traneenn.
/trəˈniːn/, U.S. /trəˈnin/, Irish English /trəˈnin/ Irish English.
The crested dog's-tail grass, Cynosurus cristatus. (Often taken as the type of something of little or no value: cf. rush n.1 Phrases 2).
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > a grass or grasses > [noun] > dog's-tail grass
dog's tail1753
dog grassa1825
traneen1837
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > of little worth
ivy-leafc1000
needle?c1225
sloec1250
peasea1275
strawc1290
bean1297
nutc1300
buttonc1330
leekc1330
trifle1375
cress1377
goose-wing1377
sop1377
niflec1395
vetcha1400
a pin's head (also point)c1450
trump1513
plack1530
toy1530
blue point1532
grey groat1546
cherry-stone1607
jiggalorum1613
candle-enda1625
peppercorn1638
sponge1671
sneeshing1686
snottera1689
catchpenny1705
potato1757
snuff1809
pinhead1828
traneen1837
a hill of beans1863
gubbins1918
1808 J. White Ess. Grasses Irel. 154 in Britt. & Holl. Plant-names Trathnin.]
1837 S. Lover Rory O'More ii You dare n't stand before any one with sich a thraneen as that in your fist.
1839 W. Carleton Fardorougha iii. 57 It's a bargain..I don't care a trawneen.
1842 S. C. Hall & A. M. Hall Ireland II. 74 She never cared a traneen for him, soul or body, and went off with a richer man.
1884 Lays & Leg. N. Irel. 20 Sorra a thrawneen you'll get from us more.
1899 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Mar. 572 But she'd not a traneen to her fortune.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1837