fourpenny, a.
(ˈfɔəpənɪ)
[f. four a. + penny.]
1. a. That costs or is valued at four pence. fourpenny ale, ale sold at four pence a quart; fourpenny bit or fourpenny piece, a silver coin of the value of four pence; so fourpenny-halfpenny piece.
| 1597 1st Pt. Return fr. Parnass. ii. i. 517 Simple plaine felowes.. that weare foure-pennie garters. 1678 Lond. Gaz. No. 1348/4 Three pieces of Four-peny broad black taffaty Ribon. 1691 Locke Lower. Interest Wks. 1727 II. 97 A sufficient Quantity of Four-penny, Four-penny half-penny, and Five penny Pieces should be coined. 1756 Monitor I. No. 25. 220 How often do we see these fourpenny boarders, in red coats, turning the family out of their beds. 1868 Yates Rock Ahead iii. i, He looked as if he'd lost a four⁓penny-piece. 1871 M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. I. ii. 61 He set..to work to intoxicate himself with fourpenny ale. 1890 Pall Mall G. 27 Nov. 2/3 The once familiar fourpenny bits have ceased from circulation. |
b. quasi-n. A fourpenny piece.
| 1883 Stevenson Treasure Isl. i. i, He promised me a silver four-penny on the first of every month. |
c. fourpenny one: a blow, hit; also, a scolding. colloq.
| 1936 Evening News 29 Feb. 11/6 The chairman rang the lift bell... Great was our mirth..when the little messenger..said: ‘Blimey, guv'nor,..George won't 'alf give you a fourpenny one when he comes down.’ 1953 N. Balchin Sundry Creditors 89 On the last bend someone went hard into the retaining fence and took what looked like a fourpenny one. 1964 N. Freeling Double-Barrel ii. xi. 73, I think he got mad because he gave her a real four⁓penny one. I bet she has a black eye. |
2. fourpenny nail [see penny a.]: a nail 1½ in. long, of which 4 lbs. go to the ‘thousand’ (i.e. 10 nominal hundreds or 1120).
| 1481 Nottingham Rec. II. 320 Et de dimidio centum de forpeny nayl. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 244 Another sort are four Penny, and six Penny Nails. c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 135 Nails of sorts are 4, 6, 8..and 40-penny nails. |