pony
gb/pˈoʊni/ us/pˈoʊni/
A2
English
~ 5900
póni, lófarok, pohárka, kis adag, huszonöt font, lóhátról vezet, puska, Pony
NOUN
A2
1
póni
A2
Usage pattern:
ride a pony; a [adjective] pony
The children lined up to take turns on the small brown pony.
A gyerekek sorba álltak, hogy egymás után lovagolhassanak a kis barna pónin.
She learned to ride on a gentle Shetland pony when she was five.
Ötévesen egy szelíd shetlandi pónin tanult meg lovagolni.
They went pony trekking in the hills during their holiday.
His daughter begged him for a pony for her birthday.
The show pony trotted proudly around the ring.
Learner examples
The girl is riding a white pony.
A lány egy fehér pónin lovagol.
My friend has a pony on her farm.
A barátnőmnek van egy pónija a gazdaságában.
We went to the park and had a pony ride.
The pony is small but very strong.
He wants to learn to ride a pony.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think a pony is a baby horse. A baby horse is called a foal. A pony is a small adult horse, not a young horse.
Meaning
A small type of horse
Collocations
ride a pony
|pony ride
|Shetland pony
|pony club
|pony trekking
|show pony
Synonyms
small horse (A descriptive phrase, not a fixed animal term; slightly more general than the specific category ‘pony’.)
|
cob (A type of sturdy, short horse; overlaps with some ponies but is more technical and breed-specific.)
Antonyms
draft horse (Refers to a large, heavy horse used for hard work, contrasting with the small size typically associated with ponies.)
Themes
animals
|sports
|daily life
Definition
A small kind of horse that is shorter than normal horses.
A small horse of a specific maximum height, often used for children to ride or for certain equestrian sports.
NOUN
B1
INFORMAL
2
lófarok
A2
Usage pattern:
wear a pony; put [hair] in a pony
She pulled her hair into a high pony before going for a run.
Magas lófarokba kötötte a haját, mielőtt elindult futni.
On hot days I usually wear a messy pony to keep my hair off my neck.
Meleg napokon általában laza, kócos lófarokban hordom a hajam, hogy ne lógjon a nyakamba.
The stylist suggested a sleek pony for a more polished look.
He tied his long hair back in a low pony for work.
I need an extra hair tie; my pony keeps falling out.
Learner examples
She wears her hair in a pony.
Lófarokban hordja a haját.
I put my hair in a pony when it is hot.
Lófarokba kötöm a hajam, amikor meleg van.
Her high pony looks very neat.
This pony is too tight and hurts my head.
He makes a small pony with his long hair.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think ‘pony’ always means the animal. In fashion or hair contexts, especially in speech, ‘pony’ often means ‘ponytail’. The animal meaning is not used here.
Meaning
Ponytail hairstyle (short form)
Collocations
wear a pony
|high pony
|low pony
|put your hair in a pony
|slicked-back pony
Synonyms
ponytail (Standard, slightly more formal term; ‘pony’ is a casual short form.)
Antonyms
wear your hair down (Describes hair left loose instead of tied back in a pony.)
Themes
fashion
|daily life
|daily_life
|body
Definition
An informal word for a ponytail, when long hair is tied together at the back of the head.
An informal shortened form of “ponytail”, a hairstyle in which long hair is pulled together and tied at the back of the head.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
a pony of [alcoholic drink]
He asked for a pony of brandy to finish his meal.
Az étkezés végén kért egy pohárka brandyt.
The cocktail recipe calls for one pony of gin and half a pony of vermouth.
A koktélrecepthez egy pohárka gin és fél pohárka vermut kell.
She ordered a pony of beer because she didn’t want a full pint.
The liqueur came in a tiny pony glass after dessert.
He poured himself a quick pony before heading out.
Learner examples
He drank a small pony of whisky.
Megivott egy kis pohárka whiskyt.
She ordered a pony of beer, not a big glass.
Egy kis pohár sört rendelt, nem nagy pohárral.
The recipe needs one pony of rum.
They served the sweet drink in a pony glass.
I only want a pony, not a full drink.
Common mistake:
Learners may think ‘pony’ always means the animal. In a bar or drink recipe, ‘pony’ can mean a small measure of alcohol. Context (bar, drink, recipe) is important.
Meaning
Small measure of alcohol
Collocations
a pony of brandy
|pony glass
|a pony of beer
|a pony of liqueur
Synonyms
shot (Very common informal term for a small serving of strong alcohol; often slightly larger or less precise than a traditional ‘pony’ measure.)
