Chapter FOOZILOW to FUTWA of F by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

FULEETA-PUP, s. This, in Bengal, is a well-known dish in the repertory of the ordinary native cook. It is a corruption of ‘fritter-puff’!

FURLOUGH, s. This word for a soldier’s leave has acquired a peculiar citizenship in Anglo-Indian colloquial, from the importance of the matter to those employed in Indian service. It appears to have been first made the subject of systematic regulation in 1796. The word seems to have come to England from the Dutch Verlof, ‘leave of absence,’ in the early part of the 17th century, through those of our countrymen who had been engaged in the wars of the Netherlands. It is used by Ben Jonson, who had himself served in those wars:

1625.—

“Pennyboy, Jun. Where is the deed? hast thou it with thee?
Picklock. No.
It is a thing of greater consequence
Than to be borne about in a black box
Like a Low-Country vorloffe, or Welsh brief.”

The Staple of News, Act v. sc. 1.

FURNAVEESE, n.p. This once familiar title of a famous Mahratta Minister (Nana Furnaveese) is really the Persian fard-navis, ‘statement writer,’ or secretary.

[1824.—“The head civil officer is the Furnavese (a term almost synonymous with that of minister of finance) who receives the accounts of the renters and collectors of revenue.”—Malcolm, Central India, 2nd ed. i. 531.]

FUSLY, adj. Ar.—P. fasli, relating to the fasl, season or crop. This name is applied to certain solar eras established for use in revenue and other civil transactions, under the Mahommedan rule in India, to meet the inconvenience of the lunar calendar of the Hijra, in its want of correspondence with the natural seasons. Three at least of these eras were established by Akbar, applying to different parts of his dominions, intended to accommodate themselves as far as possible to the local calendars, and commencing in each case with the Hijra year of his accession to the throne (A.H. 963=A.D. 1555-56), though the month of commencement varies. [See Ain, ed. Jarrett, ii. 30.] The Fasli year of the Deccan again was introduced by Shah Jehan when settling the revenue system of the Mahratta country in 1636; and as it starts with the Hijra data of that year, it is, in numeration, two years in advance of the others.

Two of these fasli years are still in use, as regards revenue matters, viz. the Fasli of Upper India, under which the Fasli year 1286 began 2nd April 1878; and that of Madras, under which Fasli year 1286 began 1st July 1877.

FUTWA, s. Ar. fatwa. The decision of a council of men learned in Mahommedan law, on any point of Moslem law or morals. But technically and specifically, the deliverance of a Mahommedan law-officer on a case put before him. Such a deliverance was, as a rule, given officially and in writing, by such an officer, who was attached to the Courts of British India up to a little later than the middle of last century, and it was more or less a basis of the judge’s decision. (See more particularly under ADAWLUT, CAZEE and LAW-OFFICER.)

1796.—“In all instances wherein the Futwah of the Law-officers of the Nizamut-Adaulat shall declare the prisoners liable to more severe punishment than under the evidence, and all the circumstances of the case shall appear to the Court to be just and equitable.…”—Regn. VI. of 1796, § ii.

1836.—“And it is hereby enacted that no Court shall, on a Trial of any person accused of the offence made punishable by this Act require any Futwa from any Law-Officer.…”—Act XXX. of 1836, regarding Thuggee, § iii.