drachm
(dræm)
Forms: 4–7 dragme, 6 drachime, 6–7 drachme, dragm, 7– drachm. See also dram.
[a. F. drachme, earlier dragme, in OF. also drame = Pr. dragma, L. drachma, a. Gr. δραχµή, an Attic weight and coin, prob. orig., ‘as much as one can hold in the hand’, f. δράσσεσθαι (-ττ-) to grasp (cf. δράγµα).]
1. The principal silver coin of the ancient Greeks, the drachma; containing 6 obols. It varied in weight and value in different places. (Also drachma.)
| 1382 Wyclif Luke xv. 8 What womman hauynge ten dragmes, ether besauntis, and if sche hath lost o dragme [etc.]. 1607 Shakes. Cor. i. v. 6 These mouers, that do prize their hours At a crack'd Drachme. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. vii. xi. 360 Every man of the Jews should bring into the Capitoll two dragmes. 1771 in Phil. Trans. LXI. 469 The current coin of Athens, was the silver Drachm. |
b. Hence, the dirhem of the Arabs.
| 1554 W. Prat Africa G vij a (Stanf.) .xx. Drachimes whiche is ten pens Englyshe. 1840 Carlyle Heroes ii. (1872) 66 Mahomet..asked..If he owed any man? A voice answered, ‘Yes, me three drachms’. |
2. A weight approximately equivalent to that of the Greek coin. Hence, in Apothecaries' weight = 60 grains, or 1/8 of an ounce, in Avoirdupois weight = 271/3 grains or 1/16 of an ounce. (Spelt drachm or dram.) Also, the Arabic dirhem.
fluid drachm = 1/8 of fluid ounce, = 60 minims or drops.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xix. cxxviii. (1495) 932 The leeste mesure is Coclearium and is half a Dragme. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 153 Take..of ech two dragmis. 1590 Recorde's Gr. Artes (1646) 135, 3 Scruples make a Drachm or Dragme. 1704 F. Fuller Med. Gymn. (1711) 77 A few Drachms of Unctuous Stuff. c 1850 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 584 Aladdin..desired to have half a drachm of the powder. 1894 Lancet 10 Nov. 1093 The catheter..drew off four drachms of albuminous urine. |
3. fig. A small quantity; a very little. (Cf. grain.)
| 1635 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virgin 4 Having..out of the masse of our di[s]asters extracted us this dragme of comfort. 1670 G. H. Hist. Cardinals i. ii. 48 One drachme of affliction. a 1729 Congreve (T.) The rogue has not a drachm of generous love about him. 1876 T. Hardy Ethelberta (1890) 306 ‘Now do you see the truth?’ she whispered..without a drachm of feeling. |