red cent

English

Etymology

Probably from the color of the copper from which the coin was minted beginning in 1909. Prior to that year, a brighter nickel-based cent was used, called the white cent.

Noun

red cent (plural red cents)

1. (US) A copper penny.
2. (US, colloquial) A very small amount of money.

   I wouldn't pay one red cent for a ticket.

   • 2011, Jann Arden, Falling Backwards: A Memoir, page 158:

     My dad said he wasn't going to pay the bastards ten red cents.

Usage notes

• Usually used in the negative.

Translations

a very small amount of money in the negative

• Danish: rød øre
• Dutch: rooie cent f
• Finnish: penni (fi)
• French: liard (fr) m
• Japanese: びた一文 (bita ichimon)
• Polish: grosz (pl) m, złamany szeląg m

Anagrams

• centred, credent