Obs. Also 7 fegue, 8 feag. [Prob., as suggested in Bailey 1721, this and the earlier recorded variant FEAK v.1 (and the later FAKE v.) are ad. Ger. fegen lit. to polish, furbish, sweep (for the jocular applications see Grimm s.v.), or the equivalent Du. vegen. But there may be mixture of a native word; cf. FEAK v.3]
1. trans. To beat, whip. Also fig.
[1589–1598: ? Implied in BUMFEAGE.]
1668. Etheredge, She wou’d if She cou’d, IV. ii.
| Let us ev’n go into | |
| An Arbour, and then fegue Mr. Rake-hell. |
1681. Otway, Soldier’s Fort., V. Beau. Hark ye, ye Curs, keep off from snapping at my Heels, or I shall so feague ye.
1691. Rabshakeh Vapulans, 5. Well—on my Faith, he feagues these Black-coat Sparks.
1721–1800. Bailey, Feag, to beat with Rods, to whip.
2. To ‘do for,’ ‘settle the business of’; = FAKE v.
1668. Etheredge, She wou’d if She cou’d, III. iii.
| Sir Oliv. Oh, my little Rogue! have I got thee? | |
| How I will turn, and wind, and fegue thy Body [in a dance]! | |
| Ibid. | |
| When we visit a Miss, | |
| We still brag how we Kiss; | |
| But ’tis with a Bottle we fegue her. |
1671. Crowne, Juliana, I. I hope the Cardinal will feage ’um all.
1672. Wycherley, Love in Wood, I. i.
| No treat, sweet words, good mien, but sly intrigue, | |
| That must at length the jilting widow fegue. |
1690. D’Urfey, Collin’s Walk London, I. 6.
| Had not th’ Times his honour fegu’d. | |
| Ibid., II. 84. | |
| For as, when Cataline a league | |
| Had made the Senators to fegue. |
b. (See quot.) Cf. FAKE v.
1785. Grose, Class. Dict., s.v. To feague a horse, to put ginger up a horse’s fundament, to make him lively and carry his tail well.
3. To feague away: to set in motion briskly. Also fig. To agitate (a point) in one’s thoughts. Also, To feague it away: to work at full stretch. (Cf. To fake away.)
1671. Shadwell, The Humorists, III. Come in Minnim and Crotchet and fegue your violins away, fa, la, la, la.
1672. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), The Rehearsal, II. iv. I love to be merry, sometimes; but when a knotty point comes, I lay my head close to it, with a snuff-box in my hand; and then I fegue it away, i’ faith.
1691. Shadwell, The Scowrers, III. iii. Come out, come I say, I’ll feague thee [partner in a dance] away i’ faith.
1829. Scott, Jrnl. (1890), II. 240. Three o’clock placed me at home, and from that hour till ten, deduct two hours for dinner, I was feaguing it away.
