Brewer's: Twopenny Dam

(A). A dám was an Indian coin and weight. Originally a gold mohur contained sixteen dáms; a punchee was = the quarter of a dam, and a bárahgáni = half a punchee. Putting this in a tabular form, it would be thus:

2 bárahgánis = 1 punchee.

4 punchees = 1 dam (worth in its diminished value about 2 pence).

16 dams = 1 gold mohur.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Related Content