Faynights or Feign knights or....

quizmouse | 08:34 Thu 02nd Jul 2009 | Word Origins

6 Answers

Went to a show the other night and it was used while he was relating a tale. I had heard of it but my sister hadnt and she asked me what it meant. I couldnt really recall where I had heard it from (not my childhood) does anyone know its real meaning and how it is spelled. I think it may vary from area to area like most slang terms. I assume its a truce word used by kids in playgrounds etc but would love to know if and where it originated. Have googled but not sure how its spelled

Italian for...?

Scousers

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carrot99

We used it at primary school in the sixties in SE London - you had to say fainnits (?) and show you'd crossed your fingers as well - then you couldn't be `had'.

A similar one was `flea touch' which you said while putting your left hand on your right upper arm.

We had more strange signs than the masons!!

Quizmonster

Fains or fainit(e)s were the usual forms. The word came from the old verb, fain, a form of fend meaning to ward off...ie to prevent some action by someone else.

Quizmonster

Sorry...the old verb was actually fen.

Quizmonster

I thought you wanted to know its meaning and spelling and I gave you both of these exactly. Two stars? Sheesh!

quizmouse

Question Author

Sorry, if I was a bit mean with the rating, but at l;east i gave you one, often people dont even bother... perhaps i can be forgiven as i now have given you top rating!!!!
Thanks for the info.

Quizmonster

Dear Quizmouse, I always think of two stars as an example of "damning with faint praise". Carrot offered an interesting answer but was unsure of the spelling...note his/her question-mark...and explained the impact of the word in children's games, which you already knew, a truce.
I pointed out that there were three versions of the word. one of which - fainites - sounded exactly the same as your faynights/feign knights. I also explained precisely where the word came from and why it meant what it meant.

I don't want to sound immodest, but that was surely a perfect answer...spelling, meaning and origin...to your question. Hence, I couldn't really see why it qualified for a lower rating.
These stars are, in themselves, meaningless, of course. After all, one does not know who is giving them and what their valuation is worth. Accordingly, I'd rather have no stars than two.

Having said all that, it was nice of you to respond, so thanks for that.

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