1596. Ben Jonson Every Man in His Humour iv., 7. Prate again, as you like this, you whoreson FOIST you.
1607. Dekker, Jests to Make you Merie in wks. (Grosart) II., 326. Now to our FOYSTS, alias pickpocket, alias cut-*purse.
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candelight, in wks. (Grosart) III., 212. A FOYST nor a Nip shall not walke into a Fayre or a Play-house.
1611. Middleton, Roaring Girl, O. Pl., vi., 113. This brave fellow is no better than a FOIST. Foist! what is that? A diver with two fingers; a pick-*pocket; all his train study the figging law, that's to say cutting of purses and FOISTING.
2. (old).—A trick; a swindle; an imposture. Also Foyster and Foister.
1605. Ben Jonson, Volpone or the Fox, iii., 9. Put not your FOISTS upon me. I shall scent 'em.
3. (old).—A silent emission of wind through the anus (see quot., sense 2); a CHEESER. See Fart and Fousty. [Coles has to fyst, vissio; which in his Latin part he renders to fizzle. Also FYSTING CUR; and in Sherwood's English Dictionary, subjoined to Cotgrave, FYSTING CURS, and other offenders of the same class, are fully illustrated.]
1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Loffa, a fizle, a FISTE, a close fart.
1605. Jonson, Eastward Hoe, pl. iv., 270. Marry, FYST o' your Ruidess. I thought as much.
1662. Rump Songs, II., 3. That a reason be enacted (if there be not one), Why a fart hath a voice, and a FYST hath none, Which nobody can deny.
1690. B. E., Dict. of the Canting Crew. Foyst . . . also a close strong stink, without noise or report.
1785. Grose. Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. Fice or Foyse.
Verb, (old).—1. To trick; to swindle; to pick pockets.
1607. Dekker, Jests to Make You Merie, in wks. (Grosart) II., 332. But now to the manner of the FOYSTING of a pocket, the sharing of the money, and how honest men may avoide them.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club's Rept., 1874). To FOYST, to picke a pocket.
1653. Middleton, Spanish Gipsy, ii., 1. I mean fitching, FOISTING, nimming.
2. (old).—To fart. Also to copulate (Urquhart).
1539. David Lyndsay, Thrie Estaitis (Works, Laing, 1879), ii., 109. Ane FISTAND flag.
1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Loffare, s.v.
1611. Cotgrave, Dictionnarie, Vessir, s.v.
Foister, or Foyster, subs. (old).—A
pick-pocket; a cheat.
1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Barattiere, a barterer, a trucker, a marter, an exchanger, a briber, a cheater, a false gamester, a cousener, a broker, a fripper, a chaffrer, a cogger, a FOYSTER, a deceiuer, a coni-catcher, a bareter, a prowler.
(?). Mirrour for Magistrates, p. 483, When facing FOISTERS, fit for Tiburn. fraies, Are food-sick faint.
Follower, subs. (colloquial).—A
maid-servant's sweetheart; a
beau. For synonyms, see Jomer.
1838. Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, ch. xv. Five servants kept. No man. No FOLLOWERS.
1860. Chambers' Journal, XIII., p. 32. No FOLLOWERS allowed.
1870. Spectator, 15 Jan. It is safer, unkind as it may seem, to forbid the presence of a 'FOLLOWER' in the house. A girl is less likely to get into mischief when she is walking with her friend in the street or talking with him over the area gate, than when she receives him alone in the kitchen.
1872 The Ladies, 29 June, p. 335. If you take into consideration that 'FOLLOWERS' are in most houses strictly for-
