I. noun
also po·ney ˈpōnē, -ni
( plural ponies also poneys )
Etymology: earlier powny, powney, probably from obsolete French poulenet, diminutive of poulain, from Medieval Latin pullanus, from Latin pullus young of an animal, foal — more at foal
1.
a. : a small horse ; especially : a horse of any of several breeds of very small stocky animals noted for their gentleness and endurance (as the horses of Iceland and the Shetland islands) and usually restricted to those not over 14 or sometimes 14 1/4 hands in height except for the horses used in polo which may measure up to 15 hands
b. : a bronco, mustang, or other similar horse of the western United States
c. : racehorse — usually used in plural
bet on the ponies
d. or pony skin : the skin of a pony used as fur
a pony coat
2. : something smaller than standard: as
a. : a small liqueur or beer glass or the amount it can hold
b. : a diminutive dancer in a chorus line
3. Britain : the amount of 25 pounds
4. : a literal often interlinear translation of a foreign language text ; especially : one used illegitimately by students in preparing or reciting lessons
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
transitive verb
1. : to pay (money) especially in settlement of an account — used with up
had to pony up added fares before boarding their planes — Newsweek
2. : to translate with the aid of a pony
3. : to limber up (a racehorse) by galloping on a lead line or sending out with a stable pony
intransitive verb
: to pay up — used with up
III. adjective
1. : of a size smaller than usual
a pony glass of beer
a pony glass
a pony insulator
2. : limited to a brief daily account of only the most important news sent by telegraph, telephone, or mail (as that subscribed to by many small local papers or radio stations)
a pony report
a pony service