Vocabulary Showcase: In for a Penny, In for a Pound - Idioms

We aren’t looking at synonyms in Vocabulary Showcase this week, we are looking at the phrase “In for a penny, in for a pound”. So, get committed to increasing your vocabulary, pump yourself up, and let’s get going!

What Does It Mean?

“In for a penny, in for a pound” comes from the British currency, the Great British Pound (GBP). There are 100 pennies in 1 pound, so the phrase means ‘If I am dedicated enough to do 1 penny's worth of work, I am dedicated enough to do a pound’s worth of work’. Essentially, it’s used to show someone is very dedicated to continuing their task until it is finished.

When Can I Use It?

It’s a great phrase because almost every English-speaking person knows what it means. You can use it anywhere in the UK or the USA and expect to be understood. You can also use it in almost any situation because it is family-friendly and not designed for anything too specific.

Examples in Use:

Each of the following examples is a situation where saying “In for a penny, in for a pound” would sound 100% normal:

• You are in a restaurant with 3 pancakes on a plate in front of you. You have already eaten 6, but you made a bet with your sister that you could eat 9. → “In for a penny, in for a pound!”

• You are delivering leaflets to homes and have already delivered 100. Your friend calls in sick and asks if you can deliver their 100 leftlets too. You say → “Sure, in for a penny, right?”

• You have adopted 3 rescue dogs, and someone leaves a young puppy at your doorstep. Under your breath, you say this as you pick the puppy up and take her inside, “In for a penny, in for a pound”.

• You are painting the new fences in your garden and finish with lots of extra paint. You look at the old unpainted fences in your garden and think → “Why not? In for a penny, in for a pound!”

Summing Up

Some phrases can be a little difficult to use when English isn’t your first language, but “In for a penny…” is a clear and easy one you can use anytime. You can even use just the first half like the previous sentence, but only use it this way with native English speakers because non-native people might be confused by half a phrase. So, practice your English and expand your vocabulary - In for a penny, right?