Obs. rare. [OE. *fnǽstian, f. prec.; cf. OHG. fnâstôn]. intr. To breathe hard, pant; also quasi-trans. to breathe out (fire).

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c. 1000.  Sax. Leechdoms, II. 242. Fnæstiað swiðe.

2

c. 1300.  Havelok, 548.

        Þat he [ne] mouthe speke, ne fnaste,
Hwere he wolde him bere or lede.

3

c. 1340.  Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight, 1702. His felaȝes fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike.

4

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 877.

        Of þe orible oxin, vgsome to see,
þat fyre out fnast with a fuerse lowe.

5

  Hence Fnasting vbl. sb., breathing, snorting.

6

1382.  Wyclif, Jer. viii. 16. Fro Dan is herd the fnesting of his hors.

7

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 167.

        These balfull bestes were, as þe boke tellus,
ffull flaumond of fyre with fuastyng of logh.

8