I was surprised to read of Fanny using the word as well and was pleased to see this thread. Barbara - thankyou for the listing of its usage so far.

As far as when Fanny used it, it seemed to me the only time she has dropped the veneer of snobbery she so firmly has in place. Her mother was crossing the line, funny how Fanny was able to recognized that in someone other than herself! Although Fanny does not like Elinor, she does a decent job of making her dear husband think she does care for his half-sisters. This public humiliation of her mothers was becoming a bit blatant. It seemed to me that we may have gotten a glimpse of Fanny when she was Marianne's age?