Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
to spend a penny
idiom
/tə spɛnd ə ˈpɛni/
Definition
To go to the toilet, particularly in British slang.
Examples
- Excuse me, I need to spend a penny before we head out to dinner.
- During the long meeting, he announced he had to spend a penny and stepped out of the room.
- She always jokes that she can only relax at a restaurant after she has spent a penny.
Meaning
This phrase originates from the practice of often needing to pay a small fee to use a public toilet, traditionally a penny.
Synonyms
- to relieve oneself
- to use the restroom
- to visit the lavatory
