in for a penny, in for a pound en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /ɪn fɔɹ ə ˈpɛ.ni ɪn fɔɹ ə paʊnd/ (US)
- /ɪn fəɹə ˈpɛ.ni ɪn fəɹə paʊnd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Originally with reference to the fact that if one owed a penny, one might as well owe a pound (pound sterling, UK currency) as the penalties for non-payment were virtually identical in severity.
Meanings
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(UK) Expressing that, having begun something (that involves significant risk or effort), one intends to see it to completion rather than stopping short.
Having tripped the bank's alarms, he simply uttered: "in for a penny, in for a pound", and continued on.
Well than, O'er shooes, o'er boots. And In for a Penny, in for a Pound. Whee—ho— Toby.
1695, Edward Ravenscroft, The Canterbury Guests, or, a Bargain Broken a Comedy: Acted at the Theatre-Royal, London: Daniel Brown, John Walthoe, →OCLC, act V, scene i, page 50:It appears to be a situation where the greenhouse proponents are in for a penny, in for a pound. As long as the myth needs to be kept alive, this is the inescapable conclusion.
2004, M. Mihkel Mathiesen, Global Warming in a Politically Correct Climate: How Truth Became Controversial, page 133:“Well, this a pretty go, is this here!—an uncommon pretty go! Here have I been a matter of how many weeks—hard upon six—a-follering up this here blessed old dowager, petty lareenerer […] and Dotheboys Hall a-running itself regularly to seed the while! That's the worst of ever being in with a ow-dacious chap like that old Nickleby; you never know when he's done with you, and if you're in for a penny, you're in for a pound.”
1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 565:…in for a penny, in for a pound: if one undertakes something, it must be carried through at whatever cost.
1964, Sanki Ichikawa, The Kenkyusha Dictionary of Current English Idioms, page 509:Nothing venture, nothing win - / Blood is thick, but water's thin - / In for a penny, in for a pound - / It's love that makes the world go round!
1882, November 25 (first performance), W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert; Arthur Sullivan, music, […] Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri, London: Chappell & Co., published [1885?], act II, page 36:I rummaged in my bag for Miss Addie’s keys, turned off the car, and marched purposefully toward the building. “‘In for a penny, in for a pound’”, I mumbled under my breath as I pushed open the door and headed for the elevator.
2002, Kathryn Wall, In for a Penny: A Bay Tanner Mystery, page 123:Turning before the mirror, she studied the gown she’d spent much of her savings on in Belle Terre. “Okay, but not great. In for a penny, in for a pound. Soon I have to get a job.”
2001, B. J. James, A Lady for Lincoln Cade, page 159:Under the circumstances it seemed to be a case of ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’. If the Institute’s team were still prepared to accept the challenge, the Administration was willing to do likewise…
1964, J. F. Holleman, Experiment in Swaziland: report of the Swaziland sample survey, 1960, page 9:
Antonyms
don't throw good money after bad · if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging · It's never the wrong time to make the right decision
Relateds
status quo bias · pot committed · throw good money after bad · sunk costs fallacy · penny wise and pound foolish · one may as well hang for a sheep as a lamb
Synonyms
in for a dime, in for a dollar · in for an inch, in for a mile
Translations (27)
ca perdut per perdut, la manta al coll (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fr quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · de wenn schon, denn schon (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fr qui dit A, doit dire B (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fr le premier pas engage au second (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · es de perdidos al río (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fr foutu pour foutu (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fi joka leikkiin ryhtyy, se leikin kestäköön (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · de wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · pl jak się powiedziało A, to trzeba powiedzieć B (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · vi đâm lao thì phải theo lao (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · pt perdido por cem, perdido por mil (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · ca perdut per perdut, m'agafo allà on puc (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · nl wie a zegt, moet ook b zeggen (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · ga ó loisc mé an choinneal loiscfidh mé an t-orlach (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · nb har man sagt A, må man også si B (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · it abbiamo fatto 30, facciamo 31 (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · mk а́ко е бал, не́ка би́де ма́скенбал (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · cs když už, tak už (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · eo kiu sin enjungis, devas tiri (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · hu aki á-t mond, mondjon b-t is (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · sv har man sagt A får man säga B (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fr perdu pour perdu (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · sv har man tagit fan i båten får man ro honom i land (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · fi asiat pitää viedä loppuun asti (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · zh 一不做，二不休 (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof) · pt perdido por um, perdido por mil (Expressing recognition that one must, having started something, see it through to its end, rather than stopping short thereof)