a. See also FUSTY. [f. FOIST sb.2 + -Y1.] Fusty, musty, moldy. lit. and fig.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 151 b. Lest suche placis waxe filthy and foysty.
1566. Drant, Horace’s Sat., iv. H.
| As if in brewinge spyced wynes, | |
| thou shouldst bestow muche paine: | |
| And sauce thy meate with foystie oyles, | |
| thy gesse wooulde the disdaine. |
1619. Favour, Antiq. Tri. over Novelty, xiii. 334. For the old motheaten, leaden Legend and the foisty and fenowed Festiuall, are yet secretly layd vp in corners, read with solemne deuotion.
1669. J. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 285. Thrash not Wheat to keep untill March, lest it prove foisty.
c. 1750. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), Misc. Wks. (1812), 19. Tim. Well boh we’n had enough o this foisty matter; lets tawk o’summot elze.
1859. H. T. Ellis, Hong Kong to Manilla, 219. It embarked between thirty and forty passengers, comprising nearly all shades between pure Spaniards, pure Indians, and pure Chinese (if such a term can be applied to so ‘foisty’ a race as the latter).
1876. Whitby Gloss., s.v. ‘As foisty as an old York church.’
Hence Foisty v. intr., to become foisty or musty; implied in Foistied ppl. a. Foistiness, the quality or condition of being foisty.
1572. Huleot, Foistied, mustied or vinoed, mucidus.
1576. Baker, Jewell of Health, 38. Least that there may remayne some smatch of rottennesse or foystynes in the lycour dystilled.
1586. T. Lupton, A Thousand Notable Things of Sundry Sortes, II. 36. So the Wyne wyll be preserued from foystines and euyll sauor.
