underfong

English

Etymology

From Middle English underfongen, underfangen, from Old English underfōn (“to receive, undertake, accept”), from Proto-West Germanic *underfą̄han (“to receive, undertake”). Cognate with Dutch ondervangen, German unterfangen.

Verb

underfong (third-person singular simple present underfongs, present participle underfonging, simple past and past participle underfonged)

1. (obsolete, Early Modern) To seduce, entrap; surround, overcome.
   • 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC:

     Thou..that by trecheree Didst underfong my lasse, to wexe so light.

   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     And some by sleight he eke doth underfong.

   • 1599, T. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe:

     They haue towres upon them sixteene: mounts underfonging & enflancking them.

   • 1614, J. Davies in W. Browne, Shepheards Pipe:

     For, time will underfong us; and our voice Woll woxen weake; […]

Related terms

• fang
• fangle
• underfo