"penny for your thoughts" meaning in English

See penny for your thoughts in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Phrase

IPA: /ˈpɛn.i fɔː jɔː ˈθɔːts/ [UK], /ˈpɛn.i fəː jəː ˈθɔːts/ [UK], /ˈpɛn.i fɔɹ jʊɹ ˈθɑts/ [US], /ˈpɛn.i fɔɹ jʊɹ ˈθɔts/ [US], /ˈpɛn.i fɚ jɚ ˈθɑts/ [US] Audio: en-us-penny for your thoughts.ogg , en-au-penny for your thoughts.ogg
Head templates: {{head|en|phrase}} penny for your thoughts
  1. (idiomatic) Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted. Tags: idiomatic Related terms: two pennies' worth, for what it's worth Translations (inquiry into the thoughts): 你在想什麼? (Chinese Mandarin), penni ajatuksistasi (Finnish), min jár az eszed? (Hungarian), mi jár a fejedben? (Hungarian), grosik za twoje myśli (Polish), ett öre för dina tankar (Swedish)

Alternative forms

{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "phrase"
      },
      "expansion": "penny for your thoughts",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1749, Henry Fielding, chapter XIV, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV, page 106:",
          "text": "One day, as your ladyship was playing on the harpsichord to my master, Mr Jones was sitting in the next room, and methought he looked melancholy. La! says I, Mr Jones, what's the matter? a penny for your thoughts, says I.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1857–1859, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, chapter LIX, in The Virginians. A Tale of the Last Century, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1858–1859, →OCLC:",
          "text": "As for Harry, he sate in very deep meditation over the scene; and when Mrs. Lambert offered him a penny for his thoughts, he said, “That he thought, Young Norval, Douglas, What-d'ye-call-'em, the fellow in white satin—who looked as old as his mother—was very lucky to be able to distinguish himself so soon.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1922 February, James Joyce, “[13]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:",
          "text": "And she said to Gerty:\n—A penny for your thoughts.\n—What? replied Gerty with a smile reinforced by the whitest of teeth.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:",
          "text": "The penny-post is, commonly, an institution through which you seriously offer a man that penny for his thoughts which is so often safely offered in jest.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1915, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter XXXIII, in Of Human Bondage, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC:",
          "text": "“A penny for your thoughts,” said Miss Wilkinson, looking at him with a smile.\n“I’m not going to tell you,” he answered.\nHe was thinking that he ought to kiss her there and then.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "[1973, Arthur Bremer, An Assassin's Diary, Harper's Magazine Press, →ISBN, page 141:",
          "text": "Is there any thing else to say? My cry upon firing will be, “A penny for your thoughts.”",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted."
      ],
      "id": "en-penny_for_your_thoughts-en-phrase-kbALpJUO",
      "links": [
        [
          "thought",
          "thought#English"
        ],
        [
          "feeling",
          "feeling#English"
        ],
        [
          "pensive",
          "pensive#English"
        ],
        [
          "conflict",
          "conflict#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "two pennies' worth"
        },
        {
          "word": "for what it's worth"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
          "word": "你在想什麼?"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "note": "你在想什么? (nǐ zài xiǎng shénme?) (no exact equivalent exists; lit., \"what are you thinking about?\")",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
          "word": "penni ajatuksistasi"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
          "word": "min jár az eszed?"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
          "word": "mi jár a fejedben?"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
          "word": "grosik za twoje myśli"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
          "word": "ett öre för dina tankar"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɔː jɔː ˈθɔːts/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fəː jəː ˈθɔːts/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɔɹ jʊɹ ˈθɑts/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɔɹ jʊɹ ˈθɔts/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɚ jɚ ˈθɑts/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-penny for your thoughts.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a7/En-us-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg/En-us-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/En-us-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-penny for your thoughts.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/13/En-au-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg/En-au-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/En-au-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "penny for your thoughts"
}
{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "phrase"
      },
      "expansion": "penny for your thoughts",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "two pennies' worth"
    },
    {
      "word": "for what it's worth"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English phrases",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Requests for review of French translations",
        "Terms with Finnish translations",
        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with Hungarian translations",
        "Terms with Mandarin translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Swedish translations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1749, Henry Fielding, chapter XIV, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV, page 106:",
          "text": "One day, as your ladyship was playing on the harpsichord to my master, Mr Jones was sitting in the next room, and methought he looked melancholy. La! says I, Mr Jones, what's the matter? a penny for your thoughts, says I.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1857–1859, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, chapter LIX, in The Virginians. A Tale of the Last Century, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1858–1859, →OCLC:",
          "text": "As for Harry, he sate in very deep meditation over the scene; and when Mrs. Lambert offered him a penny for his thoughts, he said, “That he thought, Young Norval, Douglas, What-d'ye-call-'em, the fellow in white satin—who looked as old as his mother—was very lucky to be able to distinguish himself so soon.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1922 February, James Joyce, “[13]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:",
          "text": "And she said to Gerty:\n—A penny for your thoughts.\n—What? replied Gerty with a smile reinforced by the whitest of teeth.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:",
          "text": "The penny-post is, commonly, an institution through which you seriously offer a man that penny for his thoughts which is so often safely offered in jest.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1915, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter XXXIII, in Of Human Bondage, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC:",
          "text": "“A penny for your thoughts,” said Miss Wilkinson, looking at him with a smile.\n“I’m not going to tell you,” he answered.\nHe was thinking that he ought to kiss her there and then.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "[1973, Arthur Bremer, An Assassin's Diary, Harper's Magazine Press, →ISBN, page 141:",
          "text": "Is there any thing else to say? My cry upon firing will be, “A penny for your thoughts.”",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "thought",
          "thought#English"
        ],
        [
          "feeling",
          "feeling#English"
        ],
        [
          "pensive",
          "pensive#English"
        ],
        [
          "conflict",
          "conflict#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɔː jɔː ˈθɔːts/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fəː jəː ˈθɔːts/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɔɹ jʊɹ ˈθɑts/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɔɹ jʊɹ ˈθɔts/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpɛn.i fɚ jɚ ˈθɑts/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-penny for your thoughts.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a7/En-us-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg/En-us-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/En-us-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-penny for your thoughts.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/13/En-au-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg/En-au-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/En-au-penny_for_your_thoughts.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
      "word": "你在想什麼?"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "note": "你在想什么? (nǐ zài xiǎng shénme?) (no exact equivalent exists; lit., \"what are you thinking about?\")",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
      "word": "penni ajatuksistasi"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
      "word": "min jár az eszed?"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
      "word": "mi jár a fejedben?"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
      "word": "grosik za twoje myśli"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "inquiry into the thoughts",
      "word": "ett öre för dina tankar"
    }
  ],
  "word": "penny for your thoughts"
}

Download raw JSONL data for penny for your thoughts meaning in English (5.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.