Listening to a Quiz Show on television last night I heard the word 'Nicker'. I had missed the question but somewhere in the recess of my mind I knew this word from way back. I pondered on its meaning then searched on the computer for an answer. It's my pound! A 'Nicker' is slang for one pound. I knew that meaning a long time ago but had forgotten it. The word doesn't seem to be used anymore. It sounds more like an undergarment than a currency, or someone who steels stuff from shops!
Perhaps 'Nicker' was taken over by the word 'Quid' - another of our English colloquialisms? Other words for one pound are:
- Smacker (sounds a bit violent to me!)
- Smackeroo (Australian influence maybe?)
- Oner (not to be mixed up with a onesie)
- Oncer (as above)
- Sovereign (well it does have the Queen's head on it)
All these names for one coin, no wonder the English language is hard to learn! Hope you enjoyed my insights and humour!
No comments:
Post a Comment