smitham

noun

smitham

noun

Etymology Perhaps compare English smeddum (“fine powder, lump ore, etc.”).

UK, Obsolete Small lumps of ore which free miners scavenged because small quantities were exempt from payment of taxes. The practice ended in 1760 when the Duke of Devonshire challenged the tax exemption.

Related terms: smeddum

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.