penny [OE] The English word penny is related to Dutch penning and German Pfennig, but their ultimate origin is unknown. The penny, originally of pure silver, then later of copper (hence the colloquial term coppers), was first used in England in the 8th century. The origins of the phrase the penny has dropped lie in gambling arcades. The idea is of a coin-operated slot machine whirring into action when you insert a small coin. The reference to penny gives a clue as to the age of the expression, as it goes back to the 1950s. Inflation has also caught up with proverbial sayings such as in for a penny, in for a pound, used to express someone’s intention to see an undertaking through—it dates from the late 17th century, when a penny would have been a significant investment to many. You would need much more now to spend a penny in a British public lavatory. This phrase comes from a time when coin-operated locks were commonly found on the doors of public toilets, operated by the old, heavy pre-decimal pennies. These pennies went out of use on 5 February 1971. See also pound.