Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - penny

(pennies, pence) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. Note: The form 'pence' is used for the plural of meaning 1. 1. In Britain, a penny is one hundredth of a pound, or a coin worth this amount of money. Cider also goes up by a penny a pint while sparkling wine will cost another eight pence a bottle. ...a shiny newly minted penny. N-COUNT 2. A penny is a British coin used before 1971 that was worth one twelfth of a shilling. N-COUNT 3. A penny is one cent, or a coin worth one cent. (AM INFORMAL) Unleaded gasoline rose more than a penny a gallon. N-COUNT 4. If you say, for example, that you do not have a penny, or that something does not cost a penny, you are emphasizing that you do not have any money at all, or that something did not cost you any money at all. The Brilliantons paid their rent on time and did not owe him a penny... N-SING: a N c darkgreen]emphasis 5. If you say the penny dropped, you mean that someone suddenly understood or realized something. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL) PHRASE: V inflects 6. Things that are said to be two a penny or ten a penny are not valuable or interesting because they are very common and easy to find. (BRIT INFORMAL; in AM, use a dime a dozen) Leggy blondes are two a penny in Hollywood. PHRASE: v-link PHR