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1868. Orchestra, 29 Feb., p. 365. When he commented on the words in the libel of Greek derivation, he professed to have forgotten all he ever learnt at school, said that ichthyophagous meant fishy, a word that thoroughly described the plaintiffs case.
1870. London Figaro, 31 Oct. Captain Spratt is the right man in the right place, though his appointment to such a post is certainly, on the face of it, fishy.
1884. F. Anstey, Giant's Robe, ch. xxii. There's something fishy about it all, and I mean to get at it.
1890. St. James' Gazette, 9 April, p. 3, col. 1. Unfortunately the Bill is fishy; and there are 'very awkward and stiff considerations about it.'
Fist, subs. (common).—1. Hand-writing.
Fr., la cape.
1864. Derby Day, p. 8. Must say though that your friend writes a tolerable FIST.
2. (tailors').—A workman. Good fist = a good workman.
3. (printers').—An index hand.
Verb. 1.—To apprehend.
1598. Shakspeare, II. Henry IV., ii., 1. Fang. An I but Fist him once! An a' come but within my vice.
2. (colloquial).—To take hold, e.g., Just you fist that scrubbing-brush, and set to work.
3. (venery).—To fist it = to take a man by the penis, for intromission or masturbation.
To put up one's fist, verb. phr. (tailors').—To acknowledge a fact; cf., fill the bin and ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN.
FIST-FUCKING, subs. phr. (venery).—Masturbation. For synonyms, see Frig.
Fit, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Suitable;
in good form.
1882. Punch, vol. LXXXII., p. 155, col. 1, (q.v.).
1884. A. Lang, in Longman's Mag., IV., 140. The really best moment in life is that which finds us young and fit, bowling on a lively wicket, and conscious that we have considerable command of the ball.
1889. Evening Standard, 25 June. 'Sir C. Russell's Speech in Durham-Chetwynd Case.' Now, Mr. Lowther, I am not suggesting—and I wish to be perfectly understood—that to run a horse that is not perfectly fit does not stand alone as an offence against the honourable conduct of any man on the turf.
Fit as a fiddle, adj. phr. (colloquial).—Awfully fit, i.e., in perfect condition.
TO FIT LIKE A BALL OF WAX, verb. phr. (common).—To fit close to the skin.
TO FIT LIKE A SENTRY BOX, verb. phr. (common).—To fit badly.
TO FIT LIKE A GLOVE, verb, phr. (colloquial).—To fit perfectly.
To fit TO A T, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To fit to a nicety. [In reference to the T square used in drawing.]
1791. Boswell, Johnson. You see they'd have fitted him to a T.
To FIT up A SHOW, verb. phr. (artists').—To arrange an exhibition.
TO FIT ENDS (or END TO END), verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate. For synonyms, see Ride.
Fitch's Grenadiers, subs. phr.
(military).—The Eighty-Third
Foot. [From the small stature of
the men and the name of the first
colonel.]
Fits. To beat into fits, verb.
phr.—See Beat and Creation.
