without a penny to one's name
Meaning: With no money at all.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “He arrived in New York without a penny to his name.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A penny is the smallest coin. The phrase is found from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Se retrouver une main devant, une main derrière — literally: To be left one hand in front, one hand behind
More idioms — Daily Life
- feed someone a line — To tell someone something untrue to deceive them.
- a smart aleck — An annoying person who shows off how clever they are.
- let things ride — To let a situation continue without interfering.
- don't push your luck — Don't risk ruining a good situation by asking for more.
- on the house — Free, paid for by the business.
- make a song and dance about — To make an unnecessary fuss about something.
More English idioms
- what have you been smoking? — Said to someone whose idea sounds crazy.
- throw one's weight around — To use one's power or importance in an overbearing way.
- yada yada yada — And so on; skipping boring details.
- swap spit — To kiss passionately (slang).
- wide of the mark — Inaccurate or irrelevant.
- hit the wall — To suddenly run out of energy.