different between halfpenny vs halfpennyworth

English

Alternative forms

• (with the first element, half, preserved) halfepenny, halfepeny, halfepenie, halfepenye; halfpenny, halfpeny, halfpenie, halfpenye (all obsolete except halfpenny)
• (with the first element reduced to hal-, ha’, or ha-) halpeny, halpenye, hapeney, ha’penny, hapenny, happenny (all obsolete except ha’penny)
• (with the first element corrupted to haw-) hawpny (dialectal, obsolete)
• (pre-decimalisation abbreviation) ½d

Etymology

From the Middle English halpeni, either from the late-Old English halpenige or from half +? peni; equivalent to half +? penny and continually reinforced by that surface analysis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?he?p(?)ni/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??f?p?ni/ (spelling pronunciation)

Noun

halfpenny (plural halfpennies or halfpence)

1. (plural: halfpennies) (historical) A discontinued British coin worth half of one penny (old or new).
   • Christmas is coming (traditional carol)

     If you haven't got a penny, / A ha'penny will do, / If you haven't got a ha'penny, / Then God bless you.

2. (plural: halfpence) A quantity of money worth half a penny.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, As You Like It (act III, scene 2)

     There were none principal; they were all like one another as halfpence are; every one fault seeming monstrous till his fellow fault came to match it.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

halfpenny (not comparable)

1. Costing or worth one halfpenny.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part 2 (act IV, scene 2)

     There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony to drink small beer.

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h??pn?w??/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h??p??/

Noun

halfpennyworth (plural halfpennyworths) (abbreviation ha'p'orth)

1. (Britain) As much as could be bought for a halfpenny (pre- or post-decimalisation).
2. (Britain, informal) A negligible amount.

   he's never been a ha'p'orth of bother

Usage notes

• Also used in combination with larger amounts, as in "twopence halfpennyworth" (said "tuppence ha'penny's worth" and equal to as much as could be bought for two and a half pence).

References

• New Oxford American Dictionary