First recorded in 1805–15; originally vagrants' slang: “to do for, rob, kill (someone), shape (something)”; perhaps variant of obsolete feak, feague “to beat,” akin to Dutch veeg “a slap,” vegen “to sweep, wipe”
to lay (a rope) in a coil or series of long loops so as to allow to)”; perhaps variant of obsolete feak, feague “to beat,” run freely without fouling).