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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
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Penny Peny, n. Also: -ye, -ie, -é, -ey, pany, pané. Plur. pen(n)yis, -yies, -yes, -yeis, -iis, -ies, -ey(i)s, -eyes, -eis; -is, -ys(e, -es; penec; pens, penc(e, pince. [ME. peni(e (a 1200), peny, peney (c 1400), penny (c 1450), also peninng (Orm), also paniȝ (c 1160), pane (c 1290), plur. peneȝes (c 1175), peniis (a 1300), penyes, penies, pennis (1426), pens (Piers Plowman B), pense (a 1500), pensys (1482), panewes (13th c.), panes, pans (c 1305), pannes, late OE. peniᵹ, OE. pęning, pęnning (chiefly Northumbrian), pęnding, also pæniᵹ, paniᵹ. Cf. Penny n.²]For early examples of the names Monypenny and Penny (c 1200–11 Monipenie, 1296 Manipeny, 1303 Monipeny, 1409 Monypenny; 1343 Peny, 1433 Penny; etc.), which, if not originally this word, were appar. identified with and conformed to it, see Black Surnames s.vv.

1. A coin of the value of a twelfth of a shilling, a one hundred and sixtieth of a mark and a two hundred and fortieth of a pound of the currency specified or assumed; chiefly the penny Scots. b. Also freq. as a unit of value or a money of account.Shortened, after a numeral, to d., L. denarius.For further examples see Blancheferme n. ¹, Blench(e n., a. and adv. 1 and 2, Blencheferme n. 2.sing. 1394 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 30.
He sal haf a penny til his noynsankys c1420 Wynt. iv. 2530.
A denere comwnaly Is in oure langage a penny 14.. Acts I. 304/2.
Of a thousand heryng a peny 1451 Ib. II. 39/2.
Ande at thar be strikin of the vnce of brynt siluer or bulȝeon of that fynes [sc. of English money] viij grottis ande of the samyn mater & wecht as efferis half grote penny half penny & ferding Ib. 40/1.
Ande that na Inglis penny haf cours bot at the wil of the ressauour 1467 Ib. 88/2.
[Valuation of coinage:] the aulde Inglis penny iij d. ande the new Inglis penny rychtsa, … and the quhyt Scottis penny and half penny to haif cours as thaj war wont to haue and the striking of the blak pennyis to be cessyt 1468 Ib. 92/1.
And the aulde Inglis grote xiij d. and the new grot xj d. the Inglis penny iij d. the spurrit grote xiij d. the Scottis penny a1500 Colk. Sow ii. 58.
The secound penny I haif heir in my fist, On lyis in hurd Ib. iii. 13.
How suld a penny fruct contrar nature 1505 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 75.
The sellinge of ane apill for ane penny quhar he micht haue sauld thre for ane penny 1509 Liber Coll. Glasg. 208.
For his lyftyme sewinteyne schillyne and ane penne 1558 Glasgow Cordiners 249.
Euyrry maister of the said craft sall pay oueklie … ane penny Scottis and euyrry seruand … ane half penny 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 226.
Resavyng fra ilk person that communicat ane penne 1576 Lanark B. Rec. 71. 1596 Dalr. I. 140/14.
The pennie he causet be cuinȝet of a buffill hyde 1597 Acts in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 129.
And the saidis spaceis to haue course … for twa pennyis and ane penny ilk pece 1604 Ib. 280.
To haif course in Scotland for twelff penneyis Scottis money and in England for ane penney sterling 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 31.
And ane penne 1694 Glasgow Chart. II. 253.
In free blench for the yearly payment of ane Scots pennieplur. (a) 14.. Acts I. 305/2.
Of ilk bale at the furth passyng four peniis Ib. 309/2.
The unce contenit in King Dauidis time xx gude and sufficient sterling penijs and now it sall wey xxi penijs for the demynicioune of the mone c1420 Bute MS. fol. 141.
That felon refe … for the qwhilkys I tax apon thé … thus mony penyis or pondis 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 106.
For the boll v schillingis vi peneyis c1575 Balfour Pract. 272.
For his fie ane colpindach or threttie penies 1677 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS. 17 Sept.
Penyes 1683 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 18 July.
Absolves … John … and Margaret … from four penies off evrie broust alleadgit promised be them … and that for [etc.](b) 1471 Edinb. Chart. 133.
Of ilk bot … cummand in the havin twa pennyis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 63.
