# British slang words for "money"



## AngelEyes

I'm looking for British slang words for money.

I always thought *blunt* was one, but mostly I find it's slang for a gutted cigar filled with pot. Is it not used for money/cash?

My context is this sentence where a London lawyer is warning his client.

"She may be after nothing but your _________."

I specifically want British words for money.

Thanks,

*AngelEyes*


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## Jamis

Hi,

Here are 2 to be going on with.

Cash

Dosh

Jamis.


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## Trisia

Erm...

I've heard "quid" for pounds, but that's not really "money."

"notes" means money.

A dictionary search suggests "bread," "pictures of the Queen," "nicker" and even "sponds."

I'm very curious to see what the natives really use


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## Tacherie

boodle, brass, bread, bread and honey, dosh, dough, gelt, gelter, green, handbag, lolly, measures, medza, moola, motza, poppy, readies, shekels, spondulicks, wad, wonga, yennaps

Meanings may connote different kinds of money sometimes. I suggest you take a look at this:http://www.businessballs.com/moneyslanghistory.htm#slang%20money%20meanings%20and%20origins


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## AngelEyes

Thanks, Jamis.

Thing is, I just used _dosh_ before this part. 

_"I received those other bills for that shopping excursion you took to all of those ladies’ boutiques and such. I’ve never known you to spend anywhere near this kind of dosh on a woman.”_ 

And _cash_ sounds much too American. I need more contrast in this additional dialogue.

That's why I thought of _blunt_, but it seems this usage isn't common now.

If you're afraid a woman is only with you because you're rich, what British word would apply? 

"She might only be interested in your ________." 
The word _blunt_ wouldn't work here?

*AngelEyes*


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## AngelEyes

Thanks, Tacherie. I'd already found that link. 

My problem is that, to my ear, I just can't hear an educated London lawyer say, _"She might be only after your lolly."_  

_Would he???_

But that *is* my problem. I don't know for sure. I wouldn't mind an earthy word if it sounds like something any British bloke might say.

*AngelEyes*


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## cuchuflete

Why do you assume, or ask us to believe, that a British lawyer is apt to use a slang word, rather than simply saying assets or money?

Is background and context repugnant or useful?


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## Packard

What's wrong with using "money"?


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## Loob

You must be telepathic, Packard!

That's what I was going to suggest
_______ 
Oops, I see the telepathy's three-way: cuchu, too


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## AngelEyes

cuchuflete said:


> Why do you assume, or ask us to believe, that a British lawyer is apt to use a slang word, rather than simply saying assets or money?
> 
> Is background and context repugnant or useful?


 
I've been giving you background. Well, maybe it's just been immediate context. Okay, let me explain a little more. 

Since I'm writing his words, it's my call to make him sound British to my ears. It's not a judgment or a slam against British sensibilities. I'm creating a mood here using words. I want to create a British conversation and I know there's a British term out there that would slip right into my sentence and make it work.

I'm not trying to make him sound like Eliza Doolittle. And actually, up to this point, he's been using nice, proper words like expenditures, monetary assets and capital gains, and he's even laughed at a joke about a margins call. 

But it's just this one sentence. He's speaking plainly and directly to his client.

Maybe _lolly_ wouldn't be so bad...

*AngelEyes*


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## Matching Mole

I agree with the last three posters. I suppose it would depend on the relationship between the lawyer and the client; a lawyer would have to be _unusually_ familiar with their client to use slang words in this way. And I speak from quite a bit of experience.

Blunt would almost certainly be taken as referring to a marijuana cigarette, or at least the reference would distract from the intended meaning (even if the listener is familiar with "blunt" meaning cash, and I don't think many would be).


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## Loob

I'm sorry, Angel Eyes, but I think 'lolly' would sound completely false in a conversation between a lawyer and a client.  I'm not keen on 'dosh' either.

Unless of course your lawyer is a cockney?


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## moo bottle

I've never ever heard "lolly" being used to denote money...


