v. Obs. Also 7 foe. [a. ON. fága: see FAY v.2] trans. To clean, cleanse (out). Also fig.
13[?]. Sir Beues, 1119 (MS. A.).
| Beter be-come þe iliche, | |
| For to fowen an olde diche, | |
| Þanne for to be dobbed kniȝt. |
c. 1350. Med. MS., in Archæologia, XXX. 351.
| Chyldys vryne þin ere fowe, | |
| And helpe þin ere on athrowe. |
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well (E.E.T.S.), 266. Take mekenes in herte, & þat schal fowyn out all trouble and vnreste, all rankoure & euyll desyres, & euyll wylles, & thouȝtys.
1530. Palsgr., 557/2. Thou shalte eate no buttered fysshe with me, tyll thou wasshe thy handes, for thou hast fowed a gonge late.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter i. 10. They are only good, when on the sabbath day they are fowing tap-houses, and scouring the common sewers and sinks of sin.
Hence † Fowing vbl. sb. Also † Fower, one who cleanses.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 174/2. Foware, or clensare of donge, as gongys, and oþer lyke, fimarius, oblitor. Ibid., 175/1. Fowynge, or clensynge, emundacio.
1636. R. James, Iter Lanc. (Chetham Soc.), 9 note. He had found six thousand infants’ heads in the foing of his fish ponds.
