Friday, April 22, 2022

A bad penny always turns up (Proverb)

A BAD PENNY ALWAYS TURNS UP (Proverb)

  • A "penny" is a small coin.

Meaning: A person or thing that you don't want to see often appears repeatedly.

  • This expression can be often used humorously as a "joking insult."

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Mini-Dialogue: William tells Henry about a REAL "bad penny," a person that no one likes.

Henry: Hiya, Billy Boy. How was your party last night?
William: Pretty good. Except Ben came.
Henry: Ben? What's wrong with Ben?
William: Oh, he gets drunk and ruins every party he goes to.
Henry: So why did you invite him?
William: I didn't! He just showed up uninvited, like always.
Henry: It's like we say, "A bad penny always turns up."
William: Meaning what?
Henry: Sometimes the person or thing you want to see the least is exactly the one that appears.
William: Ugh! Tell me about it!

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Question: When would you use this proverb?

   A. When you run into an old friend (as a "joking insult")
   B. When you see a penny.
   C. When you walk into your boss's office.

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ANSWER: A


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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

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