shilling

• WordNet 3.6
  • n shilling an English coin worth one twentieth of a pound
  • n shilling a former monetary unit in Great Britain
  • n shilling the basic unit of money in Kenya; equal to 100 cents
  • n shilling the basic unit of money in Somalia; equal to 100 cents
  • n shilling the basic unit of money in Tanzania; equal to 100 cents
  • n shilling the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents
  • ***

• Interesting fact: In 1657, the first chocolate house was opened in London, England. The cost of chocolate was about 13 shillings per pound and was a drink that only the elite enjoyed
• • Shilling A silver coin, and money of account, of Great Britain and its dependencies, equal to twelve pence, or the twentieth part of a pound, equivalent to about twenty-four cents of the United States currency.
  • Shilling In the United States, a denomination of money, differing in value in different States. It is not now legally recognized.
  • Shilling The Spanish real, of the value of one eight of a dollar, or 12 cets; -- formerly so called in New York and some other States. See Note under 2.
  • ***

• Interesting fact: In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts ordered that anybody caught feasting or laying off from work, or in any other way goofing off on any other day other than Christmas, would be fined five shillings for each such offense.
• • n shilling A coin or money of account, of varying value, in use among the Anglo-Saxons and other Teutonic peoples.
  • n shilling An English silver coin, first issued by Henry VII., in whose reign it weighed 144 grains. The coin has been issued by succeeding English rulers. The shilling of Victoria weighs 87.2727 grains troy. Twenty shillings are equal to one pound (£1 = $4.84), and twelve pence to one shilling (about 24 cents). (Abbreviated s., sh.) At the time when the decimal system was adopted by the United States. the shilling or twentieth part of the pound in the currency of New England and Virginia was equal to one sixth of a dollar; in that of New York and North Carolina, to one eighth of a dollar; in that of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, to two fifteenths of a dollar; and in that of South Carolina and Georgia, to three fourteenths of a dollar. Reckoning by the shilling is still not uncommon in some parts of the United States, especially in rural New England. See also cuts under pine-tree, portcullis, 4, and accolated.
  • n shilling In archery, a measure of weight for arrows, equal to the weight of a new (British) silver shilling: as, a 4s. 6d. arrow.
  • ***

• Interesting fact: The phrase "guinea pig" originated when a tax was imposed on powder for wigs in England to help pay for the war with Napoleon. The list of those who had paid the guinea (one pound, one shilling) was posted on their parish church door. As they were the wealthy of the day, they became known as the guinea pigs.
• • n Shilling shil′ing an English silver coin=12 pence
  • ***

• Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley

  

  “To define it rudely but not ineptly, engineering is the art of doing for 10 shillings what any fool can do for a pound”
• Robert Pollok

  

  “With one hand he put a penny in the urn of poverty, and with the other took a shilling out.”
• Samuel Johnson

  

  “Go into the street, and give one man a lecture on morality, and another a shilling, and see which will respect you most.”

In literature:

In poetry:

In news:

In science: