Forms: 6–7 zechine, 7 -yne, 8–9 zechin, (8 zeckin, zequeen), 7– zecchin, -ine. [ad. It. zecchino, f. zecca the mint at Venice = Sp. seca, a. Arab. sekkah coin.] A former gold coin of Venice and Turkey: CHEQUEEN, SEQUIN 1.
1575. Gascoigne, Flowers, Wks. 1907, I. 77. Zechines of glistering golde, two thousand was his price.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 3. They pay tribute to the Turke, 14000 Zecchins yearely.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 88. The gold coyne of the Venetians is called Zecchino. Ibid., 276. In Turkey the gold zechines of Venice are most currant.
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, xl. 160. A Subsidy of 600000 Zechins; worth about seven Franks and a half a piece.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. 304. I presented the Officer … with five Zequeens.
1789. Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, I. 195. A zecchine will bend between your fingers.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, xxxvi. They would swear the mother that bore them a sorceress for a zecchin.
1857. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, ii. (1868), 124. If you don’t choose to submit to be cheated by them out of a ducat here and a zecchin there, you will be cheated by them out of your picture.
