— faineance /fay"nee euhns/ , n.
/fay"nee euhnt/ ; Fr. /fe nay ahonn"/ , adj., n., pl. fainéants /-euhnts/ ; Fr. /-ahonn"/ .
adj.
1. Also, faineant /fay"nee euhnt/ . idle; indolent.
n.
2. an idler.
[ 1610-20; fait-nient, lit., he does nothing, pseudo-etymological alter. of OF faignant idler, n. use of prp. of se faindre to shirk. See FEIGN, FAINT ]