spend a penny

English

Etymology

From the act of putting a (pre-decimal) penny in the slot of a pay-toilet cubicle.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Verb

spend a penny (third-person singular simple present spends a penny, present participle spending a penny, simple past and past participle spent a penny)

1. (UK, dated, euphemistic) To use the toilet.
   • 1982, Alan Bennett, “A Woman of No Importance”, in The Complete Talking Heads, Picador, published 2010, →ISBN, page 14:

     I put on a lick of paint, slip over and spend a penny in Costing…I should technically use the one in Records but I've told them, that lavatory seat is a death trap.

References

• “spend a penny”, in Collins English Dictionary.