Verb. 1.—To apprehend.
1598. Shakspeare, II. Henry IV., ii., 1. Fang. An I but Fist him
once! An a’ come but within my vice.
2. (colloquial).—To take hold, e.g., Just you fist that
scrubbing-brush, and set to work.
3. (venery).—To fist it = to take a man by the penis, for intromission
or masturbation.
To put up one’s fist, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To acknowledge a fact;
cf., fill the bin and acknowledge the corn.
Fist-fucking, subs. phr. (venery).—Masturbation. For synonyms, see
Frig.
Fit, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Suitable; in good form.
1882. Punch, vol. LXXXII., p. 155, col. 1, (q.v.).
1884. A. Lang, in Longman’s Mag., IV., 140. The really best moment
in life is that which finds us young and fit, bowling on a lively
wicket, and conscious that we have considerable command of the
ball.
1889. Evening Standard, 25 June. ‘Sir C. Russell’s Speech in
Durham-Chetwynd Case.’ Now, Mr. Lowther, I am not suggesting—and I
wish to be perfectly understood—that to run a horse that is not
perfectly fit does not stand alone as an offence against the
honourable conduct of any man on the turf.
Fit as a fiddle, adj. phr. (colloquial).—Awfully fit, i.e., in perfect
condition.
To fit like a ball of wax, verb. phr. (common).—To fit close to the
skin.
To fit like a sentry box, verb. phr. (common).—To fit badly.
To fit like a glove, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To fit perfectly.
To fit to a T, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To fit to a nicety. [In
reference to the T square used in drawing.]
1791. Boswell, Johnson. You see they’d have fitted him to a T.
To fit up a show, verb. phr. (artists’).—To arrange an exhibition.
To fit ends (or end to end), verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate. For
synonyms, see Ride.
Fitch’s Grenadiers, subs. phr. (military).—The Eighty-Third Foot. [From
the small stature of the men and the name of the first colonel.]
Fits. To beat into fits, verb. phr.—See Beat and Creation.
Fitter, subs. (thieves’).—A burglar’s locksmith.
Fit up, subs. phr. (theatrical).—A small company. Also used
adjectively; see Conscience.
1889. Answers, p. 40. One young fellow, who had come down with me,
shook his head when he found that the company was one known as a
fit up, that is to say, one where the stage is really carried about
with the company.
Five-Fingers, subs. phr. (cards).—The five of trumps in the game of
‘Don’ or ‘Five Cards.’
1611. Chapman, May-Day, V., ii., in wks. (1873), ii., 401. For my
game stood, me thought, vpon my last two tricks, when I made sure
of the set, and yet lost it, hauing the varlet and the fiue finger
to make two tricks.
1674. Cotton, Compleat Gamester [at the game of five-cards]. The
five fingers (alias, five of trumps) is the best card in the pack
... the Ace of Hearts wins the Ace of Trumps, and the Five Fingers
not only wins the Ace of Trumps, but also all other cards whatever.
Fiver, subs. (colloquial).—Anything that counts as five; specifically a
five-pound note. Cf., Finn.
1853. Wh. Melville, Digby Grand, ch. i. Spooner ... loses a
five-pound note, or, as he calls it, a fiver, to my antagonist.
1864. E. Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. xxv. Wouldn’t lend me a
fiver to save me from gaol.
1871. Daily News, 26 Dec. ‘Workhouse Xmas Depravity.’ Why, there’s
Jemima Ann ... has ... been bleeding me of a fiver to send to some
Christmas Dinner Fund for juvenile mudlarks.
1872. Fun, Sept. I lent a fiver unto a friend—He managed somehow
that to spend.
1890. Tit-Bits, 8 Feb., p. 273, col. 2. Lend me a fiver, will you,
Gus?
Five over Five, adv. phr. (common).—Said of people who turn in their
toes.
Fivepence. As fine, (or as grand), as fivepence (or as fippence), phr.
(colloquial).—As fine as possible. Cf., As neat as ninepence.
1672. Wycherly, Love in a Wood, V., wks. (1713), 421. Whilst his
mistress is as fine as fippence, in embroidered sattens.
1720. Gay, New Song of New Similes. As fine as five-pence is her
mien.
1738. Swift, Polite Convers., Dial. 3. Pray how was she drest? Lady
Sm. Why, as fine as fi’pence.
1857. A. Trollope, Barchester Towers, ch. xxxix. There’s ... the
lot of ’em all sitting as grand as fivepence in madam’s
drawing-room.
1866. G. A. Sala, Trip to Barbary, ch. xiii. They [the Jews]
continue to sit ‘all of a row’ with their daughters dressed ‘all in
green,’ or all in pink or salmon-colour, and as fine as fivepence
on their ceremonial days, waiting, waiting, always waiting, for the
restoration of the Temple and the end of the dolour.
Fives, subs. (common).—1. The fingers. Bunch of fives = the fist.
Formerly also = the feet. For synonyms, see Forks.
c. 1629. Ballad in Arber’s English Garner, vol. VII., p. 13. Her
cheeks were like the cherry.... Her waist exceeding small. The
fives did fit her shoe.
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ii., 7. Smart chap that cabman—handled his
fives well.
1887. Judy, 18 May, p. 236. Both the men of sin handled their fives
with almost professional dexterity.