Definitions and meaning of feague
feague
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fiːɡ/
- Rhymes: -iːɡ
Alternative forms
Etymology 1
From Dutch vegen (“to sweep, strike”), from Middle Dutch vēghen (“to cleanse”), from Old Dutch *fegōn (“to cleanse”), from Proto-West Germanic *faginōn, from Proto-Germanic *faginōną (“to decorate, make beautiful”), from Proto-Indo-European *pōḱ-, *pēḱ- (“to clean, to adorn”). Cognate with Danish feje (“to sweep”), German fegen (“to cleanse, scour, sweep”), Icelandic fægja (“to polish”), Swedish feja (“to sweep”). More at fay, fair, fake.
Verb
feague (third-person singular simple present feagues, present participle feaguing, simple past and past participle feagued)
- To increase the liveliness of a horse by inserting an irritant, such as a piece of peeled raw ginger or a live eel, in its anus.
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- 2004, Terry Pratchett, Going Postal (Discworld; 33), London: Doubleday, ISBN 978-0-385-60342-3; republished London: Corgi Books, 2014, ISBN 978-0-552-16768-0, page 251:
- Run along to Hobson's Livery Stable and tell them I want a good fast horse, right? Something with a bit of fizz in its blood! Not some feagued-up old screw, and I know the difference! I want it here in half an hour! Off you go!
- (obsolete) To beat or whip; to drive.
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- 1671, John Crowne, Juliana, or The Princess of Poland: A Tragicomedy, as it is Acted at His Royal Highness the Duke of York's Theatre, London: Printed for Will Cademan […] and Will Birch, OCLC 606574495, Act I, scene ix; republished in The Dramatic Works of John Crowne. With Prefatory Memoir and Notes (Dramatists of the Restoration; Crowne 1–4), Edinburgh: William Paterson; London: H. Sotheran & Co., 1873, OCLC 906095949, page 34:
- [T]here's one Count Sharnofsky, too, such another ambitious dry-chops, he hath not the grace to love good drink, and yet he hath the impudence to aim at the Crown. […] [H]e squints at it fearfully, and he hath an itch at the Princess too; (Landlord squints, and makes grim-faces,) but I hope the Cardinal will feage [footnote: "Whip" or "beat."] 'um all.
- 1681, Thomas Otway, The Souldiers Fortune: A Comedy. Acted by Their Royal Highnesses Servants at the Duke's Theatre, London: Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes, at the Post-House in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden, OCLC 5291125; republished as “The Soldier's Fortune”, in The Works of Thomas Otway. In Three Volumes. With Notes, Critical and Explanatory, and a Life of the Author, by Thomas Thornton, Esq., volume II, London: Printed for T. Turner, 87, Strand, (successor to John MacKinlay); by B. M‘Millan, Bow Street, Covent Garden, 1813, OCLC 9503722, Act 5, page 391:
- Beau[gard]. Hark ye, ye curs, keep off from snapping at my heels, or I shall so feague ye.
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- (obsolete) To subject to some harmful scheme; to ‘do in’.
- (obsolete) To have sexual intercourse with.
Synonyms
- (increase the liveliness of a horse): ginger
- (beat or whip): flog, lash; see also Thesaurus:whip
- (subject to some harmful scheme):
- (have sexual intercourse with): coitize, go to bed with, sleep with; see also Thesaurus:copulate with
Related terms
- (to have sexual intercourse with): feak, feek (slang, Ireland)
Etymology 2
Possibly from Dutch feeks, probably from vegen (“to sweep, strike”): see etymology of feague (verb) above. Compare Middle English vecke (“old woman”).
Noun
feague (plural feagues)
- (obsolete) An unkempt, slatternly person.
Source: wiktionary.org