pen·ny /ˈpɛni/
便士,一分,小錢
Pen·ny a. Denoting the weight in pounds for one thousand; -- used in combination, with respect to nails; as, tenpenny nails, nails of which one thousand weight ten pounds.
Pen·ny, n.; pl. Pennies or Pence Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value.
1. A former English coin, originally of copper, then of bronze, the twelfth part of an English shilling in account value, and equal to four farthings, or about two cents; -- usually indicated by the abbreviation d. (the initial of denarius).
Note: ☞ “The chief Anglo-Saxon coin, and for a long period the only one, corresponded to the denarius of the Continent . . . [and was] called penny, denarius, or denier.” --R. S. Poole. The ancient silver penny was worth about three pence sterling (see Pennyweight). The old Scotch penny was only one twelfth the value of the English coin. In the United States the word penny is popularly used for cent.
2. Any small sum or coin; a groat; a stiver.
3. Money, in general; as, to turn an honest penny.
What penny hath Rome borne,
What men provided, what munition sent? --Shak.
4. Script. See Denarius.
Penny cress Bot., an annual herb of the Mustard family, having round, flat pods like silver pennies (Thlaspi arvense). Also spelled pennycress. --Dr. Prior.
Penny dog Zool., a kind of shark found on the South coast of Britain: the tope.
Penny pincher, Penny father, a penurious person; a miser; a niggard. The latter phrase is now obsolete. --Robinson (More's Utopia).
Penny grass Bot., pennyroyal. [R.]
Penny post, a post carrying a letter for a penny; also, a mail carrier.
Penny wise, wise or prudent only in small matters; saving small sums while losing larger; penny-wise; -- used chiefly in the phrase, penny wise and pound foolish.
Pen·ny a. Worth or costing one penny; as, penny candy.
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penny
n 1: a fractional monetary unit of Ireland and the United
Kingdom; equal to one hundredth of a pound
2: a coin worth one-hundredth of the value of the basic unit
[syn: cent, centime]
[also: pence (pl)]
Penny
(Gr. denarion), a silver coin of the value of about 7 1/2d. or
8d. of our present money. It is thus rendered in the New
Testament, and is more frequently mentioned than any other coin
(Matt. 18:28; 20:2, 9, 13; Mark 6:37; 14:5, etc.). It was the
daily pay of a Roman soldier in the time of Christ. In the reign
of Edward III. an English penny was a labourer's day's wages.
This was the "tribute money" with reference to which our Lord
said, "Whose image and superscription is this?" When they
answered, "Caesar's," he replied, "Render therefore to Caesar
the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are
God's" (Matt. 22:19; Mark 12:15).