Word of the Day for Thursday June 24, 2004
.

pin money, noun:
1. An allowance of money given by a husband to his wife for
private and personal expenditures.
2. Money for incidental expenses.
3. A trivial sum.

Women's groups have contended that jobs that usually go to
men pay more because of the old-fashioned idea that a man
is supporting a family while a woman is merely working for
pin money.
--Juan Williams, "A Question of Fairness," [1]The Atlantic,
February 1987

Many young people take jobs in hotels and pubs as a way of
earning a bit of pin money, or to top up the student loans
and parental hand-outs that see them through the
cash-strapped college years
--Nick Pandya, "Failed to make the grade? You're still
wanted," [2]The Guardian, September 7, 2002

A record-smashing fine sounds tough, but it's pin money for
Credit Suisse.
--Nick Cohen, "Life in a bubble bath," [3]The Observer,
December 22, 2002
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Pin money originally referred to money given by husbands to
their wives for the specific purpose of buying pins.

References

1. http://www.theatlantic.com/
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
3. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/