penny

count the (or your) pennies be careful about how much you spend.

☞ Variants of this expression are watch the pennies and, in the USA, pinch the pennies.

earn an honest penny: seehonest.

in for a penny, in for a pound used to express someone's intention to see an undertaking through, however much time, effort, or money this entails.

not have a penny to bless yourself with be completely impoverished. dated

☞ This expression refers either to the cross on the silver pennies which circulated in England before the reign of Charles II or to the practice of crossing a person's palm with silver for luck.

the penny drops someone finally realizes or understands something. informal, chiefly British

☞ The image here is of the operation of a coin-operated slot machine.

not have two pennies to rub together lack money; be very poor.

a penny for your thoughts used to ask someone what they are thinking about. informal

pennies from heaven unexpected benefits, especially financial ones.

☞ Pennies from Heaven was the title of a 1936 song by the American songwriter Johnny Burke (1908–64). The expression is also well known as the title of a BBC drama series by Dennis Potter in the late 1970s.

penny wise and pound foolish careful and economical in small matters while being wasteful or extravagant in large ones.

a pound to a penny: seepound.

a pretty penny: seepretty.

spend a penny urinate. British informal

☞ At one time coin-operated locks were commonly found on the doors of public lavatories. The phrase is now rather dated.

turn up like a bad penny (of someone or something unwelcome) inevitably reappear or return.

☞ A bad penny is a counterfeit coin which circulates rapidly as people try to pass it on to someone else.

two (or ten) a penny plentiful or easily obtained and consequently of little value. chiefly British