halfpenny

halfpenny
/hay"peuh nee, hayp"nee/, n., pl. halfpennies for 1; halfpence /hay"peuhns/ for 2; adj.
n.
1. a bronze coin of the United Kingdom, equal to half a penny: use phased out in 1984.
2. the sum of half a penny.
adj.
3. of the price or value of a halfpenny.
4. of little value; worthless: a halfpenny matter.
5. Brit. Informal. (of newspapers) sensational, esp. morbidly or offensively so.
[1225-75; ME halfpeny, halpeny. See HALF, PENNY]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • halfpenny — mid 13c. (though implied in O.E. healfpenigwurð halfpenny worth ); see HALF (Cf. half) + PENNY (Cf. penny) …   Etymology dictionary

  • halfpenny — [hāp′nē, hā′pən ē] n. pl. halfpence [hā′pəns] or halfpennies a former British coin equal to half a penny adj. worth a halfpenny, or very little; trifling …   English World dictionary

  • halfpenny — half pen*ny, half penny half pen*ny(h[=a] p[e^]n*n[y^] or h[aum]f ; 277), n.;pl. {Half pence} ( pens) or {Half pennies}( p[e^]n*n[i^]z). An English coin of the value of half a penny, no longer minted; also, the value of half a penny. Syn: ha… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • halfpenny — (also ha penny) ► NOUN (pl. halfpennies (for separate coins); halfpence (for a sum of money) ) ▪ a former British coin equal to half an old or new penny …   English terms dictionary

  • halfpenny — 1. noun /ˈheɪpəni,ˈheɪpni/ a) (plural: halfpennies) A discontinued British coin worth half of one penny (old or new). If you havent got a penny, / A hapenny will do, / If you havent got a hapenny, / Then God bless you. b) (plural: halfpence) An… …   Wiktionary

  • halfpenny — UK [ˈheɪpnɪ] / UK [ˌhɑːfˈpenɪ] / US [ˈheɪp(ə)nɪ] / US [ˈhæfˌpenɪ] noun [countable] Word forms halfpenny : singular halfpenny plural halfpennies a small coin from a money system used in the past in the UK and some other countries …   English dictionary

  • halfpenny — noun Date: 13th century 1. plural halfpence or halfpennies a former British coin representing one half of a penny 2. the sum of half a penny 3. a small amount • halfpenny adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Halfpenny — Half|pen|ny 〈[ha:fpɛni] m. 6; od. Pl. (bei Währungsangaben) pen|nies〉 englische Münze * * * Half|pen|ny [ heɪpnɪ], der; [s], s [engl. halfpenny, aus: half = halb u. penny, ↑Penny] (füher): kleinste britische Münze …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Halfpenny — This most interesting surname is of Anglo Saxon origin, and is a nickname surname given to someone who had to pay the rent of one half penny, from the Olde English pre 7th Century elements healf , half, and penig, pening , a penny. The first… …   Surnames reference

  • Halfpenny — Half|pen|ny [ heipeni] der; [s], s <aus engl. halfpenny, dies aus half »halb« u. ↑Penny> engl. Münze (0,5 p) …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

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