"I'm not quite the shilling"
(is it about the money?...I don't think so)
it's coming out the song I'm going slightly mad....from Queen of course
I'm a french native speaker so I come to you from Yahoo France to ask you directly (you are the better source I can find)
Thanks a lot .have a nice day
2007-04-14 00:41:22 · 17 answers · asked by freddie 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Not the full shilling is a phrase related to the old british money, a shilling is about 5 pence in new money not the full shilling is just sayin the person is a bit mad or stupid. Same as a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic, not the full shilling.
2007-04-14 00:45:18 · answer #1 · answered by Begbie 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The shilling was a pre-decimal coin equivalent to 12 old pennies. It is now worth 5p.
In olden days when soldiers were enlisted they were offered a shilling coin as an inducement and on accepting it became a soldier. Thus the expression 'Accepting the King's (or Queen's) shilling was synonymous with 'joining up'.
A further expression came into being when some of these soldiers were slow or stupid or not able to understand simple orders and were know as 'not being the full shilling'.
2007-04-14 00:48:11 · answer #2 · answered by quatt47 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't believe how many different and, quite frankly, useless answers you've received. Why bother answering if all you can say is 'it's currency - that's all I know'?!
Your sentence means 'I'm a bit stupid'. The phrase is usually 'not a full shilling' (at least where I come from, anyway).
The only resource I've found to support this is a glossary of 'Irish' slang terms, although 'full shilling' isn't a specifically Irish saying (it's quite common in British English).
2007-04-14 02:44:47 · answer #3 · answered by jammycaketin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not quite the full shilling (i.e. 12 pence in old money), not quite the ticket, not all there; these all mean incomplete and are euphemisms for not entirely 100% stable or mentally sub-normal.
There are lots of similar expressions and new ones come along all the time: one oil drum short of a steel band is the latest one I have heard but I am sure you will be given lots more.
2007-04-14 00:45:04 · answer #4 · answered by Essex Ron 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A really deep question. In my culture the swear words are always genitalia and copulation related, and some animals, and we always believe they have something do to with the way we look at sex, and the psychology behind it is we think sex is sacrilegious; but truth be told, how did they ended up to have those meanings are hard for contemporary users to figure out. In English is much the same way. Maybe you should search the origin of the words and see how they changes through the history. Are you planning on writing a thesis on this? Maybe worth a PhD.
2016-04-01 01:13:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not quite the Shilling can mean someone who is not all there. A person who is not quite right in his head. A nutcase.
2007-04-14 03:10:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shilling is the name of a British coin and coins used in some other countries. I haven't yet found any other definitions of the word. I am not familiar with the song you are talking about.
2007-04-14 00:55:49 · answer #7 · answered by Max 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not being quite the full shilling means that you are stupid.
2007-04-14 00:49:35 · answer #8 · answered by Afi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It'a a phrase meaning not quite right in the head (or not up to standard), there are others:
A sandwich short of a picnic.
A can short of a six-pack.
2007-04-14 07:25:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shilling, of course, was a measure of English money until they went decimal.
And the phrase "the King's shilling" meant you had enlisted in the army or the navy - taking the king's shilling was that you had signed up.
I confess, I have no idea what your phrase refers to.
2007-04-14 00:44:44 · answer #10 · answered by Uncle John 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