From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Penny \Pen*ny\, n.; pl. {Pennies}or {Pence} (p[e^]ns). Pennies
denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in
value. [OE. peni, AS. penig, pening, pending; akin to D.
penning, OHG. pfenning, pfenting, G. pfennig, Icel. penningr;
of uncertain origin.]
1. A former English coin, originally of copper, then of
bronze, the twelfth part of an English shilling in account
value, and equal to four farthings, or about two cents; --
usually indicated by the abbreviation d. (the initial of
denarius).
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Note: "The chief Anglo-Saxon coin, and for a long period the
only one, corresponded to the denarius of the Continent
. . . [and was] called penny, denarius, or denier."
--R. S. Poole. The ancient silver penny was worth about
three pence sterling (see {Pennyweight}). The old
Scotch penny was only one twelfth the value of the
English coin. In the United States the word penny is
popularly used for cent.
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2. Any small sum or coin; a groat; a stiver. --Shak.
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3. Money, in general; as, to turn an honest penny.
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What penny hath Rome borne,
What men provided, what munition sent? --Shak.
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4. (Script.) See {Denarius}.
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{Penny cress} (Bot.), an annual herb of the Mustard family,
having round, flat pods like silver pennies ({Thlaspi
arvense}). Also spelled {pennycress}. --Dr. Prior.
{Penny dog} (Zool.), a kind of shark found on the South coast
of Britain: the tope.
{Penny pincher}, {Penny father}, a penurious person; a miser;
a niggard. The latter phrase is now obsolete. --Robinson
(More's Utopia).
{Penny grass} (Bot.), pennyroyal. [R.]
{Penny post}, a post carrying a letter for a penny; also, a
mail carrier.
{Penny wise}, wise or prudent only in small matters; saving
small sums while losing larger; penny-wise; -- used
chiefly in the phrase, penny wise and pound foolish.
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