feese

English

Etymology 1

Perhaps from Middle English fese (“a blast, a rush, a burst”), a derivative of Middle English fesen (“to put to flight”). More at faze.

Noun

feese (plural feeses)

1. Obsolete form of feeze (“running start”).
   • 1565, Thomas Cooper, Thesaurus linguae Romanae et Britannicae, page 109:

     Conatum longius petere. Quintill: To fetche his feese of beave further of in leaping.

   • 1580, John Barrett, Alvearie:

     To leap without fetching any race or feese, nullo procursu salire.

   • 1609, Ammianus Marcellinus, translated by Holland, Res Gestae:

     And giving way backward, fetch their feese or beire againe, and with a fierce charge and assault to returne full butt upon the same that they had knocked and beaten before.

2. Obsolete form of feeze (“state of fretful excitement or worry”).

Etymology 2

Noun

feese (plural feeses)

1. Alternative form of fess (“horizontal band, in heraldry”)
   • 1881, The Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist, page 50:

     William Fellow als Norry grants to thomas thacker of Hyghege in Com. Derby gen . these Armes following: Gules a feese betwene iij maskes argent And by way of Augmentacon upon the Feese a treyfull asure stalkede verte betweene ij bytturse heds rasy in theire ppr . coloure, about theire necks a laase wth a folding knotte golde taslede azure on every masks iij droppes sable.

   • 1884, Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, page 82:

     Bigware. Or, a feese gu. betw. three lozenges az. ( another, six ) .

   • 1908, William Richard Cutter, Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, page 1958:

     Other branches of the family in Wilberton, Isle of Ely, South Pertherton, in county Somerset, Petersham in county Surrey, and in Westmoreland all have the following arms: Or a feese indented ( another dancettée ) between three crosses crosslet fitchée gules.

   • 1987, Grata Jeter Clark, The Jeter Mosaic: Seven Centuries in the History of a Family, page 10:

     The Jetter Coat of Arms "Sable, a feese between three bats displayed Argent.

Pennsylvania German

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English face.

Verb

feese

1. to face

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English faze.

Verb

feese

1. to faze