Definition of "fenny"
fenny
adjective
comparative more fenny, superlative most fenny
Characteristic of or resembling a fen (“characteristically alkaline wetland containing peat below the waterline”); marshy, swampy; also, of land: containing a fen or fens.
Quotations
[F]or ſo many faire and Nauigable Riuers ſo neere adioyning, and piercing thorovv ſo faire a naturall Land, free from any inundations, or large Fenny vnvvholſome Marſhes, I haue not ſeene, read, nor heard of: […]
1624, Richard Grenville, “A Briefe Relation Written by Captaine Smith to His Maiesties Commissioners for the Reformation of Virginia, Concerning Some Aspersions against It”, in John Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, book 4; reprinted in The Generall Historie of Virginia, [...] (Bibliotheca Americana), Cleveland, Oh.: The World Publishing Company, 1966, page 162
Elephant. Elephantus. […] Their differences are according to place; ſo ſome live in fenny places, ſome on mountaines, ſome in fields, others in vvoods, &c.
1661, Robert Lovell, “Tetrapodologia. Of Fourfooted Beasts.”, in ΠΑΝΖΩΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ [PANZŌORYKTOLOGIA]. Sive Panzoologicomineralogia. Or A Compleat History of Animals and Minerals, Containing the Summe of All Authors, both Ancient and Modern, Galenicall and Chymicall, [...], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Hen[ry] Hall, for Jos[eph] Godwin, page 47
It is a custom with the northern lovers to divert themselves with a song whilst they journey through the fenny moors to pay a visit to their mistresses.
1712 June 27 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “MONDAY, June 16, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 406; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume V, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, page 9
Now chiefly of plants: growing or living in a fen.
Quotations
A fenny gooſe, even as her fleſhe is blacker, ſtoorer, unholſomer, ſo is her feather, for the ſame cauſe, courſer, ſtoorer, and rougher, and therefore I have heard very good fletchers ſay, that the ſecond fether in ſome place is better than the pinion in other ſome.
1544 (date written; published 1571), Roger Ascham, Toxophilus, the Schole, or Partitions, of Shooting. […], London: […] Thomas Marshe; republished in The English Works of Roger Ascham, […], London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], and J[ohn] Newbery, […], 1761, book 2, page 148
Fillet of a Fenny Snake, / In the Cauldron boyle and bake: […]
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i], page 143, column 2
Of the Indian Dragons there are alſo ſaid to be tvvo kindes, one of them fenny, and liuing in the Marſhes, vvhich are ſlovv of pace and vvithout combes on their heades like females: […]
1608, Edward Topsell, “Of the Dragon”, in The Historie of Serpents. Or, The Second Booke of Liuing Creatures: […], London: […] William Jaggard, page 158
Godvvit. […] they are a fenny fovvl, and live of VVorms, about River banks: […]
1661, Robert Lovell, “Ornithologia. Of Birds. [Brids[sic – meaning Birds] Lesse Used in Meat or Medicine.]”, in ΠΑΝΖΩΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ [PANZŌORYKTOLOGIA]. Sive Panzoologicomineralogia. Or A Compleat History of Animals and Minerals, Containing the Summe of All Authors, both Ancient and Modern, Galenicall and Chymicall, [...], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Hen[ry] Hall, for Jos[eph] Godwin, page 181
(obsolete, also figurative) Muddy; hence, dirty, filthy.
Quotations
Lord vvhat a nothing is this little Span, / VVe call a Man! / VVhat fenny traſh maintaines the ſmooth'ring fires / Of his desires!
1635, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Canto XIV. Pro[verbs] XXIV. XVI.”, in Emblemes, London: […] G[eorge] M[iller] and sold at at Iohn Marriots shope […], book II, stanza 4, page 118