Antonyms
double (A serving that is twice the usual single measure, contrasting with a relatively small measure like a pony.)
Themes
food and drink
|nightlife
|food_drink
Definition
A small fixed amount of alcohol, for example a small glass of liqueur or a small beer.
A small standard measure of an alcoholic drink, such as a small glass of liqueur or a small bottle or glass of beer.
NOUN
C1
SLANG
4
Usage pattern:
a pony; owe [someone] a pony
He put a pony on the horse and doubled his money.
Huszonöt fontot tett fel a lóra, és megduplázta a pénzét.
I still owe him a pony from last weekend.
Még mindig tartozom neki huszonöt fonttal a múlt hétvégéről.
Tickets are going for about a pony each.
Can you lend me a pony until payday?
She won a pony on the scratch card.
Learner examples
In London slang, a pony means twenty-five pounds.
A londoni szlengben a „pony” huszonöt fontot jelent.
He lost a pony on the football game.
Huszonöt fontot vesztett a focimeccsen.
My friend lent me a pony yesterday.
She says the bag cost her a pony.
They won a pony on a bet.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand this slang and think it refers to the animal. In money or gambling talk in the UK, ‘a pony’ can mean £25. It is informal and not used in formal writing.
Meaning
£25 in British slang
Collocations
a pony on the game
|owe you a pony
|borrow a pony
|lose a pony
Synonyms
twenty-five quid (Informal British phrase that says the same amount directly, without slang substitution.)
Antonyms
nothing (Represents having no money, the opposite of having a sum such as a pony (£25).)
Themes
money
|slang
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In British slang, a ‘pony’ means twenty-five pounds.
British slang for a sum of twenty-five pounds.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
5
Usage pattern:
to pony [a horse]
The trainer ponied the nervous colt alongside a calm mare.
Az idomár egy nyugodt kancán ülve vezette maga mellett az ideges csikót.
She spends her mornings ponying racehorses on the track.
A délelőttjeit azzal tölti, hogy versenylovakat vezet lóhátról a pályán.
They ponied the young horses down to the arena.
He prefers to pony the new gelding until it gets used to the surroundings.
The wrangler ponied two pack horses back to camp.
Learner examples
The trainer ponied the young horse around the track.
Az idomár lóhátról vezette körbe a fiatal lovat a pályán.
She learned how to pony a horse safely.
Megtanulta, hogyan lehet biztonságosan, lóhátról vezetni egy lovat.
They pony the racehorses every morning.
He will pony the new horse to the stable.
The rider ponied one horse while he sat on another.
Common mistake:
Learners may think ‘pony’ as a verb means ‘to ride a pony’. In horse-training language, it means to ride one horse while leading another at the same time.
Meaning
Lead a horse from another
Collocations
pony a horse
|pony young horses
|pony racehorses
|pony yearlings
Synonyms
lead (a horse) (General verb for guiding a horse; does not specifically include the idea of being mounted on another horse.)
Antonyms
turn out (To release a horse into a field rather than leading and controlling it while mounted.)
Themes
animals
|sports
Definition
To ride one horse and at the same time lead another horse with a rope or rein.
To lead a horse by a rope or rein while riding another horse.
NOUN
C2
INFORMAL
6
puska
B1
Usage pattern:
use a pony; a Latin pony
He got through Latin class by using a well-worn pony.
Egy agyonhasznált puskával vészelte át a latinórákat.
The teacher warned that anyone caught with a pony during the exam would fail.
A tanár figyelmeztetett, hogy aki a vizsga alatt puskával bukik le, megbukik.
She bought a pony of the text to help her with the difficult passages.
In the past, students often shared ponies instead of doing their own translations.
The old pony was full of handwritten notes in the margins.
Learner examples
He used a pony to pass the test.
Puskát használt, hogy átmenjen a vizsgán.
The book is a pony with all the answers.
A könyv egy puska: benne van az összes válasz.
The teacher does not allow ponies in the exam room.
She bought a Latin pony to help her study.
They shared a small pony with translations.
Common mistake:
Learners may not know this meaning and think only of the animal. In school or exam contexts, especially in older texts, ‘pony’ can mean a translation or answer book used for help or cheating.
Meaning
Crib or translation aid
Collocations
use a pony
|Latin pony
|exam pony
|crib pony
Synonyms
crib (Standard term in British English for notes or a translation used for help or cheating; ‘pony’ is older and more slangy.)
Antonyms
original work (Work done without relying on a translation or answer key, opposite to using a pony.)
Themes
education
|slang
Definition
An informal word for a paper or book that gives answers or translations to help you study, sometimes in a way that teachers do not allow.
