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Difference between Spend a fortune and Spend a penny

spend a fortunespend a large sum of money:

  • Williams was found guilty at his first two trials, and spent a fortune on appeals over an eight-year period.

spend a penny—(UK euph.) visit a lavatory:

  • Where’s the bathroom? Us girls are going to spend a penny!

Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase put one’s two cents in—(U.S.) add one’s comments or opinion on the matter (also: throw one’s two cents in):

  • Since the subject has been brought up I feel compelled to put my two cents in.