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to pony up
01
to pay money owed, such as a bill, debt, or required contribution
Slang
Grammatical Information
Composition
Simple
Action verb
Regular
Separable
Particle
up
Base verb
pony
Present tense
pony up
3rd person singular
ponies up
Present participle
ponying up
Past simple
ponied up
Past participle
ponied up
What does "to pony up" mean in finance slang?
The phrase "to pony up" means to pay money, especially when it is expected, required, or reluctantly given. The structure is informal slang likely derived from older American English, where "pony" implied something small or owed, and "up" reinforces the act of handing over payment. It is commonly used in casual financial or transactional contexts to mean providing cash or settling a debt.
Examples
He finally ponied up the cash for dinner after some nudging.
