[a. Fr. feint, pa. pple. of feindre to FEIGN.] Feigned, false, or counterfeit; sham; = FAINT a. 1. Now rare.

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c. 1340.  Cursor M., 19535 (Trin.). Þerfore toke he bapteme feynt [v.r. faint].

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c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 432.

        And bisily she gan to fonde
To make many a feynt praiere
To God, and to his seyntis dere.

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c. 1698.  Locke, Cond. Underst., § 33. The mind by degrees loses its natural relish of real solid truth, is reconciled insensibly to any thing that can be dressed up into any faint appearance of it.

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1702.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3835/2. The Major … made a feint Retreat. Ibid. (1704), No. 3986/2. Amusing the French with … feint Marches.

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1855.  Thackeray, Newcomes, II. 90. We wear feint smiles over our tears and deceive our children.

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