different between pence vs tuppenny

English

Etymology

14th century contraction of penies (“pennies”), collective plural of penny.

Pronunciation

• (UK, Ireland) IPA^(key): /p?ns/ (stressed), IPA^(key): /p?ns/ (unstressed and in compounds)
• Rhymes: -?ns

Noun

pence

1. plural of penny (the subunit of the pound sterling or Irish pound).

Usage notes

• This is the collective plural, used when referring to a sum of money, as in These apples are twenty pence each. When referring to several coins each worth one penny, the correct plural is pennies, as in I have one tenpence coin and three pennies.

Related terms

• sixpence
• threepence
• twopence

References

English

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

• twopenny

Adjective

tuppenny (not comparable)

1. (Britain, Australia, becoming old-fashioned) Literally, worth tuppence (two pence); of little value or status.
   • a. 1852, Anon, Pop Goes the Weasel

     Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
     Half a pound of treacle.
     That’s the way the money goes,
     Pop! goes the weasel.

   • 1938, Xavier Herbert, Capricornia, New York: D. Appleton-Century, 1943, Chapter XI, p. 184, [1]

     Then they went off to prepare for the journey […] , Peter filling his six-penny pipe with tuppenny tobacco.

Noun

tuppenny (plural tuppennies)

1. (Britain, dated) A coin or stamp worth two pence.
2. (Britain, dated, juvenile) In the children's game of leapfrog, the head (perhaps named from a tuppenny loaf).
   • 1889, W. S. Gilbert, The Gondoliers

     A Lord High Chancellor is a personage of great dignity, who should never, under any circumstances, place himself in the position of being told to tuck in his tuppenny, except by noblemen of his own rank.

Derived terms

• tuppenny-ha'penny
• tuppenny upright