Penny
A penny is a coin (pl. pennies) or a unit of currency (pl. pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. Presently, it is the formal name of the British penny (abbr. p) and the informal name of one American cent (abbr. ¢) as well as the informal Irish designation of 1 cent euro coin (abbr. c). It is the informal name of the cent unit of account in Canada, although one cent coins are no longer minted there. The name is also used in reference to various historical currencies also derived from the Carolingian system, such as the French denier and the German pfennig. It may also be informally used to refer to any similar smallest-denomination coin, such as the euro cent or Chinese fen.
The Carolingian penny was originally a .940-fine silver coin weighing 1/240 pound. It was adopted by Offa of Mercia and other English kings and remained the principal currency in Europe over the next few centuries until repeated debasements necessitated the development of more valuable coins. The British penny remained a silver coin until the expense of the Napoleonic Wars prompted the use of base metals in 1797. Despite the decimalization of currencies in the United States and, later, throughout the British Commonwealth, the name remains in informal use.
No penny is currently formally subdivided, although farthings (¼ d.), halfpennies, and half cents have previously been minted and the mill (1/10¢) remains in use as a unit of account in some contexts.
Penny (noun)
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a copper coin worth 240 of a pound sterling or Irish pound before decimalisation. Abbreviation: d.
Penny (noun)
In the United Kingdom, a copper coin worth 100 of a pound sterling. Abbreviation: p.
Penny (noun)
In Ireland, a coin worth 100 of an Irish pound before the introduction of the euro. Abbreviation: p.
Penny (noun)
In the US and Canada, a one-cent coin, worth 100 of a dollar. Abbreviation: ¢.
Penny (noun)
In various countries, a small-denomination copper or brass coin.
Penny (noun)
A unit of nail size, said to be either the cost per 100 nails, or the number of nails per penny. Abbreviation: d.
Penny (noun)
Money in general.
“to turn an honest penny”
Penny (verb)
To jam a door shut by inserting pennies between the doorframe and the door.
“Zach and Ben had only been at college for a week when their door was pennied by the girls down the hall.”
Penny (verb)
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.
Dime (noun)
A coin worth one-tenth of a U.S. dollar.
Dime (noun)
A coin worth one-tenth of a Canadian dollar.
Dime (noun)
A small amount of money
“She didn’t spend a dime.”
Dime (noun)
An assist
Dime (noun)
A playing card with the rank of ten
Dime (noun)
Ten dollars
Dime (noun)
A thousand dollars
Dime (noun)
A measurement of illicit drugs (usually marijuana) sold in ten dollar bags.
Dime (noun)
Payment responsibility
“Are you traveling on the company’s dime?”
Dime (noun)
A beautiful woman (10 on a 10-point scale)
Dime (noun)
A defensive formation with six defensive backs, one of whom is a dimeback.
Dime (verb)
To inform on, to turn in to the authorities, to rat on, especially anonymously.
“Somebody dimed on me and I got arrested for selling marijuana.”
Dime (verb)
To operate an audio amplifier (especially an electric guitar amplifier) at level “10” (typically the highest amplification level).
“I get the best-sounding sustain and smooth harmonic distortion when I run the amp dimed.”