old lady in threadneedle street
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The Bank of England.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “old lady in threadneedle street” mean?
The Bank of England.
Is “old lady in threadneedle street” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.