farthing

English[edit]

From Old English feorðing (“a quarter”), from feorða (“fourth”), probably influenced by Old Norse fiórðungr

farthing (plural farthings)

Former British unit of currency worth one-quarter of an old penny.
- 1883, Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Chapter V
  
  "Nay, Heaven forbid, indeed," quoth Robin, "that I should take from such as thee, jolly fellow! Not so much as one farthing would I take from thee, for I love a fair Saxon face like thine right well—more especially when it cometh from Locksley Town, and most especially when the man that owneth it is to marry a bonny lass on Thursday next. But come, tell me for what price thou wilt sell me all of thy meat and thy horse and cart."

former British unit of currency worth one-quarter of an old penny