History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 148

used later as a measure of capacity; the 15th-century form was ferdekyn, ad. M.Du.
*vierdekijn, the diminutive of vierde, fourth, fourth part. Mutchkin (1425), a measure of
capacity used in Scotland, the fourth part of an old Scotch pint; ad. e.mod.Du.
mudseken (now mutsje), apparently an irregular diminutive of mud(de). Dutch mudde
or mud was itself borrowed as Mud (1477, Extracts Aberd. Reg.), the name for a
Dutch measure of capacity.
The only measure of weight borrowed in Middle English is Waw (1316, Durh. Acc.
Rolls), a measure equal to 12 stone; ad. MLG. and M.Du. wage, weight.
Two words came in as measures of the fruit trade.
Top (1440-1), a basket as a measure of grapes or figs; ad. MLG. and M.Flem. toppe,
top, basket (as a measure of raisins, figs, &c.) (Kilian has top van vijghen, basket of
figs). There was a diminutive of this, Toppet (1481-90), with the same sense, a basket
of fruit; it is analogous to the M.Flem. diminutive topkin, M.Du. topkine.
Tapnet, Topnet (1524), is apparently altered from toppet.
Most of the names of measures borrowed in the modern period are again liquid
measures for wines and spirits, from cask measures down to small glass measures.
Perhaps some of this great variety was due to the smuggling trade in Hollands spirits.
Kinkin (c. 1500, from Sc.), a small barrel or keg, kilderkin; ad. M.Du. kintken,
kinneken, variant of kindeken.
Aam (1526), a Dutch or German liquid measure, formerly used in England for Rhenish
wines, a cask; it varied from 37 to 41 gallons in various continental cities; ad. Du. aam;
aam is the modern Du. spelling, the Eng. forms alm(e), awme, aume, ame being only
historical. An English variant form of aam is Aum (1502).
Rood (1502), a measure of wine; ad. M.Du. roede.
Tonekin (1546), a rare word of doubtful meaning, perhaps a small cask or barrel; if
so, then perhaps ad. Flem. tonneken.
Kempkin (1580, once, from Sc.), a small barrel or keg; ad. M.Du. kimmekijn, a variant
of kindekijn, kilderkin.
Anker (1597), first found in the sense of a dry measure of capacity; the more common
sense of a measure of wine or spirits used in Holland, north Germany, and the Baltic
occurs first in the Pennsyl. Arch. (1673), and not till c. 1750 in England; the measure
varied in different countries, that of Rotterdam, formerly also used in England,
contained 10 old wine gallons or 8 and a third imperial gallons; ad. Du. anker.
Two names of drinking-vessels are perhaps best included here, as most drinkingvessels serve also as measures.
Rumkin (1636), apparently of LG. origin, and Rummer (1654), a large kind of
drinking-glass; of Low Dutch origin, compare W.Flem. rummer, rommer, Du. romer,
roemer, Fris, romer, LG. römer.
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