1873. Black, Princess of Thule, ch. 10. Having sent an all their
luggage by a respectable old four-wheeler.
Fousty, adj. (colloquial).—Stinking [probably derived from foist, sense
3].
Fouter, verb, and Foutering, subs. (common).—To meddle, importune,
waste time and tongue; the act of meddling, importunity, wasting time
and tongue. E.g., ‘Don’t come foutering here!’ [From the French,
foutre: the sense of which is intensified in a vulgarism of still
fuller flavour].
Fox, subs. (old).—A sword; specifically, the old English broadsword.
[Derivation dubious. Suggestions are: (1) from a maker’s name; (2) from
the fox sometimes engraved on the blade; (3) from the Latin falx.] For
synonyms, see Cheese-toaster and Poker.
1598, Shakspeare, Henry V., 4. O signieur Dew, thou dy’st on point
of fox.
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, ii. A fellow that knows nothing but
a basket-hilt, and an old fox in’t.
c. 1640. [Shirley], Captain Underwit, in Bullen’s Old Plays, ii.,
321. Un. An old fox blade made at Hounsloe heath.
1667. Shirley, Love Tricks, Act II., Sc. 1. They say your swords
most commonly are foxes, and have notable metal in them.
1700. Congreve, Way of the World, Act V., Sc. 10. Sir, I have an
old fox by my thigh shall hack your instrument of ram vellum to
shreds, Sir.
1821. Scott, Kenilworth, ch. iv. ‘Come, come, comrade,’ said
Lambourne, ‘here is enough done, and more than enough, put up your
fox, and let us be jogging.’
Verb (old).—1. To intoxicate. Foxed = drunk; to catch a fox = to be
very drunk; while to flay the fox (Urquhart) = to vomit, to shed your
liquor, i.e., to get rid of the beast.
1611. Barry, Ram Alley, Act IV. They will bib hard; they will be
fine sunburnt, Sufficient fox’d or columber’d now and then.
1633. Heywood, Eng. Travellers, IV., v., p. 266 (Mermaid Series).
Rioter. Worthy Reginald. Reig. Will, if he now come off well, fox
you all, Go, call for wine.
c. 1640. [Shirley], Captain Underwit, in Bullen’s Old Plays, ii.
375. Then to bee fox’d it is no crime, Since thickest and dull
braines It makes sublime.
1661. T. Middleton, Mayor of Quinborough, V., i. Ah, blind as one
that had been fox’d a sevennight.
1673. Shadwell, Epsom Wells, IV., in wks. (1720), ii., 248. But
here’s my cup. Come on. Udsooks, I begin to be fox’d!
1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., i., 194. Come, let’s trudge it to
Kirkham Fair: There’s stout liquor enough to fox me.
1738. Swift, Polite Convers., Dial. 2. Lady Sm. But, Sir John, your
ale is terrible strong and heady.... Sir John. Why, indeed, it is
apt to fox one.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Fox (v.) ... also to make a
person drunk or fuddled.
1891. Sporting Times, 11 April. And so to bed well nigh seven in
the morning, and myself as near foxed as of old.
2. (old).—To cheat; to trick; to rob (colloquial at Eton). For
synonyms, see Gammon.
1631. Mayne, City Match, iii., 1. Fore Jove, the captain foxed him
rarely.
1866. Notes and Queries, 3, S. x., 123. Where the tramps ... out of
their gout are foxed.
3. (common).—To watch closely. Also to fox about. Cf., fox’s sleep. For
synonyms, see Nose.
1880. Greenwood, Odd People in Odd Places, p. 61. ‘You keep it
going pretty loud here, with a couple of policemen foxing about
just outside.’