Sc. Obs. exc. Hist. Also 8 fugee. [perh. f. fugæ in the Law Lat. phrase in meditatione fugæ ‘contemplating flight,’ occurring in the ‘fugie-warrant’ (see 2).]
1. A cock that will not fight; a runaway. Hence as a term of abuse, a coward.
1777. Brand, Pop. Antiq. (1813), I. 61. The School-masters were said to preside at the Battle, and claimed the runaway Cocks, called Fugees, as their perquisites.
1785. R. Forbes, Poems in Buchan Dial., 29. How foul’s the bibble he spits out, Fan he ca’s me a fugee!
1834. H. Miller, Scenes & Leg., xxviii. (1876), 422. The birds who, without any such apology, preferred running away to fighting, were converted into droits, under the ill-omened name of fugies, and forfeited to the master of the school.
1876. J. Grant, History of the Burgh Schools of Scotland, II. xiv. 478. In some places the cocks were supplied by the master, who presided at the battle, and enjoyed the perquisite of all the runaway cocks, called fugies.
2. Comb.: fugie-warrant, a warrant granted against a debtor, on a sworn information that he intends to flee.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxxix. ‘Ay,’ said Ochiltree, ‘that will be what they ca’ the fugie-warrants.’
