(fé, fó, faoi), prep. [in pronom. combinations, fúm, fút, faoi or fé (masc.); fúithe (fem.); fúinn, fúibh, fútha; before poss. pronoun a, it prefixes n, as fá n-a cheann, underneath his head], under, about, throughout, concerning, for, on account of; of space, under, as fá chloich, under a stone; ag dul faoi, going under, setting, sinking; throughout, after verbs of motion: fá'n gcoill, fá'n gcnoc, throughout the wood, the hill; fá'n mbóthar, along the road; in adverb phr., as fá dheireadh, fá dheoidh), at last; fá chéaduair, at first; fá dhó, twice; fá n-a mhuinéal, around his neck; is used ethically: fá chuing, under a yoke; cur fá ghreim, to lay hold of; fá bhrón, in sorrow; fá'n saoghal, in life, in the world; on account of: is é fáth fá'r thánag, it is the reason why I came; créad fá, why; after verbs or nouns of mockery, incitation, desire, intention, attack: brisid fá scige, they burst into derisive laughter; ag magadh fúm, laughing at me; is olc an fuadar atá fút, you give promise of evil; ag séideadh fúm, inciting me, tempting me; tabhair fútha, attack them; tabhair fogha fútha, make an onset on them; in possession of: fá bhuaibh, fá laoigh, fá chaoirigh geala, having cattle, calves, and white sheep; in the charge of: fág fúm-sa an gnó sain, leave that affair in my charge; in numeral adverbs: fá dhó, fá thrí, twice, thrice; with mar, fá mar, as, according as; of time: fá'n bhfóghmhar, before Autumn; in phrases, as fá chómhair, for the use of, in the presence of; thugas fá deara é, I observed him; cad fá ndeara dhuit sain do dhéanamh? why have you done that? Notice also expressions like fá íochtar, in the lower parts; fá uachtar, above; fá mhaise, prosperous; fá bhórd, at table; bhuail duine fúm, I met a person; chuireas fúm annsain, I settled down there; dul fá bheirbhiughadh, to evaporate, as water allowed to continue on a fire after beginning to boil; buille fá thuairim, a guess; fá thuairim sláinte na mná, (drink) to the woman's health; ba mhaith fá'n airgead é, he was generous in distributing his money; is maith fá'n mbiadh é, he is generous in sharing food. fó is a poet. equiv. of fá; fé is generally used in M.: ní rachaidh sé fé ná thairis, he will get it; d'imthigheadar ortha amach fá'n sliabh, they betook themselves to the mountain; thíos fá'n dtuath, in the country; fá ghlas, locked up, under lock, in prison; fá láthair, at present; cuireadh fá ghuidhe an phobail é, the prayers of the public were sought for him; ba líonmhaire Éire fá naomhaibh 'ná éin-chríoch san Eoraip, Ireland was more prolific in saints than any other country in Europe; ag cup meala fé, coaxing him; ag cur smeara fé n-a bhrógaibh, greasing his boots; faoi rádh is go, because (Con.); in parts of Don., fá = about, faoi = under.

, non-asp., older form of ba, past tense of is (assertive verb). See <<is>>.