feist

Or fist

[fahyst]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.��Also fice, fyce a small mongrel dog, especially one that is ill-tempered; cur; mutt.

verb (used without object)

South Midland U.S.��to prance or strut about.
Look at him feist around in his new clothes.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of feist¹

First recorded in 1760–70; compare (from 16th century) fisting hound, fisting cur, as contemptuous epithets for any kind of dog (present participle of fist “to break wind,” late Middle English; compare Old English fisting “breaking wind,” Middle Low German ��ī��, German Fist “f��”); feist def. 2 is perhaps a back formation from feisty

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They are also linked to a small hunting dog breed called the feist, which William Faulkner wrote about in stories like “The Bear.”

From

You know a feist is one o’ them little bitty dogs that ginerally runs on three legs and pretends a whole lot.”

From

Feisal II feisty

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