bawbee
Americannoun
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an old Scottish bullion coin, originally worth about three halfpence of English coin, later sixpence.
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a halfpenny.
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anything of little value.
noun
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a former Scottish silver coin
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an informal word for halfpenny
Etymology
Origin of bawbee
First recorded in 1535–45; named after Alexander Orok, 16th-century mintmaster, laird of Sille bawby
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You will each of you give a silver crown piece; that, and not a bawbee over it.
From A Reconstructed Marriage by Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
"Na, na," said Donald; "I will give ye a bawbee, an' if ye are no satisfied, ye can pit my beard back again."
From Friend Mac Donald by O'Rell, Max
The sun shines to-day, and the funny wee mannie fra the inn is going to gie her a bawbee for goodies.
From Big Game A Story for Girls by Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs.
They couldna imagine a bawbee or a kind word to anybody but themsel's.
From A Reconstructed Marriage by Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
He was a man that, if he had parted wi' a bawbee, to save a fellow-creature from starvation, wadna, through vexation, have slept again for a week.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 15 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
