subs. (thieves’).—A silk handkerchief; also generic. [Cf., Ital., foglia = a pocket, a purse; Fr., fouille = a pocket.] A cotton handkerchief is called a CLOUT.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.—Bandanna; belcher; billy; clout; conch-clout; fam-cloth; flag; kent-rag; madam; muckender; mucketer (FLORIO); nose-wipe; pen-wiper; rag; sneezer; snot-tinger or snot-rag; stook; wipe. See BILLY.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.—Un cachemire (popular); un blave or blavin (thieves’; from O.F., blave = blue); une fassolette (thieves’: It., fazzoletto); un chiffon or chiffornion (popular = a rag); un moufion (popular); les mouchettes (popular = wipes).
GERMAN SYNONYMS.—Schneitzlingsschneiche (cf., SNOT-RAG); Flammert or Flamme (also a neckerchief and an apron); Wisch (= also clothing of any kind).
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1821. P. EGAN, Tom and Jerry (1890), p. 74. Jerry’s sneezer was touched with some convulsive efforts so that his FOGLE was continually at work.
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, bk. iii., ch. 5. FOGLES and fawnies soon went their way.
1837. DICKENS, Oliver Twist, ch. xviii. ‘If you don’t take FOGLES and tickers——’ ‘What’s the good of talking in that way?’ interposed Master Bates: ‘he don’t know what you mean.’ ‘If you don’t take pocket-handkerchiefs and watches,’ said the Dodger.
1841. Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine, viii., p. 220. Fawnies or FOGLES, onions gay, all were the same to me.
1849. Punch’s Almanack, ‘The Swell Mobsman’s Almanack.’ Their FOGLES fetch next to nothing.
1858. A. MAYHEW, Paved with Gold, bk. II., ch. i., p. 60. They’re just made for hooking a FOGLE [handkerchief] out of a clye.
