AS FINE, (or AS GRAND), AS FIVEPENCE (or AS FIPPENCE), phr. (colloquial).—As fine as possible. Cf., AS NEAT AS NINEPENCE.
1872. WYCHERLY, Love in a Wood, V., wks. (1713), 421. Whilst his mistress is as FINE AS FIPPENCE, in embroidered sattens.
1720. GAY, A New Song of New Similes. As FINE AS FIVE-PENCE is her mien.
1738. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, Dial. 3. Pray how was she drest? Lady Sm. Why, as FINE AS FI’PENCE.
1857. A. TROLLOPE, Barchester Towers, ch. xxxix. There’s … the lot of ’em all sitting AS GRAND AS FIVEPENCE in madam’s drawing-room.
1866. G. A. SALA, A Trip to Barbary, ch. xiii. They [the Jews] continue to sit ‘all of a row’ with their daughters dressed ‘all in green,’ or all in pink or salmon-colour, and AS FINE AS FIVEPENCE on their ceremonial days, waiting, waiting, always waiting, for the restoration of the Temple and the end of the dolour.