Gif I ten dayis wan pennyis thre 1533 Bell. Livy I. 94/24.
Sic persouns as had lxxv^m pennyis in pois 1547 Reg. Privy C. I. 71.
That tuelff stane wecht of siluer be cunyeit in pennyis and half pennyis [MS. halpennyis] of the fynes and wecht of the penny past of auld a1578 Pitsc. II. 319/34, 320/1.
The hardheid that was guid and mercat for ane penny quhilk gave thrie haif penneis befoir and the plack to twa pennyis … quhilk befoir gave four pennyes 1596 Stirling Chart. 223.
With libertie to tak twa pennyeis of the laid and twa pennyeis vecht 1603 Montgomery Mem. II. 246.
At fourtine penniis the yard 1627 Rep. Parishes 38.
Aucht scoir sex pundis threttin schillingis four pennyies 1637 Dysart Rec. 73.
Pennyes 1663 S. Ronaldshay 42.
The soume six schillings eight pennyes Scots(c) 1483 Rec. Earld. Orkney 196.
For the sowme of fyve markis usuale mone of Scotland, viz. threttein schillingis and four penneis the mark a1500 Seven S. 2598.
Thai him sauld For twenty merkis of penneis tald 1509 Liber Coll. Glasg. 208.
Threttye penneis in the yeir 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 81.
Penneys 1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 64.
Sic as penneis falslie cuinȝeit 1579 Inverness Rec. I. 267.
The sowme of ten pundis sex schillingis aucht penneis monye of this realme 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 30.
Stampit plackis and penneis except 1588 Acts Privy C. in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 170–1.
Throw the … scantnes of penneyis and vtheris small money … within this realme [etc.] … it is thocht expedient that ane penney and twa penneyis of allayed money be … sett furth of tuelff grane fyne … fourty of the penneyis weyand ane vnce 1597 Ib. 268.
Ane small money of fyne copper onlie, to wit penneis and twa penneis 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 38.
Annent the … tytill of sax merk land uthell lyand in … Gruting, sax penneis the merk 1604 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 280.
Ane vther peice callit the tuelff schilling peice Scottis to haif course in Scotland for twelff schillingis money and in England for twelff penneyis sterling Ib. 282.
Penneyis 1631 Ib. II. 26.
At three penneis Scotish the peece 1666 Glasgow Chart. II. 115.
Penneyes(d) 1512 Treas. Acc. IV. 186.
In ilk purse xxiij Inglis pennies a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 46.
Acts will give plaks and puddings pennies 1651 Elgin Rec. II. 278.
Tuantie fyue schilling aught pennies copper money that is not pasgilt 1685 Nat. Reg. Archives (Scotl.) Rep. (Ewart Lib., Dumfries) 33.
The passes are procured … at 2 pennies Scots the peece(e) 1389 Wemyss Chart. 25.
Gyfand … aucht penys of syluer of vsuale money … in to name of male 1416 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 186.
Thrattene schilling and four penys 1444–5 Peebles Chart. ii.
He sal pay fowr penys 1492 Chart. (Suppl.) (Reg. H.) 24 Oct.
The landis … extendand ȝerly to v penis and ratourit to our chapell 1602 Dundee Shipping P. 73.
And thayr he towk sewin schillein sex penes of the schipis for expensis 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 10.
The sowme of tua thowsand sevin hundarth fortie aght pund sevin shelin sex penec(f) a1400 Leg. S. vii. 734.
As the Iowis Criste cane by Of thare conȝe for pennyse thretty c1420 Ratis R. 549.
And he had lent thar pennis thre c1420 Wynt. vi. 2070.
Foure pennys [v. rr. penneis, pennyis] 1487–8 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. cxxix n.
Twenty tua pundis of halfpenys quhilk wer umquhile pennys 1533 Gau 60/4.
Ane of thaime vesz awand ane thowsand pennis to hime(g) c1475 Wall. vi. 472.
For xl pens 1589-1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 63 a.
Twa pens 1604 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 280.
To haif course in Scotland for threttie schillingis money and in England for twa schilling sex pens sterling Ib.
To haif course in Scotland for sex schillingis money and in England for sex pens sterling [etc.] 1661 Edinb. Test. LXX. 112 b.
At thrie pens tua bodells the pund wecht 1671 Reg. Panmure I. xliv.
Seaventine hankes of Lyons 2 of them at six penc the hank and … fovre of them at five pince the hank

