pittancyn.
/ˈpɪt(ə)nsi/, U.S. /ˈpɪdənsi/, /ˈpɪtnsi/ rare.
= pittance n. (in various senses).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > gift or present > [noun] > gift to a religious house
pittance?c1225
pittancya1647
society > faith > worship > benefice > other financial matters > [noun] > payment made for specific purpose > to provide additional food, wine, etc.
pittance?c1225
pittancya1647
a1647 T. Habington Surv. Worcs. (Worcs. Hist. Soc.) (1895) I. iii. 520 Assygned to the Sacrist of the Churche of Worcester..three marckes towardes the Pitancy on the anniversary of Kinge John.
1798–1801 J. Milner Hist. Civil & Eccl. Winchester II. 96 Our monks..of St. Swithun, are reproached..with having..encreased their dishes to the number of thirteen... But we may presume that the greater part of these were pittancies or different kind of legumes.
1874 Stevens Point (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 3 Jan. I was speaking of the impure air that teachers and pupils are compelled to inhale in miserably constructed, poorly ventilated, and ill-lighted school-houses; and yet the poor teacher is envied his pittancy.
1954 Jrnl. Negro Hist. 39 149 The Negro agrarian worker seldom sells his crop, and settlements consist of pittancies or the sale to him on credit of wornout jalopies by the absentee town owners of the lands.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.a1647