farthingn.
/ˈfɑːðɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈfɑrðɪŋ/ A quarter of some particular denomination of money or measure.† 3. farthing (of gold):† 4. The name of various measures of land:
1. † b. under farthing: marked with a farthing.
a. The quarter of a penny; the coin representing this value. (Until 17th cent. chiefly a silver coin; subsequently of copper alloys; then of bronze.) In translations of the New Testament used for the two Roman coins as and quadrans, respectively the tenth and the fourth part of a denarius.The farthing ceased to be legal tender in 1961.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > coins collective > English coins > [noun] > farthing
farthingc950
ferlingc1000
quadransOE
quarter1389
quadrantc1450
quatrinc1470
Q1530
quadrine1557
rag1592
qua1631
grig1657
Jack?c1690
fadge1789
daddler1900
c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xii. 42 Tuoge stycas þæt is feorðung penninges.
c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xxi. 2 Gesæh ðonne an widua ðorfondlico sendende mæslenno feorðungas tuoeg.
c1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 129/800 To ȝelden ech ferþing.
1335 Act 9 Edw. III ii. c. 3 Que nul esterling, maille ne ferthing soit fondu pour vessel.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 193 Þe poure wyfman þet ne hedde bote tuaye uerþinges þet hi offrede to þe temple.
c1450 How Good Wijf (Lamb. 853) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 46 Ne þerfore spende neuere þe more of a ferthing.
1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) ii. xviii. sig. o.i v Vnto the laste fardynge.
1520 Chron. Eng. vii. f. 91v/1 The kynge ordeyned that the sterlyng halfpeny and ferthyng sholde go throughout al his lande.
1555 J. Heywood Two Hundred Epigrammes with Thyrde sig. D.vv She thynkth hir farthyng good syluer.
1611 Bible (King James) Matt. x. 29 Are not two Sparrowes solde for a farthing ? View more context for this quotation
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 33 As bare and beggarly as if he had not one brasse farthing.
1667 E. Chamberlayne Angliæ Notitia: 1st Pt. (1684) i. 11 A small piece of copper, called a Farthing.
1688 London Gaz. No. 2407/4 The new Tin Farthings..are to be delivered out at the Tinn Office in Bishopsgate-street.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. vi. xiii. 319 Here then..take every Farthing I am worth. View more context for this quotation
1849 F. W. Robertson Serm. (1866) 1st Ser. ii. 32 A miser..hoards farthings.
1866 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighb. (1878) xxxii. 556 Nor can you touch one farthing of her money.
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the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > animal keeping practices general > [adjective] > branded or marked > ear-marked
crop-eared1530
under-bitted1555
cropped1687
under farthing1715
1715 London Gaz. No. 5365/4 Sheep..gabel'd on the Left Ear, the Right Ear under Farthing.
2. transferred.† a. A very small piece of anything. Obsolete.
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the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a separate part > a piece or bit > small piece
fingereOE
snedec1000
seed?a1200
morselc1300
bittlock?a1400
farthingc1405
spota1413
lipetc1430
offe?1440
drewc1450
remnantc1450
parcel1483
crap1520
flakec1525
patch1528
spark1548
a piece1559
sparklec1570
inch1573
nibbling?1577
scantling1585
scrat1593
mincing1598
scantle1598
halfpenny1600
quantity1600
nip1606
kantch1608
bit1609
catch1613
scripa1617
snap1616
sippeta1625
crumblet1634
scute1635
scantleta1642
snattock1654
cantlet1700
tab1729
pallion1738
smallness1818
knobble1823
wisp1836
c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 134 In hir coppe there was no ferthyng seene Of grece.
b. figurative. A very little, ‘an atom’, ‘a bit’, esp. in not to careor matter a farthing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > a small quantity or amount > the smallest amount > a jot
cornc888
grotc888
prickleOE
prickOE
pointc1300
grain1377
hair1377
motec1390
twynt1399
mitec1400
tarec1405
drop1413
ace?1440
tittlea1450
whita1450
jot1526
Jack1530
plack1530
farthingc1540
minima1585
scintil1599
atom1626
scintillation1650
punct1653
doit1660
scintilla1674
rap1792
haet1802
dottle1808
smiggot1823
hooter1839
heartbeat1855
pick1866
filament1868
hoot1878
the mind > emotion > indifference > [verb (intransitive)]
to put in no chaloir1477
not to care1490
to let the world wag (as it will)c1525
not to care a chip1556
to hang loose (to)1591
(to bid, care, give) a fig, or fig's end for1632
not to careor matter a farthing1647
not to care a doit1660
(not) to care twopencea1744
not to give a curse (also damn)1763
not to care a dump1821
not to care beans1833
not to care a darn1840
not to give a darn1840
not to care a straw (two, three straws)1861
not to care (also give) a whoop1867
(to care) not a fouter1871
not to care (or give) a toss1876
not to give (also care) a fuck1879
je m'en fiche1889
not to care a dit(e)1907
je m'en fous1918
not to give a shit1918
to pay no nevermind1946
not to give a sod1949
not to give (also care) a monkey's (fuck)1960
not to give a stuff1974
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 8884 Hit neuer fortherit me a ferthing to fylsy my goodes.
