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fawce

Fawce is a British dialect or archaic slang term meaning cunning, sly, or crafty — describing someone who is devious in a calculating, self-interested way rather than openly aggressive.

fɔːs170 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 28, 2026UK

Fawce is a British dialect or archaic slang term meaning cunning, sly, or crafty — describing someone who is devious in a calculating, self-interested way rather than openly aggressive. It carries a negative moral connotation, suggesting someone who manipulates situations to their advantage through deception. The word is rare in modern usage and would likely be unfamiliar to most contemporary British speakers, though it may survive in some regional dialects or historical texts.

Nobody trusted him in a negotiation — everyone knew he was too fawce to take at his word.
Origin: Possibly related to Old French 'faus' or 'faux' (false, deceitful), entering English through Norman influence. Cognate with 'false' and related to words implying deception and duplicity. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents

Fawce means: Fawce is a British dialect or archaic slang term meaning cunning, sly, or crafty - describing someone who is devious in a calculating, self-interested way rather than openly aggressive. It carries. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. As a place or proper-name reference it is purely descriptive.

For ESL learners

fawce means: Fawce is a British dialect or archaic slang term meaning cunning, sly, or crafty - describing someone who is devious in a calculating, self-interested way rather than openly. Register: archaic, historical. Almost never used today; you will find it only in older texts, dictionaries of dialect, or historical writing. Avoid in active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.

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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(British, slang) cunning, sly.

Cluster: general
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For specific readers

Fawce means: Fawce is a British dialect or archaic slang term meaning cunning, sly, or crafty - describing someone who is devious in a calculating, self-interested way rather than openly aggressive. It carries. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. As a place or proper-name reference it is purely descriptive.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.

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