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fiants. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
fiants, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
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English
Etymology
Borrowed from French fientes, plural of fiente (“dung”).
Noun
fiants (plural or uncountable)
- (obsolete, hunting) The dung of the wolf, fox or badger.
1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Of the words and termes of hunting Chap. 37.”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. , London: Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, pages 97-98:[If] they aske him how hee calleth the ordure of an Hart, Raindeare, Gote, or fallow Deare, he shall answere that they are to be called the fewmet or fewmishings […] Of other vermine or stinking chases, as Foxes, Badgers and such like, they are called the feance […]
1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Of the nature and properties of a Foxe and a Badgerd. Chap. 66”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. , London: Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 184:[Badgers] cast their fiants longer somewhat like a Fox […]
1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “How to hunt them . Chap. 76”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. , London: Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, pages 215-6:A man may know a dogge-wolfe from a bitch […] the Bitche casteth hyr fiants commonly in the middest of an high way, whereas the dog casteth them on the one or other side of the path.
1630, John Taylor, “The Huntsmans-SHIP; or Woodman-SHIP, with her Squadron or Regiment”, in All the vvorkes of Iohn Taylor the water-poet , page 93:[…] a Deeres Fewmets, a Bore, or Beares Leasses, a Hare or Conneys Crottores, a Foxe or a Badgers Feance, and an Otters ?aintes […]
1686, Richard Blome, “Hunting, part III, chapter XI, Hunting the BADGER.”, in The gentlemans recreation, page 89:And these sort of Badgers where they have their Earths, use to cast their Fiants or Dung in a small hole, and cover it, whereas the Dog-Badgers make their Fiants at a good distance from their Burrows, which are deep, with variety of Chambers, Holes and Angles.
1818, John Lawrence, British Field Sports: Embracing Practical Instructions in Shooting, Hunting, Coursing, Racing, Cocking, Fishing, &c., page 448:He seldom travels above a mile or two from home, and generally to open pastures, and feeding grounds, in which the dung of the Cattle being turned over, is a sign the Badger has been there; or when heaps of moss appear collected in Cover, the fiants of the Animal being also observed.
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