Form, condition, training. “In good FORM” or “in bad FORM” refers to a man’s or horse’s state of being in the sporting world. Form has also had a moral significance of late years, and with the qualifying adjectives attached as occasion requires, is extensively used in general conversation. As, “It was bad FORM of Brown to do that.” “That article was bad FORM.” In the latter cases the word “in” rarely appears.
Forty foot, a derisive appellation for a very short person.
Forty guts, vulgar term for a fat man.
Forty-twa, the common place of retirement on a well-known French plan at Edinburgh, so called from its accommodating that number of persons at once.
Forty winks, a short sleep or nap.
Fou, rather more than slightly intoxicated.—Scotch.
“We are na’ FOU, we are na’ FOU.”
Foul, to jostle or bore unfairly in a race. See [BORE]. To touch any foreign substance during a race—particularly a boat-race—is to FOUL it.
Foul, a touch, no matter how slight, of bodies or machinery in a race of any kind. Fouls in boat-racing are often inevitable, and are not always the result of boring or any other malicious practice.
Foul riding, riding which after a horse-race is made the subject of complaint, such as refusing to let a competitor pass, boring him against the rails, &c. Some jockeys are great adepts at this work, and are invaluable to a confederacy as a means, not so much of attaining victory themselves, as of preventing its attainment in others. Of course unless proof of jostling can be given, or evidence of malicious intent shown, jockeyship of this kind is not considered foul riding.