fivepenny

A child buys a fivepenny candy from the shopkeeper.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Priced at five pence: "fivepenny" describes something that costs or is valued at five pennies (pence), a unit of currency in British pre-decimal and decimal systems.
   • Of a size or type associated with a fivepenny cost: Historically, "fivepenny" could refer to items (e.g., nails or goods) sold at that price, though this usage is now rare and mostly historical.

Usage Examples

• (A loaf costing five pence.)
• (Stamps with a face value of five pence.)

Advanced Usage

• "fivepenny nail": A specific size of nail (historically, nails were priced per hundred, and "fivepenny" indicated a certain length or gauge).
  • He used fivepenny nails to fasten the wooden planks. (A type of nail traditionally costing five pence per hundred.)

Variants and Related Words

• Fivepence (noun): the sum or value of five pence.
  • The total cost was fivepence. (The amount of five pence.)
• Fivepenny piece (noun): a coin worth five pence.
  • He found a fivepenny piece in his pocket. (A coin of five pence value.)

Synonyms

• Five-cent (in US currency): similar in concept but using cents instead of pence.
• Five-pennyworth: a quantity or value of five pence.

Related Idioms

• Not worth a fivepenny (archaic): something of negligible value.
  • His promise is not worth a fivepenny. (His promise is worthless.)