a pretty penny
idiom

- to be expensive; to cost a lot of money

McGraw-Hill Dictionary

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PHRASE ORIGIN

The word "pretty" in "a pretty penny" does not refer to beauty but rather to a substantial or considerable amount. It dates back to at least the 16th century, with its usage becoming more widespread in the 18th century.

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PRETTY INTERESTING

The word "pretty" doesn’t just mean attractive—it’s often used to mean "considerably" or "fairly", adding a subtle but strong emphasis to descriptions. Here are 10 common examples of "pretty" used in this way:

1.  She was pretty tired after the long flight.


2.  It’s pretty cold outside, so bring a jacket.


3.  I’m pretty sure we’re going in the right direction.


4.  He was pretty excited about his new job.


5.  This restaurant is pretty expensive, but the food is worth it.


6.  She speaks French pretty well for someone who just started learning.


7.  They were pretty shocked by the announcement.

8.   We're not in a pretty good position financially.

9.  We're pretty much finished with the project.

10.  The meeting was pretty productive—we got a lot done.


It’s fascinating how a small word like "pretty" can either boost or soften the intensity of a statement!

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PENNY PHRASES

Pennies may be small in value, but they occur in a number of idiomatic expressions; some other common examples are:

- A penny for your thoughts? = something that you say in order to ask someone who is being very quiet what they are thinking about.

- Penny-pincher = someone who is extremely frugal.

- A bad penny = a person with a bad character.

- A penny saved is a penny earned = saving money is as good as earning it.

- In for a penny, in for a pound = if you start something, you should see it through to the end.

- Pennies from heaven = unexpected good fortune or money.

- The penny drops = when someone finally understands something.

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SYNONYMS

a bomb, a bundle, a fortune, a king's ransom, a mint, a packet, A PRETTY PENNY, a small fortune, an arm and a leg, astronomical, at a premium, bank-breaking, big bucks (money), cost the earth, costly, dear, deep pockets required, expensive, eye-watering, hefty price tag, no small change, not cheap, pay through the nose, pricey, prohibitive, punitive, puts a dent in your wallet, quite a sum, steep, stiff (price), stretches the budget, top dollar

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Education may cost A PRETTY PENNY, but ignorance costs more”

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