pony
Americannoun
-
ponies
plural
-
a small horse of any of several breeds, usually not higher at the shoulder than 14½ hands (58 inches/146 centimeters).
-
a horse of any small type or breed.
-
Slang. a literal translation or other text, used illicitly as an aid in schoolwork or while taking a test; crib.
-
something small of its kind.
-
a small glass for liquor.
-
the amount of liquor it will hold, usually one ounce (29.6 milliliters).
-
a small beverage bottle, often holding seven ounces (196 grams).
We bought a dozen ponies of Mexican beer.
-
Older Slang. a diminutive chorus girl.
-
British Slang. the sum of 25 pounds.
verb (used with object)
-
Slang. to prepare (lessons) by means of a pony.
-
Racing Slang.
-
to be the outrider for (a racehorse).
-
to exercise (a racehorse) by having a rider mounted on another horse lead it at a gallop around a track.
-
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
-
any of various breeds of small horse, usually under 14.2 hands
-
-
a small drinking glass, esp for liqueurs
-
the amount held by such a glass
-
-
anything small of its kind
-
slang a sum of £25, esp in bookmaking
-
Also called: trot. slang a literal translation used by students, often illicitly, in preparation for foreign language lessons or examinations; crib
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He’s a one-trick pony: “Sir, she said. Sir.”
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
“I still have anxieties, but tending to the aging animals keeps me from obsessing over things that don’t matter. My pony, Cliff, is 38. Every day I have with him is a gift. It’s grounding.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Outside and looking up at it, the pony seems to sneer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
It is commonly used as a synonym for small: Kegs are a half barrel of beer, while pony kegs are a quarter barrel, Purser said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
“I don’t care what kind of pony it is,” I said, “or what color it is—just so it’s a pony.”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
A lifelong horse lover was able to spend time with two ponies in the final days of her life after a community appeal helped arrange a surprise hospice visit.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
He once told a lobbyist who raised quarter horses that he owned a herd of polo ponies, just to one-up him.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
In South Bank, we see a group of teenagers tend three ponies tethered on the grass.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 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
“Grandpa,” I said, “are those the only ponies Indian Tom had to sell?”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
It has poured money into youth development, splurged on a state of the art training facility, and ponied up unconscionable sums to attract leading coaches from Germany, Italy and, oddly, Sweden.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
The two-time defending World Series champions ponied up a combined $309 million to sign two free agents, world-class closer Edwin Díaz and four-time All-Star corner outfielder Kyle Tucker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026
I even ponied up for a pay-per-view a few years back to see Mayweather spend eight rounds gently caressing Jake’s overmatched older brother, Logan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
“College sports are basically pro sports teams now,” Neirotti said about the money being ponied up to recruit and retain players.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 11, 2026
Shorty came back in a little while with his hands full of greenbacks "Every boy ponied right up the moment I spoke to him," he said.
From Si Klegg, Book 4 (of 6) Experiences Of Si And Shorty On The Great Tullahoma Campaign by John McElroy
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
Loans included fewer investor protections and more borrowers were handing over “payment-in-kind” interest, meaning they were adding to their debt pile instead of ponying up cash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 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
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
