feague

English

Etymology

From Dutch vegen (“to sweep, strike”), from Middle Dutch vēghen (“to cleanse”), from Old Dutch *fegōn (“to cleanse”), from Proto-Germanic *faginōną (“to decorate, make beautiful”), from Proto-Indo-European *pōḱ-, *pēḱ- (“to clean, adorn”). Cognate with German fegen (“to cleanse, scour, sweep”), Danish feje (“to sweep”), Swedish feja (“to sweep”), Icelandic fægja (“to polish”). More at fay, fair.

Verb

feague (third-person singular simple present feagues, present participle feaguing, simple past and past participle feagued)

1. To decorate or improve in appearance through artificial means.
2. To increase the liveliness of a horse by inserting an irritant, such as a piece of peeled raw ginger or a live eel, in its fundament.
3. (obsolete) To beat or whip; to drive.
   • 1681, Thomas Otway, The Soldier's Fortune, Act 5:

     Beaugard: Hark ye, ye curs, keep off from snapping at my heels, or I shall so feague ye.