Obs. Forms: α. 6 foad, foude, foode, 7 foord, 4–6 fode. β. 6 foder, fowder, foadre. [Of obscure etymology.
Commonly regarded as a fig. use of FOOD v. The occasional use of to feed forth instead of to fode forth (see FEED v. 2 b) seems to show that the word was sometimes so interpreted in 15–16th c.; but the spelling foade, and the late survival of fode, prove that the vowel sound was not that which represented OE. ó. but that which represented OE. á or OE. o in open syllables. No certain connections are known; Grimm gives several examples of an early mod. Ger. fot sb., app. meaning ‘guile, deceit.’]
1. trans. To beguile with show of kindness or fair words; to entertain with delusive expectations; to encourage or confirm in a foolish purpose or opinion, soothe in fancied security; to give countenance to (a delusion).
α. c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1646. Foule þow me fodest · wiþ þi faire wordes. Ibid., 57. Þe cherl … foded it [þe barn] wiþ floures · & wiþ faire by-hest.
1526. Skelton, Magnyf., 1719.
| I am not wont to fode | |
| Them that dare put theyr truste in me. |
1565. Calfhill, Answ. Treat. Crosse (1846), 3. Lest some more simple than other may be deceived by you; and you yourselves be fooded in your folly, through too much forbearing and silence of ours.
1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met., VII. (1587), 99 b. The morning foading this my feare, to further my deuice, my shape … had altered with a trice. Ibid. (1571), Calvin on Ps. xxxli. 1. The frowarde reckelessenesse of the flesh fodeth many.
β. 1545. State Papers Hen. VIII., X. 297. Mr. Wootton, thEmpereur myndeth, as semith under colour of freendeship, to fowder His Highnes with woordes of pleasure, until He may compasse and establishe sum other His purposes.
1571. Mirr. Mag., Rivers, xxxii.
| And as they fodred [1563, foaded] these and diuers other, | |
| With like deceit they vsed the King my brother. |
2. To fode forth, (occas. forward, off, on, out): a. To lead on (a person, etc.) by raising delusive expectations; to ‘fob off’ with excuses or evasive devices for gaining time.
α. 1479. Sir J. Paston, in Paston Lett., No. 840, III. 255. I hopyd to have borowyd some off Townesend, and he hath ffoodyd me fforthe evyrsynys.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. cxxviii [cxxiv]. 365. The duke alwayes foded hym forthe and made semblant that he had great affection to treate for this mariage with the duke of Berrey.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., i. 30.
| Where as (anone) a booke I tooke in hand | |
| Some thinge to reade, to fode foorth fantasie. |
1573. Baret, Alv., F 827. He was fooded foorth in vaine with long talke.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., IX. lix.
| In this meane time with words he foded out | |
| The worthy Earle, vntill he saw his men. |
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks, 114. Feeding him vp with faire words, and foording him on from time to time with delaies, he held him a great while as a man in suspence, betwixt hope and despaire.
1616. Hieron, Wks., II. 42. Either we must denie the truth of God speaking in his Word, and say, that hee feeds and foades vs off with vaine words not to be beleeued, or else yeeld this to be a truth, that this is the alone way to get a comfortable securitie for outward things.
β. 1545. State Pap. Hen. VIII., X. 297. If He shall still foder Us furth with fayre woordes.
b. To waste (time), delay or postpone (a matter) by evasive excuses. Also absol.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xlii. 129. Syr Othes … foded forth the tyme as he that wyst not what to do.
1529. More, A Dialoge of Comfort against Tribulacion, II. Wks. 1163/2. Ye woulfe would not come to confession vntil he saw first Palme Sonday pass, & than foded yet forthe farder vntyll good Frydaye came.
1544. State Pap. Hen. VIII., IX. 653. They seke nothing eles but to wynne tyme and to fode the matier forwarde, until such tyme as their declaracion shall either not gretly nede or not bote.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 237. Whatsoeuer is … foaded off, till a longer time then it ought to be.
