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Fell

1. Cruel; barbarous; inhuman; fierce; savage; ravenous. While we devise fell tortures for thy faults. (Shak)

2. Eager; earnest; intent. I am so fell to my business. (Pepys)

Origin: oe. Fel, OF. Fel cruel, fierce, perfidious; cf. As. Fel (only in comp) OF. Fel, as a noun also accus. Felon, is fr. LL. Felo, of unknown origin; cf. Arm fall evil, ir. Feal, arm. Falloni treachery, ir. & gael. Feall to betray; or cf. OHG. Fillan to flay, torment, akin to E. Fell skin. Cf. Felon.

a skin or hide of a beast with the wool or hair on; a pelt; used chiefly in composition, as woolfell. We are still handling our ewes, and their fells, you know, are greasy. (Shak)

Origin: as. Fell; akin to D. Vel, OHG. Fel, g. Fell, Icel. Fell (in comp), goth fill in orutsfill leprosy, L. Pellis skin, g. Cf. Film, peel, Pell.

(Science: chemical) The finer portions of ore which go through the meshes, when the ore is sorted by sifting.