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Webster 1913 Edition


farthing

Far′thing

,
Noun.
[OE.
furthing
, AS.
feórðung
, fr.
feórða
fourth,
feór
,
feówer
, four. See
Four
.]
1.
The fourth of a penny; a small copper coin of Great Britain, being a cent in United States currency.
2.
A very small quantity or value.
[Obs.]
In her cup was no
farthing
seen of grease.
Chaucer.
3.
A division of land.
[Obs.]
Thirty acres make a
farthing
land; nine
farthings
a Cornish acre; and four Cornish acres a knight’s fee.
R. Carew.

Webster 1828 Edition


Farthing

F'ARTHING

, n.
1.
The fourth of a penny; a small copper coin of Great Britain, being the fourth of a penny in value. In America we have no coin of this kind. We however use the word to denote the fourth part of a penny in value, but the penny is of different value from the English penny, and different in different states. It is becoming obsolete, with the old denominations of money.
2.
Farthings, in the plural, copper coin.
3.
Very small price or value. It is not worth a farthing, that is, it is of very little worth, or worth nothing.
4.
A division of land. [Not now used.]
Thirty acres make a farthing-land; nine farthings a Cornish acre; and four Cornish acres a knight's fee.

Definition 2024


farthing

farthing

English

Noun

farthing (plural farthings)

  1. (historical) Former British unit of currency worth one-quarter of an old penny.
    • 1883, Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Chapter V
      "Nay, Heaven forbid, indeed," quoth Robin, "that I should take from such as thee, jolly fellow! Not so much as one farthing would I take from thee, for I love a fair Saxon face like thine right well—more especially when it cometh from Locksley Town, and most especially when the man that owneth it is to marry a bonny lass on Thursday next. But come, tell me for what price thou wilt sell me all of thy meat and thy horse and cart."
    • 1895, Parliament of Western Australia, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly VIII, page 163:
      We must keep them to the fact that the duty is one and three quarter farthings, or nearly a half-penny in the pound and no more, and any one who tries to work it out any other way is not acting fairly in the matter.
    • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 29686887 , chapter II:
      I had never defrauded a man of a farthing, nor called him knave behind his back. But now the last rag that covered my nakedness had been torn from me. I was branded a blackleg, card-sharper, and murderer.

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