halfpenny

/'heipni/

Thân thiện

A child holds a shiny halfpenny in her open palm.

Definition

Noun: 1. A former British coin: A small coin of the United Kingdom, worth half of one penny (¹⁄₂d). It was demonetized in 1984. 2. The value of this coin: The sum or amount of half of one penny.

Usage

• The word "halfpenny" is used to refer specifically to the coin itself or its monetary value.
• The standard plural for the coins is halfpennies (e.g., a collection of old halfpennies).
• The plural halfpence is used when referring to a sum of money (e.g., three halfpence).

Examples

• Noun (Coin):
  • He found an old halfpenny from 1953 in the garden.
  • The museum displayed a set of Victorian halfpennies.
• Noun (Value):
  • The loaf of bread cost two and a halfpence.
  • In pre-decimal currency, there were two halfpennies in a penny.

Advanced Usage / Idioms

• To come back/turn up again like a bad halfpenny: (Idiom, informal) To return or reappear persistently and annoyingly, especially when unwanted.
  • That problem keeps coming back like a bad halfpenny; we thought we had solved it.

Variants and Related Words

• Ha'penny: (Noun) A common informal spelling and pronunciation (/ˈheɪpni/) of "halfpenny".
  • It cost a ha'penny in the old days.

Synonyms

• Coin (general)
• (Historical) British coinage

Notes

• The halfpenny was part of the British pre-decimal currency system, where 12 pence (d) = 1 shilling (s) and 20 shillings = 1 pound (£). It is distinct from the modern decimal half penny (½p), which was introduced in 1971 and later withdrawn.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an English coin worth half a penny

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ha'penny