Heading
Fitter, subs. (thieves').—A burglar's locksmith.
FIT UP, subs. phr. (theatrical).—A
small company. Also used adjectively;
see Conscience.
1889. Answers, p. 40. One young fellow, who had come down with me, shook his head when he found that the company was one known as a fit up, that is to say, one where the stage is really carried about with the company.
Five-Fingers, subs. phr. (cards).—The
five of trumps in the game
of 'Don' or 'Five Cards.'
1611. Chapman, May-Day, V., ii., in wks. (1873), ii., 401. For my game stood, me thought, vpon my last two tricks, when I made sure of the set, and yet lost it, hauing the varlet and the fiue finger to make two tricks.
1674. Cotton, Compleat Gamester [at the game of five-cards]. The five fingers (alias, five of trumps) is the best card in the pack . . . the Ace of Hearts wins the Ace of Trumps, and the Five Fingers not only wins the Ace of Trumps, but also all other cards whatever.
Fiver, subs. (colloquial).—Anything
that counts as five; specifically
a five-pound note. Cf., Finn.
1853. Wh. Melville, Digby Grand, ch. i. Spooner . . . loses a five-pound note, or, as he calls it, a fiver, to my antagonist.
1864. E. Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. xxv. Wouldn't lend me a fiver to save me from gaol.
1871. Daily News, 26 Dec. 'Workhouse Xmas Depravity.' Why, there's Jemima Ann . . . has . . . been bleeding me of a fiver to send to some Christmas Dinner Fund for juvenile mudlarks.
1872. Fun, Sept. I lent a fiver unto a friend—He managed somehow that to spend.
1890. Tit-Bits, 8 Feb., p. 273, col. 2. Lend me a fiver, will you, Gus?
Five over Five, adv. phr. (common).—Said
of people who turn
in their toes.
FIVEPENCE. AS FINE, (or AS
GRAND), AS FIVEPENCE (or AS
FIPPENCE), phr. (colloquial).—As
fine as possible. Cf., As neat as
NINEPENCE.
1672. Wycherly, Love in a Wood, V., wks. (1713), 421. Whilst his mistress is as fine as fippence, in embroidered sattens.
1720. Gay, New Song of New Similes. As fine as five-pence is her mien.
1738. Swift, Polite Convers., Dial. 3. Pray how was she drest? Lady Sm. Why, as fine as fi'pence.
1857. A. Trollope, Barchester Towers, ch. xxxix. There's . . . the lot of 'em all sitting as grand as fivepence in madam's drawing-room.
1866. G. A. Sala, Trip to Barbary, ch. xiii. They [the Jews] continue to sit 'all of a row' with their daughters dressed 'all in green,' or all in pink or salmon-colour, and as fine as fivepence on their ceremonial days, waiting, waiting, always waiting, for the restoration of the Temple and the end of the dolour.
Fives, subs. (common).—1. The
fingers. Bunch of fives = the
fist. Formerly also = the feet.
For synonyms, see Forks.
c. 1629. Ballad in Arber's English Garner, vol. VII., p. 13. Her cheeks were like the cherry. . . . Her waist exceeding small. The fives did fit her shoe.
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ii., 7. Smart chap that cabman—handled his fives well.
1887. Judy. 18 May, p. 236. Both the men of sin handled their fives with almost professional dexterity.
2. (streets').—A fight. [From sense 1.]
Fix, subs. (common).—A dilemma;
frequently in conjunction with
awful (q.v). and regular
(q.v.), e.g., an awful Fix = a
terrible position. Variants are
CORNERED; UP A TREE; UP A
CLOSE; UNDER A CLOUD; IN A
