farthing

參見：Farthing

英語

詞源

源自中古英語 ferthing ← 古英語 fēorþing, fēorþung (“四分之一；法尋”) ← fēorþa (“第四”) ← 原始日耳曼語 *fedurþungaz (“四分之一”)，可能受古諾爾斯語 fjórðungr (“第四部分，四分之一”)影響。等同於fourth +‎ -ing。

發音

• (英國) 國際音標^(幫助): /ˈfɑː(ɹ).ðɪŋ/
• 韻部：-ɑː(ɹ)ðɪŋ

名詞

farthing (複數 farthings)

1. 〈史〉 法尋，英國舊時硬幣，相當於四分之一便士
   • 1883, 霍华德·派尔 《罗宾汉奇遇记》，章 5:

     "Nay, Heaven forbid, indeed," quoth Robin, "that I should take from such as thee, jolly fellow! Not so much as one farthing would I take from thee, for I love a fair Saxon face like thine right well—more especially when it cometh from Locksley Town, and most especially when the man that owneth it is to marry a bonny lass on Thursday next. But come, tell me for what price thou wilt sell me all of thy meat and thy horse and cart."

   • 1895, Parliament of Western Australia, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly VIII, page 163:

     We must keep them to the fact that the duty is one and three quarter farthings, or nearly a half-penny in the pound and no more, and any one who tries to work it out any other way is not acting fairly in the matter.

   • Template:RQ:Frgsn Zlnstn

     I had never defrauded a man of a farthing, nor called him knave behind his back. But now the last rag that covered my nakedness had been torn from me. I was branded a blackleg, card-sharper, and murderer.

2. 〈喻〉 很小的數量

   近義詞：jot、shred、whit

   • 1927-29, 甘地 《我体验真理的故事》, 1940年由摩诃德夫·德赛翻譯, Part I, Chapter xvi:

     That period of infatuation was not unrelieved by a certain amount of self-introspection on my part. I kept account of every farthing I spent, and my expenses were carefully calculated. Every little item such as omnibus fares or postage or a couple of coppers spent on newspapers, would be entered, and the balance struck every evening before going to bed. That habit has stayed with me ever since, and I know that as a result, though I have had to handle public funds amounting to lakhs, I have succeeded in exercising strict economy in their disbursement, and instead of outstanding debts have had invariably a surplus balance in respect of all the movements I have led.

3. 〈旧〉 土地的分割

派生詞

• brass farthing
• half farthing
• farthingdale
• farthingland
• farthingless

• not worth a brass farthing
• penny-farthing
• quarter farthing

• third farthing
• three farthings
• unofficial farthing

中古英語

名詞

farthing

1. 同ferthing。