different between pony vs ponies

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??ni/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?po?ni/
• Rhymes: -??ni

Etymology 1

1659 from Scots powny, apparently from Middle French poulenet (“little foal”), ultimately from Late Latin pullanus (“young of an animal”), from pullus (cognate to English foal). Sense “small serving of alcohol” from 19th century, both for small sizes generally and for a quarter pint specifically, from the small size.

Noun

pony (plural ponies)

1. A small horse; specifically, any of several small breeds of horse under 14.2 hands at the withers.
2. (regional) A small serving of an alcoholic beverage, especially beer.
   • 1879, “Some Queer Interviews: Interview with a Pony of Beer”, Puck, Vol. 5–6, p. 435
   • 1885, New York Journal, August:

     ‘I’m on the inside track,’ said a pony of beer as it went galloping down a man’s throat.

   • 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin 2011, p. 193:

     Demon popped into his mouth a last morsel of black bread with elastic samlet, gulped down a last pony of vodka and took his place at the table with Marina facing him across its oblong length.

   • 2010, Dick Lynas, Pies Were for Thursdays: Tales from an Ordinary Glasgow East End Childhood, page 283,

     I did not even know what a ‘pony’, a small chaser of beer, was. But of course I could not admit that. So putting on an air of nonchalance, and a deep voice, I strolled into a pub with one of the other equally naive guys and we ordered two ponies of beer.

     ‘McEwans?’ asked the barman.

     ‘Naw - ponies’ said I.

3. (Australia, New South Wales, Victoria) A serving of 140 millilitres of beer (formerly 5 fl oz); a quarter pint.
4. (Britain, slang) Twenty-five pounds sterling.
5. (US, slang) A translation used as a study aid; loosely, a crib, a cheat-sheet.
   • 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Library of America, 1985, p.104:

     She kept the dates written down in her Latin 'pony', so she didn't have to bother about who it was.

6. (slang) A ponytail hairstyle.
   • 2012, Amlynn Smith, Lost and Found (page 18)

     His hair is a semilong dull red and pulled back in a sloppy pony at the base of his neck, and his face is riddled with small freckles and grease, but out here I can see personal hygiene isn't exactly at the top of the priority list.

7. (automotive, slang) One horsepower.

8. (slang) A chorus girl of small stature.
   • 1941, Thoda Cocroft, Great Names and how They are Made (page 140)

     He suggested a Rose Ballet in which he would use the G. V. Follies chorus girls, chiefly the ponies and mediums.

Synonyms

• horseling

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

pony (third-person singular simple present ponies, present participle ponying, simple past and past participle ponied)

1. (transitive) To lead (a horse) from another horse.
2. To use a crib or cheat-sheet in translating.

Etymology 2

Clipping of pony and trap, rhyming with crap.

Adjective

pony (not comparable)

1. (Cockney rhyming slang) Of little worth.

Noun

pony (plural ponies)

1. (Cockney rhyming slang) Crap; rubbish, nonsense.

References

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English pony.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?.ni/
• (uncommon, in the meaning “pony, small horse”) IPA^(key): /?po?.ni/
• Hyphenation: po?ny
• Rhymes: -?ni

Noun

pony m (plural pony's, diminutive pony'tje n)

1. pony, small horse
2. (by extension) hairstyle with a fringe/bangs

Derived terms

• verzorgpony

Descendants

• ? Indonesian: poni

See also

• paard

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English pony.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?.ni/

Noun

pony m (invariable)

1. pony
2. pony express

Spanish

Noun

pony m (plural ponys)

1. pony

English

Pronunciation

Noun

ponies

1. plural of pony

Noun

ponies

1. (plural only, automotive, slang) horsepower
   • 2016 Greg Universe, "Beach City Drift", Steven Universe

     I wanted that car. Also, these things are crazy on the road. Front wheel suspension, tons of ponies, but best of all, it has a tape deck.

2. (with the) horse racing

Anagrams

• Espino, Sinope, opines

Catalan

Verb

ponies

1. second-person singular imperfect indicative form of pondre