Ferlingante, f. (thieves’), crockery.
Ferloques, f. pl. (popular), rags.
Fermer (popular), maillard, to sleep, “to doss.” An allusion to M. Maillard, the inventor of iron-plate shutters; —— son compas, to stop walking; —— son parapluie, to die. See [Pipe]. Fermer son plomb, son égout, or sa boîte, to hold one’s tongue. Ferme ta boîte, “shut up!” “hold your jaw!” A synonymous but more polite expression, “Tace is Latin for a candle,” is used by Fielding.
“Tace, madam,” answered Murphy, “is Latin for a candle; I commend your prudence.”—Fielding, Amelia.
Féroce, m. and adj. (familiar), être —— sur l’article, to be strict. Pas ——, made of poor stuff. Un ——, one devoted to his duty.
Ferré, adj. (thieves’), être ——, to be locked up, or “put away.”
Ferrer le goujon (popular), to make one swallow the bait.
Fertange, or fertille, f. (thieves’), straw.
Tu es un rude mion; le môme pantinois n’est pas maquillé de fertille lansquinée.—V. Hugo, Les Misérables. (You are a stunner; a child of Paris is not made of wet straw.)