Middle English Dictionary Entry
fī̆st n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fī̆st n.(1) Also fust, vust, fest, feest, vest, wyste. |
| Etymology | OE fȳst. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The clenched hand; a fust wise, in the manner of a fist, fist-like.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)22785 : & seodden þa uustes uusden to sweoren [Otho: mid þan fustes starcliche [hii] fohte].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)21a : Me schulde dutten his mud..wið hearde fustes.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1538 : An oft hwan heo noȝt ne mis deþ, Heo haueþ þe fust in hire teþ.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.528 : Wiþ his fest he wald haue smiten Gij.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.89 : Hunulphus..bete hym with his feest [vr. vest; L pugno].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4275 : And on the nose he smoot hym with his fest; Doun ran the blody streem vpon his brest.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)50b/b : Þe hand hatte palma whanne þe fyngres ben I streiȝt out, and first [read: fist; L pugnus] whan þey ben I cliȝt Inne.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9296 : He al to-drofe hyt with hys fyste.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)20.150 : As my hand and my fyngres, Vnfolde oþer yfolde a fust-wyse oþer elles, Al is hit bote on hand.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)20 : Þe fust ys þe hand cloos.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)156/32 : The honde..agayn into a wyste hym closyth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.243 : Smytyng his brest ay with his fistes smerte.
- c1436 Ipswich Domesday(2) (Add 25011)95 : For blood drawyn of foot or of fist..be the penaunce awarded after that the betyng be perlous.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3390 : As þaw he wolde þe kyng haue smytte Wt hurre fust vndur his cheke.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Eliz.Spalb.(Dc 114)108/41 : Sche..makiþ a fiste of her hand and lokiþ grymly, braunysshynge hir fiste.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)48 : He..began to wepe..and to smyte his brest with his fist.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)207/1729a : With his fyst he leyd on fast.
2.
(a) The hand as grasping or holding something; (b) fig. grasp, power; holden (haven) in fist, have control or possession of (something), have in (one's) power; putten in ~, entrust to somebody; (c) holden thumb in ~, keep close control of (something); (d) a bird in ~, a bird in hand.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.802 : That oon of hem the cut broghte in his fest And bad hem drawe and looke wher it wol falle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.35 : Why sholde I sowen draf out of my fest, Whan I may sowen whete, if that me lest.
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)212 : He þat þou seest yn þe prestes fest..Hyt ys goddys sone.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4988 : Swiche folke..Þat fire & water holden in her fist.
- c1475 Guy(1) (Cai 107/176)2248 : In their fistes their swerdes bering.
- a1500 PFulham (Jas 43)10 : What ffysche ys more slyppyr then an elle? whan thow hym grypest..for all thy lyste..he ys owt of thy fyste.
b
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.2 : He þat..holdiþ þe world in his fist.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2602 : Whan it is to hym wist That ȝe hir children han vndir your fist.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)45 : [Christ] holdyng alle þe world in his fist.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10995 : Philmen the fre kyng, þat he in fyst hade, He lete to þe large, lause of his hondes.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.852 : Þat he shuld fro your fyst Drawe meche of your lond euene on-to hym.
- c1450 3 KCol.(2) (Add 31042)332 : O blisfull lorde..Powere and wytte is closide in thi fiste.
- c1500(?c1450) Wedding Gawain (Rwl C.86)678 : The choyse I putt in your fyst. Euyn as ye wolle, I putt itt in your hand.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.468 : Hire thombe sche holt in hire fest So clos withinne hire oghne hond That there winneth noman lond.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)53 : Holde þy thombe in thi fyst, And kepe þe welle fro Had I wyst.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.83 : Speke [vr. Kepe] cloos all thyng as thombe in fiste, And euer be ware of hadd y wyste.
d
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.250 : It is more sekyr a byrd in your fest Than to haue three in þe sky a-above.
3.
(a) The hand (in any position or function); paien in the ~, pay in hand; deceiven in ~, to short-change or cheat; (b) wringen ~, wring (one's) hands; (c) the gloved hand of a falconer; beren on ~, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)727 : Þat heued is i-buid adoneward..þe elbouwes riȝt in þe schere, þe fustus to þe chinne.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7470 : Þer lay mani paien þurchþrest, Heued of smiten & fot & fist.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.431 : In þe whiche lawes is i-conteyned..lesing of eyȝen, of prive stone, of fistes [vrr. fustes, vustes; L pugni] and handes.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)11/200 : Þou hast cussed a prestes fust.
- c1390 Hose wolde be-þenke (Vrn)15 : Allas! for ȝif a mon nou trist His broþer or his cosyn neere, He schal be deceyued in his fist.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1535 : Þer apered a paume, wyth poyntel in fyngres..Non oþer forme bot a fust faylande þe wryste.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)20.112 : For god..Ferde furst as a fust..As with a fust with o fynger yfolde to-gederes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5520 : Ȝ onge maydenes..her festis folde And loude crie.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3052 : A Eleyne, thow wicked best! Wo worth thi bones and thi fair fest!
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1140 : For a ferþyng-worþ of fode, floryns an hundred Princes profren in þe toun to pay in þe fuste.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4674 : With ilka fingire on ȝoure fist fillid full of ryngis.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)336/341 : He toke breede full well I wyst, And brake it here with his awne fyste.
b
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.68 : Wroþliche he wrong his fust.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)15016 : Ther was wrongen many a ffiste. 'Alas,' thei seide, 'now he is ded.'
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)10275 : Wherfore I wepte full ofte, and wronge my fiste.
c
- c1450 In a noon (Lamb 853)61 : Ȝouþe beriþ þe hauke upon his hond..He puttiþ his hauke fro his fist.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking (Hrl 2340:Halliwell)293 : Then bere this hawke upon thy fiste, and kaste here opon here berke.
- a1475 *Hrl.Diseases Hawk A (Hrl 2340)24a : To drawe a hawke on fist and to rewle hir in all poyntes.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1208 : Loue þat is not cloos..She berith birdes of plesauns on hir fiste.
4.
renning fist, a cursive hand(writing).
Associated quotations
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)676 : Ȝe! yt ys a goode renny[n]ge fyst.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?1482 Rev.Monk Eynsham1827 : He bare there on hys fyste a lytyll byrdde lyke a sparhauke.
Note: Additional quote, sense 3.(c).
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. fist.