c. In Orkney and Shetland, in receipts, in the formula the first penny and the last and all thare betwix (betwene), i.e. the total payment, corresp. to the equiv. formula in Norwegian documents, viz. fyrsta peningh ock hin sedhista etc., see Soc. Ant. XXV. 192. 1455 Rec. Earld. Orkney 190.
For ii markis … of the quhilk sowme I halde me fullely pait … the first penny and the last and all thare betuene 1488 Ib. 197.
The first penny and the last and all thair betwix 1525 Soc. Ant. XXV. 192. 1536 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 142. 1538 Ib. 143.

d. Freq. as a symbolical payment. 14.. Acts I. 31/2.
[The seller] sall geyff to the aldyrman a penny for the ische and the tothir sall geyff a penny for the entre 1456 Peebles B. Rec. I. 113.
Than the sayd balye gayf grwnd sessyng with a penne of four sellyn anwal of Mechal Forest land 1457 Ib. 120. 1490 Reliq. Antiq. Sc. 49.
I gaiff … sesing … wyth erd stane and a penny as wse is 1498 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 613.
And thaireftir I … sall resigne … the sadis annualis … be the deliuerans of a penne in the handis of the ballies 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 139.
Be the exhibetioune of ane penny 1582 Old Ross-shire II. 59. 1587 (1600) Reg. Great S. 360/2. 1615 Lanark B. Rec. 125 (see Erd(e n. 3 c). 1631 Dysart Rec. 70.
Be deliverance of earth and staine and of ane penny as use is 1691 Beale Fife Schools 218.
[That] a rod & ane half of ground be feued … & that all be agried upon on a pennie

e. transf. What a penny will buy (in drink): cf. Penny-worth n. 1. 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 86.
I mon ga drink ane penny or twae 1558-66 Knox II. 159.
Bot thai past to thair foure houris penny and in thair jesting [etc.]

f. With defining terms: A money payment or contribution, regular or occasional.Also arlis-penny, Arlis n. b, Box-penny n., Goddis-penny n., Gold pen(n)y n., goldin-penny, Goldin a. 1 c, Inpenny n., Out-penny n., oukly penny, Oukly a., etc.Gate penny, ? a charge or levy made upon dealers entering a market to engage in trading. Cf. 17th c. Eng. gate penny = ‘a tribute paid by the customary tenants for leave to pass through one or more of their lord's gates’ (1693 in OED.), later Sc. dial. (1718) = ‘a levy or tax demanded from merchants and dealers on entering a market’ (SND, s.v. Gate pennie n. comb.) .(1) 1474 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 29.
Tuiching the rasing of the Monundais penny 1494 Edinb. Hammermen 4 b.
This is my ressait of the wolkis peny 1520 Perth Hammermen ii.
Deliverit of the weik's penny ij s. 1531 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 55.
Ilk maister … sall pay his wkly penny to the reparationis [etc.](2) 1547 Perth Hammermen 61.
The quhilk day Thomas Bryssoun, Dekyn, [etc.] … hes tane the gait penny and xii d. of the cumling fealls for xxvi s. viij d. 1548 Ib. 68.
Andro Thorskaill hes tane … Sanct Eloyis broddis with the gait penneis and the xij d. of the cumline feallis for this instant yeir for sex markis 1549 Ib. 72; etc. 1671 Dunferm. Hammermen MS. 82.
William Bell … hath delivered of the mercatt gaitt pennie tuelve schilling ten pennes 1684 Ib. 112.
David Turbull … hath payed 25 shilen Scoyes … for a quarter geat pene of June fear 1686 Ib. 119.
In part payment of the gate peny for September Mercat(3) 1672 Lanark B. Rec. 194.
Licence to exact as ane calsay pennie aff ilk strainger that brings in any inlandish walkit cloath … on fair dayes the soume [etc.](4) 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 302.
And it is ane earnest-pennie of thy everlasting salvation

g. Penny-pece, a coin of one penny in value, a penny.For examples see 7 b (2) below.

