penny

penny
(pl.指硬币的个数用 pennies，指金额用 pence )

(缩略词：p.)a British bronze coin and monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a pound
便士（英国铜硬币和货币单位，100便士等于1英镑）
■(缩略词：d.)a former British coin and monetary unit equal to one twelfth of a shilling and 240th of a pound
便士（英国旧时硬币和货币单位，12便士等于1先令，240便士等于1英镑）
■(N. Amer. informal)a one-cent coin
(北美，非正式)一分面额的硬币
■(pennies)a small sum of money
一小笔钱
in the current economic situation any chance to save a few pennies is welcome.
在当前的经济形势下，任何能存一些小钱的机会都是受欢迎的。
■(in biblical use) a denarius
(圣经)迪纳里厄斯（古罗马的金或银币）
The penny has its origins in the Roman denarius. The English silver penny first appeared in the late 8th century and was the only coin in circulation for several centuries. The penny was minted in copper from 1797 and in bronze from 1860; coining of silver pennies ceased with the reign of Charles II, apart from a small regular issue as Maundy money
[with negative](a penny)used for emphasis to denote no money at all
身无分文，不名一文（用于强调）
we didn't get paid a penny.
我们一便士也没得到。

常用词组
a bad penny always turns up

(proverb)someone or something unwelcome will always reappear or return
(谚)讨厌的人（或物）总是会出现（或回来）

be two (或 ten) a penny

(chiefly Brit.)be plentiful or easily obtained and consequently of little value
(主英)太多（或太容易得到）而不值钱

count (或 watch 或美 pinch) the (或 your) pennies

in for a penny, in for a pound

used to express someone's intention to complete an enterprise once it has been undertaken, however much time, effort, or money this entails
一旦开始就做到底；一不做，二不休

look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves

(proverb)if you concentrate on saving small amounts of money, you'll soon amass a large amount
(谚)积少成多；注意存小钱很快就可以积累一大笔钱

pennies from heaven

the penny dropped

(informal, chiefly Brit.)used to indicate that someone has finally realized or understood something
(非正式，主英)最后明白了，终于明白了

a penny for your thoughts

used in spoken English to ask someone what they are thinking about
［用于英语口语］你呆呆地在想什么啦！

语源

Old English penig, penning of Germanic origin; related to Dutch penning, German Pfennig, perhaps also to pawn and (with reference to shape) pan

用法

On the different uses of the plural forms pence and pennies, see usage at pence

热门查询

考试词汇表