subs. (common).—The female pudendum: see MONOSYLLABLE. [An echo, on a liberal display of leg or underclothing, of the old alliterative retort, “Up to the Knees and NINEPENCE.”] Cf. MONEY.
NEAT (NICE, or RIGHT) AS NINEPENCE, phr. (common).—All right; correct to a nicety. [Also cf. alliterative proverb, ‘A nimble ninepence is better than a slow shilling.’] Cf. NIMBLE.
1850. F. E. SMEDLEY, Frank Fairlegh, li. Well, let her say ‘no’ as if she meant it, said Lawless; women can, if they like, eh? and then it will all be as RIGHT AS NINEPENCE.
1864. DICKENS, Our Mutual Friend, I., ix. And with you and me leaning back inside, as GRAND AS NINEPENCE!
1882. Daily Telegraph, 7 Oct., 3, 1. When asked how he was getting on … he replied that he was ‘RIGHT AS NINEPENCE, ’cepting a bit of rheumatism in his left shoulder.’
1884. T. ASHE, in Temple Bar, Aug., 525. The trick of alliteration is often useful to give point to old proverbs. In such familiar sayings as ‘fine as fivepence,’ ‘NICE AS NINEPENCE,’ ‘to lie by the legend,’ its importance is most curious.
1886. R. A. KING, in Household Words, 19 June, 147. She … sent her children, NEAT AS NINEPENCE, to school and church on Sunday.