1549 R. Crowley Voyce Laste Trumpet sig. Bviii Thou knowest not therby to make The sycke man one farthyng better.
1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 40 It matters not a farthing whether he be Presbyterian or Independent.
a1707 M. Prior Ladle 18 Else all these Things we toil so hard in, Wou'd not avail one single Farthing.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 522. ⁋6 The gentleman who has told her he does not care a farthing for her.
1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xxv. 347 Declared that he did not care a brass farthing.
a. A quarter noble; also farthing noble. (The Anglo-Norman statute of 1421 has ferling.)
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society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > coins collective > English coins > [noun] > noble or angel > quarter-noble
farthing (of gold)1463
farthing-noble15..
quarter noble1577
1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 15 I beqwethe to..Davn John Wulfpet..a ferthing of gold.
?1530 J. Rastell Pastyme of People sig. *Di [In 1351] the kynge stablysshed his coyne..and ordayned that..a noble of golde shulde go for halfe a marke, and...xx.d. for a farthynge of golde, and .xii. of those farthynges of golde dyd way an ounce.
b. A quarter royal (see quot. a1513).
ΚΠ
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. ccxixv This yere [1464–5] was a newe Coyne ordeyned by the kynge, the whiche was namyd the Royall, & was & yet is in value of .x. Shillynges, The halfe Royall .v.s. and the ferthynge .ii. s. vi. d.
a. ? The quarter of a hide; = virgate n.; cf. fardel n.2
ΚΠ
1602 R. Carew Surv. Cornwall i. f. 36 Commonly thirtie Acres make a farthing land, nine farthings a Cornish Acre, and four Cornish Acres, a Knights fee.
b. ? The quarter of a virgate.
ΚΠ
a1000 Exon Domesday f. 356 Oltredus..reddidit gildum pro iii uirg. et iii ferdin' et dim.
c. ? The quarter of an acre, a rood (see quot. 1669 for farthing-land n. at Compounds 2 for farthing-land in Compounds 2). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of area > [noun] > a system or process of measuring land > other units of land measure
wandalec1150
wista1200
landc1400
ridge1439
peck1442
scrophec1450
buttc1460
rig1485
mark1488
stick1531
farthingdeal1543
plough-gang1548
quarterland1563
ploughgate1565
last1576
wand1596
ox-skin1610
garbred1621
plank1631
nooka1634
buttal1635
farthinga1640
rick1641
familia1676
rhandir1688
setiera1690
worthine1701
fierding1768
whip-land1811
rai1933
a1640 T. Risdon Chorogr. Surv. Devon (1811) (modernized text) §68 65 Moyhun was seized of three rods and three farthings of land.
Compounds
C1. attributive. Costing or valued at a farthing, as farthing-candle, whence farthing-candle-light, farthing-fee, farthing-loaf. Also objective, as farthing-coiner. Also as quasi-adj., trivial, almost valueless, unworthy of respect or notice.
ΚΠ
c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 878 He..bar þe mete to þe castel, And gat him þere a ferþing wastel.
c1350 Eng. Gilds (1870) 354 Ȝif þe ferþingloff is in defawte of wyȝte ouer twelf pans.
1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 28 As moche ferthyng white breed as comyth to iiij s. ij d.
1524 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1884) V. 181 To every man and woman and childe of the contrie a farddyng loof.
1596 J. Dee in Record's Ground of Artes ii. 324 Directly against it [the price of wheate] in the second columne you may find the waight of the farthing white loafe.
1597 Bp. J. Hall Virgidemiarum: 1st 3 Bks. i. iv. 10 Strayning his tip-toes for a farthing fee.
1631 in S. R. Gardiner Rep. Cases Star Chamber & High Comm. (1886) 84 Then was..read the severall confessions of the 2 farthing coyners.
