Obs. Forms: 1 fæt(t, 2–4 fet, south. vet, (3 feat), 4–8 fatt(e, 5–7 fate, (5 faat), 4– fat. See also VAT. [OE. fæt str. neut., corresp. to MLG., Du. vat, OHG. faẓ (MHG. vaẓ, mod.G. fass), ON. fat (Da. fad, Sw. fat):—OTeut. fato-m:—Teut. root *fat- (:—pre-Teut. *pod-, pōd-) to hold, contain; cf. OFris. fatia, MDu. vatten, OHG. faẓẓôn (MHG. vaẓẓen, mod.G. fassen) to grasp; also, Lith. pudas (:—pōdos) vessel; OE. fętel, OHG. feẓẓil (MHG. veẓẓel sword belt, mod.G. fessel, fetter), ON. fetell band.]
1. a. In early use gen. A vessel.
Beowulf, 2761. Geseah … he … fyrnmanna fatu.
c. 950. Lindisfarne Gospels, John ii. 7. Gefylleð ȝie ða fatto of uætre.
a. 1000. Elene, 1026 (Gr.). Heo þa rode heht … in seolfren fat locum belucan.
a. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xl. 11. And ic nam þa winberian & wrang on þæt fæt and sealde Faraone.
c. 1050. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 347. Acerra, fæte oððe gledfæte.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 18. Þe reue … bed … bringen forð a uet ant fullen hit of wettre.
fig. c. 1230. Hali Meid., 13. Þe uertu þat halt ure bruchele feat þat is ure feble flesch … in hal halinesse.
1340. Ayenb., 231. Hi bereþ a wel precious tresor ine a wel fyebble uet.
b. spec. A vessel of silver, or other metal, of a particular form; esp. one to contain holy-water.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 1054.
| A fende it was that me bigat, | |
| And pelt me in an holy fat. |
1454. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), II. 175. A gylted cop called a fate covered.
1484. Churchw. Acc. Wigtoft Boston (Nichols, 1797), 79. For saudryng of the holy water fatte.
1536. in Antiq. Sarisb. (1771), 198. A Fat of Silver for holy water.
1571. Grindal, Injunct. Clergie & Laytie, B iv. The Churchwardens … shall see … that all … Holy water stocks or Fattes … be utterly defaced.
2. A vessel of large size for liquids; a tub, a dyer’s or brewer’s vat, a wine cask. Cf. VAT.
In the A. V. esp. the vat in which grapes are trodden.
[a. 1225. St. Marher., 17. Saloman þe wise … bitunde us in ane tunne, ant comen babilones men … ant breken þæt feat.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 802. I schal fette yow a fatte your fette for to wasche.]
c. 1400. Sowdone Bab., 3152.
| Kinge Charles did calle bisshope Turpyne | |
| And bade him ordeyne a grete fat | |
| To baptyse the Sowdone yne. |
1469. Bury Wills (Camden), 46. The occupier … shall haue his wetyng of his barly in the fate of the seid Denyse duryng maltyng tyme.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 100/3. [He] made hym to be caste in to a fatte or a tonne full of hote oylle.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 447. Whan ale is in the fatt.
1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met., II. (1593), 27.
| There wayted Sommer naked starke all save a wheaten Hat: | |
| And Autumne smeard with treading grapes late at the pressing Fat. |
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., II. vii. 122.
| In thy Fattes our Cares be drown’d, | |
| With thy Grapes our haires be Crown’d. |
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrastus, To Rdr. A great waterpot like a Diers fat, or chaldron.
1678. J. Phillips, Tavernier’s Trav., V. viii. 219. The golden Fat out of which they take the water.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Wine, The Liquor thus press’d, should stand in the Fatt about fifteen Days, with the Husks and Stalks in it, to ferment.
1755. Magens, Insurances, I. 521. 5 Fatts red Wine £.1661: 16.
b. Proverb.
1583. Babington, Commandm., vi. 278. They woulde haue euerie fat, they say, stand on his owne bottome, and euerie man to medle with himself.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 37. Every Fatt must stand on his own bottom.
3. A cask or barrel to contain dry things. Occas. more explicitly, dry-fat.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 14. For the freight of a drie fatte of the biggest sort .vi.s. viii. d. sterling.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea (1847), 134. Our pipes and fatts of bread, eaten and consumed by the ratts.
c. 1647. A. Wheelocke, in Lett. Abp. Ussher (1686), 546. We expect every day, the setting up of the Lambeth Books in the Schools; where your Grace, above 30 Years since, heard Mr. Andrew Downs read the Greek Lecture; as yet they remain in Fats, or great Chests, and cannot be of any use.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 227.
| Had read out all the Catalogues of Wares, | |
| That come in dry Fats o’er from Francfort Fairs. |
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 260/1. All Goods … in Barrels, Hogsheads, Fats, Chests or Packs.
1715. trans. D’Anois’ Wks., 386. The Fairy … return’d with a huge Fat full of Feathers.
1812. J. Smyth, Pract. Customs, 37. Battery, in fats.
4. Used as a measure of capacity (see quots.).
1413. Act 1 Hen. V., c. 10. Un mesure use deins la dicte Citee appelle le Faat.
1433. Act 11 Hen. VI., c. 8. Une vessell appelle le Fat, que conteient viij busselx dez blees ou un autre bussell mys a ycell pur une quartier.
1600. Heywood, Edw. IV., I. III. i. I would give … a fat of leather, to match her to some justice.
1607. Cowel, Interpr., Fate or Fat: is a great wooden vessell, which among brewers in London, is ordinarily vsed at this day, to measure mault by, containing a quarter.
1660. Act 12 Chas. II., c. 4. Sched. s.v. Books, The basket or maund, containing 8 bales or 2 fats.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Fat of Ising-glass, a Quantity from Three Hundred Weight and a quarter, to Four Hundred Weight.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. x. 166. The common use of this measure [of 9 gallons], called a fatt, was prohibited by statute.
5. Comb.
1483. Cath. Angl., 123/2. A Fattmaker, cuparius.
