▪ I. felon, a. and n.1
(ˈfɛlən)
Forms: α. 3–5 feloun(e, -un(e, 4–6 felown(e, Sc. felloun(e, 5 felone, (feleyn), 6–8 fellon(e, 3– felon. β. (in adj. only) 4–5 felo(u)ns; cf. felunsly s.v. felonly.
[a. OF. felon adj. and n. = Pr. felon, felhon, fellon adj., Sp. fellon, It. fellone adj. and n.:—vulgar L. *fellōn-em. From its formation, the word must have been originally a n., fel (:—ˈfello), whence fell a., being the subj. case, and felon (:—feˈllōn-) the obj. case; but so far as documentary evidence goes, both forms were indiscriminately used in OF. as adj., and the recorded subst. use of the latter is derivative. The curious Eng. form felouns adj. may perh. be due (like fiers fierce) to the -s of the nom. case in OF. (in this instance a product of analogy).
The ultimate etymology is uncertain. Of the many conjectures proposed the most probable is that fellōne-m is a derivative of L. fell-, fel gall, the original sense being ‘one who, or something which, is full of bitterness’ (or ‘venom’, the two notions, as many linguistic facts show, being closely associated in the popular mind). In support of this view it may be pointed out that the n. has had the senses of ‘an envenomed sore’ and ‘cholera’ (see felon n.2); moreover, this etymology accounts perfectly for the strangely divergent senses which the adj. has in the Rom. langs.: ‘wicked’, ‘angry’, ‘brave’, ‘melancholy, sad’ (It. fellone), ‘intensely painful’. Of the other suggestions that have been made the most plausible is perhaps that of Prof. R. Atkinson of Dublin, that fello was originally a term of obscene abuse, f. L. fellāre as used in a peculiar sense by Martial and Catullus. Some scholars think that fello is from OHG. *fillo, an unrecorded derivative of fillen to scourge (cf. med.L. fillo rascal); others have sought to connect it with the obscure second element in the OE. words wælfel (from wæl carnage; occurring only once, as an epithet of the raven) and ælfæle, ealfelo (usually supposed to be from eal all; only twice, as an epithet of áttor poison). The mod.Da. fæl horrible, disgusting, has also been compared; the MDu. fel is adopted from Fr. The Celtic words often cited are out of the question; the OF. word cannot have come from Wales or Ireland, and Gaulish appears not to have possessed the sound f; the Welsh ff and the Irish f do not correspond etymologically.]
A. adj.
1. Of persons and animals, their actions, feelings, etc.: Cruel, fierce, terrible; wicked, base. Now poet.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1160 (Cott.) Quen felauscipe..Mought te drau fra felon dede. Ibid. 5896 (Cott.) It become a worme felon. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 47 Enwy, that is sa feloune. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn liii. 205 So bigan they to smyte amonge their felon enmyes. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. i. 95 Hys felloun fa is kyllit thus. 1549 Compl. Scot. Prol. 14 Fechtand be fellone forse. ? a 1550 Freiris of Berwik 553 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 303 With that Symone a felloun flap lait fle. 1575 J. Still Gamm. Gurton i. iii. in Hazl. Dodsley III. 179 Perchance some felon spirit may haunt our house indeed. 1687 Dryden Hind & P. iii. 1170 Courtesies..No gratitude in felon minds beget. 1725 Pope Odyss. iv. 712 Vain shews of love to veil his felon hate. 1735 Thomson Liberty iv. 1189 The felon undermining Hand Of dark Corruption. 1813 Byron Giaour 677 The steel Which taught the felon heart to feel. 1855 Singleton Virgil I. 33 Both gods and stars the mother felon calls. |
| β c 1340 Cursor M. 9973 (Trin.) Mary mayden..stondeþ for shelde & targe aȝeines alle oure felouns foo. c 1440 York Myst. xi. 39 Tho felons folke [Jewes] Sir, first was fonn In kyng Pharo ȝoure fadyr dayse. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 14 Curtesye..aught to refraine felons proude herte of man and woman. |
b. transf. Of things and places: Savage, wild; (of weapons) murderous.
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 1446 Wiþ a spere feloun He smot him in þe side. c 1450 Merlin 269 It semed by her armes that thei were come from felon place. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. x. 19 And felloun stormis of ire gan hir to schaik. 1566 Drant Horace' Sat. vii. D vj b, The fellone tongue of Rupilie. 1637 Milton Lycidas 91 He asked..the felon winds, What hard mishap had doomed this gentle swain? 1781 Cowper Truth 445 Often unbelief..Flies to the tempting pool, or felon knife. c 1800 K. White Lett. (1837) 204 To snatch the victim from thy felon wave. 1814 Scott Massacre Glencoe 26 The hand that mingled in the meal, At midnight drew the felon steel. |
† c. Angry, sullen.