2. Applied to any coin or piece of specie, with or without descriptive pre- or post-modification: = a coin.See also hurd pennyis, Hurd n. 1 attrib., and Pais-penny n. for examples. 1451 Acts II. 40/1.
That thare be strikyn ane new penny of golde callit a lyone with the prent of the lyon on the ta side [etc.] Ib. 40/2.
The pennys at war strikyn be the Kingis cunȝeouris … sal haf cours as thai now haf [etc.] … Ande all vther kynde of pennys strikyn be Henry Goldsmyth & be al vther fals cunȝeouris … sal haf na cours 1467 Acts II. 88/2 (see sense 1 sing.).
Blak pennyis 1468 Ib. 92/1.
That … the Scottis money that is to say the demy [etc.] … and the grote of the floure de lice and the small penny and the fardyng sal haue the same cours that [etc.] 1488 Ib. 208/2.
That a fyne penny of gold be strikyne Ib.
And a penny of siluer to be equale in finace to the auld Inglis grote and ten of thame to mak the vnce of siluer to haue cours and gang for xiiij d. 1493 Halyb. 31.
Rasauit fra Georgh Clark … 2 fremd penys off gold 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 162.
[He] Had me hard be the hand quhar a hurd lay Than prevely the pennys begouth vp to pike 1526–7 Treas. Acc. V. 318.
To pas in Flandris for serching of fals pennyis 1533 Boece v. x. 183.
The cunȝe … of the goldin penny 1541 Treas. Acc. VII. 472.
Gevin to ane man that brocht v striveling penneis fund in ane huird 1544 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 208.
The sovm of twelf hundreth … alevin pundis … monye of Scotland in cursabill and vsuall pennijs 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 31.
Thair salbe ane penny or pece of gold prentit [etc.] 1663 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 149.
One penny of silver of the value of four merks ane other penny of silver of the value of tuo merks [etc.] 1675 Ib. 167.

3. Money or wealth (as possessed, acquired, coveted, due or paid); funds; payment.Also plur. in same sense.Also the penny, id., and personified.sing. (1) c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 468.
Men suld loue the penny 16.. Hist. Kennedy 4.
This Freir Hewis oy wes callit Com with the penny, quha conqueist the grittest pairt of all the lewing c1616 Hume Orthog. 2.
The printeres … caring for noe more arte then may win the pennie 1640 Boyd Lett. Comf. ii.
At death we receive the pennie: our life is a warfare, at death we receive the pay(2) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1265.
The first freind is bot gude penny and pelfe 1496–7 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 71.
That na mannis pennye be tane for the assedatioun of the commoun rentis [etc.] 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 208.
Dischairges Jhone Mithag, our bursair, out pait all thingis with man and penny in tymes bigane a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii. 92.
How can I reffus thame Sen all menis penny makis him free 1568 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier iii.
And … maid you to leve upon your penny or [etc.](3) a1568 Bann. MS. 144 b/25.
Sr penny is a man off lawplur. (1) 14.. Acts I. 62/2.
Na erl [etc.] … sall nocht lodge … bot in placeis quhair he may finde … mete for his pennyis c1450-2 Howlat 971 (A).
Ȝe princis prentis of pryde for penneis & prowe That pullis the pure ay c1475 Wall. viii. 692.
Pryce off [v.r. nor] pennys may mak ws no ramed a1500 K. Hart 941.
Quhen his purs of penneis is nocht fow c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 183.
I … may spend, of pennies round, Of ȝeirlie rent ane thowsand pound 1567 G. Ball. 175.
[The Pope] neuer ceist … Under dispens to get our penneis 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII. 232 b.
Scho ordinis hir lynt & hempt to pay hir penneis of dett 1668 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 20 May.
If ther shall be found any pennies of money in the coumpt booke more than the 20 merkis(2) 1425 (1431) Reg. Great S. 45/1.
That the sayd twenti scheling … be tane … of the formast pennys cummand of our sayd baronry 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. V. ii. 663 (5 Sept.).
And at the alderman do this with the eraste pennyes that may be gottyn of the comoune rentaile

b. To gif (the) maist penny, to give or offer the highest payment (for something). 1528 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II. i.
That the schip … be sawld to thame that will gif the maist penny thairfore 1536–7 (c 1580) Ib. 83.
Quha willis geve maist penny thairfor salbe hard

