penny ante
Definition
- Noun:
- A poker game played for very small stakes: Refers to a low-stakes, often informal, poker game where the bets are minimal.
- Any business deal or activity on a very small or trivial scale: Used metaphorically to describe an enterprise, negotiation, or operation involving insignificant amounts of money or importance.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- We're just playing penny ante tonight, so don't worry about losing a lot of money.
- The mayor dismissed the corruption allegations as penny ante compared to the major issues facing the city.
- He got his start in the penny ante world of local flea markets before building a national empire.
Advanced Usage
- Used attributively (as an adjective) to modify nouns, describing something as small-time or trivial.
- It was a penny-ante operation, barely turning a profit.
- They're tired of these penny-ante negotiations and want to discuss the real contract.
Variants and Related Words
- Penny-ante (adjective): Functioning as an adjective to describe something as small-scale or insignificant.
- He was a penny-ante hustler, always looking for a quick, small score.
Synonyms
- Small-time: Of minor importance or scope.
- Nickel-and-dime: Involving or dealing with small sums of money; petty.
- Trivial: Of little value or importance.
- Minor: Lesser in importance, seriousness, or significance.
Antonyms
- High-stakes: Involving the risk of a very large loss or gain.
- Major: Important, serious, or significant.
- Big-time: Reaching the highest level of success or importance in a field.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Penny-ante stuff: A phrase used to dismiss something as unimportant or trivial.
- Forget about that penny-ante stuff; we need to focus on the multi-million dollar deal.
Noun
-
poker played for small stakes
-
a business deal on a trivial scale
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ gần giống
Từ chứa "penny ante"
