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pennyworth. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
pennyworth, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
pennyworth in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
pennyworth you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From penny + worth.
Noun
pennyworth (plural pennyworths)
- The amount that can be bought for a penny.
- Coordinate terms: halfpennyworth, tuppence worth
1832, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Heath's Book of Beauty, 1833, The Knife, page 127:She was learned in decocting all kinds of herb-tea, infallible in curing burns, sprains, and scalds ; and not a few pennyworths of gingerbread and paradise (for the latter she was very famous) went among her young customers, for which the till was never the richer.
- A small quantity or value.
- Synonyms: halfpennyworth, tuppence worth; see also Thesaurus:modicum
c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], Romeo and Iuliet. (Second Quarto), London: Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, , published 1599, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:VVhy Lambe, vvhy Lady, fie you ſluggabed, / VVhy Loue I ſay, Madam, ſvveeteheart, vvhy Bride: / VVhat not a vvord, you take your pennivvorths novv, / Sleepe for a vveeke, […]
- (dated) A good bargain.
1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “The Discourse that Pass’d between Nic. Frog and Esquire South, which John Bull Overheard”, in Lewis Baboon Turned Honest, and John Bull Politician. Being the Fourth Part of Law is a Bottomless-Pit. , London: John Morphew, , →OCLC, page 30:VVilt thou purchaſe it Nic.? thou ſhalt have a lumping Pennyvvorth; nay, rather than vve ſhould differ, I'll give thee ſomething to take it off my Hands.
See also