How do you use "Pretty penny" in a sentence?

That car must have cost a pretty penny. It'll cost you a pretty penny to fix. They paid a pretty penny for that house.

Pretty penny

Q: What does "Pretty penny" mean?

A large amount of money Something that costs a lot of money. The 'pretty' is ironic—there's nothing pretty about the high price, it just means considerable.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Neutral

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Significado: A large amount of money

一大笔钱

Una gran cantidad de dinero

大金、かなりの金額

큰 돈, 상당한 금액

Something that costs a lot of money. The 'pretty' is ironic—there's nothing pretty about the high price, it just means considerable.

花费很多钱的东西。'pretty（漂亮的）'是一种反话——高价并不漂亮，只是表示相当大的金额。

Algo que cuesta mucho dinero. El 'pretty' (bonito) es irónico: no hay nada bonito en el precio alto, simplemente significa considerable.

かなり高くつくもの。「pretty（きれいな）」は皮肉で、高い値段に「きれい」なことは何もなく、単に「かなりの」という意味。

많은 돈이 드는 것. 'pretty'는 반어적으로 쓰이며, 높은 가격에 예쁠 것은 없고 '상당한'이라는 의미이다.

Ejemplos

That car must have cost a pretty penny.
那辆车一定花了不少钱
Ese coche debe de haber costado un dineral
あの車はかなりの金額がかかったに違いない
저 차는 꽤 큰돈이 들었을 거야.
It'll cost you a pretty penny to fix.
修理费会很贵的
Te va a costar un ojo de la cara arreglarlo
修理にはかなりかかるよ
수리하려면 상당한 돈이 들 거야.
They paid a pretty penny for that house.
他们买那栋房子花了一大笔钱
Pagaron un dineral por esa casa
彼らはあの家にかなりの大金を払った
그들은 저 집에 큰돈을 지불했다.

Pronunciación

/ˈprɪti ˈpeni/

Guía de uso

Contexto: expensive items, prices, costs

Tono: impressed or rueful

✓ Correcto

Cost a pretty penny
花了一大笔钱
Costar un dineral
かなりの金額がかかる
꽤 큰돈이 들었다
A pretty penny
一大笔钱
Un dineral
かなりの金額
꽤 큰돈

✗ Incorrecto

Usually for expensive purchases
通常用于昂贵的购买
Suele usarse para compras caras
通常、高額な買い物に使う
보통 비싼 구매에 사용

Errores comunes

None—widely understood

Origen e historia

English expression from the 15th century. 'Pretty' originally meant considerable or substantial (not just attractive). A 'pretty penny' is a substantial sum.

Etimología: Pretty (considerable) + penny (money)

Primera vez registrado: 15th century

Contexto cultural

Era: 15th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common idiom

Regional notes: Universal across English-speaking world.

Variaciones

Pretty pennyCost a pretty penny

Frases relacionadas

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Quid ★★★★★ British pound sterling (informal) Fiver ★★★★★ A five pound note Tenner ★★★★★ A ten pound note Loaded ★★★★★ Very wealthy, having lots of money Blow ★★★★★ To spend money quickly or wastefully Rip-off ★★★★★ A fraudulent overcharge or swindle