pen·ny /ˈpeni/ ●●● S1 noun [countableC] 1 a) (plural pence) (abbreviation p) a small unit of money in Britain. There are 100 pence in one pound 便士〔英国货币单位,100便士合1英镑〕 The bus fare is 80 pence. 公共汽车费是80便士。
a 50p piece (=coin) 一枚50便士的硬币
A loaf of bread costs 70p. 一条面包70便士。
b) (plural pennies) a coin worth one penny 一便士硬币 I’ve only got a few pennies left. 我只剩几个一便士硬币了。
2. (plural pennies)PEC a coin that is worth one cent in the US or Canada. One hundred pennies are equal to $1. 〔美国或加拿大的〕一分钱硬币 3 (plural pennies or pence)PEC (written abbreviation d) a British unit of money or coin used until 1971. There were 12 pennies in one shilling 便士〔英国1971年前使用的货币单位或硬币,12便士合1先令〕twopence/threepence etc a book costing only sixpence 只卖6便士的书
fourpenny/sixpenny etc a fourpenny cigar 卖4便士的雪茄
a threepenny bit (=coin) 一枚3便士硬币
4 not a penny MONEYused to emphasize that someone has no money or that something did not cost any money 一个便士也没有,一文不名;〔某物〕不花一分钱 I haven’t got a penny on me. 我身上一分钱也没有。
It didn’t cost me a penny. 那东西没花我一分钱。
He died without a penny to his name. 他死时一文不名。
5 every penny MONEYall of an amount of money 〔一笔钱的〕每分钱,所有的钱 The hotel was expensive but it was worth every penny. 那家酒店很贵,但每分钱都花得很值。
every penny of He was determined to go to Australia even if it took every penny of his savings. 他下定决心,即使花掉所有积蓄也要去澳大利亚。
6 every penny counts used to say that money is needed and even a small amount is important 每一分钱都有用 Every penny counts in the battle to save the rain forests. 在拯救热带雨林的战斗中,每一分钱都很重要。
7 the/your last penny MONEYthe only money that is left 仅剩的钱 She’s down to her last penny. 她的钱已经所剩无几。
the/your last penny• They took everything she had, down to the last penny.
8. a penny for your thoughts/a penny for them spokenASK A QUESTION used to ask someone who is silent what they are thinking about 你在想什么〔用于询问沉默不语的人〕 9 in for a penny, in for a poundin for a pound in for a penny spokenFINISH DOING something used to say that because you are already involved in something, you will complete it whatever time, money, or effort is needed 一不做,二不休;有始有终 Oh well, it’s done now. In for a penny, in for a pound. 哎呀,现在干完了,有始有终嘛。
10. the penny (has) dropped British EnglishBrE informalUNDERSTAND used to say that someone has finally understood something that they had not understood before 终于明白了the penny (has) dropped• At this point the penny dropped.• Suddenly the penny dropped, and Meredith knew why he'd been prowling about the airport like an angry lion.• Then the penny dropped and he realised that the man had meant a fan- bearer.• I was about to ask Jack who it was, when the penny dropped. 11 be two/ten a penny British EnglishBrECHEAP to be very common and easy to get, or cheap – used to show disapproval 廉价而易得;不值钱〔含贬义〕 Rings like these are ten a penny. 这样的戒指根本不值钱。
12. turn up like a bad penny British EnglishBrEWANT if someone you dislike turns up like a bad penny, they appear when they are not wanted 〔不喜欢的人〕又来了 → halfpenny, → spend a penny at spend1(5), → cost a pretty penny at pretty2(6)