Definition of Peny
Penny, originally a silver coin, weighed in the 7th century 1/240-th
of a Saxon pound, but decreased in weight till in Elizabeth's time it was
1/63 of an ounce troy. It was at first indented with a cross so as to be
broken for halfpennies and farthings, but silver coins of these
denominations were coined by Edward I. Edward VI. stopped the farthings,
and the halfpence were stopped in the Commonwealth. Copper coinage was
established in 1672. The present coins were issued first in 1860. They
are half the size of their predecessors, and intrinsically worth
one-seventh of their nominal value.
- Wikipedia
Pen"ny (?), a. [Perh. a corruption of
pun, for pound.] Denoting pound weight 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. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening,
pending; akin to D. penning, OHG. pfenning,
pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr; of
uncertain origin.] 1. An English coin, formerly
of copper, now 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).
&fist; "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. Shak.
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). Dr. Prior. -- Penny
dog (Zoöl.), a kind of shark found on the
South coast of Britain: the tope. -- Penny
father, a penurious person; a niggard. [Obs.]
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; -- used
chiefly in the phrase, penny wise and pound foolish.
Pen"ny (?), a. Worth or costing one
penny.
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
- (formerly) In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a copper coin worth 1/240 of a pound sterling or Irish pound before decimalisation.
- In the United Kingdom, a copper coin worth 1/100 of a pound sterling; also formerly in Ireland, a coin worth 1/100 of an Irish pound before the introduction of the euro.
- In the US and Canada, a one-cent coin, worth 1/100 of a dollar.
- To jam a door shut by inserting pennies between the door frame and the door.
- To circumvent the tripping of an electrical circuit breaker by the dangerous practice of inserting a coin in place of a fuse in a fuse socket.
Penny- A female given name, diminutive of Penelope
- The Nuttall Encyclopedia
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