fillip
verbEtymology From Middle English filippen, philippe (“to flick or snap a finger from against the thumb”); further origin uncertain, but probably imitative. See flip. It is not clear whether the verb is derived from the noun, or vice versa.
1
To strike, project, or propel with a fillip (that is, a finger released quickly after being pressed against the thumb); to flick.
- Mene[laus]. An odde man Lady, euery man is odde. / Creſ[ſida]. No Paris is not, for you know tis true, / That you are odde and he is euen with you. / Mene. You fillip me a'th head.c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:
- The Sounds that produce Tones, are euer from ſuch Bodies, as are in their Parts and Pores Equall; As well as the Sounds themſelues are Equall; And ſuch as are the Percuſſions of Metall, as in Bels; Of Glaſſe, as in the Fillipping of a Drinking Glaſſe; [...]1631, Francis [Bacon], “II. Century. [Experiments in Consort Touching Musicke.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 102, page 13:
3 more examples
- [...] If one Man upon angry Words ſhall make an Aſſault upon another, either by pulling him by the Noſe, or filliping upon the Forehead, and that he is ſo aſſaulted ſhall draw his Sword, and immediately run the other through, that is but Manſlaughter; for the Peace is broken by the Perſon killed, and with an Indignity to him that received the Aſſault.1778, Francis Hargrave, “Mawgridge’s Case in the Queen’s-Bench, Term. Hill.: 5 Anne Reginæ”, in A Complete Collection of State-trials, and Proceedings for High-treason, and Other Crimes and Misdemeanours; […], 4th edition, volume IX, London: Printed by T. Wright, […]; for C. Bathurst, Wilson and Nicholl, [et al.]; and sold by G. Kearsley, […], →OCLC, column 65:
- Quail combats were well known among the ancients, especially at Athens. [...] Another practice was to produce one of these birds, which being first smitten or filliped with the middle finger, a feather was then plucked from its head: if the quail bore this operation without flinching, his master gained the stake, but lost it if he ran away.1808 July, “[Francis] Douce’s Illustrations of Shakespeare. [Continued.]”, in C. Taylor, editor, The Literary Panorama. Being a Review of Books, Magazine of Varieties, and Annual Register; …, volume IV, London: Printed by Cox, Son, and Baylis, […], for C. Taylor, […], published September 1808, →OCLC, column 676:
- He talked on, therefore, at great length, while I merely leaned back in my chair with my eyes shut, and amused myself with munching raisins and filliping the stems about the room.1844 October, Edgar Allan Poe, “The Angel of the Odd. An Extravaganza.”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […] In Four Volumes, volume IV (Arthur Gordon Pym, &c.), New York, N.Y.: Redfield […], published 1856, page 282:
2
Broadly To project quickly; to snap.
- Yet he obſerv'd how ſtill his Iron Balls / Recoyl'd in vain againſt our Oaken Walls. / How the hard Pellets fell away as dead, / By our inchanted Timber fillipped.1697, John Denham, “Directions to a Painter”, in Poems on Affairs of State: From the Time of Oliver Cromwell, to the Abdication of K. James the Second. […], [London]: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 38:
- The use of the elastic switch to fillip small missiles with, and the remarkable elastic darts of the Pelew Islands, bent and made to fly by their own spring, indicate inventions which may have led to that of the bow, while the arrow is a miniature form of the javelin.1871, Edward B[urnett] Tylor, “The Development of Culture”, in Primitive Culture: Researches into the Development of Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, Art, and Custom. … In Two Volumes, volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 61:
3
Broadly To strike or tap smartly.
- [I]t was almost, if not quite as fine in Napoleon, hitting the Frenchmen between wind and water, filliping their chivalry on the one hand, by absolutely disbelieving that so many would go about to kill one man, and catching their admiration of courage on the other, by affecting to consider them as too few to intimidate him: [...]1839, A. M., “Part II”, in A Challenge to Phrenologists; or, Phrenology Tested by Reason and Facts, London: James S. Hodson, […], →OCLC, page 69:
- The most convenient pleximeter is the middle finger of the left hand, smoothly applied by its palmar surface on the part to be percussed. [...] The stroke is made, in most cases, with the tips of the two or three first fingers brought to a level, or with only a single finger. [...] Percussion may be strong or gentle; in the latter case, the stroke may be made by filliping gently upon the back of a single finger, or upon the nail. By gentle percussion, a sound is elicited whose character will depend on the condition of the wall, and of the parts immediately beneath it; whereas, when it is forcible, the deeper tissues will modify the result.1852, Edward Ballard, “Percussion”, in The Physical Diagnosis of Diseases of the Abdomen, London: Taylor, Walton, and Maberley, […], →OCLC, part I (Method and General Results of Physical Examination), paragraph 49, pages 41–42:
2 more examples
- The boughs were so tangled that in following the obstructed track it became necessary to screen his face with his hands to escape the risk of having his eyes filliped out by the twigs that impeded his progress.1876, Thomas Hardy, “The Lodge, continued—The Copse behind”, in The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 148:
- He [Ishi] combed and brushed his hair daily. He washed it frequently, drying it by filliping it and beating it with a small stick as it hung in the sunlight.1981, Saxton T[emple] Pope, “Ishi’s Death”, in Robert F[leming] Heizer, Theodora Kroeber, editors, Ishi the Last Yahi: A Documentary History, 1st paperback edition, Berkeley; Los Angeles, Calif.; London: University of California Press, →ISBN, page 228:
4
Figuratively To drive as if by a fillip (noun sense 1); to excite, stimulate, whet.
- The spicy aroma filliped my appetite.
- Grand snoozing to-night, maty; fat night for that. I mark this in our old Mogul's wine; it’s quite as deadening to some as filliping to others.1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Midnight, Forecastle”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 190:
5
Ambitransitive To make a fillip (noun sense 1) (with the fingers).
- As they were drinking after dinner, the prince jocosely dipped his finger in a glass of wine, and fillipped it into Oglethorpe's face.1808, W[illiam] Giplin, “[Miscellaneous Essays.] On Duelling. [From Dialogues on Various Subjects, by the late Rev. W. Gilpin, A.M.]”, in Edmund Burke, editor, The Annual Register, or A View of the History, Politics, and Literature, new edition, volume L, London: Printed for Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy; [et al.], published 1820, →OCLC, page 188, column 1:
- "Oh! we have done very, very wrong in giving our daughter in marriage to you, for if I but fillip my finger, and the fillip should fall on her baby's eye, it will be blind, and there will be our poor little grandchild with only one eye." "But where is the child?" said the Sultan. "It may come, you know;" answered Gertrude. "You are all foolish," cried the Sultan, angrily; "I have not yet married your daughter, and yet you are weeping for the fate of her child; Isabella is very beautiful, but far too foolish for my wife; good bye, I will have nothing to say to any of you."1844 June, “The Idle Family: An Eastern Apologue. Translated from the Arabic, …”, in A. T. R., transl., Hood’s Magazine and Comic Miscellany, volume I, number VI, London: Published for the proprietors, by H. Renshaw, […], →OCLC, page 600:
- Derived terms
- filliping
- Related terms
- flip