[See the sb.]
1. trans. To put into motion by a fillip; to toss (a coin) with a fillip. Also with away, down, forth, off.
1543. [see FILLIP sb. 2.]
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., XIII. xxx. 338. When you are gone, and he hath filipped the monie before the witnesses who are to be cosened, he must saie; What is it if be Cross.
1622. Donne, Serm., xvi. 157. To see that hand lie dead, and not be able to nip or fillip away one of his own wormes.
a. 1680. Charnock, Attrib. God (1834), II. 70. Cannot he work without nature as well as with it, beyond nature, contrary to nature, that can, as it were, fillip nature with his finger into that nothing whence he drew it?
1783. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, 9 Dec. I was forced to begin filliping off the crumbs of the macaroon cake from my muff, for an excuse for looking down.
1830. A. Fonblanque, Eng. under 7 Administ. (1837), II. 155. Had our aforesaid merchant filliped a nut sharply against his bullying giant, instead of begging and praying, he would have knocked him down to insignificance, for the chip showed the softness of the block.
1871. Tylor, Prim. Cult., I. 61. The use of an elastic switch to fillip small missiles with.
transf. and fig. 1535. Joye, Apol. Tindale (Arb.), 17. These playn testimonyes of the scripture wolde take no place with Tindal for … he … agenst me fylipt them forth betwene his fynger and his thombe.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Gagg, iii. 42. I like not that the ancient Fathers should so be philipped off, and sent away.
1689. Answ. Lords’ & Commoners’ Sp., 21. Those Tests, and Laws, Oaths, upon Oaths, and solemn double Sanctions which secured us in Good King Charles his time, but were so easily filliped down by his Vigorous Successor.
b. To stimulate, urge. Also with forward.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike, C viij a. If by labour and earnest trauaile, they will stretche to attein that whereunto thei are apt, and with good indeuoure, filip nature forward.
1819. Shelley, Cyclops, 145. Silenus. Pour: that the draught may fillip my remembrance.
2. To strike with a fillip; to tap smartly with the nail-joint of the finger. Also with out.
1580. Baret, Alv., F 505. To fillip one, talitrum impingere, incutere, infringere alicui.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 86/1. There is not a meane subject that dare extend his hand to fillip a peere of the realme.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 725. If you fillip a Lute-string, it sheweth double, or Treble.
1681. Depos. Cast. York (Surtees), 249. My Lord told him hee was a —— dog, and did arise from his seate and phillipped him over the noase.
1786. trans. Beckford’s Vathek (1834), 49. Others poised themselves over a fire, and without mercy filliped their noses.
1851. D. Jerrold, St. Giles, xxviii. 288. Snipeton as he looked half-wished that all men—or all servants at least—were fashioned like earthen vessels; that properly filliped, they should perforce reveal a damnifying fracture.
1862. H. W. Fuller, Dis. Lungs, 35. A good example of it may be obtained by filiping the inflated cheeks.
transf. and fig. 1607. Shaks., Cor., V. iii. 59.
| Then let the Pibbles on the hungry beach | |
| Fillop the Starres. |
1667. J. Denham, Directions to a Painter, II. ii. 66.
| How the hard Pellets fell away as dead, | |
| By our inchanted Timber fillipped. |
1857. Reade, Course of True Love, ii. (1868), 42. Patrick, naturally high-spirited, was sore, and could not bear to be filliped.
1876. T. Hardy, Hand of Ethelberta, I. 148. The boughs were so tangled that in following the obstructed track it became necessary to screen his face with his hands to escape the risk of having his eyes filliped out by the twigs that impeded his progress.
3. gen. To strike smartly.
1577. Holinshed, Chron. (1808), IV. 220. There was one [stone] that lent him a blow on the shoulder, an other of them philipped him on the fingers.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. ii. 255. Fal. If I do, fillop me with a three-man-Beetle.
4. intr. To make a fillip with the fingers. Also, to fillip with (one’s) fingers, and to fillip it.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb. (1586), II. 110 b. If you do but fillip with your finger upon the other end.
1599. Porter, Angry Wom. Abingt., in Hazl., Dodsley, VII. 300.
| When he scarce can trim | |
| His gouty fingers, thus he’ll phillip it. |
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 183. If you fill a Drinking-Glasse with Water,… and fillip upon the Brim, or Out-side.
1670. Lassels, Voy. Italy, II. 407. In another Masts for Gallyes and ships of a prodigious greatness and length; and yet of such a rare timber, that one filliping upon one end of them, you here it easily at the other end, by applying your ear to it.
1842. Tennyson, Godiva, 25.
| He laugh’d, and swore by Peter and by Paul: | |
| Then fillip’d at the diamond in her ear. |
1871. B. Taylor, Faust (1875), II. I. iii. 40.
| Just see me fillip with my fingers! | |
| What brilliance round the chariot lingers, | |
| And there a string of pearls appears! |
b. quasi-trans. To give a fillip with (the fingers).
1712. Hearne, Collect., III. 371. Then filip your Finger & Thomb heave up your Elbow & let it down again, Stamp with your right Foot and then whistle.
Hence Filliped ppl. a., Filliping vbl. sb.
1611. Cotgr., Chiquenaudé, fillipped.
1622. Massinger, Virg. Mart., V. i.
| Tush, all these tortures are but fillipings, | |
| Fleabitings. |
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xx. 169. I will feast you with flirts and raps, on the snout interlarded with a double row of bobs and finger-filipings.
1856. Dobell, Eng. in Time of War, Shower in War Time.
| O’erhead, hard by, a pointed beam o’erlapped, | |
| And from its jewelled tip | |
| The slipping slipping drip | |
| Did whip the fillipped pool whose hopping plashes ticked. |