4. To mak penny of (property, goods, etc.). a. To realise as negotiable funds, to convert into cash; also, to sell more generally.(1) active 1464 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 38.
[The king shall immediately] presoun thaire personis mak penny of thaire gudis [etc.] 1482–3 Acta Conc. II. cxx.
Faleȝeand of his movable gudis that he price his landis and mak penny thairof 1500 Buccleuch Mun. II. 106. 15.. Aberd. B. Rec. MS. (Jam.).
The prouest, etc., chargit the officiaris to mak penny of the claith prisit 1507 Edinb. B. Ct. Bk. 44.
A tanny govne … deliuerit thame to mak penny of 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 249. 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 14.
Quhill he mycht have … transportit thame … for making of penny thairof 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 39. 1581 Elgin Rec. I. 162. 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 415.
[The treasurer to] caus sell and mak penny of the saidis cornis 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 16. 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 200 (5 May).
That ye … distrenȝie … his … goods [etc.] … and make pennie therof to the availl and quantatie of the foirsaids sowmespassive 1576–7 Reg. Privy C. II. 584.
Quhairof the part saulf [from the shipwreck] wes intromettit with be the inhabitantis of Holand and penny maid thairof to the lordis of the ground 1601 Misc. Bann. C. II. 232.
Efter pennie be maid of his haill geir 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII. 150.
[Unless the goods be made penny of for his use] 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS. 24 May.
That Mr. James Gawis ring … be apprysit and pennye maid of the samyn(2) 1595–6 Crim. Trials I. ii. 354.
To … bring hame corslettis [etc.] … sell and mak penny thairof to all his hienes subiectis vpoun ressounable pryceis

b. To realise (sums specified) as cash payments or as negotiable funds. 1641 Aberd. Council Lett. II. 292.
That they sall put all actis and decreitis to dew executioun … mak pennie of the soumes of money thairin conteanit to the pairties obteanaris of the samen

5. In the formula penny (pennyis, etc.) and (also or) penny-worth(is), = cash and/or its equivalent: cf. Penny-worth n. 3 (3).plur. 1513 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 25.
The quhilk the said Symon lent him in pens and penneworthis 1517 Ib. 43.
[To] paye … the sowme of fourty merkis guid and usuall pennes and penneworthis 1526 Carnwath Baron Ct. (S.H.S.) 40.
To … pay … the sowm of v merkis in penneis or in pennyvorth 1567 Douglas Chart. 264.
[To] pay in paneis and paneworthtis … the sowme of twa hundretht pondis for thair plenesing of thair rowmis 1590 Burntisland B. Ct. 30 Oct.
In penneis and pennyworthis 1669 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 188.
[The sum of 1000 merks Scots] in sufficient pence and peni worthes [viz., 250 merks] in money and peni worthes [at Whitsunday 1668 (etc.)]sing. 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 158.
The soume of thretty poundis in penny and pennywortht Scottis 1541–2 Linlithgow B. Ct. 8 Mar.
That he hes pait Johne Thomson ȝounger iij lib. in penny and penny worth 1553 Rec. Earld. Orkney 252.
For full landis price pait … to us … in penny and penniworth be the handis of the said Wilyame in our gryit mister 1554 Carte Northberwic 70.
Content to tak penne or penne vortht for the samyn 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 286.
That he nevir ressavit ony sick work nor uthir penny or pennyworth in payment of the sowme foirsaid 1577 Stewart Mem. 107.
Fourtie merkis … in penny and penny wourth thairof 1583 Edinb. Test. XII. 200 b.
I leue to Rosie Murray ane hundreth merkis worth of geir in pennyworthis & penny of hir awne geir & myne 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 10 Jun.
In pennie or pennieworth 1587–8 Ib. 26 Feb.
In pennie & pennie worthis 1590–1 Crail B. Ct. MS. 2 Mar.
In penny and penny worthis 1600 Brechin Test. I. 188.
The sowme of ane hundretht pundis in penne and penne worthes 1624 Ib. IV. 157.
In his merchant buthe of penne & penny vorthe estimat to the sovme of [etc.] 1627 Bamff Chart. 217. 1686 Binns P. (S.R.S.) 81.
[John Moubray declares that he is] presently worth in plenishing, pennie and pennie worth [the sum of 3000 merks Scots]

