rouble
(ˈruːb(ə)l)
Forms: α. 6 rubbel, 6–7 rubbell, rubble, roble, robell. β. 7–9 ruble, 8 rubel. γ. 7–9 rouble (8–9 rooble).
[a. Russ. rublĕ (also rublevik' silver rouble), of doubtful origin. The current English spelling has been adopted from French.]
1. The Russian monetary unit, in early times a money of account equal in value to an English mark, or 13s. 4d., subsequently a silver coin (worth, e.g. in 1897, 2s. 1½d.).
Florio (1611) defines Robbone as ‘a coine of gold in Muscouy called a rubble or roble’, but see quot. 1617 here. Roubles of gold and platina have been coined in the 19th cent.
| α 1554 Hasse in Hakluyt Voy. (1589) 293 There goeth..23 Altines, and two Dengaesto a Rubble. Ibid., Three Rubbles of siluer. a 1584 S. Borough Ibid. (1599) I. i. 280 They held one tooth of a Morse..at a roble. 1584 Sir J. Bowes in Tolstoy Interc. Eng. & Russia (1875) 227 None of theim had clothes on his back worth a robell. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 290 They make all contracts by a money called Rubble, which is altogether imaginarie, for they have no such coyne, and it is esteemed in England at thirteene shillings foure pence sterling. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. (1639) 17 Some of their Bishops have 2000, some 3000 Rubbles per annum. |
| β 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 154 They receive, some 1000, some 80 rubles a yeare. 1664 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 147 Is six thousand rubles yearly..so necessary a summe to so great a Prince? 1710 Ld. Whitworth Acc. Russia (1758) 75 In 1703, great quantities of specie, Rubles, half Rubles, &c., were made, though the mass of the money is still in Copecks. 1716 J. Perry State of Russia 7 note, A Ruble is 100 Russ Copecks, which was then each Copeck full an English Penny Value; but since the Czar has recoined his money, it is little more than half the former Value. 1753 Hanway Trav. (1762) I. vi. lxxxi. 371 They keep accounts in rubles and copeeks, one hundred copeeks to a ruble. 1811 P. Kelly Univ. Cambist 371 This gives the value of the old Ruble 3s. 2d. sterling, and of the new, 3s. 2½d. 1823 Byron Juan ix. lxxix, Already they beheld the silver showers Of rubles rain, as fast as specie can, Upon his cabinet. 1855 Englishwoman in Russia 37 He came to borrow a few rubles, which she kindly gave him. |
| γ 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 97 Though, in trading, the Muscovites use the words, Altin, Grif, and Rouble.., yet is there no Coins of that kind. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Money, In Muscovy,..the Rouble [is] equal to 100 Copecs, or 2 Rixdollars, or 9 Shillings Sterling. 1833 R. Pinkerton Russia 8 The support of this naval establishment costs the crown 30 millions of roubles annually. 1868 Pall Mall G. 23 July 8 Rye-flour now costs 1 rouble 20 kopecs (four shillings) the poud (thirty pounds). 1891 Melbourne Argus 7 Nov. 13/7 The yearly pay of a private [in the Russian army] is 2 roubles 70 copecks. |
2. A paper money of less value than the silver rouble (see
quots.).
The rouble is now available primarily in paper form.
| 1811 P. Kelly Univ. Cambist I. 375 In 1808,..1 Silver Ruble was worth 2 Rubles of Exchange, or 2 of Bank Paper. 1875 Bedford Sailor's Pocket-bk. ix. (ed. 2) 317, 100 Copecks = 1 Silver Rouble = 3s. 2d. Paper money is the chief medium of payment. The paper Rouble is worth about 2s. 6d. sterling. |