The equivalent word in my part of the world (Yorkshire, England) is 'foisty' which sounds like it shares its origin. Not sure how widespread it is. There are lots of Yorkshire dialect words, dying out to some extent with an older generation. I first heard this one from my mother-in-law.

Hi, welcome, never saw or heard that word before and I directly read "frosty", suffering from wintery tunnel vision.

I recall from when I was a boy, the stale smell that always seemed to permeate my grandmother's attic. Thus I was wondering if the entomology of this word is the German word for woman - namely, Frau - as that term can be used to connote an older, frumpy woman.

WELCOME, RICHARD

WELCOME, NOEL

I've never come across this word either......but will remember it because of its relation to 'bad fridge smell' and 'frosty', now.

And reading the comments in weekly AWAD mail.....I was thinking, how come people don't come here and discuss the words?

I've wondered that too. They email Anu, and by comments
show they read a lot of threads, but don't contribute.

But still the same in look and gait,
Easy, cheerful, and sedate.
(John milton)

Stale smell created by attic bugs?