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## El escoces

I agree.  I didn't practise in London, but nevertheless - for what it's worth - I can't imagine using either "lolly" or "dosh" (in any circumstances, let alone with a client).

It seems to me you are creating a problem by rejecting, as overly American and un-British, the word "cash", which I think is a mistake.  That's exactly the word I would use.


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## AngelEyes

This whole chapter is centered around the lawyer and his conversation with his client, who is an old friend from university days. They go way back and are very close. They know much about each other and speak frankly and plainly all the time.

Up to this point in the conversation, it's been very proper, serious, and geared toward money, investments -  even discussing opening a private account at Coutts & Company. I don't want to repeat the word money or cash because they've been used more than once right before this.

And this sentence is now more personal and between friends. It's descended into a buddy sort of exchange now.

Please tell me this: is _blunt_ ever used to mean _money_? Or is that a horribly old-fashioned term that's extinct?

*AngelEyes*


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## Matching Mole

The last quotation of usage of the word blunt to mean money in the OED is from 1845. This is not a definitive indication, but it's highly suggestive of the usage being rather dated.

Given the background (which would have been handy from the beginning) the lawyer may well use a slang word, although there is absolutely nothing inherently US about "cash".


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## AngelEyes

Matching Mole said:


> The last quotation of usage of the word blunt to mean money in the OED is from 1845. This is not a definitive indication, but it's highly suggestive of the usage being rather dated.
> 
> Given the background (which would have been handy from the beginning) the lawyer may well use a slang word, although there is absolutely nothing inherently US about "cash".


 
First of all, I can't believe I didn't give a fuller background to my question from the beginning, either! I'm guilty of just the thing I've thought of other posters here in the past! I'm so sorry.

And thanks, Matching Mole. I guess _blunt_ would only be fitting then if this were more of an historical piece.

I also agree with you about using the word _cash_. I did use this word - and _money_, too. More than once before this particular sentence I'm asking about. 

That's why I want to avoid repetition, plus give a flavor of more intimacy with a slang word.

*AngelEyes*


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## Packard

I know that our teachers said not to use the same *words *over and over in a paragraph, but I am of the opinion that sometimes you really should use the single most appropriate _*word* _where needed even if you have used it before.

(Notice how often I used the *word "word"* in this post. What good would it have done to search for another _*word*_ to use in its place?)


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## Lis48

I would suggest _loot._ I´ve even had a lawyer use that word with me!


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## AngelEyes

Thanks, Packard.

You make a good point. And it seems unanimous among the British members.

I still think there's another word out there that would work, but I'm not going to belabor that here.

Thanks, everyone.

*AngelEyes*


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## AngelEyes

Lis48 said:


> I would suggest _loot._ I´ve even had a lawyer use that word with me!


 
Lis,

Now you're talking. An American might also use that, too, but it sounds just unexpected enough that it could work. 

Thanks! 

*AngelEyes*


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## moo bottle

AngelEyes, I think the fact of the matter is simple - we simply don't have many words for money!  The only real alternatives to cash, dosh and dough (the only ones I can think of) are obscure regional terms that are not used widely enough to warrant their use

Hope that helps


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## AngelEyes

Thanks, moo bottle.

Do you ever use the word *fortune* in England for a big sum of money?

_"She might only be after your fortune."_

*AngelEyes*


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## moo bottle

Yes! That's a good idea actually, I think that would work quite well! Good idea


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## Redshade

As the sentence is constructed the word "money" is the only one that sounds correct to my ears.
If the lawyer was dropping into a more informal mode perhaps another phrase such as " she's going to take you to the cleaners" would work better ?


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## Jamis

Hi Angel Eyes,

"Blunt" is a No in this situation.

There is nothing wrong with "Money"

Also...She might only be after your "Wealth"

Jamis.


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## El escoces

Redshade said:


> As the sentence is constructed the word "money" is the only one that sounds correct to my ears.
> If the lawyer was dropping into a more informal mode perhaps another phrase such as " she's going to take you to the cleaners" would work better ?


