Buzz
If you’ve ever been in debt, someone may have told you to 'pony up' the money, whether it’s just a bit of loose change for the laundromat or a much larger sum. In 2008, a New York Times headline read, 'Irish Utility Said to Pony Up $20 Million for Tesla Motors.' But what does the term 'pony' have to do with paying up? Were ponies once a form of currency? Not exactly.
The History Behind 'Pony Up'
According to Green’s Dictionary of Slang, 'pony up' means 'to pay one’s debt or dues,' and it was first recorded in print in 1819. The Rural Magazine and Farmer’s Monthly Museum mentioned that 'favoured gentlemen are walking rapidly into the merchant-tailors shops, and very slowly out, unless they ponied up the Spanish [money].'
However, the expression likely originated long before that. According to Grammarist, it may trace back to the 16th century, possibly originating from the Latin phrase legem pone found in Psalm 119 of the Bible. Legem pone essentially meant 'money down' and was commonly referenced on March 25, which used to mark the first payday of the financial year. This day was when debts were settled, and over time, the phrase evolved into the idiomatic expression 'pony up,' meaning 'pay me money.'
While this is the most likely origin, there are other theories. It’s possible that 'pony up' came from the German verb ponieren, meaning 'to pay.' In 19th-century British slang, pony referred to a small amount of money, perhaps 25 pounds sterling. It’s easy to see how this would have been adopted into a phrase used to demand payment. The connection to ponies (the animal) is likely minimal: the tiny horse represented a small sum of money in British slang.
In 2008, a Boston Globe article noted the emergence of a new slang expression: pony up to the bar, referring to approaching the bar to get a drink. This seems to be a blend of two expressions: pony up and belly up to the bar, the latter describing the act of standing so close to the bar that your stomach touches it. Still, not many people use the phrase 'pony up to the bar.'
Ponying Up vs. Coughing Up vs. Paying Through the Nose
The expression ponying up should not be confused with coughing up cash. The latter, which also first appeared in the 1800s, generally implies 'paying with reluctance or difficulty.' You can also 'cough up' information, especially when doing so with hesitation. For instance, an informant might reluctantly cough up a secret.
Another idiom related to transactions, pay through the nose, has a more vivid origin story. One theory suggests it stems from 9th-century Denmark, where the Danes supposedly punished tax evaders by slashing their noses. A more plausible origin, however, comes from the slang term rhino for money, which also happens to be the Greek word for nose, as seen in the term rhinoplasty in plastic surgery. Due to insurance limitations, one can expect to pay a hefty sum for such an expensive cosmetic procedure.
