Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 2.pdf/400

 ==Heading==

2. (Scots' colloquial).—A native of the Kingdom (q.v.), i.e., the county of Fife.

Fi-fi or fie-fie, adj. (common).—Indecent; 'blue or 'smutty.' [From Fie = an exclamation signifying contempt, impatience, or disapproval.] A Thackerayean term.

1861. A. Trollope, Framley Parsonage, ch. vi. And then Mrs. Proudie began her story about Mr. Slope, or rather recommenced it. She was very fond of talking about this gentleman who had once been her pet chaplain, but was now her bitterest foe; and, in telling the story, she had sometimes to whisper to Miss Dunstable, for there were one or two fie-fie little anecdotes about a married lady, not altogether fit for young Mr. Robart's ears.

1874. M. Collins, Frances, ch. xviii. Flood was a gay bachelor, with a few fie-fie stories floating through club atmosphere about him.

Fifteener, subs, (bibliographical). —A book printed in the 15th century.

1890. 'Grangerising' in Cornhill Mag., Feb., p. 139. Some of them torn from fifteeners, or 'incurables,' books of the fathers of printing.

Fifth Rib. To hit, dig, or poke ONE UNDER THE FIFTH RIB, verb.phr. (common).—To deliver a heavy blow; to dumbfound.

1890. Globe, 26 Feb., p. 1, col. 5. It strikes the man who has been dallying with strange tailors under the fifth rib.

Fig, subs. (colloquial).—1. A gesture of contempt made by thrusting forth the thumb between the fore and middle fingers: whence the expression 'I do not care, or would not give, a fig for you.' Fr., je ne voudrais pas en donner un ferret d'aiguillette. Cf., Care, and for other similes of worthlessness, see Curse, Straw, Rush, Chip, Cent, Dam, etc. [Italian: When the Milanese revolted against the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, they set his Empress hind before upon a mule, and thus expelled her. Frederick afterwards besieged and took the city, and compelled all his prisoners, on pain of death, to extract with his (or her) teeth a fig from the fundament of a mule and, the thing being done, to say in announcement, 'ecco la fica.' Thus far la fica became an universal mode of derision. Fr., faire la figue; Ger., die Feigen weisen; It., far le fiche; Dutch, De vÿghe setten.

1599. Shakspeare, Henry V., iii., 6. Pistol. Die and be damned and fico for thy friendship. Fluellen. It is well. Pistol. The fig of Spain.

1610. Ben Jonson, The Alchemist, i 1. Subtle. What to do? Lick figs out of mine arse.

1821. Pierce Egan, Tom and Jerry [ed. 1890], p. 106. A fig for each bum.

1861. T. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. vi. A fig for Poll Ady and fat Sukey Wimble; I now could jump over the steeple so nimble; With joy I be ready to cry.

1882. Punch, vol. LXXXII., p. 185, col. 2 (q.v.).

2. (common).—Dress. [From Fig, verb, sense = that which shows off a man or woman, as a fig of ginger shows off a horse. Cf., quot., 1819, in Fig up.] In full fig = in full dress.

1861. T. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. i. He waits on me in hall, where we go in full fig of cap and gown at five, and get very good dinners, and cheap enough.

1873. Cassell's Magazine, Jan., p. 246, col. 2. 'London Cured.' They are rather prone to dress flashily, and wear when in full fig no end of jewellery.