Obs. exc. arch. and dial. Forms: 4–6 fete, 6 feet(e, (fette, fait, feacte), 6–7 feate, 5– feat. [a. OF. fait made:—L. factus, pa. pple. of facĕre to make.
In Fr. the word seems always to have retained its distinctly ppl. sense. But fait pour (lit. ‘made for’) is now used in much the same way as feat for, to (sense 1).]
A. adj.
1. Fitting, suitab le, proper. Const. for, to.
c. 1325. Coer de L., 3024.
| And mete and drynk that is nought fete | |
| To hys body. |
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 215. And as they caule the deuell Tuyra, so doo they in many places caule the Christians by the same name, thynkyng that they greatly honoure them therby, as in deede it is a name very feete and agreable to many of them, hauynge layde aparte all honestie and vertue, lyuynge more lyke dragons then men amonge these symple people.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 73. Shewyng him selfe a new man, as was feet.
1570. Dee, Math. Pref. Great pollicy may be vsed of the Capitaines, (at tymes fete, and in places conuenient) as to vse Figures, which make greatest shew, of so many as he hath.
1575. Laneham, Let. (1871), 14. This place that of nature iz foormed so feet for the purpoze.
2. Of speech or action (hence of speakers or agents): Apt, apropos; smart, adroit. Of movements: Dexterous, graceful.
1519. Horman, Vulg., Q iij b. The feat conueyans of a speche that soundeth well to the eare.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 421/2. He commeth furth with his fete proper taunte.
1557. Tottell’s Misc. (Arb.), 157.
| Now, who hath plaied a feater cast, | |
| Since iuglyng first begoon? |
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 46. Their wit … forgeth them some feat excuse to cloake their vanitie.
1593. Bacchus Bountie, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 273. This youth was a feate fellow and a fine faulkner.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. v. 88.
| Neuer Master had | |
| A Page so kinde, so duteous, diligent, | |
| So tender ouer his occasions, true, | |
| So feate, so Nurse-like. |
a. 1625. Fletcher, Night-walker, III. vi. She speaks feat English.
1647. Jer. Taylor, Dissuas. Popery, II. Introd. His reasoning, and deducing from those principles such feat conclusions.
a. 1699. Stillingfl. (J.). That feat man at controversy.
1714. Gay, Sheph. Week, Monday, 49.
| My brown Buxoma is the featest maid, | |
| That e’er at wake delightsome gambol play’d. |
1719. Cibber, Love in a Riddle, II. i. Shew your Skill, and who’s the featest Fellow!
1787. Grose, Provinc. Gloss., s.v. A feit felly, a dexterous fellow.
1851. S. Judd, Margaret, III. (1871), 380. With featest strokes she drives forward her canoe; firmly the child clutches the seat.
3. Of dress, etc.: becoming, well fitting, neat, elegant. Hence of the wearer: Neatly attired.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 37. Feat was hir array.
c. 1450. Crt. of Love, 1087.
| See, so she goeth on pattenes faire and fete, | |
| It doth right wel. |
1560. Proude Wyves Pater Noster, 47, in Hazl., E. P. P., IV. 153. Women … Go feete and fresshe and trymme in theyr gere.
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. i. 273.
| And looke how well my Garments sit vpon me, | |
| Much feater than before. |
1613. Wither, Epithal., Juvenil. (1633), 364. In your neat’st and feat’st adorning.
1880. in Antrim & Down Gloss.
4. Neat in form or appearance, pretty, ‘nice,’ elegant.
a. 1471. MS. Cantab., F f. ii. 38, f. 48 (Halliw.). Ye fele ther fete, so fete ar thay.
1519. Horman, Vulg., T v. She wereth corked slippers to make hir tal and feet.
a. 1536. Calisto & Melib., in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 62.
| Her mouth proper and feat, her teeth small and white; | |
| Her lips ruddy, her body straight upright. |
1594. Plat, The Jewell House of Art and Nature, III. 7. If you vvould carrie coine, then dip your Angels or Crovvnes in molten Lead that is not ouer hote, and conuey them artlie vvithin some small and feate Leaden vveightes.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 229. The Sarmatican kind of Horses is feat and well fashioned.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 60. A woman of the featest fashion, conueied them away by stealth.
1708. Brit. Apollo, No. 93. 3/2. To what Use, can I put this feat Creature?
1785. Burns, Halloween, iii.
| The lassies feat, an’ cleanly neat, | |
| Mair braw than when they’re fine; | |
| Their faces blythe fu’ sweetly kythe | |
| Hearts leal, an’ warm, an’ kin’. |
5. Affected, finikin.
1540. Hyrde, trans. Vives’ Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592), K ij. She shal not … use hir voyce to be feat and nice.
a. 1647. Ess. on Death, in Bacon’s Wks. (Spedding), VI. 603. I hold such to be but feat boldness, and them that dare commit it, to be vain.
1693. Shadwell, Volunteers, II. Welf. ’Tis the featest finical fellow, I ever saw!
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., I. (1721), 44.
| Would Pinkethman vouchsafe to make such Faces, | |
| And screw his Chaps into such feat Grimaces. |
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 66, 10 Sept., ¶ 11. I proposed to flux him; but Greenhat answer’d, That if he recovered, he’d be as prim and feat as ever he was.
6. Comb., as feat-bodied, -looking adjs.
1613. Beaum. & Fl., Coxcomb, II. iii. This is a feat-bodied thing I tell you.
1877. N. W. Linc. Gloss., s.v. ‘She ’s a feat-lookin’ lass.’
B. adv. In a ‘feat’ manner.
a. 1455. Holland, Houlate, 518. To fecht for þe faith fett.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), p. xxvii.
| Which hath the mastery ofte time in tournament, | |
| Or that can gambauld or daunce feat and gent. |
1597. Shaks., Lover’s Compl., 48.
| Found yet more letters sadly pen’d in blood, | |
| With sleided silk feat and affectedly | |
| Enswath’d, and seal’d to curious secrecy. |
