▪ I. fam, n. slang.
(fæm)
[Short for famble n.]
= famble in various senses. Also in Comb. as fam-grasp v., intr. and trans., to shake hands, make up a difference (with); fam-snatcher.
| 1692–1732 Coles, Fam grasp, agree with. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Famgrasp, to agree. 1789 G. Parker Life's Painter 180 Fam, a gold ring. 1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict., Fam, the hand. 1819 Moore Tom Crib's Mem. 28 Delicate fams which have merely Been handling the sceptre. 1828 P. Egan Finish to Life in London xiv. (1871) 309 To Jerry Hawthorn, Esq., I resign my fam-snatchers—i.e. my gloves. |
▪ II. fam, v.
(fæm)
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To feel or handle.
| 1812 in J. H. Vaux Flash Dict. |