flesh vb. (the orig. meaning was ‘to reward a hawk or a hound with a piece of the flesh of the game killed to excite its eagerness in the chase’)
1.
to
initiate in or inure to bloodshed
John V. i. 71
“ his spirit in a
war-like soil,”
Lr. II. ii. 50
“come, I'll flesh
ye.”
2.
to inflame the ardour
or rage of (a person) by a foretaste of success,
&c.
Tw.N. IV. i. 44
“you are well
f-ed,”
2H4 I. i. 149
“f-'d with
conquest,”
H5 II. iv. 50
“flesh'd upon
us.”
3.
to plunge (a weapon)
into flesh
2H4 IV. v. 131
“the wild dog Shall
his
tooth in every innocent;— ”
one's “maiden
sword,” use it for the first time in battle
1H4 V. iv. 132,
1H6 IV. vii. 36
“Did his puny sword in
Frenchmen's blood.”
4.
to gratify (lust)
All'sW. IV. iii. 19
“he f-s his will in the
spoil of her honour.”