6. In extended applications. a. Typifying the value of money. 14.. Acts I. 309/2.
Now the pund aw to wey in siluer xxvi schillingis and iij sterling penijs and that for the mynoratioun of the peny that is in the tym now 1468 Ib. II. 92/1.
Considering alsa that the penny worthis ar rysin with the penny and mekle derrar than thai war wont to be

b. Preceded by an ordinal numeral: The fraction of a whole amount specified by the numeral.e.g. fyft penny = ⅕.(1) 1507–8 Rec. Earld. Orkney 80.
And as for the thenne penny and the ferd giffin till Helene Ness … be Andro Ness hir fathir 1534 Ib. 215.
With all rychtis of the teind penny and the ferde penny, gyffin be owr guddame … to owr eldest broder 1570–1 Ib. 131, etc.(2) 1526 Wigtown B. Ct. 177 a.
The tyrd penne of the custovme sene Vytsovndaye 1563 Acts II. 544/2.
The fyft penny of all thair gudis 1622-6 Bisset I. 299/33.
To appryse all they guidis ilk thrid penny within the worth 1633 Writers Signet 264.
The saxtene penny and the ordinar taxatiouns grantit in the last parliament

c. Exemplifying an amount of money; typifying a coin or a sum of money of small value. 1545 Prot. Bk. Sir Wm. Corbet 6.
Twenty merkis to be payit the fyrst ȝeir and the hyndmest penne within thre ȝeiris c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii. 51.
For euerie penny thay wyll haue tway a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 152.
And there be twa pennies in a purse they will draw togidder Kirkwood Grammar (1676) s.v.
Stips, a penny, such as is given to beggars

d. Small pennyis, money in small denominations or small sums. 1505–6 Treas. Acc. III. 180.
To the king and quene to play at the cartis in small pennyis ij li. 1583 Edinb. Test. XII. 313 b.
In small penneis the soum of vj li. 1668 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 8 Jan.
More, soom small penies of money dew be severall persons

e. In negative contexts: (Not) the least amount, (nothing) at all. ?1438 Alex. i. 1680.
He was sa full of succudry That he prysit na man ane penny Ib. ii. 6937. 1456 Hay I. 135/14.
That trewly he is nocht behaldin to restore agayne a peny tharof c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 282.
And ȝhit gaif thaim neuir powar to spend a penny of that gude 1544 Perth Hammermen 49.
That thair be nocht ane penny of the sanctis geir drunkyn … bot twa marks allenerlie 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 85.
The devill ane penne he wald spend upon the kyrk 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 469. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 437.
Of weasters … He hes not a pennie to buy his dog a leaf 1613 Glasgow Trades House 49.
Devill ane penny they wald pay

7. As the second element of a compound, prefixed by a cardinal numeral and without plural inflexion, forming an adj. of value or price.For examples, esp. of a, see the entries for the various cardinal numerals, e.g. Aucht num. 1 d, Five num. 1 b, Four-penny attrib., etc., and 9 a below.

a. With terms for various goods or commodities: for further examples, see the entries for the cardinal numerals listed in the note above, and 9 a below. b. With specific or general terms for coins. Also absol. or ellipt.(1) 1453 Exch. R. V. 556 n.]
[xxxiiij grotis of xij d. grotis and j d. 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III. 93.
Wyth the Abbot of Feyrn a hundreth pundis of sex peny grotis 1557–8 Acts Privy C. in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 77.
Ane new penny of siluir to be callit the kingis and quenis twelff penny grote 1591 Ib. 177.
The thrissill noble with the penny and tua penny plackis onlie exceptit(2) 1577 Reg. Privy S. VII. 145/2.
Thre staneis of uther fyne silver to be cunyeit in half mark and fourty penny peces 1597 Acts in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 129.
[100 stone of copper to be coined] in penny and twa penny peceis ilk twa penny pece weyand three deneiris and ilk penny pece weyand [etc.] 1620 Edinb. Test. L. 282.
Ellevin vnce … of brokin silwer and aucht penny peisis price of all sevinteine pundis 1629 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 18. 1632 Ib. 30. 1632 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 355.
To wit 180 4 d. peices 360 ii d. peices and 720 pennie peices in the said pound wecht with the ordinar remedies of … 3 four pennie peices(3) ellipt. 1678 Cullen B. Rec. 5 (? 28 Jan.).
The said Wm. wes decernit to pey … the sowme of sex shilling Scots money … quhich sex penie the said Wm. peyit jn

c. Elliptical for Penny-land (sense 1 a). — 1655 Retours Inq. Spec., Orkn. & Shetl. (66).
In the 4½ penny and thrid part merk land of Saba 1656 Ib. (78).
3¾ penny udal-land in Howbuster

d. In apposition with fine (see Fine a. d (3) for examples). = Penny-wecht n.

