shilling

 
Pronunciation: /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/

noun

  • 1a former British coin and monetary unit equal to one twentieth of a pound or twelve pence.
  • 2the basic monetary unit in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, equal to 100 cents.

Phrases

not the full shilling

British informal very unintelligent or slow: he’s not the full shilling, but a damn good worker

take the King's (or Queen's) shilling

British enlist as a soldier: not everyone who graduates goes on to take the Queen’s shilling
[with reference to the former practice of paying a shilling to a soldier who enlisted]

Origin:

Old English scilling, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schelling and German Schilling