Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 2.pdf/387

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Feague, verb (old).—To send packing; to whiff away.

1826. Scott, Journal [pub. 1890], I., 205. Though this be Monday, I am not able to feague it away, as Bayes says—[The reference, as furnished by Dr. Murray to Mr. David Douglas, editor of the Journal (1890), is to certain editions of Buckingham's farce, The Rehearsal: 'I lay my head close to it with a snuff-box in my hand, and feague it away.]

Feak, subs. (old).—The fundament. Lex. Balat. [1811].

Feather, subs. (colloquial).—1. Kind; species; company; cf., Birds of a feather. For synonyms, see Kidney.

1608. Dekker, Belman of London, in wks. (Grosart), III., 140. And he delivers it either to a Broker or some Bawd (for they all are of one feather).

1609. Shakspeare, Timon of Athens, Act i., Sc. 1. I am not of that feather, to shake off My friend when he must need me.

2. in pl. (common).—Money; wealth.—[See Feather one's nest.] For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.

3. (venery).—The female pubic hair (Prior and T. Moore). For synonyms, see Fleece.

In full feather, adv. phr. (colloquial).—1. Rich.—[See sense 2.]

1871. Mrs. H. Wood, Dene Hollow. ch. xxx. And now things went on swimmingly. Captain Clanwaring, in feather as to cash, at least temporarily, was the gayest of the gay.

1886. Graphic, 30 Jan., p. 130, col. 2. On these generally convivial occasions, Watty, by reason of his office [butler], was of course always in full feather.

2. (colloquial).—In full costume; 'with all one's war paint on.'

In high or full feather, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Elated; brilliant; conspicuous.

1852. H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin, ch. viii. Sam was in the highest possible feather, and expressed his exultation by all sorts of supernatural howls and ejaculations.

1856. T. Hughes, Tom Brown's School-Days, pt. II., ch. iv. Martin leads the way in high feather; it is quite a new sensation to him, getting companions, and he finds it very pleasant, and means to show them all manner of proofs of his science and skill.

To feather one's nest, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To amass money; specifically to enrich oneself by indirect pickings and emoluments. [From birds collecting feathers (see also sense 2) to line their nests.]

1590. Greene, Francesco's Fortunes, in wks., viii., 138. She sees thou hast fethred thy nest, and hast crowns in thy purse.

1662. Pepys, Diary, 7 June. Mr. Coventry had already feathered his nest in selling of places.

1700. Congreve, Way of the World, Act v., Sc. 1. You have forgot this, have you, now you have feather'd your nest.

1706. Vanbrugh, Confederacy, I., ii., 25 (1734). If I don't feather my nest, and get a good husband, I deserve to die.

1858. G. Eliot, Janet's Repentance, ch. xiii. Dempster must have feathered his nest pretty well; he can afford to lose a little business.

To feather an oar, verb. phr. (aquatics).—In rowing, to turn the blade horizontally, with the upper edge pointing aft, as it leaves the water, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the air upon it.

d. 1814. Dibdin, The Waterman. He feathered his oars with such skill and dexterity, Winning each heart and delighting each eye.