8. a. As a fraction of an Orkney markland: see note to Markland n.² 1504 Rec. Earld. Orkney 76.
At his part drew thre mark and halff and a fourty penny grip

b. In Shetland: A unit of weight of butter, equal to 4 marks or ⅙ of a lispund.1628 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 178 (see Lispund n. a).

9. Attrib., comb. and appositive. a. Costing a penny. b. As a place-name element.a. 1507 St. A. Baxter Bks. 85.
Breid of quheit sufficient … stuff, penny breid and tua penny breid 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 54.
Your pais … of xii uns to be kepit of the pennebred 1527–8 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 233. — 1541 Elgin Rec. I. 65.
The penny candill [to] contene xviii inchis in lenth … and sicklik the halpane candill ix inchis 1570–1 Ib. 124. — 1571 Edinb. Test. II. 192 b.
Aucht litill pennyheid price vj d. 1590 Ib. XXI. 179.
Four vnce of penney heidis of tuyne price iiij s. — 1525 Stirling B. Rec. I. 25.
That the penny kake be ane pund woucht 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. XVII (J.).
Conwict for the selling of penne kaikis 1619 Elgin Rec. II. 160. — 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 9.
The penny lafe [to] wey xxiiij vnce of bakin brede 1492 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 62. 1529 Ib. II. 17.
At the penny laif [of oat bread] … wey the penny laif wecht and thrid part wecht of quheit breid 1529–30 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 104.
Quha that breikis the pais … ve ordand … ane penny laif to the dussone — 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII. 166 b.
xxviij bollis meall of oatis ane boll iij firlotis of penny meill Ib. 167.
Thrie firlotis of penny maill — 1632 Edinb. Test. LVI. 22 b.
Nyn rimb of twa pennie peper … xxv rimb of pennie paiper 1642 Misc. Bann. C. II. 260.
Threttie ryme of littil pennie paper 1646 Ib. 264. — 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 309.
Glasses called looking glasses … penny wair the groce iiij li. 1680 Blackness Customs 4 b.
Tua littel looking glasses pennie warre 1681 Ib. 44 b.
Tuentie dozen of littell looking glasses pennie ware — ? a 1400 14 … ) Assiss Bread in Bute MS. fol. 170.
The paste of the pany wastel — 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1693) 83.
They'l feed you up with peny whistles or nigg-nayes bonny walliesb. 1493 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 332.
Nuncupato the peny croft 15.. Ib. II. 215.
De crofto vocato the penny rig seu Ancratis croft

c. Penny-purs, ? one for small money. (Cf. plakpurse, Plak n. 4 b.) 1522–3 Treas. Acc. V. 198.
To ilk ane of thame ane penny purs and xj s. in money 1527 Ib. 307. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 153 (B).
Thankit be God I am weill hippit Thocht all my gold may sone be grippit In till ane penny purs

d. (Breadth) of a penny. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3576.
The Saviour … hes nocht ane penny braid Quhair on he may repois his heavinlie head c1552 Id. Mon. 3896.
Thare wes nocht left ane penny breid Unwoundit frome his feit tyll heid Ib. 4533.

e. Penny-bowne, ? provided with enough funds (to enable one to accomplish something). Penny-rife, ? as rife or common as pennies. a1400 Leg. S. vi. 339.
And gyfe he be nocht penny bowne Lat it til vs bath be commowne 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xii.
Howsoeuer this superstition is … becomme most penny-rife papistry [etc.]

f. appositive. 1489 Acta Aud. 130/2.
The wrangwis … withhaldin fra thaim of the pasche reknyng … and penny offerand one Sanct Patrikis day 1538 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 194.
We … uphauldis that present service vith oblaciones and penny almus at the Paycht tyde 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 203.
[He] offerit … ane pennie custome & burgh for thre akirs of land