In the literal sense: see FARTHING. Also, money of the value of three farthings; hence the name of a silver coin of that value issued by Queen Elizabeth.
1561. Q. Eliz., Proclam., 15 Nov. Because a halfpeny cannot be made of such finenesse to beare any conuenient bulke, an other small peece shall also be coyned of three farthynges … whiche … shalbe of meere fine starling syluer.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., III. i. 140. Remuneration, O, that’s the Latine word for three-farthings. Ibid., 150. Threefarthings worth of Silke.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., II. i. He values me at a crack’d three-farthings, for aught I see.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Scornf. Lady, III. i. Whip’d and then crop’d, For washing out the roses in three farthings, To Make ’em pence.
1898. G. B. Rawlings, Brit. Coinage, 65. The threefarthings … was the least of all the coins having a rose behind the ear. Ibid. [see THREE-HALFPENCE].
Hence Three-farthing a., of the value of three farthings; hence, paltry, insignificant.
c. 1600. Timon, III. v. (Shaks. Soc.), 56. Away, away, thou poore three farthing Iacke!
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini, Pol. Touchstone (1674), 276. They had put to arbitriment the salvation of mens souls upon a three-farthing business.
1822. trans. Aristoph., Plutus, 15. Do you suppose the despotism … would be worth a three-farthing piece, were you [Plutus] to recover?
1898. G. B. Rawlings, Brit. Coinage, 64. Two new denominations in silver are introduced in this [Elizabeth’s] reign, namely, the threehalfpenny and threefarthing pieces.
Mod. A three-farthing bun.
