A penny for your thoughts

Meaning

A way of asking what someone is thinking.

Examples

You’ve been gazing out the window with a wistful look for ages. A penny for your thoughts?

Where did it originate?

The United Kingdom – 16th century.

Where is it used?

Most common in Britain (although we don’t use pennies here any longer).

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

A penny for your thoughts