{"id":5234,"date":"2015-12-10T07:34:05","date_gmt":"2015-12-10T12:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=5234"},"modified":"2015-12-11T08:36:31","modified_gmt":"2015-12-11T13:36:31","slug":"know-your-wonga-british-and-american-slang-terms-for-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/know-your-wonga-british-and-american-slang-terms-for-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Know Your Wonga – British and American Slang Terms for Money"},"content":{"rendered":"

How many slang expressions for money do you know? It turns out there are dozens, and many\u00a0of them\u00a0have a fascinating back story.\u00a0These illustrations, made from actual money by Go Compare and Art Money<\/a>, capture the origins of these terms in vivid detail.\u00a0Check out the\u00a0images\u00a0and learn how to use these\u00a0phrases for yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Brass\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Northern English slang for money<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The term “brass” originates from the Northern English towns the early twentieth century, where people made\u00a0a living from collecting scrap materials. Among the profitable materials\u00a0was brass, and hence\u00a0the phrase, “Where there’s muck, there’s brass” and a new\u00a0slang term for money was born.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:\u00a0“She must have more brass than brains.” (This is a northern English expression meaning “more money than sense”.) <\/span><\/p>\n

\"money-slang-brass\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Buck\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

One US dollar<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

If we go back in time to Pioneer-era America, deer (or “buck”) skins were exchanged for goods and services\u00a0instead of money. When currency was introduced, the term stuck around\u00a0and is now\u00a0a commonly used\u00a0word\u00a0for one dollar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:\u00a0“Six bucks for a coffee? You must be joking.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\"money-slang-buck\"<\/a><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Quid\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

One British pound<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Across the pond, “quid” is used as a\u00a0popular slang term\u00a0for one\u00a0British\u00a0pound. It’s said that the phrase\u00a0originated from the Latin, quid pro quo<\/i>, meaning “something for something”. Meanwhile, others think it comes from the Gaelic word\u00a0“chuid”, meaning\u00a0a portion or a share.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example: “That ticket\u00a0must have cost you a few quid.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\"slang-money-quid\"<\/a><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Boodle\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Slang for ill-gotten gains<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

“Boodle” used to\u00a0refer to money gained\u00a0from\u00a0criminal activity, such as bribes and illicit payments. But now it’s just\u00a0slang for money in general,\u00a0on both sides of the Atlantic.\u00a0The term originated\u00a0from the Dutch word “bodel”, meaning property.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:\u00a0“We saved a boodle buying a house outside of town.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\"money-slang-boodle\"<\/a><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Monkey\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

London slang for \u00a3500<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Why do some\u00a0Londoners\u00a0call \u00a3500 a “monkey”? The answer\u00a0can be traced back to\u00a019th Century India, where the\u00a0500 rupee note had a picture of an ape on it and was informally known as\u00a0a “monkey”. As India was under the rule of the British Empire, the term made it over to London, despite the fact\u00a0there were no monkeys on British currency.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:\u00a0“I only paid a\u00a0monkey for it.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\"money-slang-monkey\"<\/a><\/p>\n

6.\u00a0Wonga\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

British slang for money<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

A British slang term for money of Romani origin. The Romani word “wongar” means coal, and “coal” itself was apparently slang for money in 18th and 19th century Britain.\u00a0This was probably to do with the fact that both were essential commodities for life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example: “You’ll earn a lot more wonga in the capital.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\"money-slang-wonga\"<\/a><\/p>\n

7.\u00a0Cheese<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

American slang for money<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

It may seem strange to\u00a0hear\u00a0Americans calling\u00a0money\u00a0“cheese”, but\u00a0actually it\u00a0makes perfect sense. After the Second World War,\u00a0the\u00a0unemployed\u00a0were given\u00a0a hearty lump of cheese in\u00a0their welfare package. Soon, money became known as “cheese”, and nowadays it is\u00a0even\u00a0sometimes called\u00a0“cheddar”.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:\u00a0“I hate my job – it’s time to find somewhere else to get my cheese.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\"money-slang-cheese\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

How many slang expressions for money do you know? It turns out there are dozens, and many\u00a0of them\u00a0have a fascinating back story.\u00a0These illustrations, made from actual money by Go Compare and Art Money, capture the origins of these terms in vivid detail.\u00a0Check out the\u00a0images\u00a0and learn how to use these\u00a0phrases for yourself. 1.\u00a0Brass\u00a0 Northern English slang…<\/p>\n

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