We say "quid" as informal British slang for the pound sterling (£) because its exact origin is unknown, but theories point to Latin ("quid pro quo"), Italian coin names like "scudo," Gaelic "mo chuid" (my possession), or a paper mill location, with the term becoming popular for its short, handy sound, similar to "buck" for dollars.
The word origin may be traced back to Quidhampton, a village in Wiltshire, England, once home to a Royal Mint paper mill. Any paper money made in this mill might have been called a quid. The pound sterling has a rich history of more than 12 centuries as the world's oldest currency still in use.
“Quid” is a commonly used British slang term for the pound sterling (£). It is an informal way to refer to money in everyday conversations and is equivalent to saying “pound” in monetary terms. The term has been in use for centuries and remains popular across the UK.
The 'Bob' The term 'shilling' might be derived from a Roman coin called a solidus, or the old English term 'scield'. Eventually, it adopted the nickname 'bob', although quite why remains a mystery. There have been attempts to link its name to the famous politician Sir Robert Walpole.
John Sigismund Tanner, originally from Saxe-Coburg, was a medallist and designer at the Royal Mint. The sixpence he designed for George II popularly gained his name and this stuck for all the other designs right up until decimalisaton.
"Fanny's your aunt" is a British idiom, often used with "Bob's your uncle," meaning that something is straightforward, simple, or that a solution is guaranteed and easily accomplished. When used together, "Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt" implies a complete and effortless resolution to a situation.
MONKEY. Meaning: London slang for £500. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. EXPLANATION: While this London-centric slang is entirely British, it actually stems from 19th Century India.
$20 notes are most often called a "lobbo" or "lobster", due to the red colour. By far the most commonly used slang for a modern Australian note is the $50 denomination, referred to as either a "pineapple", or a "fiddy".
Why is British money called pounds? The name "pound" for currency has roots in Europe and the ancient Romans. The name comes from the Latin words libra pondo, which means pound weight. The £ symbol derives from the letter "L" in libra.
The word buck as a term for the U.S. dollar dates back to the 1700s, when deer hides, or buckskins, were often used in trade on the American frontier. Settlers and traders in sparsely populated regions relied on bartering, and buckskins were durable, valuable, and widely accepted.
As we found out then 'Nick' has a wide variety of meanings based on cheating, snatching, and stealing. Maybe, a one pound coin was viewed as an item of currency worth nicking and became known as a nicker.
A pound comprised twenty Shillings, commonly called 'bob', which was a lovely old slang word. It was 'bob' irrespective of how many shillings there were: no-one ever said 'fifteen bobs' - this would have been said as 'fifteen bob'.
The term sterling silver denotes any silver alloy in which pure silver makes up at least 92.5 percent of the content. One theory is that the word sterling comes from the name Easterlings—coiners from east German states brought to England during the reign of Henry II (1154–89) to improve the quality of the coinage.
The British pound is the world's oldest currency still in use at around 1,200 years old. Dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, the pound has gone through many changes before evolving into the currency we recognise today. The British pound is both the oldest and one of the most traded currencies in the world.
Aussie Slang – Expressions (A-Z)
Crack the whip – telling someone to hurry up!
The $50 banknote is also called a "pineapple" given its bright yellow colour.
(Australia, slang) Alternative form of veggo (“vegetarian”).
The green color reminded a lot of people of vegetables, so by 1911, people were calling their green bills kale, by 1929, lettuce, and by 1942, cabbage.
jaffa - to be 'seedless' as in infertile, one who 'fires blanks'
(British, slang) One's girlfriend, wife or significant other.
"Oh My Giddy Aunt!” was a popular English saying early last century, often used to indicate surprise in the days before less genteel expletives became more freely used.
[Tottie, hotsy-totsy, tootsie, tootsy, toff] - OneLook. Usually means: Attractive person, often sexually appealing. ▸ noun: (UK, Ireland, slang) sexually attractive women considered collectively; usually connoting a connection with the upper class.