penny

Pluralpennies, pence

Formspennies, pennying, pennied

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A coin used in the United States, worth one cent: a hundredth of a dollar.

   I found a shiny penny on the sidewalk.

   She paid the last cent with a single penny.

   Similarcent

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   In the United Kingdom, a coin or amount of money worth one hundredth of a pound.

   He kept every penny in a jar by the door.

   The bus fare went up by twenty pence last month.

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable

   Money in general: cash or funds of any kind.

   He saved every penny to buy a new bike.

   By Friday she didn't have a penny left.

   Similarcent, dime

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   In some countries, a small coin made of copper or brass.

   She dropped a penny into the beggar's cup.

   He tipped the porter a few pennies.

   Similarcopper

5. 5
   nounhistoricalcountable

   An old coin in Britain and Ireland, worth one of the 240 parts that made up a pound.

   The boy bought a bun for a penny at the market.

   Back then, a penny could buy a loaf of bread.

   Note
6. 6
   nounhistoricalcountable

   In Ireland, a coin worth one hundredth of an Irish pound, used before the euro.

   Her grandmother kept an old Irish penny in a drawer.

   Bus tickets in Dublin then cost only a few pence.

   Note
7. 7
   nouncountable

   A size label for nails, written as a number followed by the letter d.

   The higher the penny size, the longer the nail.

   Framers usually reach for a bigger penny nail.

   Note
8. 8
   verbslangtransitive

   To trap someone in a room by jamming coins around the door so it won't open.

   The students tried to penny the dorm room door as a prank.

   Someone pennied his door while he was studying.

   Note
9. 9
   verbtransitive

   To drop a coin into someone's drink so they have to finish it, as part of a game.

   She tried to penny his drink when he wasn't looking.

   He got pennied twice during the meal and had to drink up.

   Note
10. 10
    verbtransitive

    To bypass a fuse by putting a coin in its place, which is very dangerous.

    Never penny a fuse box just to keep the lights on.

    He pennied the fuse and started a fire in the wall.

    Note

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