1607. Dekker, Jests to Make you Merie in wks. (Grosart) II., 326. Now to our foysts, alias pickpocket, alias cutpurse. 1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candelight, in wks. (Grosart) III., 212. A foyst nor a Nip shall not walke into a Fayre or a Play-house. 1611. Middleton, Roaring Girl, O. Pl., vi., 113. This brave fellow is no better than a foist. Foist! what is that? A diver with two fingers; a pickpocket; all his train study the figging law, that’s to say cutting of purses and foisting. 2. (old).—A trick; a swindle; an imposture. Also Foyster and Foister. 1605. Ben Jonson, Volpone or the Fox, iii., 9. Put not your foists upon me. I shall scent ’em. 3. (old).—A silent emission of wind through the anus (see quot., sense 2); a cheeser. See Fart and Fousty. [Coles has to fyst, vissio; which in his Latin part he renders to fizzle. Also fysting cur; and in Sherwood’s English Dictionary, subjoined to Cotgrave, fysting curs, and other offenders of the same class, are fully illustrated.] 1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Loffa, a fizle, a fiste, a close fart. 1605. Jonson, Eastward Hoe, pl. iv., 270. Marry, fyst o’ your Ruidess. I thought as much. 1662. Rump Songs, II., 3. That a reason be enacted (if there be not one), Why a fart hath a voice, and a fyst hath none, Which nobody can deny. 1690. B. E., Dict. of the Canting Crew. Foyst ... also a close strong stink, without noise or report. 1785. Grose. Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. Fice or Foyse. Verb. (old).—1. To trick; to swindle; to pick pockets. 1607. Dekker, Jests to Make You Merie, in wks. (Grosart) II., 332. But now to the manner of the foysting of a pocket, the sharing of the money, and how honest men may avoide them. 1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). To foyst, to picke a pocket. 1653. Middleton, Spanish Gipsy, ii., 1. I mean fitching, foisting, nimming. 2. (old).—To fart. Also to copulate (Urquhart). 1539. David Lyndsay, Thrie Estaitis (Works, Laing, 1879), ii., 109. Ane fistand flag. 1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Loffare, s.v. 1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, Vessir, s.v. Foister, or Foyster, subs. (old).—A pick-pocket; a cheat. 1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Barattiere, a barterer, a trucker, a marter, an exchanger, a briber, a cheater, a false gamester, a cousener, a broker, a fripper, a chaffrer, a cogger, a foyster, a deceiuer, a coni-catcher, a bareter, a prowler. (?). Mirrour for Magistrates, p. 483, When facing foisters, fit for Tiburn. fraies, Are food-sick faint. Follower, subs. (colloquial).—A maid-servant’s sweetheart; a beau. For synonyms, see Jomer. 1838. Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, ch. xv. Five servants kept. No man. No followers. 1860. Chambers’ Journal, XIII., p. 32. No followers allowed.