Compound Forms:
|
a dime a dozen (US), ten a penny (UK) adj | figurative, informal (common) | a montones loc adv |
| (coloquial) | a patadas loc adv |
| | hasta debajo de las piedras loc adv |
| In Hollywood, aspiring young actresses are a dime a dozen. |
| En Hollywood, jóvenes aspirantes a actrices hay a montones. |
a pretty sum, a pretty penny n | informal (money: considerable amount) (AmL: coloquial) | un platal loc nom m |
| (ES: coloquial) | una pasta, una buena pasta loc nom f |
| (MX: coloquial) | una buena lana loc nom f |
| | un dineral loc nom m |
| I'd bet a pretty sum that the bankers will never give up their bonuses. |
a bad penny n | figurative, informal (undesirable person) (AmL) | mal tipo, mala mina adj + nm, nf |
| (ES) | mal tío, mala tía adj + nm, nf |
| You shouldn't go out with Rick; he's a bad penny. |
cost a pretty penny v expr | informal, figurative (be expensive) (CR, MX, coloquial) | estar cariñoso loc verb |
Note: Se usa debido a la similitud entre las palabras "caro" y "cariñoso" |
| I bet that dress cost a pretty penny. |
| Seguro que ese vestido está cariñoso. |
| (ES) | costar una pasta loc verb |
| Seguro que ese vestido cuesta una pasta. |
| (coloquial) | valer un ojo de la cara loc verb |
| Seguro que ese vestido vale un ojo de la cara. |
| (coloquial) | salir un huevo, costar un huevo expr |
| Seguro que ese vestido sale un huevo. |
| (coloquial) | costar un ojo de la cara expr |
| Seguro que ese vestido cuesta un ojo de la cara. |
ha'penny n | UK, informal, historical (British half-penny coin) (moneda, anticuado) | medio penique adj + nm |
in for a penny, in for a pound expr | UK (should finish even if hard) | Ya que estamos... expr |
| | De perdidos, al río expr |
| | Ya que estamos en el baile, bailemos expr |
not have a penny to your name, also US: not have a cent to your name, not have a dollar to your name, not have a dime to your name v expr | (be penniless) | no tener un centavo, no tener un peso loc verb |
| The bankrupt man didn't have a penny to his name. |
penny arcade n | (amusement area with slot machines) | máquinas de juegos loc nom fpl |
| | salón recreativo loc nom m |
| | juegos arcade loc nom m |
| Some boardwalks still have old-fashioned penny arcades. |
| Algunos lugares en la costa todavía tienen máquinas de juegos. |
| (CO) | maquinitas nfpl |
| (AR) | fichines nmpl |
| (AR) | flippers nmpl |
| Algunos lugares en la costa todavía tienen maquinitas. |
penny dreadful n | historical, UK (sensationalist fiction) (figurado, peyorativo) | novela barata nf + adj |
| (peyorativo) | novelucha nf |
the penny drops expr | UK (to realize or come to senses) (coloquial) | caer la ficha expr |
| | darse cuenta loc verb |
| Amanda was confused at first, but then the penny dropped and she knew what to do. |
penny for your thoughts expr | figurative (what are you thinking?) | ¿en qué estás pensando? expr |
| | ¿en qué piensas? expr |
| "Penny for your thoughts." "Oh, I was just thinking about all the jobs I need to do today." |
penny loafer | (shoes) | mocasines nmpl |
penny pincher n | informal (miserly person) | tacaño, tacaña nm, nf |
| (AR, coloquial) | codo n común |
penny stock n | US (cheap stock) | acción muy barata nf + loc adj |
| Bob focused on selling penny stock to wealthy investors. |
| Bob se concentraba en venderles acciones muy baratas a los inversores adinerados. |
penny-farthing n | historical (early model of bicycle) | biciclo nm |
penny-pinch⇒ vi | figurative, informal (spend little money) | tacañear⇒ vi |
penny-pinching n | informal (frugality, miserly behavior) | mezquindad nf |
| The character of Scrooge is famous for his penny-pinching. |
penny-pinching adj | informal (frugal, miserly) | tacaño/a adj |
| | mezquino/a adj |
| Jack's penny-pinching boss won't give him a pay rise. |
penny-wise adj | (careful in spending money) | ahorrativo/a adj |
| | prudente adj mf |
penny-wise and pound-foolish expr | UK, dated (careless with large sums) | descuidado con sumas grandes loc adj |
pinch pennies, pinch the pennies v expr | figurative, informal (spend little money) | escatimar⇒ vi |
| (figurado) | cuidar el bolsillo loc verb |
| I wish I earned more money; I really have to pinch pennies. |
spend a penny v expr | UK, figurative, informal, euphemism (urinate, use toilet) (coloquial) | hacer un pis loc verb |
| | mear⇒ vi |
| Please excuse me; I need to spend a penny. |
turn an honest penny v expr | informal (earn money by fair means) | ganarse la vida honorablemente loc verb |
two a penny, ten a penny adj | (common and of little value) | a montones loc adv |
| | de poco valor loc adj |
without a penny to your name, also US: without a cent to your name, without a dollar to your name, without a dime to your name expr | (penniless) | sin un centavo partido por la mitad expr |
| After losing her job, Julie ended up without a penny to her name. |