different between feist vs feis

English

Alternative forms

• fist, fice

Etymology

Earliest sense is “fart”, and later “stink” as abbreviation for fysting cur “stinking dog” (1520s). From Middle English fysten (mid-15th century), from Old English. Cognates with Middle Dutch veest and Dutch vijst. Possibly from Proto-Germanic *fistiz (“a fart”), presumably from Proto-Indo-European *pesd-, though this is disputed.

One explanation for the association of farting with small dogs is given in an 1811 slang dictionary, which suggests that the dogs were blamed for farting, specifically defining fice as “a small windy escape backwards, more obvious to the nose than ears; frequently by old ladies charged on their lap-dogs.”

Cognate terms include German Fist (“soft fart”), Danish fise (“to blow, to fart”) and Middle English askefise (“bellows”, literally “fire-blower, ash-blower”), from Old Norse; originally “a term of reproach among northern nations for an unwarlike fellow who stayed at home in the chimney corner”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa?st/
• Rhymes: -a?st

Noun

feist (plural feists)

1. (US, regional) A small, snappy, belligerent mixed-breed dog.
2. (vulgar) Silent (but pungent) flatulence.

   Synonym: SBD

Usage notes

The term feist is uncommon, but the derived term feisty is common.

Derived terms

• feisty

References

Anagrams

• Feits, Fites, fetis

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa??st/

Etymology 1

From Middle High German veizet, from Old High German feizzit, from Proto-West Germanic *faitid, whence also fett (through Middle Low German).

Adjective

feist (comparative feister, superlative am feistesten)

1. (derogatory, now chiefly literary) fat (of a person)

Usage notes

• Feist typically adds a negative moral judgment to the description, implying gluttony, laziness, and/or unrightful wealth. For example, ein feister Kapitalist (“a fat capitalist”).

Declension

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

feist

1. second-person singular present of feien

Further reading

• “feist” in Duden online
• “feist” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Irish feis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f??/
• pl. IPA^(key): /f???n?/

Noun

feis (plural feiseanna)

1. (Ireland) An Irish festival, usually including folk music, dancing, and sports.
2. (Ireland) An Irish gathering at which new laws were decreed, as well as folk music, dancing, and sports.

See also

• Fèis, the Scottish equivalent, and eisteddfod, the Welsh equivalent.

Anagrams

• EFIs, ISEF, fise, seif

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish feiss, fess, verbal noun of foïd (“to spend the night”), from Proto-Celtic *woseti, from Proto-Indo-European *h?wes- (“to reside”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f???/

Noun

feis f (genitive singular feise, nominative plural feiseanna)

1. (literary)
   1. act of sleeping, of passing the night
   2. accommodation, entertainment, for the night; bed and supper
2. (literary)
   1. sleeping together, sexual intercourse
   2. espousal, marriage
3. festival

   Synonym: féile

   1. Irish language festival (with competitions)
4. (literature) feast tale

Declension

Derived terms

• Ard-Fheis (“national convention”)

Mutation

References

• "feis" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “2 feis(s), fess”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Entries containing “feis” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Entries containing “feis” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• fes, fiste

Verb

feis

1. simple past of fise

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish feiss, fess, verbal noun of foïd (“to spend the night”), from Proto-Celtic *woseti, from Proto-Indo-European *h?wes- (“to reside”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fe?/

Noun

feis f (genitive singular feise)

1. sex, intercourse

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with fèis (“a festival”).

Mutation

References

• “feis” in Edward Dwelly, Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic–English Dictionary, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 1911, ?ISBN.
• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “2 feis(s), fess”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language