red cent

English

Etymology

Probably from the color of the copper from which the coin was minted. Prior to 1909, a brighter nickel-based cent was used, often called the white cent. It is also possible that the red originally referred to the obverse bearing an Indian head stamp. See Indian Head 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.

   • 1867, Augustin Daly, Under the Gaslight, Act III, Scene 2, page 28:

     Snorkey. But I ain't got two cents. What's a fellow to do if he hasn't got a red?

   • 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