fil·ly

(fĭl′ē)

n. pl. fil·lies

1. A young female horse, especially a racehorse less than five years old, or a young female of another equine species.

2. Informal A lively, high-spirited girl or young woman.

[Middle English filli, from Old Norse fylja; see pau- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

filly

(ˈfɪlɪ)

n, pl -lies

1. (Animals) a female horse or pony under the age of four

2. informal rare a spirited girl or young woman

[C15: from Old Norse fylja; related to Old High German fulihha; see foal]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fil•ly

(ˈfɪl i)

n., pl. -lies.

1. a young female horse.

2. Informal. a girl or young woman.

[1400–50; late Middle English fyly < Old Norse fyla female foal]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

filly - a young female horse under the age of four

female - an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa)

foal - a young horse

Translations

مُهْر، مُهْرَه

klisnička

hoppeføl

weibliches Füllen

pouliche

kancacsikó

ung meri

puledra

kumelaitė

ķēve

hoppe unghoppe fole

кобылка

yavru kısrak

小雌马

filly

[ˈfɪlɪ] N → potra f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

filly

[ˈfɪli] n (= horse) → pouliche f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

filly

n → Stutfohlen nt; (dated inf) → Mädel nt (dated)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

filly

[ˈfɪlɪ] n → puledra

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

filly

(ˈfili) noun – plural ˈfillies –

a young female horse.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

`Stand back,' said the master, `and keep out of her way; you've done a bad day's work for this filly.' He growled out something about a vicious brute.

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The stallion of my choice grazed with a filly and two yearlings a little apart from the balance of the herd and nearest to the forest and to me.

At last it became evident that he was doing so, when apparently without cause, the filly raised her head, neighed and started off at a trot in the opposite direction, immediately followed, of course, by the colts and my stallion.

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Numa selected a sleek, fat filly and his flaming eyes burned greedily as they feasted upon her, for Numa, the lion, loves scarce anything better than the meat of Pacco, perhaps because Pacco is, of all the grass-eaters, the most difficult to catch.

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The next morning Sheldon came in from the plantation to breakfast, to find the mission ketch, Apostle, at anchor, her crew swimming two mares and a filly ashore.

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Twelve filly foals did they conceive and bear him, and these, as they sped over the rich plain, would go bounding on over the ripe ears of corn and not break them; or again when they would disport themselves on the broad back of Ocean they could gallop on the crest of a breaker.

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Who broke in the filly, that no one else dare mount, though your coachman did pretend that he had tamed her before I took her in hand; but anybody could see that he lied—he was a great liar, that John—what’s that, a buck?” Richard abandoned the horses, and ran to the spot where Marmaduke had thrown the deer, “It is a buck!

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But now all the benches were filled with guests, lord and lady, burgher and dame, when at last the Sheriff himself came with his lady, he riding with stately mien upon his milk-white horse and she upon her brown filly. Upon his head he wore a purple velvet cap, and purple velvet was his robe, all trimmed about with rich ermine; his jerkin and hose were of sea-green silk, and his shoes of black velvet, the pointed toes fastened to his garters with golden chains.

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As for Magdalen," he continued, addressing his wife and Miss Garth, "she's an unbroken filly. Let her caper and kick in the paddock to her heart's content.

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"The maid is like the young filly, which kicks heels and plunges for very lust of life.

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Well, I heard him say--"By Jove, she's a neat little filly!" meaning your humble servant; and he did me the honour to dance two country-dances with me.

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He had, in fact, been a favorite steed of his master's, the choleric Van Ripper, who was a furious rider, and had infused, very probably, some of his own spirit into the animal; for, old and broken-down as he looked, there was more of the lurking devil in him than in any young filly in the country.

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