Feint v.

Also 6 faint. [In sense 1 f. F. feint, pa. pple. of feindre to FEIGN; see the variant FAINT v. In sense 2 f. FEINT sb.]

  † 1.  To deceive. Obs.

1320.  [see FEINTING].

  2.  Mil., Boxing and Fencing. a. intr. To make a feint or sham attack. Const. at, on, upon. b. trans. To make a feint upon. rare. c. To pretend to make (a pass or cut).

1833.  Regul. Instr. Cavalry, I. 130. Feint cut ‘Two’; and shift leg to ‘First Position.’ Ibid., I. 149. Feint ‘Third Point’ under, and deliver ‘Second Point’ over the arm.

1854.  Badham, Halieut., 418–9. He watched them a long time as they feinted, skirmished, or made onslaught.

1857.  Hughes, Tom Brown, II. iii. Feint him—use your legs! draw him out.

1880.  L. Wallace, Ben-Hur, V. xvi. 381. Ben-Hur feinted with his right hand.

1890.  The Saturday Review, LXX. 6 Sept., 296/2. He feinted at his enemy’s toes, and then caught him under the chin, nearly cutting his head off, despatching him at a blow.

  Hence Feinting vbl. sb., in senses of the vb.; also attrib., and ppl. a.

c. 1314.  Guy Warw. (A.), 444.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 110. They flutter themselues with a fainting farewell, deferring euer vntil to morrow.

1684.  R. H., School Recreat., 71. Feinting or Falsifying. Of these there are several Kinds.

1858.  O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t. (1865), 68. Feinting, dodging, stopping, hitting, countering.

1871.  Daily News, 24 July. It was obvious that force had been thus disposed for feinting purposes.