An informal term for a written aid such as a word-for-word translation or answer key used to help with studying, often in a way that may be considered cheating.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
7
Pony
C2
Usage pattern:
do the Pony; dance the Pony
Everyone hit the dance floor to do the Pony when the old song came on.
Amikor felcsendült a régi dal, mindenki a táncparkettre ment, hogy eltáncolja a Ponyt.
In the movie, the teenagers dance the Pony at the school party.
A filmben a tinédzserek a Ponyt táncolják az iskolai bulin.
The choreographer added a section inspired by the 1960s Pony.
She taught her kids how to do the Pony for a retro-themed show.
The Pony was one of many novelty dances of that era.
Learner examples
They dance the Pony in the old film.
A régi filmben a Ponyt táncolják.
He learned how to do the Pony.
Megtanulta, hogyan kell a Ponyt táncolni.
The DJ plays a song and people do the Pony.
The Pony was a popular dance in the 1960s.
She likes to teach the Pony at dance class.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this always means the animal. In a music or dance context, especially with phrases like ‘do the Pony’, it refers to a dance.
Meaning
1960s dance called the Pony
Collocations
do the Pony
|dance the Pony
|learn the Pony
|1960s Pony dance
Synonyms
pony dance (A more explicit phrase naming the same dance; slightly clearer for learners.)
Antonyms
slow waltz (A contrasting dance style that is slow and smooth, unlike the bouncy Pony.)
Themes
music
|dance
|arts_entertainment
Definition
The name of an old dance from the 1960s where people move like they are riding a horse.
A dance popular in the 1960s characterized by short, bouncy steps and movements that imitate riding a horse.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pony
IPA
GB/pˈoʊni/
US/pˈoʊni/
Syllables & stress
pony (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pony)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pony
- Plural: ponies
Word family
Forms
ponies
noun
Related words
horse
noun A1
ponytail
noun
Expressions
dog and pony show
1/dˈɔɡ ˈænd pˈoʊni ʃˈoʊ/
idiom
informal
Overly showy presentation or event
A show, event, or presentation that is made very big and fancy to impress people, but often does not give much real or useful information.
Examples
- The product launch felt like a dog and pony show with lots of lights but few details.
- Employees were tired of the yearly dog and pony show from top management.
- We don’t need a dog and pony show; we just want clear facts.
pony club
1/pˈoʊni klˈʌb/
fixed phrase
Children’s pony-riding organization
A club, often for children, where they learn how to ride ponies and how to look after them.
Examples
- She spends every Saturday morning at pony club.
- The local pony club organizes small competitions for young riders.
- Joining a pony club is a good way for kids to learn about horses.
pony ride
1/pˈoʊni ɹˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
Short fun ride on a pony
A short, slow ride on a pony, usually for children at a park, fair, or party.
Examples
- The kids begged for a pony ride at the fair.
- They hired a small farm to give pony rides at the birthday party.
- Each pony ride lasts about five minutes around the field.
pony trekking
1/pˈoʊni tɹˈɛkɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Leisure riding of ponies outside
A holiday or day trip activity where people ride ponies through the countryside, often in a group.
Examples
- They went pony trekking in the mountains during their vacation.
- Pony trekking is popular with tourists who want to see the countryside slowly.
- The farm offers guided pony trekking for beginners.
pony up
1/pˈoʊni ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
Pay money you owe
To pay money that you owe or that people expect you to pay.
Examples
- It’s time to pony up and pay your share of the bill.
- They finally ponied up the rent after several reminders.
- If everyone ponies up ten dollars, we can buy a nice gift.
show pony
1/ʃˈoʊ pˈoʊni/
idiom
informal
Person valued mainly for looks
Someone or something that is used to look good or to impress others, but is not respected for real work or ability.
Examples
- He didn’t want to be just a show pony for the company’s marketing campaigns.
- Some felt the new manager was a show pony chosen for image, not experience.
- The project became a political show pony rather than a serious plan.
one-trick pony
1/wˈʌn tɹˈɪk pˈoʊni/
idiom
informal
Person or thing with one skill
A person or thing that is good at only one thing, or is known for only one success.
Examples
- Critics say the band is a one-trick pony that keeps repeating the same sound.
- Some people thought the band was a one-trick pony, but their second album proved them wrong.
- He doesn’t want to be a one-trick pony, so he’s learning new skills.
- He’s not just a one-trick pony; he can play many different roles.
- The app was successful, but the company can’t rely on that one-trick pony forever.
- If you learn other skills, you won’t be a one-trick pony at work.