FELLOW COMMONER. An empty bottle: so called at the university of Cambridge, where fellow commoners are not in general considered as over full of learning. At Oxford an empty bottle is called a gentleman commoner for the same reason. They pay at Cambridge 250 l. a year for the privilege of wearing a gold or silver tassel to their caps. The younger branches of the nobility have the privilege of wearing a hat, and from thence are denominated HAT FELLOW COMMONERS.
FEN. A bawd, or common prostitute. CANT.
TO FENCE. To pawn or sell to a receiver of stolen goods. The kiddey fenced his thimble for three quids; the young fellow pawned his watch for three guineas. To fence invariably means to pawn or sell goods to a receiver.
FENCING KEN. The magazine, or warehouse, where stolen goods are secreted.
FERME. A hole. CANT.
FERMERDY BEGGARS. All those who have not the sham sores or clymes.
FERRARA. Andrea Ferrara; the name of a famous sword-cutler:
most of the Highland broad-swords are marked
with his name; whence an Andrea Ferrara has become
the common name for the glaymore or Highland
broad-sword. See CLAYMORE.
FERRET. A tradesman who sells goods to young unthrift
heirs, at excessive rates, and then continually duns them
for the debt. To ferret; to search out or expel any one
from his hiding-place, as a ferret drives out rabbits; also
to cheat. Ferret-eyed; red-eyed: ferrets have red eyes.
FETCH. A trick, wheedle, or invention to deceive.
FEUTERER. A dog-keeper: from the French vautrier, or vaultrier, one that leads a lime hound for the chase.