feist

American  

[fahyst] / faɪst /

Or fist

noun

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

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verb (used without object)

1. South Midland U.S. to prance or strut about.

   Look at him feist around in his new clothes.

Etymology

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”); feist def. 2 is perhaps a back formation from feisty

Example Sentences

Fay is in every way Laurel's opposite�a shrewd, stupid vixen with a "little feist chin" who questions any altruistic gesture made to her, not out of skepticism but simple inability to comprehend it.

From Time Magazine Archive

Et il dist quil les porteroit voulentiers | “mais vous ne porterez armes,” feist il a gallehault, “si non comme mon sergent?”

From Lancelot of the Laik A Scottish Metrical Romance by Skeat, Walter W. (Walter William)

Monstrelet commences the prologue to the second volume of his chronicles by citing the book of "un tr�srenomm� philosophe nomm� V�g�ce, qu'il feist de la vaillance et prudence de chevalerie."

From The Boke of Noblesse by Unknown

Si feist qu'a sa semblance Le poisse deviner.

From A Short History of French Literature by Saintsbury, George

You know a feist is one o’ them little bitty dogs that ginerally runs on three legs and pretends a whole lot.”

From Our Southern Highlanders by Kephart, Horace