| 释义 |
threepenny, a. (n.)|ˈθrɪpənɪ, ˈθrɛpənɪ|
1. Of the value or price of threepence.
a. threepenny nail, a nail of the size which originally cost threepence a hundred. (See penny 10.)
1429–30Rec. St. Mary at Hill 73 Also for dc iij peny nayll, j d ob. 1481,1484[see penny 10]. 1486Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 16, ccc iij peny nailes ixd. 1494–5in Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896) 43 De clauis vocatis threpenynayle precii centene iij d.
b. threepenny bit (bit n.2 8 c), threepenny piece = threepence 2; also fig. (in reference to the size of the silver coin) something very small. Also ellipt. threepenny.
1729Evelyn's Kal. Hort. 199 A Leaf as broad as a Three-penny Piece. 1879St. George's Hosp. Rep. IX. 311 Pieces of..bone, varying in size from that of a threepenny-piece to half-a-crown. 1884W. Black in Harper's Mag. Dec. 21/2 A small threepenny-bit of a creature. 1892A. Maclaren Paul's Prayers, etc. (1893) 289 Only a threepenny bit and not a talent. 1905Daily Chron. 8 Nov. 6/7 Threepennies, indeed, are as characteristic of the provinces as the farthing is peculiar to London.
c. Costing or involving an outlay of threepence.
1698Christ Exalted 55 No more shaken than a pair of Three-penny Bellows can shake down the Monument. 1712–13Swift Jrnl. to Stella 17 Feb., I play but threepenny ombre. 1825T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. viii. III. 126 The letter which had arrived by the threepenny post from Hackney. 1902Westm. Gaz. 25 Apr. 7/3 The 7.3 from Hoe-street, Walthamstow, commonly known as ‘the last threepenny train’ (largely used by workmen).
d. transf. Of or pertaining to threepence or to something worth threepence; able or willing to pay threepence.
1630J. Taylor (Water P.) Navy Land Ships Wks. i. 79/1 Some Men (being borne vnder a threepeny planet) can neither by paines..or any industry be worth a groat. 1895Daily News 13 Dec. 7/1 Consigned to the threepenny boxes of the second-hand booksellers. 1898Daily Chron. 14 Oct. 3/4 What in magazine parlance may be called..the ‘threepenny’ public. 1899J. Pennell in Fortn. Rev. LXV. 113 It is useless to discuss any matter with the threepenny populace.
2. fig. as a disparaging epithet: Of little worth; trifling, paltry, cheap, worthless.
1613Rowland Four Knaves (Percy Soc.) 47 Like threepenie watch-men..Each with a rustie browne-bill in his hand. 1651C. Cartwright Cert. Relig. i. 76 Such men..were permitted to excommunicate for a threepeny matter. 1823Scott Peveril xxvii, Down to that three-penny baggage, Mistress Nelly.
3. n. A length of rod used in basket-making.
1912[see long-small s.v. long a.1 A. 18]. 1953A. G. Knock Willow Basket-Work (ed. 5) 9 Three feet, Tacks;..six feet, Threepenny. |