1886. Globe, 18 March, p. 3, col. 2. [Referring to recent order of
French War Minister permitting soldiers to wear their beards.]
There is wailing and weeping among a certain section of that army,
the figaros, which has been despoiled at one fell swoop.
Figdean, verb (old).—To kill. For synonyms, see Cook one’s goose.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
Figged.—See Jigged.
Figger or Figure.—See Fagger.
Figging- or Fagging-lay, subs. phr. (old).—Pocket-picking: cf., Fagger.
Fight, subs. (common).—A party; e.g., Tea fight, Wedding-fight, etc.
Cf., Scramble, and Worry: also Row (q.v.).
To fight or play cocum.—See Cocum.
To fight or buck the tiger.—See Buck and quots., infra.
1870. London Figaro, 20 July. The other day a gentleman of San
Francisco, hitherto only noted for deeds of daring in fighting the
tiger, was seated asleep in the smoking-car of the evening train
from Sacramento on the Vallejo route.
1886. Daily Telegraph, 18 Oct., p. 5, col. 3. If they subsequently
fight the tiger at the games of faro or roulette.
One that can fight his weight in wild cats, subs. phr. (American).—A
brilliant desperado.
1876. Besant and Rice, Golden Butterfly. John Halkett, as I learned
afterwards, could fight his weight in wild cats.
Fighting-Cove, subs. phr. (tramps’).—A professional pugilist:
specifically one who ‘boxes’ for a livelihood at fairs, race-meetings,
etc.
1880. Greenwood, Odd People in Odd Places, p. 56. You see them two
there, sitting on t’other end of the table and eating fried fish
and bread. That’s their mittens they’ve got tied up in that
hankercher. They’re fighting coves.
Fighting Fifth, subs. phr. (military)—The Fifth Foot. [So distinguished
in the Peninsular.] Other nicknames were the shiners (in 1764 from its
clean and smart appearance); the old bold fifth (also Peninsular); and
Lord Wellington’s body guard (it was at head-quarters in 1811). Cf.,
Fighting Ninth.
1871. Chambers’ Journal, 23 Dec., p. 802, col. 2. The Fighting
Fifth was distinguished by its men wearing a white plume in the
cap, when the similar ornament of the other regiments was a red and
white tuft.
1890. Standard, 25 April, p. 3, col. 4, ‘St. George’s Day.’ With
the exception of the annual observances by the Northumberland
Fusiliers, better known as the Fighting Fifth, and a concert at the
Crystal Palace, there does not seem to have been the smallest
notice taken of what was, not a hundred years ago, a recognised
popular festival throughout the length and breadth of once merrie
England.
Fighting Ninth, subs. phr. (military).—The Ninth Foot. [Also Holy Boys
(Peninsular), from its selling its Bibles for drink.] Cf., Fighting
Fifth.
Fighting Tight, adv. phr. (American).—Drunk and quarrelsome. For
synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.
Fig-leaf, subs. (common).—An apron. In fencing, the padded shield worn
over the lower abdomen and right thigh. Fr., une petite bannette. Cf.,
Belly-cheat and Flag.
Figs (also Figgins), subs. (colloquial).—A grocer.
Figure, subs. (colloquial).—1. Appearance; conduct; e.g., to cut a good
or bad figure, a mean figure, sorry figure, etc.
1712. Spectator, No. 479. Men cannot, indeed, make a sillier
figure, than in repeating such pleasures and pains to the rest of
the world.
1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. xvii. Peradventure our
youth is fast, and aspires to be a man of figure.