foutre, fouter
(ˈfuːtə(r))
Forms: 6–7 footra, footre, fowtre, 7 foutra, foutree, foutir, 9 fouter.
[a. OF. foutre:—L. futuĕre (the inf. used subst.).]
1. In phrases, a foutre for, (to care) not a fouter.
| [a 1592 Greene James IV, v. ii, Jaques..faites bonne chere: foutre de ce monde!] 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. iii. 103 A footra [Q. footre] for the World, and Worldlings base. 1622 Fletcher Sea Voy. v. i, Therefore footra, When I am full, let 'em hang me, I care not. 1638 Suckling Goblins iii. (1646) 26 Shall I so?—why then foutree for the Guise. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xvii. 17 He leaves her alone to romp idly, cares not a fouter. |
2. Applied contemptuously to persons.
| 1780–1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun iii. xxv, The astonish'd tailor..swearing he was better stuff Than sick a fouter. 1786 Harvest Rig in R. Chambers' Pop. Poems Scotl. (1862) 50 A sutor, Most manfully about does lay—A tough auld fouter. 1833 Marryat P. Simple (1863) 145 O'Brien declared that he was a liar, and a cowardly foutre. |