A farewell feast or gift, often given as a parting gesture; an archaic term for hospitality or entertainment.
From Dutch 'fooi' or Old French 'fouaille,' meaning a gift or tip. The word traveled through trading routes and entered Middle English, originally meaning a drinking bout or entertainment given at departure.
This delightfully archaic word shows how travel and trade shaped English—it came from Dutch traders and survives as a ghost of ancient hospitality customs. Some cultures still practice the 'foy' concept without using the word!
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