A biweekly feature about idioms.
Are you committed to learning English? I mean, really committed? You can’t just learn the basics then fake your way through—this isn’t brain surgery or representative democracy. You’ve got to marshal your resources and really do it. As they say, “in for a penny, in for a pound.” That means if you’re going to do something, really try your hardest.
E.g. A marathon? You’re really taking that New Year’s resolution not to lie on your C.V. anymore seriously. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess.
E.g. If Manchester United make the playoffs this year, I’ll totally get their logo tattooed on my butt. I’m in for a penny, in for a pound on this one.
E.g. I enrolled in a two-week intensive course, switched the language on all my devices, and even signed up for a native pen pal. When it comes to learning Klingon, there are no shortcuts. In for a penny, in for a pound.
Like many sayings, you can clip the expression and imply the latter half, “In for a penny …”.
And, oh yeah, a penny is a small coin that’s worth one one-hundredth of a pound. A pound is a unit of currency in the U.K. The U.K., or “United Kingdom” is a comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The official name of the U.K. is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain, or simply “Britain,” includes England, Scotland, and Wales, but not Northern Ireland. If you want to go whale watching in Wales, the internet recommends the southwestern province of Pembrokeshire.