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# sixpence

noun (a sixpence, sixpences)

«sixpence» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A sixpence was a small British coin worth six old pennies, used until Britain changed to decimal money and kept for a while after. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#m1)
2. (old-fashioned) Sixpence is the amount of six old pennies. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history lessons it is part of old British money: 12 pennies made a shilling and 20 shillings a pound, so sixpence was half a shilling. In nursery rhymes and stories: «Sing a song of sixpence». At Christmas some families still hide a silver sixpence in the pudding for luck, and brides put one in a shoe. Phrases: a silver sixpence, turn on a sixpence (turn very quickly in a small space).

### Examples

- «Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x1)
- Grandma found a sixpence in her Christmas pudding. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x2)
- When Grandad was a boy, a comic cost sixpence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x3)
- Sixpence was worth half a shilling. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x4)
- The bride had a sixpence in her shoe for good luck. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x5)
- That little car can turn on a sixpence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x6)
- The old sixpence was also called a «tanner». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x7)
- "You might give me sixpence, Daddy," said Effie, "because I did bring you the new specimen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/#x8)

### Note

Plural sixpences. Old money was written 6d (d for pennies). In maths: 2 sixpences = 1 shilling; 40 sixpences = 1 pound. Do not mix with modern pence: 1 old sixpence is not 6p today (it became 2½ new pence).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sixpence» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sixpence/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sixpence» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sixpence.html) on Mova free.