foxing

English

The title page of a book, exhibiting foxing (discoloration)

Verb

foxing

1. present participle and gerund of fox

Noun

foxing (countable and uncountable, plural foxings)

1. (printing) The discoloration of printed material with brown marks.

   Synonyms: measles, mealiness

2. A band of material joining the upper of a shoe to the sole.
3. Crafty or wily behavior.
   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     "Here, wake up!" cried Silas. "None of your foxin'! Wake up! D'ye hear?" He shook him roughly by the shoulder, but the boy still slumbered on.

4. (prison slang) Pretending to be asleep or unconscious.