Page:A new dictionary of the terms ancient and modern of the canting crew, in its several tribes, of gypsies, beggers, thieves, cheats, &c. with an addition of some proverbs, phrases, figurative speeches, &c.djvu/68

 Minds in a short time.

Fiddle, c. a Writ to Arrest.

Fiddle-faddle, meer silly Stuff, or Nonsense; Idle, Vain Discourse.

Fidlers-pay, Thanks and Wine.

Filch, c. to Steal.

Filchers, c. Thieves, Robbers. A good Filch, c. a Staff, of Ash or Hazel, with a Hole through, and a Spike at the bottom, to pluck Cloathes from a Hedge or any thing out of a Casement.

Filching-cove. c. a Man-thief.

Filching-mort, c. a Woman-thief.

File, c. to Rob, or Cheat. The File, c. a Pick-pocket.

Fine-mouth'd, nice, dainty.

Finical, spruce, neat.

Finify, to trick up or dress sprucely.

Fire-drakes, Men with a Phenix for their Badge, in Livery, and Pay from the Insurance-Office, to extinguish Fires, covering their Heads with an Iron-pot, or Head-*piece; also a Fiery Meteor, being a great unequal Exhalation inflamed between a Hot and a Cold Cloud.

Fire-ship, a Pockey Whore.

Fire-side, a Health to the Wife and Children.

Firkin of foul Stuff, a very Homely coarse corpulent Woman.

Fishing Bill, in Chancery, to make what Discoveries may be. Who Cries Stinking Fish? or who dispraises his own Ware? Good Fish when it is Caught, of what is not got so soon as reckoned upon. All is Fish that comes to Net, of him that flies boldly at all Game. I have other Fish to Fry, I am otherwise taken up, engag'd, or have other Business on my Hands.

Fixen, a froward, pee-vish,