farthing
Americannoun
-
a former bronze coin of Great Britain, equal to one-fourth of a British penny: withdrawn in 1961.
-
something of very small value.
I don't care a farthing for your opinion.
noun
-
a former British bronze coin, worth a quarter of an old penny, that ceased to be legal tender in 1961
-
something of negligible value; jot
Other Word Forms
- half-farthing noun
Etymology
Origin of farthing
First recorded before 950; Middle English ferthing, Old English fēorthing; fourth, -ing 3
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.
Visit Eastbourne describes it as "the only cycling event of its kind in the world specifically for penny farthings".
From BBC
The highlight of his haul in 2022 was a hoard of farthings from the reign of 15th Century Scottish King James III.
From BBC
About 100 people have pedalled for a bone-jarring three hours in a charity penny farthing race.
From BBC
Until 1885, the penny farthing bicycle amplified the rider’s pedal power by means of its oversize front wheel, and cyclists tumbled from a scary height when ambushed by a pothole.
From Washington Post
The men in particular were hams, sitting on the ground before their thrown-down penny farthings, as the high-wheel bikes of the day were known.
From New York Times
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.
