frisk
To dance the Paddington frisk; to be hanged.
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
frisk
To search; FRISKED, searched by a constable or other officer.
frog
A policeman. Because, by a popular delusion, he is supposed to pounce suddenly on delinquents.
frog’s march
The manner in which four or more policemen carry a drunken or turbulent man to the station-house. The victim is held face downwards, one constable being at each shoulder, while the others hold on above the knees. Often there is another active and intelligent officer who beats time to the march on the recalcitrant hero’s posteriors.
frosty face
One pitted with the small pox.
frow
A girl, or wife. German, FRAU; Dutch, VROUW.
fruitful vine
A woman's private parts, i.e. that has FLOWERS every month, and bears fruit in nine months.
frummagemmed
Choaked, strangled, suffocated, or hanged. CANT.
frummagemmed
Annihilated, strangled, garrotted, or spoilt.—Old Cant.
frump
A slatternly woman, a gossip.—Ancient. In modern slang it is the feminine of FOGEY, and means a prim old lady, who is generally termed "a regular old FRUMP."
fubsey
Plump. A fubsey wench; a plump, healthy wench.
fuddle
Drunk. This is rum fuddle; this is excellent tipple, or drink. Fuddle; drunk. Fuddle cap; a drunkard.
fudge
Nonsense, stupidity. Todd and Richardson only trace the word to Goldsmith. Disraeli, however, gives the origin to a Captain Fudge, a great fibber, who told monstrous stories, which made his crew say in answer to any improbability, "You FUDGE it!"—See Remarks on the Navy, 1700. At page 87 of a collection of some papers of William Crouch (8vo, 1712), the Quaker, we find a mention of this Captain.
fulhams
Loaded dice are called high and lowmen, or high and low fulhams, by Ben Jonson and other writers of his time; either because they were made at Fulham, or from that place being the resort of sharpers.
full against
Opposed to. As, "I’m FULL AGAINST him," I decidedly object to, or dislike him, or I am opposed to him. The term originated with the bookmakers; who, when they have laid all their money against a certain horse, put a mark against his name, and reply to all inquiries, "FULL AGAINST him." This grew to "FULL AGAINST his winning," and was thus taken, when shortened, to express feeling the reverse of friendly.
full blast
At maximum volume or intensity
full feather
Good condition, high spirits. Also any one gaily dressed is said to be in FULL FEATHER.
full fig
Full costume, male or female uniform or evening dress.
full march
The Scotch greys are in full march by the crown office; the lice are crawling down his head.
full of beans
Talking nonsense or exaggerating
full of emptiness
Jocular term for empty.
fullams
False dice, which always turn up high.—Shakspeare.
fully
"to be FULLIED," to be committed for trial. Term in general use among thieves. Possibly from the reports which, in the slang of the penny-a-liner, say "the prisoner was FULLY committed for trial." The magistrates often say FULLY committed also, whatever that may mean.
fumbler
An old or impotent man. To fumble, also means to go awkwardly about any work, or manual operation.
fun
A cheat, or trick. Do you think to fun me out of it? Do you think to cheat me?--Also the breech, perhaps from being the abbreviation of fundament. I'll kick your fun. CANT.
funk
To smoke; figuratively, to smoke or stink through fear. I was in a cursed funk. To funk the cobler; a schoolboy's trick, performed with assafoettida and cotton, which are stuffed into a pipe: the cotton being lighted, and the bowl of the pipe covered with a coarse handkerchief, the smoke is blown out at the small end, through the crannies of a cobler's stall.
funk
Trepidation, nervousness, cowardice. To FUNK, to be afraid or nervous.
funking the cobbler
A bold schoolboy trick, performed with assafœtida and cotton stuffed into a hollow tube or cow’s horn. The cotton being lighted, the smoke is blown in through the keyhole of a door, or the crannies of a cobbler’s stall.
funny
A rowing boat with both ends pointed and out of the water.
funny-bone
The extremity of the elbow—or rather, the muscle which passes round it between the two bones, a blow on which causes painful tingling in the fingers. Facetiously derived, from its being the extremity of the humerus (humorous).
fuss
A confusion, a hurry, an unnecessary to do about trifles.
fussock
A lazy fat woman. An old fussock; a frowsy old woman.
fustian
Bombast language. Red fustian; port wine.
fusty luggs
A beastly, sluttish woman.
fye-buck
A sixpence.—Nearly obsolete.
face the music
Deal with the negative consequences of something.
fair and square
Honestly and straightforwardly.
fall off the turnip truck
To be naïve, inexperienced, or unsophisticated. Sometimes used in a rural sense.
far and away
By a very large amount.
fast and furious
Lively and exciting.
few and far between
Scarce or infrequent.
fight a losing battle
Be fated to fail.
fight fire with fire
Use tactics of the opponent to respond.
finest hour
The time of greatest success.
first among equals
Having the highest status in a group.
fish out of water
Refers to a person who is in unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable surroundings.
fit as a fiddle
In good physical health.
fit the bill
Be suitable for a particular purpose.
flog a dead horse
Waste energy on a lost cause.
fly in the face of
Openly at variance with what is expected.
fly in the ointment
A minor drawback or imperfection, especially one that was not at first apparent, that detracts from something positive, spoils something valuable, or is a source of annoyance.
fly on the wall
To join an otherwise private interaction, unnoticed to watch and/or listen to something.
food for thought
Something that warrants serious consideration.
foot the bill
Be responsible for paying for something.
for a song
Almost free; very cheap.
for the asking
Can easily have something if they want it.
friends in high places
People in senior positions who are able and willing to use their influence on your behalf.
from A to Z
Covering a complete range; comprehensively.
from pillar to post
Fruitless movement from one place to another.
from the word go
From the very beginning.