Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 4–7 flegge, 6 fledg, 5–6 flygge, 6 flydge, 6–7 flidge, flig(ge, fleg, 6– fledge. [OE. *flycȝe (in Kentish form *flecȝe), not found exc. in the compound unfliȝȝe, rendering L. inplumes in Avianus Glosses, a. 1100 (see Napier, in Academy, 2 June 1894); corresponding to MDu. vlugge (Du. vlug), MHG. vlücke, OHG. flucchi (Ger. flügge, a LG. form for HG. flücke):—WGer. *fluggjo-, f. *flug- weak root of *fleugan to FLY.]
1. Of young birds (rarely of the wings): Fit to fly; having the feathers fully developed, fledged.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. iii. (1495), 411. They take fro them meete whan they ben flegge and rype.
14[?]. Piers of Fullham, in Hartshorne, Metr. Tales, 124.
| And bayte suche as men for hem legge, | |
| Which causeth them to be taake or they be flegge. |
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 133. Byrdes full flygge.
1593. Peele, Chron. Edw. I., 180.
| Baliol shall live; but yet within such bounds | |
| That, if his wings grow flig, they may be clipt. |
1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. II. Magnificence, 698.
| Some douny-clad, some (fledger) take a twig | |
| To pearch-upon, some hop from sprig to sprig. |
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, lxxii. 71. The Birds were not as yet Fledge enough to Shift for Themselves, but upon Sprawling and Struggling to get Clear of the Flame, down they Tumbled, half Roasted into the very Mouth of the Fox.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Fledge or Fledged, that begins to be well cover’d with Feathers, fit to fly out of the Nest.
1820. R. Wilbraham, Chesh. Gloss., Flig or Fligge, spoken of young full fledged birds.
transf. and fig. 1566. Drant, Horace, To the Reader, 2. Natheles such vices as were then flydge, and incident into that age, he assaileth fearcely, and ratleth vp bitterly.
1623. T. Scott, Highw. God, 64. Assoone as he is fligge, and comes fresh out of the Vniuersitie, if he bee crost in his first preferment, then he growes refractary to the State and present government of the Church established.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Death, iii.
| The shells of fledge souls left behinde, | |
| Dry dust, which sheds no tears but may extort. |
1662. Tuke, Adv. 5 Hours, III. i.
| Your noble Love has Wings, | |
| And’s ever Fledge; ’tis Molting time with mine. |
2. Furnished for flight. Const. with. Also fig.
1631. Milton, in T. Birch, Life, Wks. 1738, I. p. iv. All the fond hopes, which forward Youth and Vanitie are fledge with.
Ibid. (1667), P. L., III. 625.
| Of beaming sunnie Raies, a golden tiar | |
| Circl’d his Head, nor less his Locks behind | |
| Illustrious on his Shoulders fledge with wings | |
| Lay waving round. |
1806. J. Grahame, Birds Scotl., I. 4.
| Like an arrow-fledge, he darts, | |
| And, softly lighting, perches by her side. |
1814. Cary, Dante, Hell, XIII. 14.
| Broad are their pennons, of the human form | |
| Their neck and count’nance, arm’d with talons keen | |
| The feet, and the huge belly fledge with wings. |
3. fig. All in a flutter, high-spirited.
1461. M. Paston, in Paston Lett., I. 544. He and alle his olde felaweship put owt their fynnes, and arn ryght flygge and mery, hopyng alle thyng is and shalbe as they wole have it.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 350. Haue not your recoveries made you more fledge and sawcy with God?
Hence † Fledgeness. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 167/1. Flygnesse, maturitas.
1530. Palsgr., 221/1. Flyggenesse of byrdes, plumeuseté.