Obs.| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 199 With felon [It. fellone] look and face dispitouse. 1567 Drant Horace' Epist. ii. 63 Like a woolfe..Incensd, with fellon fasting face. |
† 2. Brave, courageous, sturdy.
Obs.| 1375 Barbour Bruce viii. 454 He wes bath ȝoung, stout, and felloun. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ii. (1887) 131 Fergus..is namet first King of Scottis..for his felloune fortitude. |
† 3. ‘Terribly’ great, ‘tremendous’, huge.
Sc. Obs.| c 1450 Henryson Mor. Fab. 74 The man..was in an felloun fray. 1513 Douglas æneis v. iii. 30 The busteus barge, yclepit Chimera Gyas with felloun fard furth brocht alswa. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. p. xxxvii, With ane fellon stoure. c 1570 Sat. Poems Reform. xx. 25 In felloun feir at me thay speir. a 1605 Polwart Flyting w. Montgomerie 208 Fore store of lambes and lang-tailde wedders..In fellon flockes. |
† 4. With sense derived from the
n.: Feloniously acquired, stolen.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1631 Fuller David's Hainous Sinne xix. (D.), Whose greedy pawes with fellon goods were found. |
B. n.1 † 1. A vile or wicked person, a villain, wretch, monster. Sometimes applied to the Devil or an evil spirit.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 11481 (Gött.) Herodes, þat fals feloune. Ibid. 12982 (Gött.) ‘Ne seis þu noght’, said þe felune. 1340 Ayenb. 29 Þe uour werreres þet þe feloun heþ. a 1400 Octouian 943 He..bad hym fynd a champioun To feyght with that foule feloun. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 100 The frenssh men ben moche felons. 1594 Carew Tasso (1881) 27 This fellon then his made rage tempereth. 1697 Dryden Virg. æneid vi. 804 He, the King of Heav'n..Down to the deep Abyss the flaming Felon strook. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iii. xxiv, Yet sunk the felon's moody ire Before Lord Ronald's glance of fire. |
† 2. In good sense: A brave man, a warrior.
Obs. rare.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 819* Fers felons with hym fangez & florens enowe. |
3. Law. One who has committed felony.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9668 Al þat þe felon hath, þe kinges it is. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xi. 240 Þauh þe fader be a frankelayne and for a felon be hanged. c 1460 Play Sacram. 505 Hold prestly [?] on thys feleyn & faste bynd him to a poste. 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 389 Mansleers, ffelons, Outlawes. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 301 They dyd leade the bounden as they do theues or felons. 1575 Nottingham Rec. IV. 158 Ralfe the felon that brake Maister Askewe house. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. v. iii. 69, I do..apprehend thee for a Fellon here. 1683 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 72 It was proposed that no fellons be brought into this Contrey. 1728 Pope Dunc. i. 281 With less reading than makes felons scape. 1796 Burke Regic. Peace Wks. 1842 II. 318 A gang of felons and murderers. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) III. 267 Pursued with hue and cry as a felon. 1878 Emerson Misc. Papers, Fort. Republic Wks. (Bohn) III. 398 The felon is the logical extreme of the epicure and coxcomb. |
| transf. 1735 Somerville Chase iii. 168 Each sounding Horn proclaims the Felon [a Fox] dead. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 26 All this we ascribe to Roger, for we say he brought down the felon [a hawk]. |
† b. felon-de-se,
felon of oneself:
= felo-de-se.
| 1648 Bp. Hall Sel. Thoughts §34 Nothing is more odious amongst men than for a man to be a felon of himself. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. v. i. §3 A stake is..the monument generally erected for Felons de Se. 1678 Marvell Growth Popery Wks. 1875 IV. 322 If a House [of Parliament] shall once be felon of itself and stop its own breath. |
† 4. = felony 1, 2.
Obs.| c 1325 Cursor M. 22861 (Edin.) Þoru þair feloun and þair sine. c 1340 Ibid. 13244 (Fairf.) To þe Iewes fulle of feloun til ham he made his sarmoun. |
5. attrib. and
Comb., as
felon-bushranger,
felon-worshipper;
felon-setter (
Anglo-Irish), a thief-taker. Also
felon-setting vbl. n. (see
quots.).
| 1859 Cornwallis New World I. 99 A country infested with *felon bushrangers of the most desperate character. |
| 1864 People (Dublin) Feb., The Irish people believe that Mr. Sullivan has more than once acted the part of a *felon⁓setter. |
| 1890 Pall Mall G. 20 Sept. 4/3 The *felon-setting policy in which they have been engaged for a long time past. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 626 Refuse to have anything to do with them..and their felonsetting. 1970 Guardian 6 June 11/7 Felon setting is a peculiarly Irish term, which recalls a deep and ancient hatred of the informer, a central figure in Irish history. It is felon setting to whisper to the Guards or the Special Branch about what the boys are up to. To some, apparently, it was felon setting for Jack Lynch to pass the documents in the arms affair to the Attorney-General. |
| 1857 Sat. Rev. III. 272/1 There appear to be three great classes of *felon-worshippers. |
▪ II. felon, n.2 (
ˈfɛlən)
Also
fellon.
