fastˈ-and-looseˈ noun

A cheating game practised at fairs, the dupe being invited to put a stick in the loop of a coiled belt so that it cannot be pulled away (also called prick-the-garter)

fastˈ-handˈed adjective

Tight-fisted, mean

fast by

Close to, close by

hard and fast

(of a rule, etc) unalterable, inflexible, strict

play fast and loose

1. (from the cheating game) to be unreliable or shifty
2. To behave without sense of moral obligation
3. To trifle (with with)

prick /prik/

1. To pierce slightly with a fine point
2. To cause slight pain by doing this
3. (of eg the conscience) to cause pangs to
4. To pierce (a hole)
5. To urge with, or as if with, a spur or goad
6. To incite
7. (usu with up; of an animal) to erect, cock, stick up (its ears)
8. To insert (eg seedlings) in small holes (usu with in, out, etc)
9. To indicate with a prick or dot, to tick off, hence to select
10. To trace (eg a pattern) with pricks
11. To write out in musical notation (obsolete)
12. To pin (obsolete)
13. To deck out (obsolete)
14. To pick, poke or pluck out with a point (obsolete)
15. To stick all over or stud (with something; obsolete)
16. To pierce the skin of (a suspected witch) to find insensitive spots (historical)

1. To pierce, make punctures
2. To have a sensation of pricking, to smart
3. (of the conscience) to cause one pangs
4. (of wine) to begin to turn sour
5. (of an animal's ears; with up) to stand erect
6. To ride with spurs, or quickly (archaic)
7. To detect witches by the pricking method (historical)

1. The act, feeling, or stimulus of piercing or puncturing
2. A puncture
3. A mark or wound made by puncturing
4. The penis (vulgar sl)
5. A term of abuse for a person one dislikes or thinks a fool (vulgar sl)
6. A hare's footprint
7. Anything sharp and piercing, such as a thorn, spine, goad (obsolete or archaic)
8. A note in written music (obsolete)
9. A graduation on a dial (Shakespeare)
10. A dot (obsolete)
11. A point of space or time (obsolete)
12. An hour-point on a clock (Shakespeare)
13. A point, peak, acme (Spenser)
14. The centre of an archery target (obsolete)
15. A mark or target (obsolete)

prickˈer noun

1. A piercing instrument
2. A witch-finder
3. A light horseman
4. A priming wire

prickˈing noun and adjective

prickˈ-eared adjective

Having erect or noticeable ears

prickˈ-louse or prickˈ-the-louse noun (Scot)

A tailor

prickˈ-me-dainˈty noun (Scot)

An affected person

adjective

Over-precise

prickˈ-song noun (Shakespeare)

1. Written music
2. Descant

prick spur noun

A spur with one point

prickˈ-teaser same as cockteaser (see under cock¹).

prick-the-garˈter noun

Fast-and-loose

prickˈwood noun

1. The spindle-tree
2. The dogwood

kick against the pricks

To react futilely against discipline or authority, to the extent of injuring oneself (Bible, Acts 9.5)

prick up one's ears

To begin to listen intently