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red cent

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noun Informal.
  1. a cent, as representative of triviality: His promise isn't worth a red cent.
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Origin of red cent

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

cent, farthing, penny
British Dictionary definitions for red cent

red cent

noun
  1. (used with a negative) informal, mainly US a cent considered as a trivial amount of money (esp in the phrases not have a red cent, not worth a red cent, etc)
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for red cent

n.

obsolete type of copper penny, 1839, American English, from red (adj.1) + cent. "Red" has been the color of copper, brass, and gold since ancient times.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with red cent

red cent

see under not worth a dime.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.