felon
    n 1: someone who has committed a crime or has been legally
         convicted of a crime [syn: criminal, felon, crook,
         outlaw, malefactor]
    2: a purulent infection at the end of a finger or toe in the
       area surrounding the nail [syn: felon, whitlow]

Felon \Fel"on\, n. [OE., adj., cruel, n., villain, ruffian,
   traitor, whitlow, F. f['e]lon traitor, in OF. also, villain,
   fr. LL. felo. See Fell, a.]
   1. (Law) A person who has committed a felony.
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   2. A person guilty or capable of heinous crime.
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   3. (Med.) A kind of whitlow; a painful imflammation of the
      periosteum of a finger, usually of the last joint.

   Syn: Criminal; convict; malefactor; culprit.
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Felon \Fel"on\, a.
   Characteristic of a felon; malignant; fierce; malicious;
   cruel; traitorous; disloyal.
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         Vain shows of love to vail his felon hate. --Pope.
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FELON, crimes. One convicted and sentenced for a felony.
     2. A felon is infamous, and cannot fill any office, or become a witness 
in any case, unless pardoned, except in cases of absolute necessity, for his 
own preservation, and defence; as, for example, an affidavit in relation to 
the irregularity of a judgment in a cause in which he is a party. 2 Salk. R. 
461; 2 Str. 1148;. Martin's R. 25; Stark. Ev. part 2, tit. Infamy. As to the 
effect of a conviction in one state, where the witness is offered in 
another, see 17 Mass. R. 515 2 Harr. & McHen. R. 120, 378; 1 Harr. & Johns. 
R. 572. As to the effect upon a copartnership by one of the partners 
becoming a felon, see 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 1493. 

FELON, n.  A person of greater enterprise than discretion, who in
embracing an opportunity has formed an unfortunate attachment.