pony

[poh-nee]

noun

plural

ponies 

1. a small horse of any of several breeds, usually not higher at the shoulder than 14½ hands (58 inches/146 centimeters).

2. a horse of any small type or breed.

3. Slang.,  a literal translation or other text, used illicitly as an aid in schoolwork or while taking a test; crib.

4. something small of its kind.

5. a small glass for liquor.

6. the amount of liquor it will hold, usually one ounce (29.6 milliliters).

7. a small beverage bottle, often holding seven ounces (196 grams).

   We bought a dozen ponies of Mexican beer.

8. Older Slang.,  a diminutive chorus girl.

9. pony pack.

10. British Slang.,  the sum of 25 pounds.

verb (used with object)

ponied, ponying 

1. Slang.,  to prepare (lessons) by means of a pony.

2. Racing Slang.

   1. to be the outrider for (a racehorse).

   2. to exercise (a racehorse) by having a rider mounted on another horse lead it at a gallop around a track.

verb (used without object)

ponied, ponying 

1. to prepare a lesson or lessons with the aid of a pony.

pony

/ ˈpəʊnɪ /

noun

1. any of various breeds of small horse, usually under 14.2 hands

2. 1. a small drinking glass, esp for liqueurs

   2. the amount held by such a glass

3. anything small of its kind

4. slang,  a sum of £25, esp in bookmaking

5. Also called: trot. slang,  a literal translation used by students, often illicitly, in preparation for foreign language lessons or examinations; crib

Word History and Origins

Origin of pony¹

First recorded in 1650–60; earlier powney, from obsolete French poulenet, diminutive of poulain “colt,” from Medieval Latin pullānus ( Latin pull(us) “young animal” + -ānus adjective suffix); foal, -an, -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of pony¹

C17: from Scottish powney, perhaps from obsolete French poulenet a little colt, from poulain colt, from Latin pullus young animal, foal

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pony up, to pay (money), as in settling an account.

   Next week you'll have to pony up the balance of the loan.

More idioms and phrases containing pony

• dog-and-pony show

Example Sentences

“Giddy-Yap, Rainbow!” she read, and confidently declared, “This story is about a pony. I can tell from the picture of the pony on the cover. But babies cannot read.”

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Out of habit she made a beeline to the favorite shelves from her girlhood, the ones where the pony stories were kept.

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His chestnut pony, Starburst, is as spirited and high-strung as Rainbow is gentle and sweet.

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“After all, not even Edith-Anne Pevington wrote postcards to Rainbow, clever pony that he was,” she thought as she helped the little girl squirm her arms into the sleeves.

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At the heart of the matter are credit-card interchange fees, which merchants pony up when shoppers pay with plastic.

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