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Faba
Language number and measures · A Chymical Dictionary
At a Glance
The word. A fractional quantity measured against a scruple.
In the book. Cometz defines half a drop, while Carena gives a twentieth of a drop.
A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 22; facsimile PDF page 350.
Historical Definition
Faba is one third of a scruple.
Meaning
The entry defines a quantity through a proportion. One third is clear within the statement, but the dictionary gives no independent calibration for the scruple or its use in a particular text. The term should not be converted to a modern amount from the gloss alone.
Use in the Book
Cometz defines half a drop, while Carena gives a twentieth of a drop. Together the entries show several scales and kinds of small measure. Their fractions are meaningful within their own stated reference quantities; they do not establish a common modern unit.
Places to Read
Carena. A small measure expressed as a fraction of a drop.
Cometz. A quantity expressed as one half of a drop.
Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 22; facsimile PDF page 350 — Facsimile