ninepence
C1Historical, literary, occasionally humorous
Definition
Meaning
A pre-decimal British coin worth nine old pennies, or the sum of nine pennies.
Historically, a specific coin or monetary amount in pre-1971 UK currency. Can be used to denote a small, insignificant amount of money or something of little value.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers specifically to pre-decimal British currency (240 pence = £1). 'Ninepence' was also a distinct silver coin minted from 1707-1817. Used figuratively to mean 'a trivial sum'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Exclusively British/Irish historical context. Largely meaningless in American English due to different currency history.
Connotations
UK: Nostalgia, historical reference, triviality. US: Unfamiliar, archaic, likely unknown to most speakers.
Frequency
UK: Very low in modern usage, but historically understood by older generations. US: Extremely rare to non-existent.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] costs/is worth ninepence.He gave me ninepence for it.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “as bent as a ninepence (old slang for drunk)”
- “right as ninepence (perfectly fine/healthy)”
- “not worth a brass ninepence (utterly worthless)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Obsolete. No modern usage.
Academic
Used in historical/economic texts discussing pre-decimal British currency.
Everyday
Rare. Used figuratively by older UK speakers, e.g., 'It's not worth ninepence.'
Technical
Used in numismatics (coin collecting).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- a ninepence stamp
- a ninepence fare
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In the old story, the loaf of bread cost ninepence.
- My grandmother found an old ninepence in her drawer.
- Before decimalisation, you could buy quite a lot for just ninepence.
- The phrase 'right as ninepence' means everything is in good order.
- The antique dealer valued the worn Victorian ninepence at over fifty pounds.
- His opinion on the matter isn't worth a brass ninepence to me.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'nine pennies' squeezed together to make one old silver 'ninepence' coin.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS VALUE (but specifically, 'ninepence' metaphorically represents MINIMAL VALUE or TRIVIALITY).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'девять пенсов'. It is a specific historical unit/coin.
- The figurative use ('not worth ninepence') is similar to 'гроша ломаного не стоит', but with a specific cultural reference.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a current monetary term (obsolete).
- Writing it as 'nine pence' (as a specific coin/sum, it's one word).
- Confusing it with the later decimal 'five pence' coin in size/value.
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'not worth a brass ninepence' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It was demonetised when the UK decimalised its currency in 1971.
It would not be understood in a monetary sense. An American might only encounter it in historical British literature.
Approximately 3.75 decimal pence (9 old pence / 2.4). However, its purchasing power from the past is not comparable.
It was a common, small-denomination coin for centuries, making it a handy reference for something of small value or, ironically, for being in good condition ('right as ninepence').