 
I don't like "loot" or "fortune" - at all - but I think this suggestion of Redshade's is absolutely spot on.  It's _perfect_ for the situation AngelEyes has described, and wholly believable that the lawyer in that scenario would use it.


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## sound shift

Since this lawyer is talking to an old friend, I think "She may be after nothing but your *hard-earned*" is within the realms of possibility.


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## Aardvark01

AngelEyes said:


> ...
> 
> My context is this sentence where a London lawyer is warning his client.
> 
> "She may be after nothing but your _________."
> 
> I specifically want British words for money.


 Why use this structure? Why not use one of the terms for people who seduce others or marry for money?:

She may be nothing but a *gold digger*.

He may be nothing but an *antique dealer*.


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## cuchuflete

Aardvark01 said:


> _*Why use this structure?*_ Why not use one of the terms for people who seduce others or marry for money?:



I've been thinking that as I reviewed the thread.  Rather than seeking a word, why not
go for an entire idea?  Suggest money without saying the word._Have you considered that she may be after something other than your fine body and brilliant mind?

_​If you are stubborn about maintaining the original sentence,

"She may be after nothing but your _________."

you might consider a word that points to money, rather than being a synonym for it.

_Gilt_ is an especially BE term.  No American would think of using it.

Would this sound at all idiomatic to BE speakers?  I have no idea!
_
She may be [may just be] after your gilts.

_
It is sometimes spelled _guilt_, which allows for all sorts of word play.


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## AngelEyes

These are all excellent suggestions! 

Cuchu, yours caught my eye because you're right, _gilts_ is totally foreign to American eyes. What is the British opinion on this word? What exactly does it mean? Has it to do with his attributes or his assets in general? 

Still, the others are so good, too.

One item:
This guy is money-driven - it really is one of the main themes of his salvation in this story. And she's totally the opposite. She doesn't even know what her bank balance is because she's totally apathetic about money. So it's been _his_ issue in his past and also the main issue his lawyer and best friend zeroes in on. The line has to refer to money in some way - not his sexy body. 

Where are a guy's gilts anyway? Maybe I could make this one work.

And I have to admit, I thought "taking someone to the cleaners" was strictly American. It's a surprise to learn differently!

*AngelEyes*


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## cuchuflete

Hi AE-

Gilts are...dictionaries are wonderful things, aren't they?


Compact OED:



> . *2* (*gilts*) fixed-interest loan securities issued by the UK government.   — ORIGIN archaic past participle of GILD


An AE equivalent, more or less, is "treasuries". Government bonds.



*gilt* 

 A bond issued through the United Kingdom Treasury and guaranteed by the British government. The market for gilt-edged securities is similar to the market for U.S. Treasury securities, with a high degree of safety, liquidity, and maturity selection.
                              Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.


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## Aardvark01

Gilt is not a term I've used or heard used outside of picture framing. I would have taken it for a typo of 'guilt' - some inference to blackmail - in this context had the definition not been provided.

I would have thought ISA's or 'bonds' were better known forms of savings accounts.


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## sound shift

I think it depends on the era in which this tale is set. Though I wouldn't recognise a gilt if one slapped me in the face, I have been vaguely aware of its existence as some sort of financial instrument much longer than I have been hearing about ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts) which, if I remember rightly, came in in the 1990s.


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## johndot

“She’s only interested in (the size of) your bank account,” is a common enough expression when speaking of gold-diggers or money-grabbers.


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## Lis48

Or... _She may just be after your wallet. _Or_...she may be just after your lucre._


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## AngelEyes

I want to thank you all for your input. It was very enlightening to see that, once again, I can't predict English sensibilities and word choices.

I'm most surprised of all at the rejection of the term, _dosh_.

I found numerous mentions of it online after I really started to dig deeper.

