FURLOUGH, s. This word for a soldier's leave has acquired a peculiar citizenship in Anglo-Indian colloquial, from the importance of the matter to those employed in Indian service. It appears to have been first made the subject of systematic regulation in 1796. The word seems to have come to England from the Dutch Verlof, 'leave of absence,' in the early part of the 17th century, through those of our countrymen who had been engaged in the wars of the Netherlands. It is used by Ben Jonson, who had himself served in those wars:
1625.—
"Pennyboy, Jun. Where is the deed? hast thou it with thee?
Picklock. No.
It is a thing of greater consequence
Than to be borne about in a black box
Like a Low-Country vorloffe, or Welsh brief."
The Staple of News, Act v. sc. 1.
FURNAVEESE, n.p. This once familiar title of a famous Mahratta Minister (Nana Furnaveese) is really the Persian fard-navīs, 'statement writer,' or secretary.
[1824.—"The head civil officer is the Furnavese (a term almost synonymous with that of minister of finance) who receives the accounts of the renters and collectors of revenue."—Malcolm, Central India, 2nd ed. i. 531.]