penny
noun In senses 1 and 2, pennies is used to refer to the coins, and pence to refer to an amount of money. In sense 3, the plural is pennies.Idioms- (abbreviation p)
a small British coin and unit of money. There are 100 pence in one pound (£1). 便士（英国的小硬币和货币单位，1 英镑为 100 便士） He had a few pennies in his pocket. 他口袋里有几个便士的硬币。 That will be 45 pence, please. 一共是 45 便士。 They cost 20p each. 这些东西每个要 20 便士。
- (abbreviation d)
a British coin in use until 1971. There were twelve pennies in one shilling and twenty shillings in a pound. 便士（英国 1971 年前使用的硬币，十二便士为一先令） - (North American English)
a cent 分 The fee ranges from a few pennies to $30 or more. 费用从几便士到30美元或更多不等。
Word OriginOld English penig, penning of Germanic origin; related to Dutch penning, German Pfennig, perhaps also to the verb pawn and (with reference to shape) pan.
Idioms
every penny
in for a penny, in for a pound
- (saying)
used to say that since you have started to do something, it is worth spending as much time or money as you need to in order to complete it 一不做，二不休；有始有终
not a penny
the penny drops
- (informal, especially British English)
used to say that somebody has finally understood or realized something that they had not understood or realized before 恍然大悟；终于明白；茅塞顿开 I had to explain the joke to her a couple of times before the penny dropped. 我不得不把这个笑话给她解释了几次，然后就没了。
a penny for your thoughts | a penny for them
- (saying)
used to ask somebody what they are thinking about （用于询问别人想什么）你在呆呆地寻思什么呢
pinch pennies
- (informal)
to try to spend as little money as possible 一毛不拔；吝啬
a pretty penny
- (old-fashioned)
a lot of money 很多钱；一大笔钱 I bet that cost you a pretty penny. 我打赌那花了你一大笔钱。
spend a penny
- (old-fashioned, British English)
people say ‘spend a penny’ to avoid saying ‘use the toilet’ （委婉说法，与 use the toilet 同义）解手，方便
turn up like a bad penny
- (informal)
(of a person 人 to appear when they are not welcome or not wanted, especially when this happens regularly （不愿碰上的）却总出现；冤家路窄
two/ten a penny (British English)
(North American English a dime a dozen)
very common and therefore not valuable 普通得不值钱；（因常见而）价值低 Teachers of history are ten a penny. 历史老师十便士。