pony

American  

[poh-nee] / ˈpoʊ ni /

noun

• ponies
  plural

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.

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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.

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.

pony British  

/ 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

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pony More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing pony

• dog-and-pony show

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ponies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pony

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); see foal, -an, -et

Explanation

A pony is just like a horse, only shorter. Riding a pony can be less intimidating than riding a horse, because you sit a little closer to the ground. Giddy-up! Many people think that ponies are young horses, but they're entirely different (though closely related) animals. A pony is smaller than a horse, with shorter legs, although often thicker and sturdier proportionally through the body. To pony up, on the other hand, doesn't have anything to do with equines: it means to pay money: "If you want a cup of lemonade, you'll have to pony up a dollar."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pony ponies ponied ponying

Taxpayers would have to pony up even more if not for the AI boom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Outside and looking up at it, the pony seems to sneer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Amazon.com, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Oracle are expected to pony up more than $1.1 trillion in 2027, up from $650 billion this year.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

Hibbs said: "Natural England's approach will devastate the Dartmoor hill pony population, it will make farms financially unviable and it's extremely doubtful there will be any environmental benefit."

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

“Grandpa,” I shouted as I darted through the door, “that paint pony has a bad cut on its leg.”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Deep in a braiding craze, the children can’t resist braiding everything in sight: hair, shoelaces, even the tails of the classroom’s toy ponies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

“We’re bullish on what ponies can add,” said Craig Purser, chief executive of the National Beer Wholesalers Association, which represents more than 3,000 beer and beverage distributors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

And before all you horse lovers come at me, I know ponies are capable of affection and friskiness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the ponies played "a vital role in the health of its moorland habitats" and that they were "part of the cultural landscape".

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

And I’d seen eggs laid, bloody puppies wet and shimmery, calves encased in a blue bubble, slippery wet ponies thin and vulnerable, and hundreds of pink piglets suckling engorged teats.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

The people who ponied up to bring Kiffin to LSU—where he’ll be paid $13 million annually over a seven-year contract—say the reason is simple.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

“College sports are basically pro sports teams now,” Neirotti said of the money being ponied up to recruit and retain players.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 24, 2026

Despite my shoddy work ethic, and despite the fact that I’d still ponied up only $17, Cathy remained warm and supportive.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2025

College sports is a wonderful activity that has finally ponied up to give its long-ignored participants a piece of the pie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2025

They all ponied up promptly, though, and paid their outs, like true-born English ladies.”

From Daughters of the Revolution and Their Times 1769 - 1776 A Historical Romance by Charles Carleton Coffin

In their 2021 book Peril, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa uncover a broader angle on Graham’s ponying up to power.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

McMorris said that while these payments don’t violate any laws, they are “ripe for abuse” because companies and people likely aren’t ponying up cash just to be good citizens.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026

It also pays for police, courts, banking regulators and largely free healthcare for some of the world’s most remote settlements, as well as managing foreign affairs and ponying up for defense.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to all those air travelers ponying up a small fortune to visit your family.

From Salon ● Nov. 28, 2024

“Or if you turn into one of those girlfriends, always ponying around after her boyfriend, and speaking in the first-person plural. ‘We love the winter.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman