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., 1029.
| Alle the innes of the toun, | |
| 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 that shal be shot ayenst the saille tyl that it be so peced & so rented that it can not holde wynde noo lenger.
1545. Raynold, 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, 79.
| Africa, that brags her foison, | |
| Breeds no such prodigious poison! |
1848. Lowell, Fable for Critics, Poet. Wks. 1890, III. 70.
| For he has a perennial foison of sappiness; | |
| He has just enough force to spoil half your day’s happiness. |
b. Plentiful crop or harvest.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xxxiv. 549. Looke vpon the grayne that is cast into the ground; if it rotte not, it springeth not vp; if it spring not vp, it yeldeth no foyson.
1610. Shaks., Temp., IV. i. 110.
| Earths increase, foyzon plentie, | |
| Barnes and Garners, neuer empty. |
1845. R. W. Hamilton, Pop. Educ., x. (ed. 2), 330. Instead of regarding our fields as incapable of yielding an enlarged and a more adequate supply, we anticipate the foison of an unknown husbandry.
c. quasi-adv. In abundance. So OF. foison.
13[?]. K. Alls., 1010.
| In a castel heo way y-set, | |
| And was deliverid liversoon, | |
| Skarschliche and nought foisoun | |
| [MS. Laud, 622, nouȝth a foyson]. |
2. Inherent vigor or vitality; power, strength, capacity. pl. Resources. Now chiefly Sc.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8515 (Cott.).
| His regnning was wit right resun; | |
| Gains him his fas had na fusun. | |
| Ibid., 13498 (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 Johan 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 by the blessing of God, which makes men rich, it increases, like the widows meal and oil which she bestowed upon the Prophet.
1605. Shaks., 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 both the sap of a tree, and bodily strength. Ibid. (1825). ‘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, | |
| It is a good medycyne; | |
| Hys mete xal han þe more fysoun | |
| Afterward be resoun. |
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glasse, i. B 3 b. Them two are poyson to men though foison to birdes. Ibid., v. F 1 a. The moisture 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 Preaching, the Liturgie of the Church of England, is but dry meat, and hath no foison in it, because it is not basted by the cookery of the Popes Court..
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].’
