. Reg., 46/2. The middle fascicle of hair … is wrapped in a large quill of silver.
1846. Dana, Zooph. (1848), 368. Lamellæ arranged in groups or fascicles.
1877. Coues, Fur. Anim., vii. 198. They [hairs] grow irregularly in various places along the tail, in somewhat isolated fascicles.
b. spec. in Bot. A cluster of leaves or flowers with very short stalks growing closely together at the base; a tuft. Also, a bunch of roots growing from one point.
a. 1794. Sir W. Jones, Select Ind. Plants, Wks. 1807, V. 113. Each blossom, that opens in the fascicle.
1835. Lindley, Introd. Bot. (1848), I. 320. Fascicle, a term … synonymous with compound corymb.
1872. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 246. In Larch (Larix) and Cedar (Cedrus) the acicular leaves are numerous, in dense fascicles.
1880. Gray, Struct. Bot., v. 147. An umbel or any similar cluster when sessile (without a common peduncle), and the parts crowded, is sometimes called a Fascicle (or the pedicels said to be fascicled).
c. Anat. = FASCICULUS 1 c.
1738. Stuart, Muscular Motion, iii. 44. A fascicle or bundle of … small muscular fibres.
1836. R. B. Todd, The Cyclopædia of Anatomy and Physiology, III. 600/1. The nerve-tubes separate from the primary trunk into smaller fascicles.
1845. Todd & Bowman, Phys. Anat., I. 71. The tendons are for the most part implanted by separate fascicles into distinct depressions in the bones.
2. A part, number, ‘livraison’ (of a work published by instalments); = FASCICULUS 2.
1647. Mayne, Serm. Vind., 19. In the next fascicle, you say … that I maintain some things.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., II. X. ii. 606. Suhm translates; sends it to him … fascicle by fascicle, with commentaries.
1887. Homeop. World, 1 Nov., 521. The Sixth Fascicle completes this beautiful work.
