penny farthing

Meaning

1. 1nouncountableBritishold-fashioned

   An early type of bicycle with a very large front wheel and a much smaller back wheel, popular in the late 1800s.

   Grammar: A normal countable noun: a penny farthing, two penny farthings.

   Patterns

   • ride a penny farthing
   • on a penny farthing

   The museum has a penny farthing from the 1880s on display.

   Riding a penny farthing is hard because the seat is so high above the ground.

   Every summer, enthusiasts hold a race for penny farthings in the village.

Word forms

Common combinations

ride a penny farthing

He learned to ride a penny farthing on an empty road.

vintage penny farthing

A vintage penny farthing sat in the shop window.

penny farthing race

The penny farthing race attracts hundreds of spectators.

mount a penny farthing

It takes practice to mount a penny farthing safely.

penny farthing wheel

The penny farthing wheel was taller than a child.

Synonyms and how they differ

high-wheeler

High-wheeler is the descriptive technical name, while penny farthing is the popular nickname, mostly used in Britain.

ordinary

Ordinary was the common name in the period itself, but modern readers recognize penny farthing much more easily.

velocipede

Velocipede is a general term for early pedal cycles of many designs, so it is broader than penny farthing.

Opposites

Word family

penny noun

a small British coin worth one hundredth of a pound

farthing noun

an old British coin worth a quarter of a penny

bicycle noun

a two-wheeled vehicle moved by pedals

cyclist noun

a person who rides a bicycle

Commonly confused: penny farthing or tricycle?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “penny farthing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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