penny-farthing
iˌfɑr noun British.
a high bicycle of an early type, with one large wheel in front and one small wheel behind.
Also called ordinary.
Origin:
from a comparison of the size difference between the two bicycle wheels to the size difference between an old British penny and a farthing
from a comparison of the size difference between the two bicycle wheels to the size difference between an old British penny and a farthing
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To penny-farthing
Collins
World English Dictionary
| penny-farthing | |
| —n | |
| (Brit) US name: ordinary an early type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a small rear wheel, the pedals being attached to the front wheel | |
| [C20: so called because of the similarity between the relative sizes of the wheels and the relative sizes of the (old) penny and farthing coins] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Penny-farthing
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
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