bawbee
Americannoun
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an old Scottish bullion coin, originally worth about three halfpence of English coin, later sixpence.
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a halfpenny.
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anything of little value.
noun
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a former Scottish silver coin
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an informal word for halfpenny
Etymology
Origin of bawbee
First recorded in 1535–45; named after Alexander Orok, 16th-century mintmaster, laird of Sille bawby
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As for the letters at the post-mistress's, as they ca' her, down by yonder, they may bide in her shop-window, wi' the snaps and bawbee rows, till Beltane, or I loose them.
From St. Ronan's Well by Sir Walter Scott
“Ef I had a bawbee for every one o’ the creatures I’ve heard howl I’d nae doot be fixed for life,” The McNab assured them.
From Phil Bradley's Snow-shoe Trail The Mountain Boys in the Canada Wilds by Silas K. Boone
"It was the toss of a bawbee whether or not I should apprehend him myself when I saw him, and if I had him here your Grace would be the first to admit my discretion."
From Doom Castle by Neil Munro
And they have put down the Scottish mint, Nae money noo mak' we, I trow they hae sent to Brummagem To coin the Scots' bawbee!
From Punch - Volume 25 (Jul-Dec 1853) by Various
Ye're like a Lauderdale bawbee, as bad as bad can be.
From The Proverbs of Scotland by Alexander Hislop
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