[Perh. a. OF. *felon; a 16th c. quot. in Godef. s.v. has felons app. corresponding to ulceribus in the L. original; but the translation is loose, and the word may mean ‘cholera’, as in Cotgr.; cf. quot. c 1116 below. The sense is consistent with derivation from L. fell-, fel gall; see felon a. and n.1] 1. A small abscess or boil, an inflamed sore.
| [? c 1116 Radulphus Ep. ad Elyenses in Acta SS. V. (1867) 468 Morbus, quem vulgo fellonem nuncupant, felle suo viroso me miserum graviter occupavit. (The disease, described in absurdly bombastic terms, seems to have been a scrofulous swelling of the neck.)] 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2995 Kylles and felouns and apostyms. 14.. Lat. Eng. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 564 Antrax, the felon. 14.. Pict. Voc. ibid. 791 Hec Antrax, a felun, bleyn. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 154/2 Felone, soore, antrax. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health xxiv. 15 b. In Englyshe it is named a Felon, and is lyke a Carbocle. 1689 Moyle Sea Chyrurg. ii. xxv. 80 To ripen these Boyles and Felons apply this Cataplasme. 1740 Berkeley Let. Wks. 1871 IV. 263 What you call a felon is called in the books a phlegmon. 1826 J. Williams Last Legacy 11 Felons..or any such tumor on the hands or feet or elsewhere. 1880 E. Cornwall Gloss., Fellon, inflammation. |
b. esp. A whitlow under or near the nail of a finger or toe.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens vi. lxix. 747 The felons or noughtie sores which rise about the toppes of toes and fingers. 1667 Sir W. Willoughby in Lauderdale Papers (1885) II. xx. 28, I am trubled..w{supt}{suph} an effeminate desease called a ffellon on my fore finger. 1746 Howell in Phil. Trans. XLIV. 228 The Fellon, or worst kind of Whitflow. 1874 Hardy Madding Crowd xxxii, He's had that felon upon his finger. |
2. With reference to animals:
a. in
prec. sense,
b. (see
quot. 1855).
| c 1450 Bk. Hawkyng in Rel. Ant. I. 301 A wykked felone is swolle of such maner coverte that no man may it hele, that the hawke schal not dye. 1595 Markham Bk. St. Albans i. 23 If your hawke haue a felon swolne on her. 1748 tr. Vegetius' Distemp. Horses 62 He will have Fellons or small Biles in his Back. 1842 C. W. Johnson Farmer's Encycl., Felon..In farriery, a term for a sort of inflammation in animals, similar to that of whitlow in the human subject. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Fellon, the soreness of a cow's skin from cold or checked perspiration. |
3. attrib. In various names of plants, herbs, etc., as
felon-berry (see
quot. 1715);
felon-grass, (
a)
Imperatoria Ostruthium (? miscalled ‘angelica’ in
quot. 1824); (
b)
Helleborus niger; (
c)
Geranium Robertianum;
felon-herb (see
quot. 1878);
felon-weed,
Senecio Jacobæa;
felon-wood, (
a)
Solanum Dulcamara; (
b)
Imperatoria Ostruthium;
felon-wort (see
quot. 1878).
| a 1715 Buddle MS. in Britten & Holland Plant-n., *Fellon-berry, Bryonia dioica. |
| 1824–80 Jamieson, *Fellin-grass, the plant called Angelica. 1878 Britten & Holland Plant-n., Fellon Grass. |
| Ibid., *Fellon-herb, (1) Artemisia vulgaris..(2) Hieracium Pilosella. |
| 1579 Langham Gard. Health (1633) 577 It healeth felons..It is called *fellon-weede. 1878 Britten & Holland Plant-n., Fellon-weed. |
| 1861 Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. IV. 70 (Woody Nightshade or Bittersweet)..The plant is in some places called *Felon-wood. 1878 Britten & Holland Plant-n., Fellon-wood. |
| 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Felon-wort, an Herb. 1878 Britten & Holland Plant-n., Fellon-wort, (1) Solanum Dulcamara..(2) Chelidonium majus..(3) Imperatoria Ostruthium..(4) Geranium Robertianum. |