maravedi Obs. exc. Hist.
(mærəˈveɪdɪ)
Forms: 5, 7 maravedis, 6 marivade, marvedie, marvadie, 7 marvedi, marvedee, myravid, merviade, maravidi, 8 marevedi, 7 erron. malvady, 7– maravedi.
[a. Sp. maraved{iacu} (= Pg. maravedim), a derivative of Arab. Murābiṭīn (pl. of murābiṭ: see marabout), the name of a Moorish dynasty (usually designated the Almoravides, this being the same word preceded by the Arabic article) which reigned at Cordova 1087–1147.]
1. An old Spanish gold coin, weighing about 60 grains and of the value of fourteen shillings.
| 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. App. 64 Imposing 5. Maravidis of gold for every person. 1700 J. A. Astry tr. Saavedra-Faxardo II. 138 Henry III. who tax'd 'em at five Marvedees of Gold apiece. |
2. A former Spanish copper coin and money of account, valued at about 1/6 of a penny sterling.
| ? 1430 in Purchas Pilgrims (1625) II. viii. 1230 And then into Spayne fear ye schon, Iakkes ben ther of little prise: For there beginneth the Marauedisez. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 14, lxx. maruadies, which is .xi. d. and the third parte of a peny starlyng. 1606 Heywood Chall. for Beauty ii. i. (1636) C 3 If you distrust his word, take mine, which will passe in Spaine for more Myravids, then the best Squiers in England for Farthing-tokens. 1690 Dryden Don Sebastian i. (1692) 14, I ask for him [a slave] a thousand Crowns. 1st Mer. Thou mean'st a thousand Marvedis. 1706 Phillips, Malvady, a Spanish coin, of which about 13 make one Farthing. [Some error: Maravedis is also given, with the correct value.] 1728 Morgan Algiers II. v. 313 He never parted with a maravedi but with the view of pocketing a Ducat, if not a Doblon. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxxiii, I will strip thee of every maravedi thou hast in the world. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) II. 408 He flung the Slave who moved the lid A purse of maravedis. 1891 J. Winsor Columbus ix. 209 He promised a silken jacket, beside the income of ten thousand maravedis. |