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feist

or fist

[ fahyst ]
/ faɪst /
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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.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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