penny: Meaning and Definition of

pen•ny

Pronunciation: (pen'ē), [key]
— n., pl. adj. pen•nies, pence,
—n.
  1. a bronze coin, the 100th part of the dollars of various nations, as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States; one cent.
  2. Also calleda bronze coin and monetary unit of the United Kingdom and various other nations, the 100th part of a pound. Abbr.: p
  3. a former bronze coin and monetary unit of the United Kingdom and various other nations, the 12th part of a shilling: use phased out in 1971. Abbr.: d.
  4. a sum of money: He spent every penny he ever earned.
  5. the length of a nail in terms of certain standard designations from twopenny to sixtypenny.
  6. someone or something undesirable.
  7. a considerable sum of money: Their car must have cost them a pretty penny.
  8. to urinate: from the former cost of using a public lavatory.
  9. to earn one's living honestly; make money by fair means: He's never turned an honest penny in his life.
—adj.
  1. of, pertaining to, or being penny stock: frenzied speculation in the penny market.

Pen•ny

Pronunciation: (pen'ē), [key]
— n.
  1. a female given name, form of
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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