| 释义 |
pen·ny
\ˈpenē, -ni\ noun
(plural pennies \-ēz, -iz\ ; or pence \ˈpen(t)s\)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English penny, peny, from Old English penig, penning; akin to Old High German pfenning, pfenting coin, penny, Old Norse penningr
1.
a. : a British monetary unit equal to 1/240 pound or 1/12 shilling — see money table
b. : a British coin representing one penny, originally made of silver but after the 18th century except for the silver maundy money made of copper or of bronze
2. : any of various coins of small denomination or the monetary units they represent: as
a.
(1) : a Roman denarius
< three measures of barley for a penny — Revelations 6:6 (Authorized Version) >
< they brought unto him a penny — Mt 22:19 (Authorized Version) >
(2) plural pennies : a Roman quadrans : farthing
< are not two sparrows sold for a penny — Mt 10:29 (Revised Standard Version) >
b. plural pennies : a cent of the United States or Canada
< penny candy >
3.
a. archaic : the part of an amount of money indicated by a specified ordinal
< interest was reduced from the twentieth to the fiftieth penny or from five to two percent — Adam Smith >
b. : the sum exacted by a specified tax or customary payment
< earnest penny >
— often used in combination
< alepenny >
< fishpenny >
4. : a trivial amount : the least bit
< never a penny the worse >
5. : a piece or sum of money
< make an honest penny >
< saved every penny he earned >
6. plural pennies : a token or good-luck piece worth or resembling a cent or a penny
•
- pennies from heaven |