Pony (noun / Cockney slang & East End banter)
(Also heard as: A pony, Pony and trap, Cost a pony)
Definition:
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Twenty-five quid (£25) in cash.
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(Rhyming slang) “Pony and trap” = pure rubbish or absolute crap.
Pronunciation: /ˈpəʊ.ni/
Where It Comes From: Old Victorian army slang from the Raj days. Troops in India heard the Hindi word pauni (meaning a quarter) and brought it straight home to the East End. Because £25 was a quarter of a hundred quid, London market stallholders and trackside bookies ran with it. It sat right alongside a monkey (£500) and a score (£20) as everyday trading talk.
How People Actually Use It: Used whenever cash changes hands in the boozer, down the market, or at a garage. You’ll hear cabbies quote it for an airport run, builders ask for it to cover fuel, or your mate begging for a quick loan until his wages clear on Friday. It’s also tossed out when someone talks absolute nonsense (“mate, that film was absolute pony”).
Examples in the Wild:
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“Tyre place sorted the slow puncture for a pony, cash in hand.”
Translation: The garage fixed my wheel for £25 cash.
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“Lend us a pony for the taxi home and I’ll bank transfer you tomorrow.”
Translation: Can you give me £25 for the ride home?
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“Don’t bother watching that new match—our lads played proper pony.”
Translation: Don’t watch the highlights, the team played terribly.
Similar Slang: Score (£20), Ton (£100), Monkey (£500), Bags, Fiver, Grand, Wedge
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