ETYMOLOGY
of obscure origin;
possibly from frample (to put in disorder)
EXAMPLE
“… This is the laund that bigs the winds; winds big the cloods;
the cloods, the weit, the weit, the grun; an antrin steer
o syle an rain. Thon frimple-frample watter rowin
frae Kenmore tae Dundee is cried the River Tay. …”
From: Wild Mushrooms: Writings
By Kate Armstrong, 1993
ETYMOLOGY
aphetic form of Old French enfaunt, enfant (infant);
The shortened form has not been found in French, but Italian has the corresponding fante (boy, servant, foot-soldier), whence German fant
EXAMPLE
“… The eiȝt day the fawnt shal be circumcidid. …”
From: Bible (Wycliffite, early version) Leviticus 12:3
ETYMOLOGY
from flisk (vb. to move about in a frolicsome way);
Jamieson gives also Fliskmahaigo with similar sense;
the unmeaning endings may have been suggested by the place-names Dalmahoy and Lesmahago
EXAMPLE
“… Now only think what a man my brother is, Mr. Blattergowl, for a wise man and a learned man, to bring this Yerl into our house without speaking a word to a body! And there ‘s the distress of thae Mucklebackits – we canna get a fin o’ fish; and we hae nae time to send ower to Fairport for beef, and the mutton’s but new killed; and that silly fliskmahoy, Jenny Rintherout, has taen the exies, and done naething but laugh and greet, the skirl at the tail o’ the guffa, for twa days successfully; and now we maun ask that strange man, that’s as grand and as grave as the Yerl himsell, to stand at the sideboard! …”
From: The Antiquary Volume 3
By Sir Walter Scott, 1816
PRONUNCIATION
flisk-muh-HOY
ETYMOLOGY
short for famble;
for n. 4.: shortened from family
EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… Jenny being very genteely dressed, he observed a Gentleman who was a very Rum Muns, (that is, a great Beau) who had a very Glim Star, (that is, a Ring) upon his Feme, (that is, Hand} which she longed to make, so giving the Hint to her Companions to Bulk the Muns forward, (that is, Push) they pushed him quite in; …”
From: Select trials at the Sessions-House in the Old-Bailey, for murder, robberies, rapes, sodomy, coining
From the year 1720, to this time. 1742
The following is a particular Account of the Transactions of the Life of Mary Young, alias Jenny Diver, &c. &c. &c.
ETYMOLOGY
from Latin florulus from flōr-, flōs (flower)
EXAMPLE
They decorated the dining room with florulous wallpaper and florulent-patterned chairs.
ETYMOLOGY
from fire (n.) + flaught (a flash; a flash of lightning)
EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… Bot lo, onon, a wonder thing to tell!
Ane huge bleys of flambys braid doun fell
Furth of the clowdis, at the left hand straucht,
In maner of a lychtnyng or fyre flaucht,
And dyd alicht rycht in the sammyn sted
Apon the crown of fair Lavinias hed; …”
From: The Æneid of Virgil
Translated by Gavin Douglas, a1522
also in forms FLEBERGEBET, FLEBERGEBIT, FLEBERGIBET, FLIBBER DE’ JIBB, FLIBBERGIB(BE), FLIBBER-GIBBET, FLIBBERTY-GIBBET, FLIBERDEGIBEK, FLIBERDIGIBBET, FLIBERDIGIBET, FLIPPERTY-GIBBET, FLYBBERGYBE
ETYMOLOGY
apparently an onomatopœic representation of unmeaning chatter or garrulous speech
EXAMPLE (for n. 1.)
“… Better vnborne then vntaught, I haue herde saie,
But ye be better fed than taught far awaie.
Not veraie fat fed, saied this flebergebet,
But nede hath no lawe, nede maketh her hither iet.
She comth nece Ales (quoth she) for that is her name
More for nede, then for kyndnes, payne of shame. …”
From: A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the englishe tongue compacte in a matter concernyng two maner of mariages
By John Heywood, 1546
PRONUNCIATION
FLIB-uh-tee-jib-uht
ETYMOLOGY
onomatopœic: suggested by full, chub, etc.
EXAMPLE
“… Caspia the decrepit old rich Croot,
Whose face (th’antiquity of time bewraying)
Is riueld like a ruffled summer Boot;
Shee that’s in all things, but in wealth, decaying:
Caspia, that same fowle deformed Fubs,
Who neuer needs feare coughing out her teeth,
(For she hath none, but a few Holly-stubs)
She that should think of nothing now but death;
Maugre th’imperfections of her Age…”
From: Rubbe, and a Great Cast Epigrams
By Thomas Freeman, 1614
ETYMOLOGY
from Old French fruiss- lengthened stem of fruir (to enjoy),
from Latin *fruire (classical Latin frui deponent vb.)
EXAMPLE
“… I may not fruisshe tho iocunde clippinges that are redy to holy spirites. …”
From: The earliest English translation of the first three books of the De Imitatione Christi
By Thomas à Kempis, c1425
ETYMOLOGY
from fuddle one’s cap or nose (to get drunk);
from fuddle (to tipple, to booze)
EXAMPLE
“… The Fuddlecap, whose God’s the Vyne,
Lacks not the Sun if he have Wine;
By th’ Sun he only finds a way
To some cool Spring, to spend the day.
Shrill Flutes and Trumpets Souldiers love,
And scorn those fears that Women move. …”
From: The Poems of Horace consisting of Odes, Satyres, and Epistles
Rendred in English verse by several persons
‘A Paraphrase upon the first Ode by S. W. Esq To MECOENAS‘
Lexicophilia 