For instance:
a. This play on words using it with one of the Spice Girls.
posh spreads dosh 

b. Discussing it here along with the history of other British words for money:
history of dosh

c. And I wonder if it's not more of an Irish term because it was used in this interview by this popular actor:
I wanted the dosh

Thank you all for your great opinions.

*AngelEyes*


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## moo bottle

I don't think there's anything wrong with the word 'dosh', except I think I've only ever really used it in jest, i.e. not as a  serious alternative to money...


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## Dmitry_86

Although you all have left a lot of commentaries here already (and for me, to tell the truth, it was really riveting to read all this since I am a foreigner, an english learner and I need to know these slang words) I think there are some fresh ideas I can suggest which have not been mentioned so far.

1) *gold, silver* - this synonym for money is frequently used in different films (of course, I mean the ones which are originally British). These wordsare most often encountered in the films connected somehow with treasure hunt. They are sometimes used as an exclamation as well in the very moment of discovering treasure. In addition,....., the word *treasure* itself!!! What prevents it from denoting "money"?

2) 2 words I recently found in my dictionary. In fact, I am not sure that they are not dead however no such comment follows them: *the necessary *(something you constantly need to supply your living, i.e. money), *the wherewithall.* Looking forward to your commentaries regarding the last 2 words.


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## Lis48

Well if a woman tells me she is after a man´s treasure, his wherewithall or his necessary I would suspect another meaning and think she is after sex with him.    
But you are right, they are alternatives for money but use the words carefully!


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## George French

Why not consider using shekel(s)? It works in UK-EN and US-EN (I believe).  Even gentiles use this word for dosh!

GF..


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## Packard

Lis48 said:


> Well if a woman tells me she is after a man´s treasure, his wherewithall or his necessary I would suspect another meaning and think she is after sex with him.
> But you are right, they are alternatives for money but use the words carefully!


 

Quite so.  If I learned that a woman was after my "treasure", I'd think my money market accounts were safe; it would be my virtue that I would worry about.


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## Loob

What virtue, Mr P?

AngelEyes, you're in a minefield here.  As is anyone who tries to navigate the choppy waters of BrE slang _(what an excellent mixed metaphor, Loob)._ 

I do like Redshade's "she's going to take you to the cleaners"


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## JulianStuart

AngelEyes said:


> This whole chapter is centered around the lawyer and his conversation with his client, *who is an old friend from university days. They go way back and are very close. They know much about each other and speak frankly and plainly all the time.*
> 
> Up to this point in the conversation, it's been very proper, serious, and geared toward money, investments -  even discussing opening a private account at Coutts & Company. I don't want to repeat the word money or cash because they've been used more than once right before this.
> 
> And this sentence is now more personal and between friends. It's descended into a buddy sort of exchange now.
> 
> Please tell me this: is _blunt_ ever used to mean _money_? Or is that a horribly old-fashioned term that's extinct?
> 
> *AngelEyes*



If the lawyer has any suspicion or knowledge that some of the money was obtained via means _not totally legal_, they sound close enough that he might jovially refer to it as "filthy lucre" - but that may not fit with the plot so far!


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## parap

AngelEyes said:


> I'm looking for British slang words for money.
> 
> I always thought *blunt* was one, but mostly I find it's slang for a gutted cigar filled with pot. Is it not used for money/cash?
> 
> My context is this sentence where a London lawyer is warning his client.
> 
> "She may be after nothing but your _________."
> 
> I specifically want British words for money.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> *AngelEyes*



Would something like "coins" work? "She's only after your coins"? It probably doesn't sound rich enough, but could it work figuratively? Or maybe a little more sophisticated, French "sou" -- "She may be after nothing but your sou"?

Good luck!


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## AngelEyes

Loob,

I just sit and shake my head when I see that you and others really like "She's going to take you to the cleaners." 

I'd never in a million years think that's BrE. 

While this lawyer is a very proper gent, he's an average guy, too. This rich client of his is his best friend, so even though he's professional in his work, he's earthy and frank when expressing his opinions to him. 

I'm still playing around with different scenarios. Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions!

*AngelEyes*


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