Definition

1. Noun:
   • A former English silver coin worth four pennies: A historical coin used in England, primarily during the medieval and early modern periods. It was a small silver coin with a value of four pence (four pennies).
   • A very small sum of money; a trifling amount: By extension, "groat" can refer to an insignificant or trivial amount of money, often used in negative or dismissive phrases.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Historical Coin):
  • The museum displayed a groat from the reign of Edward III.
  • In the 14th century, a groat was a significant unit of currency.
• Noun (Trivial Amount):
  • His opinion isn't worth a groat.
  • I wouldn't give a groat for that old, broken chair.

Advanced Usage

• "not care a groat": To not care at all; to be completely indifferent.
  • He doesn't care a groat about what people think of his fashion choices.
• "without a groat": To be completely penniless; to have no money at all.
  • After the trip, he found himself without a groat.

Variants and Related Words

• Groat is the standard spelling. The variant grote is an archaic spelling sometimes seen in historical texts.
• Fourpence: A term that can be synonymous with the coin's value, though "fourpence" is more general and "groat" specifically refers to the coin itself.

Synonyms

• Trifle: A small, insignificant amount.
• Mite: A very small sum of money or contribution.
• Farthing: Another historical British coin of very low value, often used similarly to mean a trivial amount.

Idioms and Phrases

• Not worth a groat: Completely worthless or of no value.
  • That rusty old bicycle is not worth a groat.
• Not have a groat to one's name: To be extremely poor.
  • When he first arrived in the city, he didn't have a groat to his name.

Noun

1. a former English silver coin worth four pennies