In Queer Street
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In financial difficulties. The punning suggestion has been made that the origin of the phrase is to be found in a query (?) with which a tradesman might mark the name of such a one in his ledger.
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.
Common questions
What does “In Queer Street” mean?
In financial difficulties. The punning suggestion has been made that the origin of the phrase is to be found in a query (?) with which a tradesman might mark the name of such a one in his ledger.
Is “In Queer Street” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.