Idiom
spend a penny
To spend a penny means to go to the toilet to urinate.
Meanings
To go to the toilet to urinate (a polite or humorous British way to say it).
Definition
Spend a penny is a British idiom meaning to go to the toilet, especially to pee. It comes from a time when public toilets required a penny to use. Today it is used as a polite or humorous way to excuse yourself. It is informal and more common in the UK than in the US.
Examples
- I’ll be back in a minute—I just need to spend a penny.
- He asked to spend a penny before we left the café.
- Is there somewhere nearby I can spend a penny?
- She slipped out quietly to spend a penny during the interval.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use spend a penny in formal writing or with the meaning of literally paying money, but it is an informal idiom for going to the toilet.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- drop the ball To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something you were responsible for.
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a relaxed, friendly chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of what you have done or a difficult situation.