halfpenny
/'heipni/
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 It is distinct from the modern decimal half penny (½p), which was introduced in 1971 and later withdrawn.
Noun
-
an English coin worth half a penny
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