Have you ever placed a bet with your friend and ended up winning? Maybe you hit the casino for a weekend of fun and are ready to cash out your winnings. Perhaps you owe someone and they have come to collect what’s due. If so, then the phrase “pony up” will come in handy. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The phrase pony up means to pay up, specifically to pay money that is due. It also means to crowd in close to the edge of a table or a bar. The most common meaning is the settling of an account or a bet where funds or other valuables are due. The phrase can also mean simply paying a regular bill as opposed to paying something that is overdue or long since owed.
In almost every situation, the phrase pony up refers to paying money. There are some instances where the phrase can mean what is paid is non-tangible, or not currency related. In these cases, pony up simply means to hand over or deliver the agreed-upon item or information promised. For example, a person can be asked to pony up the promised clue or information after getting their side of an agreed-upon deal.
Example Usage
“That was a really good game, but you still couldn’t beat me. It’s time to pony up my paper bro”.
“Now that you are all out of excuses, it’s time to pony up and pay the piper”.
“Hey John, we had a great run, but it’s getting late, so it’s time to pony up so I can hit the road”.
“Stop chasing that man around for a few dollars, just put him on child support so he is forced to pony up what you are owed”.
Origin
Pony up is one of the most American expressions around, that being said, it has also been used in other English-speaking countries. The phrase can be found as early as the 1800s. One of the first times the phrase was found in print was in The Rural Magazine and Farmer’s Monthly Museum in 1819. In the print, some men were referred to as going into shops and ponying up the Spanish. The term at the time for money when dealing with Spanish currency was simply shortened to “Spanish”. So, ponying up the Spanish was simply paying out, or ponying up.
From 1820 on, the term pony up was widely used to refer to paying a due, or a debt. The phrase was used in all circles from the lowest street sweeper up to high society. The phrase has persisted through the years and though it was not used as often in high society past the 1900s, it was commonly used in gambling quarters. Even today, the phrase pony up is mainly linked with betting, debts due, or unsavory reasons for having to pay out.
Phrases Similar to Pony Up
- Pay the piper
- Settle the score
- Ante up
- Pay your dues
- Recompense
- Settle up
- Discharge
Phrases Opposite to Pony Up
- Repudiate
- Buy in
- Penalize
- Displace
- Remove
- Withhold
What is the Correct Saying?
- The proper way to say the phrase is - to pony up.
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Pony Up
Some ways that pony up is used incorrectly are:
- It is time to pony up and head to the bank to withdraw my due.
- Go outside and pony up, I’ll be ready to ride out soon on my horse too.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Pony Up
Some ways that pony up is used correctly are:
- Now that the match is over it's time for you to pony up with my winnings.
- The worse thing about gambling is that you have to pony up at the end after a bad streak.
- Everyone has to pony up eventually, so make sure what you put out into the world is positive.
- At the end of the day, if you don’t stick to your routine you will have to pony up in terms of making up for the lost time.