to fall under
To incur, as, "to fall under the reproach of carelessness"; to be submitted to, as, "to fall under consideration.
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to fall upon
To attack, as "to fall upon the rear'*; to throw oneself on, as, "he fell on his sword," ; to happen on, as, "On what day does Easter fall?
to fall upon one's feet
To find oneself unexpectedly lucky; to find oneself in a situa- tion where everything seems to go right. Evidently from the old theory that a cat always falls on its feet and is able to get away unhurt.
to famgrasp
To shake bands: figuratively, to agree or make up a difference. Famgrasp the cove; shake hands with the fellow. CANT.
to fan
To beat any one. I fanned him sweetly; I beat him heartily.
to father a thing on one
To impute it to him ; to assert that he was the originator of it.
to fcefcp one's fingers crossed
To hope for success, to try to ensure against disaster. From the superstition that making the sign of the cross will avert bad luck.
to feather an oar
To turn the blade parallel with the surface of the water as the hands are moved forward for a fresh stroke. The oar throws off the water in a feathery spray.
to feather one's nest well
To provide for one's own interests; to secure one's own financial well-being.
to feel small
To feel humiliated, "taken down a peg or two.
to fence
To pawn or sell to a receiver of stolen goods. The kiddey fenced his thimble for three quids; the young fellow pawned his watch for three guineas. To fence invariably means to pawn or sell goods to a receiver.
to fib
To beat. Fib the cove's quarron in the rumpad for the lour in his bung; beat the fellow in the highway for the money in his purse. CANT.--A fib is also a tiny lie.
to fiddle
To manipulate accounts, etc., to one's own advantage, or to the advantage of the parties concerned. "He fiddled it,'* might indicate that he covered up a deficiency in the accounts.
to fight a crib
To make a sham fight. BEAR GARDEN TERM.
to fight for one's own hand
To uphold one's own cause, to struggle for one's own interest.
To fight like Kilkenny cats
To fight till both sides have lost their all; to fight with the utmost determination and pertinacity. The story is that during the Irish rebellion of 1798 Kilkenny was garrisoned by a troop of Hessian soldiers, who amused themselves by tying two cats together by their tails and throwing them across a clothes-line to fight.
to fight shy of
To avoid; to resist being brought into contest or conflict.
to fight with gloves on
To spar without showing animosity, like boxers, with boxing gloves. Disputants fight with gloves on so long as they preserve all the outward amenities of debate, and conceal their hostility to each other by courtesy and forbearance.
to filibuster
In U.S.A. politics, to man- oeuvre to frustrate the passing of a bill. It is based on the right of a member of Congress not to be interrupted so long as he holds the floor of the House. The member may recite or talk about any subject under the sun until the time available for passing the bill is exhausted.
to find one's own level
Said of a person who, after making an unsuccessful start, arrives at the position in society, business, etc., for which his gifts or attainments qualify him.
to fire up
To become indignantly angry; to flare up, get unduly and suddenly excited.
to fish for compliments
To try to obtain praise usually by putting leading questions.
to fish in troubled waters
To scramble for personal advantage in times of rebellion, war, etc.; to try to make a calamity a means to personal profit.
to fish the anchor
A nautical term meaning to draw up the flukes to the bulwarks after the anchor has been "catted.
to flag down
To stop someone; from motor racing, in which the stewards wave a flag at the winner or at any driver they require to stop or to warn to proceed with caution.
to floor
To knock down. Floor the pig; knock down the officer.
to flout
To jeer, to ridicule.
to flush game
A gun dog is said to flush game when he disturbs them and they take to the air.
to flux
To cheat, cozen, or over-reach; also to salivate. To flux a wig; to put it up in curl, and bake it.
To fly Hie kite
To "raise the wind** by questionable methods, such as by sending begging letters to persons of charitable reputation or by means of worthless bills.
to fly in one's face
To get into a passion with a person; to insult; as a hawk, when irritated; flies in the face of its master.
to fly in the face of
To oppose violently and unreasonably: to set at defiance rashly.
to fly off the handle
To fly into a rage, or lose one's head, as the head of an axe might fly dangerously off its shaft.
to follow one's nose
Tp go straight ahead; to proceed without deviating from the path.
to follow suit
To do as the person before you has done. A phrase from card-playing.
to fool about
To play the fool; to hang around in an aimless way. To fool away one's time, money, etc. To squander it, fritter it away.
to foot it
To walk the distance instead of riding it; also to dance. Lo how finely the graces can it foote to the Instrument. They dauncen deftly, and singen soote in their rneri- ment. SPENSER: Shepherd's Calendar; April.
to foot the bill
To pay it; to promise to pay the account by signing one's name at the foot of the bill.
to forbid the banns
To object formally to the proposed marriage. And a better fate did poor Maria deserve than to have a banns forbidden by the curate of the parish who published them. — STERNE: Sentimental Journey.
to forget wrong is the best revenge
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
to fox
To steal or cheat; keep an eye on somebody without seeming so to do. A dog, a fox, and a weasel sleep, as they say, "with one eye open.
to frig
Figuratively used for trifling.
to frisk
Used by thieves to signify searching a person
to funk
To use an unfair motion of the hand in plumping at taw. SCHOOLBOY'S TERM.
to fuzz
To shuffle cards minutely: also, to change the pack.
to gaff
To game by tossing up halfpence.
to gain ground
To make progress; to be improving one's position. To have the ground cut from under one's feet. To see what one has relied on for support suddenly removed.
to gain the cap
To obtain a bow from another out of respect. Such gams the cap of him that makes them fine, But keeps his book uncrossed.
to get a break
To have an unexpected chance; to have an opportunity of advancing oneself in business, etc.
to get a rise
Colloquial for to have an in- crease in salary, To take a rise out of one. To raise a laugh at his expense, to make him a butt. Hotten says this is a metaphor from fly-fishing; the fish rise to the fly, and are caught.
to get at
To tamper with, bribe, influence to a wrong end; especially used in horse- racing.
to get by
To get along all right, just satisfactorily.
to get down to brass tacks
To get down to the essentials, or the tacks which hold the structure together.
to get down to it
To set about your work or whatever it is you have in hand in down- right earnest.
to get into hot water
To get into difficulties, or in a state of trouble and anxiety.
to get into one's good graces
To insinuate oneself into the favour of.
to get it in the neck
To receive a thorough dressing down, beating, punishment, etc.
to get off
To escape; also (of a girl) to be- come engaged to be married, or to make acquaintanceship with a man.
to get one's back up
To be irritated. The allusion is to a cat, which sets its back up when attacked by a dog or other animal.
to get one's colours
To be rewarded for athletic achievement by the privilege of wearing some special garment, (as cap and blazer in cricket) decorated with or composed of one's school or college colours. See CAPPED, FLANNELS.
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