pretty penny

as indear
as inexpensive
as in

Synonyms for pretty penny

adj very expensive

Antonyms for pretty penny

Word Origin & History

Old English pening, penig, Northumbrian penning "penny," from Proto-Germanic *panninggaz (cf. Old Norse penningr, Swedish pänning, Danish penge, Old Frisian panning, Old Saxon pending, Middle Dutch pennic, Dutch penning, Old High German pfenning, German Pfennig, not recorded in Gothic, where skatts is used instead), of unknown origin.

The English coin was originally set at one-twelfth of a shilling and was of silver, later copper, then bronze. There are two plural forms: pennies of individual coins, pence collectively. In translations it rendered various foreign coins of small denomination, especially Latin denarius, whence comes its abbreviation d.

As American English colloquial for cent, it is recorded from 1889. Penny-a-liner "writer for a journal or newspaper" is attested from 1834. Penny dreadful "cheap and gory fiction" dates from c.1870. Phrase penny-wise and pound-foolish is recorded from c.1600. Penny-pincher "miserly person" is recorded from 1906 (as an adjective penny-pinching is recorded from 1858, American English). Penny loafers attested from 1960.

Example Sentences for pretty penny

Heaven knew, too, that this folly of his had cost him a pretty penny, first and last.

I'll wager a pretty penny they won't let either of us go now!

All this furniture had come from Germany, and must have cost a pretty penny.

Why, your passage by the Lucania alone must have cost a pretty penny.

When he goes to the worms Miss Sylvia will have a pretty penny.

All the same, I expect this business will cost a pretty penny if Fargis is afraid of you.'

The carving was beginning to bring in what Isel called “a pretty penny.”

I'm not long for this world, and you've cost me a pretty penny, my dear; but it's all right.

He bought them for your uncle, at your father's sale, and a pretty penny they cost.

Before we were all properly equipped it would cost a pretty penny.

pretty penny

Synonyms for pretty penny

Antonyms for pretty penny

dearer

dearest

expensive

king's ransom

more expensive

pretty penny

Synonyms for pretty penny

Antonyms for pretty penny

More words related to pretty penny

dear

dearer

dearest

expensive

king's ransom

more expensive