Covent Garden

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kʌvənt ɡɑːdən/, /kɒvənt ɡɑːdn/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Proper noun

Covent Garden

1. A district in central London.
2. The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Derived terms

• Covent Garden abbess
• Covent Garden ague
• Covent Garden nun

Noun

Covent Garden (plural Covent Gardens)

1. (Cockney rhyming slang, archaic) A farthing.

Usage notes

The rhyme comes from a contemporary colloquial pronunciation of farthing as "farden" [ˈfɑː(ɹ)dən].

References

• Albert Barrère and Charles G[odfrey] Leland, compilers and editors (1889–1890) “Covent Garden”, in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant […], volumes I (A–K), Edinburgh: […] The Ballantyne Press, →OCLC, pages 275–276.
• John S[tephen] Farmer; W[illiam] E[rnest] Henley, compilers (1891) “Covent Garden”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. […], volume II, [London: […] Harrison and Sons] […], →OCLC, page 193.