1673 E. Pearse Best Match vii. 76 Not so much as the light of a Farthing-Candle is to the light of the Sun.
1691 A. Gavin Frauds Romish Monks 247 Her sisters would never be at a Farthing charge to procure Prayers for her.
1795 J. Wolcot Wks. (1812) IV. 180 A sun with us..yields to every Farthing Candle.
1818 Ld. Byron Beppo xl. 21 That sort of farthing candlelight which glimmers When reeking London's smoky caldron simmers.
1848 R. Garnett Ess. 120 The farthing-candle style of the notes.
1864 Sat. Rev. 9 July 66 The farthing, as first issued, was called a farthing token.
1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona v. 58 They each made me a little farthing compliment.
1896 H. Belloc Verses & Sonnets 25 His farthing honours.
C2. Special combinations.† farthing-man n. Scottish Obsolete some official of a guild.
farthing-boat n. a boat on which the fare is a farthing.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel for transporting people or goods > passenger vessel > [noun] > charging specific fare
farthing-boat1832
penny steamboat1848
1832 W. Stephenson Coll. Local Poems, Songs, &c. 58 She took the farthing boat.
farthing-cut n. a mark with which horses were branded by the owner.
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the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping or management of horses > [noun] > brand or mark on horse
ostrich feather1672
farthing-cut1691
1691 London Gaz. No. 2694/4 Stolen or strayed..one black Nag..with a farthing cut in the near Ear.
1711 London Gaz. No. 4877/4 A farthing Cut on his Left Ear.
farthing-gleek n. see gleek n.1
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > other card games > [noun] > gleek
gleek1533
farthing-gleeka1652
toe-gleek1689
a1652 R. Brome Mad Couple Well Match'd ii. i. sig. C3, in Five New Playes (1653) At Post and Pare, or Farthing gleeke.
farthing-land n. (see quots.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of area > [noun] > a system or process of measuring land > an acre > quarter acre or rood
roodlOE
rod1449
yardc1450
particate1489
farthingdeal1543
yardland1543
stang1570
farthing-land1602
ferling1695
1602 R. Carew Surv. Cornwall i. f. 36 Commonly thirtie Acres make a farthing land.
1669 J. Worlidge Systema Agriculturæ (1681) 325 A Farding Land, or Farundale of Land, is the fourth part of an Acre.
1882 C. Elton Orig. Eng. Hist. 193 Three kinds of land, Assart, Farthing-land and Cotman-land.
ΚΠ
15.. Stat. Gild in Balfour Practicks 77 Quhen the Alderman, Thesurare, Farthing-man or Dene..convene the gild brether for the commoun affairis.
farthing-noble n. the fourth part of a noble.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > coins collective > English coins > [noun] > noble or angel > quarter-noble
farthing (of gold)1463
farthing-noble15..
quarter noble1577
15.. in J. G. Nichols Chron. Grey Friars (1852) 5 The nobylle, half nobylle, and ferdyng~nobylle.
farthing-office n. the office from which farthings were issued.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > coins collective > English coins > [noun] > farthing > office from which farthings were issued
farthing-office1672
1672 London Gaz. No. 714/4 The Farthing-Office..for the delivering out of Farthings will be open on Tuesdays only.
farthing-shop n. one where articles priced at a farthing are sold.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > trading place > place where retail transactions made > [noun] > shop > other types of shop
show shop1787
lock-up shop1795
cash-store1811
boat shop1813
slaughter shop1841
slaughterhouse1851
ticket-shop1851
charity shop1853
magic shop1853
company store1872
Army and Navy1878
five-and-ten1880
farthing-shop1889
funeral home1895
goodwill1916
shop-within-(a)-shop1916
cash and carry1917
Piggly Wiggly1917
poverty shop1948
discount house1949
anchor1960
box store1976
mom-and-pop1976
op shop1978
duty-free1980
pound shop1983
pop-up2000
1889 Pall Mall Gaz. 6 Sept. 3/1 The farthing shop is in Dorset-street.
farthing-trout n. a name of the Samlet or Parr.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > fish > salmon > young salmon or parr
fario1753
parr1771
fingerling1829
farthing-trout1865
the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > order Salmoniformes (salmon or trout) > family Salmonidae (salmon) > [noun] > genus Salmo > salmo salar (salmon) > young > parr
graveling1587
pinka1641
tecon1653
fingering1686
brandling1754
laspring1760
parr1771
wrack-rider1794
salmon pink1805
fingerling1829
farthing-trout1865
1865 J. Couch Hist. Fishes Brit. Islands IV. 245 Samlet..Farthing trout.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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