▪ I. foison, n.
(ˈfɔɪz(ə)n)
Forms: 3 fouss-, fusun, 3–4 fuisum, -un, 4–6 fusiou(n)n(e, -on, fuysion, -on, 7 fouson, fuzzen, 4–7 foyson, 5 -un, 6 -en, 4 fosoun, 4–5 foi-, foysoun(e, 6–7 foi-, foyzon(e, 7 -zen, -eson, 5 fysoun, 7–8 fizon, 9 fizzen, 4– foison.
[a. OF. foison, foyson, fuison, fuson = Pr. foison:—popular L. *fŭsiōn-em, for L. fūsiōn-em a pouring, n. of action f. fundĕre to pour.]
1. Plenty, abundance, a plentiful supply; a great quantity or number (of persons or things). arch.
| 13.. K. Alis. 1030 Alle the innes of the town Haddyn litel foisoun. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 5808 Gode shal ȝyue þe hys blessyng And foysyn yn alle þyng. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 482 Fyres in gret foysoune thai maid. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. ii. xxxix. 163 They muste haue grete foyson of arowes with brode hedes. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde i. ii. (1634) 20 The greater foyson of fat that there is betweene the two skinnes, the lesse be the vaines. 1652 Ashmole Theatr. Chem. Brit. 217 Of al deyntes plente and foyson. 1810 Lamb Farew. to Tobacco, Africa, that brags her foison, Breeds no such prodigious poison. 1848 Lowell Fable for Critics Poet. Wks. 1890 III. 70 He has a perennial foison of sappiness. |
b. Plentiful crop or harvest.
| 1587 Golding De Mornay xxxiv. 549 If it [the grayne] spring not vp, it yeldeth no foyson. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 110 Earths increase, foyzon plentie, Barnes and Garners neuer empty. 1845 R. W. Hamilton Pop. Educ. x. 330 We anticipate the foison of an unknown husbandry. |
c. quasi-adv. In abundance. So OF. foison.
| 13.. K. Alis. 1012 Heo..was deliverid liversoon, Skarschliche and nought foisoun [MS. Laud 622 nouȝth a foyson]. |
2. Inherent vigour or vitality; power, strength, capacity. pl. Resources. Now chiefly Sc.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8516 (Cott.) Gains him his fas had na fusun. Ibid. 13499 (Gött.) He bliscid siþen þe fisses tuine, And sett his fuisum þaim widine. ? a 1400 Arthur 476 He, for alle hys grete Renoun, Aȝenst Arthour hadde no fusoun. c 1550 Bale K. Johan (Camden) 77, I wyll gyve Kynge Iohan thys poyson, So makynge hym sure that he shall never have foyson. a 1592 H. Smith Serm. (1866) II. 114 Such a foison hath your alms that..it increases, like the widows meal. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. iii. 88 Scotland hath Foysons to fill vp your will Of your meere Owne. 1808 Jamieson, Foison 2, Pith, ability; used to express..bodily strength. 1825 Ibid., ‘He has nae foison in him’; he has no understanding, or mental energy. Loth. |
b. Nourishing power; hence, nourishment, lit. and fig. Now dial. and Sc.
| c 1430 Lydg. in Lay Folks Mass-bk. (1879) Notes 368 Quat man here messe or he dyne..Hys mete xal han þe more fysoun. 1607 T. Walkington Opt. Glasse i. B 3 b, Them two are poyson to men though foison to birdes. Ibid., v. F 1 a, Like the foieson or oile of the lampe, wherewith it continewes burning. Ibid. xii. K 4 a, The foison of our best phantasies. 1624 Gee Foot out of Snare v. 41 The Liturgie..is but dry meat, and hath no foison in it. 1674 Ray S. & E.C. Words 66 Foison or Fizon, the natural juice or moisture of the Grass or other herbs. 1787 Grose Prov. Gloss. Suppl., Foison or Fizon. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, s.v., There is no foison in this hay. 1825 Jamieson s.v., ‘Ye'll tak a' the fizzen out o't [meat].’ |
▪ II. foison, v. Obs. exc. arch.
(ˈfɔɪz(ə)n)
[ad. OFr. foisonner, f. foison: see prec.]
trans. a. To supply plentifully. b. To nourish.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 341 Where all good him was foisoned. c 1485 Digby Myst. ii. 513 Yt fedyth and foysonnes. 1891 E. Arnold Lt. World 190 Earth To fill and foison with His Father's will. |