English · Idiom Historical

caution money

Preserved but no longer current.

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A sum deposited before entering college, or an Inn of Court, etc., by way of security for good behaviour.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Số tiền ký quỹ để đảm bảo hành vi tốt

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Money Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “caution money” mean?

A sum deposited before entering college, or an Inn of Court, etc., by way of security for good behaviour.

Is “caution money” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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