English

Noun

bawbee ‎(plural bawbees)

1. (Scotland, historical) A coin originally worth six pennies Scots, and later three; held equivalent to an English halfpenny.
2. (figuratively) A copper; a small amount of money.
   • 2007, Simon Hoggart, The Guardian, 12 Jul 2007:

     He said there were already plans for a tramline, and a museum of the theatre. Folk should not, he implied, waste their bawbees on the devil's spinning wheel.

Scots

Etymology

Probably shortened from Sillebawbe, the territorial designation of Alexander Orrok, Scottish master of the mint in the 16th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɑːˈbiː/

Noun

bawbee ‎(plural bawbees)

1. (historical) bawbee, halfpenny
   • 1823, Walter Scott, St. Ronan's Well:

     ‘And muckle they hae made o't—the bankrupt body, Sandie Lawson, hasna paid them a bawbee of four terms' rent.’

2. money
3. dowry
   • 1803, Alexander Boswell, ‘Jenny's Bawbee’:

     A' clatty, squinting through a glass, / He girn'd, ‘I'faith a bonnie lass!’ / He thought to win, wi' front o' brass, / Jenny's bawbee.