The descriptive phrase "eighty pence to the pound" is a British term meaning "not all there" or "stupid"

is that true?

BTW, what is a quid as opposed to a schilling as opposed to a pound?

We also use the terms "one brick short of a full load" or "one can short of a six-pack" !!!

A quid is a slang term for a £1.00 coin. The term 'eight pence to the pound' is rather an old fashioned saying but indeed, it does mean 'not all there'. A shilling is old currency and no longer in circulation.

A shilling is five pence - the word isn't really used anymore. A schilling is Austrian currency, I think.

JDINTERACTIVE said:

The term, 'quid', is now used as slang for a pound, although it was formerly used for one guinea, which was the equivalent of one pound and one shilling.

Before decimalisation in the UK, a shilling was the equivalent of 1/20th of £1 and was sometimes referred to as a 'bob', most commonly in mutiples (e.g. half of one pound was the equivalent of ten shillings, and the note was referred to as a 'ten bob note')

Pre-decimalisation (15 February 1971) coinage and terms included the following:

Coinage and notes

Farthing
Halfpenny (Two farthings) - often abbreviated to 'ha'penny' and pronounced 'haypnee'
Penny (Two halfpennies)
Threepenny bit (Three pennies) - often pronounced 'thrupenny'
Sixpence (Six pennies)
Shilling (Twelve pennies)
Half crown (Two shillings and six pennies)
Crown (Five shillings)
Ten shilling note (Ten shillings, amazingly)
Pound note(Twenty shillings or two hundred and forty pennies)

Although the 'guinea' was not a recent part of British coinage, prices were occasionally quoted in guineas (twenty one shillings, or one pound and one shilling) even during the twentieth century.

Slang terms included:

Joey (Silver threepenny bit)
Tanner (sixpence)
Bob (shilling)
Half dollar (Half crown)
Nicker (pound)
Quid (formerly 'guinea', and more recently 'pound')

I've not included many other coinage terms which are still occasionally referred to or encountered in English today such as 'groat', 'florin', and 'sovereign'.

Much more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/w...sh_coinage

.
[This message was edited Wed Feb 11 1:22:16 PST 2004 by langebleu]

JDINTERACTIVE said:

The term, 'quid', is now used as slang for a pound, although it was formerly used for one guinea, which was the equivalent of one pound and one shilling.

Before decimalisation in the UK, a shilling was the equivalent of 1/20th of £1 and was sometimes referred to as a 'bob', most commonly in mutiples (e.g. half of one pound was the equivalent of ten shillings, and the note was referred to as a 'ten bob note')

Pre-decimalisation (15 February 1971) coinage and terms included the following:

Coinage and notes

Farthing
Halfpenny (Two farthings) - often abbreviated to 'ha'penny' and pronounced 'haypnee'
Penny (Two halfpennies)
Threepenny bit (Three pennies) - often pronounced 'thrupenny'
Sixpence (Six pennies)
Shilling (Twelve pennies)
Half crown (Two shillings and six pennies)
Crown (Five shillings)
Ten shilling note (Ten shillings, amazingly)
Pound note(Twenty shillings or two hundred and forty pennies)

Although the 'guinea' was not a recent part of British coinage, prices were occasionally quoted in guineas (twenty one shillings, or one pound and one shilling) even during the twentieth century.

Slang terms included:

Joey (Silver threepenny bit)
Tanner (sixpence)
Bob (shilling)
Half dollar (Half crown)
Nicker (pound)
Quid (formerly 'guinea', and more recently 'pound')

I've not included many other coinage terms which are still occasionally referred to or encountered in English today such as 'groat', 'florin', and 'sovereign'.

Much more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/w...sh_coinage

.
[This message was edited Wed Feb 11 1:22:16 PST 2004 by langebleu]

langebleu said:

I preferred my way of explaining.

I preferred my way of explaining.