ha'penny

Thân thiện

A child buys a sweet with a ha'penny.

Definition

Noun: A former British coin, made of bronze or copper, with a value equal to half of one penny (1/2d). It was part of the pre-decimal British currency system, which was replaced in 1971.

Usage

The word "ha'penny" is used to refer specifically to this historical coin. It is a contraction of "halfpenny" (pronounced /ˈheɪpni/). It is typically used in historical or numismatic (coin-collecting) contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The old book cost just three ha'pennies.
  • He found a worn ha'penny from 1937 in the garden.

Advanced Usage

• "Not have a ha'penny to one's name": To be completely penniless or very poor.
  • After the business failed, he didn't have a ha'penny to his name.

Variants and Related Words

• Halfpenny (n): The full, non-contracted spelling of the word, referring to the same coin.
• Ha'p'orth (n, colloquial, dated): A contraction of "halfpennyworth," meaning the amount that could be bought for a halfpenny.
  • She went to the shop for a ha'p'orth of sweets.

Synonyms

• Halfpenny: The direct synonym, being the full form of the word.
• Coin: A general term, though not specific.

Related Phrases

• Turn up like a bad ha'penny (Idiom, dated): Refers to an unwanted person or thing that keeps reappearing, similar to the more common "turn up like a bad penny."
  • No matter where I go, my old rival turns up like a bad ha'penny.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an English coin worth half a penny

Từ đồng nghĩa

• halfpenny