feist

or fist

[ fahyst ]
/ faɪst /

noun

Also fice, fyce [fahys] /faɪs/ .Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. a small mongrel dog, especially one that is ill-tempered; cur; mutt.

verb (used without object)

South Midland U.S. to prance or strut about: Look at him feist around in his new clothes.

Origin of feist

First recorded in 1760–70; compare (from 16th century) fisting hound, fisting cur, as contemptuous epithets for any kind of dog (present participle of fist “to break wind,” late Middle English; compare Old English fisting “breaking wind,” Middle Low German vīst, German Fist “fart”); def. 2 is perhaps a back formation from feisty

Words nearby feist

feints, Feira de Santana, feirie, Feisal I, Feisal II, feist, feisty, felafel, Feldene, Feldenkrais method, feldsher
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

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