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figiel

Pronunciation: /ˈfi.ɡjɛl/

“figiel” is a Polish word. Its 10 meanings in English:

noun

  1. joke (something done to make someone laugh)
  2. trick, prank
  3. joke (unexpected event that causes an unpleasant surprise)
  4. play (something done for pleasure)
  5. play, petting (erotic caress)
  6. joke (an object, drawing, decoration, etc. made in an inventive and witty way)
  7. trick (somtheing done to give the impression of e.g. magic, or to impress)
  8. wicked deed, misdeed; excesses
  9. cunning, trick, devil's trick, temptation
  10. trick, ruse, stratagem, method

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle High German vigilje, from Latin vigiliae. First attested in 1522.. A shift of noisy night-time visits to houses and churches, vigils for the dead, combined with drinking, witchcraft, and sorcery > a wicked act, a magic trick, a ruse, a joke occured because of to the behavior of participants in such medieval customs condemned by the Church at the time. Doublet of wigilia…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.