F.

FAVOR. Το say that a person favors his father or mother, for resembles, is common here, as in England; but we preserve an old meaning, that appears to have died out in England. We say, of a horse that goes a little lame, that he favors his foot, off or near. None of the glossaries have this word in the latter sense, nor Tod's Johnson; but Bailey has favor, to ease, to spare, which is our application.

FERS, and FERSLEY, are common, in New England, for fierce, and fiercely. They can be found in Percy's "Reliques," spelt in the first manner.

also pronounced pers.

Pierce is

FESTER, an inflammatory tumor. (Jenning's Dialect of the West.) This is our application, and very com

mon.

FIDDLESTICK. An interjectional expression of disbelief,

or doubt, usually bestowed on any absurd or nonsensical conversation. (Brockett.) This is our way of using it, though we sometimes enlarge it into fiddlestick's end.

FINNIKING, FINNIKIN, for trifling. Scrupulously particular. (Brockett.) Contempt is always, I think, implied in our use of this word. It is general among us. Fizz, to scorch, to fly off, to make a hissing noise. (Brockett.) The noise made by igniting damp powder is nearer our meaning, and the only one in which we use it.

FIX. This we use in a peculiar manner in this country. "He is in a fix," may be often heard, meaning that he is in a situation from which it will be difficult to extricate himself; also for arrange, "I'll fix it ;" and with an application taken from the word arrange, as “I'll fix him," to settle with him, or bring him to terms, though a vindictive feeling is implied in the expression.

FLAT, for fool, is common here. "He's such a flat.” · FLAM, a fall; also flattery, bordering on a lie. (Brockett.) Neither of these is our meaning. We sometimes hear, "it's all a flam;" implies imposition, a cheat practiced on some one, or ourselves; something almost a lie.

FLAP-JACK, a fried cake, made of batter, apples, etc.; a fritter. (Jenning's West of England Dialect.) In New England, this is a large pancake, generally or universally for the evening meal. It is very common in the country, but more frequent at inns than in private families. Shakspeare mentions these in "Pericles." The prince is shipwrecked, and falls among some honest fishermen, one of whom invites him very heartily to his house :

"Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holydays, fish for fasting-days; moreover, puddings and flap-jacks ; and thou shalt be welcome."

They are pancakes in New England, not apple-puffs. FLEA-BITE. A ludicrous designation for any trivial pain or danger. (Brockett.) Very common here, though the thing, in fact, is no joke.

FLIP, small-beer, brandy, and sugar. (Class. Dict.) These are the ingredients of the New England liquor of the same name. It is common at all the taverns in winter, and a very welcome beverage after a cold ride. It is heated by plunging into it a red-hot iron, and then handed, foaming, to the chilled and shivering traveler. The Swedish word flepp, a drink of sugar and brandy, seems its original.

FLINDERS, for shreds, broken pieces, splinters. Dutch, flenters. (Brockett.) Broken or smashed to flinders, is a common expression among us; also, "he's gone all to flinders," for one who makes a bad failure. FLUMMERY, for blanc-mange. (Hallamshire Glossary.) It is not used in this sense, in this country; but for something more fluid, and nearly porridge. Tod's Johnson derives it from the Welsh.

FOLLOW, to practice for a livelihood. (Forby.) Our use of this word is the same: "What trade do you follow?" "He follows farming." But it is also applied to professions, as "he followed the law," "he followed preaching." To judge from Forby's definition, it applies, in England, only to trades and inferior occupations.

FOIST. This, from the French, fausser, meant cheat, or trick; but it may be heard in the sense of "put upon;" as, "don't try to foist your nonsense on me.” This is an analogous, though not the same meaning. Also, in the sense of bringing in irrelevant matter, as "he foisted into his speech." This word seems of low

origin; it formerly meant a pickpocket. In Dekker's "Bellman in London," there are these lines:—

"He that cuts the purse, is called the nip;

He that is half with him, is the sneap, or cloyer;
He that picks the pocket, is called the foist;
He that faceth the man, is the stale."

This is a departure from the proper and original meaning. Used by Dyce, in Middleton's "Roaring Girl."

Fox, to get drunk. I have never heard this, but a writer in a newspaper says that he heard it, in one of the Southern States, used by an intoxicated tavern-keeper to describe his condition. It is an old word; Tod's Johnson has it. In Beaumont and Fletcher's "Fair Maid of the Inn," we find it: "Your Dutchman, indeed, when he is foxed is like a fox; for when he's sunk in drink, quite earth to a man's thinking, 'tis full exchange time with him; then he's subtlest." The writer in the newspaper quotes Taylor, the "Water poet." It seems to have been in general use two or three hundred years ago, rather as a low word.

"Where is Simonides, our friendly host?"

“Ah, blind as one that had been foxed a sevennight!”
MIDDLETON'S MAYOR OF QUEENBOROUGH.

"The graver citizens were foxed that day
With beer and joy most soundly paid."

FRACTIOUS, for fretful, quarrelsome. (Britton.) Besides these, we say a fractious horse, meaning violent and vicious.

FRESH, for intoxicated, or tipsy, is also common among

us.

FROMITY, OF FRUMTY. An excellent country mess, made in the farm-houses at Christmas. (Hallamshire Glossary.) The wheat, after being "creed," is boiled with a proper portion of milk; sugar and spice are then added. The process of creeing consists in placing the grain, from which the outer coat has previously been removed, in an earthen vessel, with a quantity of water just sufficient to cover it. The vessel is then closed, and placed in a slow oven for twelve or fourteen hours. We are told that a mess of this sort is known in Maryland, and by the above name. In Johnson's Dictionary, it is derived from frumentum, the Latin for corn or grain in general. Junius, in his "Etymologicon Anglicanum," derives it from the Saxon word feorm, provision of any kind. We incline toward this origin, rather than the more classical, simply because it was a dish of the country, and was universal among the Saxons, who handed it to every new-comer as an earnest of their hospitality. Neither the language nor customs of the Romans would stand much chance of descending among the entire mass of the Britons, to the exclusion of the old long-practiced habits of this people or the Saxons; and then we feel more comfortable in the supposition that it is a Saxon word-a kind of moral consciousness that it is worth something, even in debated matters of philosophy. It is in Beaumont and Fletcher's "Coxcomb :"