Page:Hobson-Jobson a glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological, historical, geographical and discursive.djvu/399

FAGHFÚR.

[FAGHFÚR, n.p. "The common Moslem term for the Emperors of China; in the Kamus the first syllable is Zammated (Fugh); in Al-Maṣ'udi (chap. xiv.) we find Baghfúr and in Al-Idrisi Baghbúgh, or Baghbún. In Al-Asma'i Bagh = god or idol (Pehlewi and Persian); hence according to some Baghdád (?) and Bághistán, a pagoda (?). Sprenger (Al-Maṣ'udi, p. 327) remarks that Baghfúr is a literal translation of Tien-tse, and quotes Visdelou: "pour mieux faire comprendre de quel ciel ils veulent parler, ils poussent la généalogie (of the Emperor) plus loin. Ils lui donnent le ciel pour père, la terre pour mère, le soleil pour frère aîné, et la lune pour sœur aînée."—Burton, Arabian Nights, vi. 120-121.]

FAILSOOF, s. Ar.—H. failsūf, from. But its popular sense is a 'crafty schemer,' an 'artful dodger.' Filosofo, in Manilla, is applied to a native who has been at college, and returns to his birthplace in the provinces, with all the importance of his acquisitions, and the affectation of European habits (Blumentritt, Vocabular.).

FAKEER, s. Hind. from Arab. faḳīr ('poor'). Properly an indigent person, but specially 'one poor in the sight of God,' applied to a Mahommedan religious mendicant, and then, loosely and inaccurately, to Hindu devotees and naked ascetics. And this last is the most ordinary Anglo-Indian use.

1604.—"Fokers are men of good life, which are only given to peace. Leo calls them Hermites; others call them Talbies and Saints."—Collection of things ... of Barbarie, in Purchas, ii. 857.

" "Muley Boferes sent certaine Fokers, held of great estimation amongst the Moores, to his brother Muley Sidan, to treate conditions of Peace."—Ibid.

1633.—"Also they are called Fackeeres, which are religious names."—W. Bruton, in Hakl. v. 56.

1653.—"Fakir signifie pauure en Turq et Persan, mais en Indien signifie ... vne espece de Religieux Indou, qui foullent le monde aux pieds, et ne s'habillent que de haillons qu'ils ramassent dans les ruës."—De la Boullaye-le-Gouz, ed. 1657, 538.

c. 1660.—"I have often met in the Field, especially upon the Lands of the Rajas, whole squadrons of these Faquires, altogether naked, dreadful to behold. Some held their Arms lifted up ...; others had their terrible Hair hanging about them ...; some had a kind of Hercules's Club; others had dry and stiff Tiger-skins over their Shoulders...."—Bernier, E.T. p. 102; [ed. Constable, 317].

1673.—"Fakiers or Holy Men, abstracted from the World, and resigned to God."—Fryer, 95.

[1684.—"The Ffuckeer that Killed ye Boy at Ennore with severall others ... were brought to their tryalls...."—Pringle, Diary, Ft. St. Geo. 1st ser. iii. 111.]

1690.—"They are called Faquirs by the Natives, but Ashmen commonly by us, because of the abundance of Ashes with which they powder their Heads."—Ovington, 350.

1727.—"Being now settled in Peace, he invited his holy Brethren the Fakires, who are very numerous in India, to come to Agra and receive a new Suit of Clothes."—A. Hamilton, i. 175; [ed. 1744, ii. 177].