Fib.—To beat or strike with the fist. Fibbed, held with one hand, and hit with the other.
Fiddle.—A rattle, Charleys’ fiddle, a Watchman’s rattle.
Fiddler’s Fare.—Meat, drink and money.
Fig.—To fig a horse is to place a bit of ginger under his tail to make him frisky. Fig, dress. In Full Fig, full dress.—“All in the best.”
Fig leaf.—An apron, an allusion to our Mother Eve.
File.—An odd fellow, a queer dog, a bit of a rogue.
Finish.—The “Finish” was a notorious night-house kept by Jack Rowbottom, in James-street, Covent Garden. Here the swells who were bundled out of Offley’s, about four o’clock in the morning bundled into the Finish, where drinking and other innocent pastimes were kept up till eight, nine, or ten o’clock. Jack Rowbottom was quite a study in character. Soon after 1832, he got into “diffs,” and his residence was divided between the King’s Bench and the Fleet Prison. In the latter poor Dr. Maginn expired in his arms, after being faithfully nursed and attended by Jack during a long illness.
Fish—Fishing:—Some fish for compliments, and get what they want. Some fish in dirty waters and get what they do not want: but remain as mute as a fish on the subject.
Fives.—‘Bunch of Fives,’ the fist—Fives Court (The) was a large room in the neighbourhood of St. Martin’s-lane, where the prize fighters of the day took their Benefits and made open challenges.
Flame.—A sweetheart. An old flame, a discarded one.