Skip to main content
ha'p'orth

ha'p'orth

9.9
A very small amount, like a little food or money
  • noun
  • /ˈheɪpəθ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : penny
  • I wouldn't give a ha'p'orth for that idea.

Examples

  • She left not even a ha'p'orth of bread in the kitchen.

  • There isn't a ha'p'orth of sense in what he's saying.

  • He only gave me a ha'p'orth of sweets for my penny.

  • He thinks his opinion counts for a ha'p'orth.

  • He didn't have much to say, just his ha'p'orth about the situation.

  • You only need to give your ha'p'orth when asked for your opinion.

  • For a ha'p'orth of advice, she was surprised at how insightful he was.

Synonyms

farthing
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
5 9.9

A British coin from the past worth a quarter of a penny, also meaning a very small amount

refers to an amount for a coin worth more than that smaller piece
tuppence
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
5 9.9

An old British coin worth two pennies or a very small amount of money

indicates a much smaller purchasable amount tied to half a penny
ha'penny
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
2 9.9

A small old British coin worth half a penny from before 1971

expresses the purchasable small amount rather than the coin or date
halfpenny
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A former British coin worth half of a penny, used until 1984

means the same small monetary amount rather than the coin itself
halfpennyworth
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
9.9

A very small amount of something you can buy for half a penny

has the same meaning but appears as a contracted colloquial form
penn'orth
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
9.9

A small amount you can buy for one penny

means the smaller amount purchasable for half that penny value
thruppence
vsha'p'orth
  • Archaic
9.9

A very small amount of money or something of little value

is more specific about the exact tiny purchasable amount for a small coin

How Much

smidgen
  • Informal
9 7.3
ha'p'orth
  • Archaic
9.9
speck
66 1.3
iota
23 7.7

Surface Forms

ha'p'orth singular
ha'p'orths plural

Etymology

The word ha'p'orth comes from the old phrase halfpenny's worth, made of half, penny, and worth, and literally means 'the value of half a penny'. So it now means a very small amount, like what you could buy for half a penny.