shice

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Nothing; "to do anything for SHICE," to get no payment. The term was first used by the Jews in the last century. Grose gives the phrase CHICE-AM-A-TRICE, which has a synonymous meaning. Spanish, CHICO, little; Anglo-Saxon, CHICHE, niggardly; or perhaps connected with the German, SCHEISSEN.

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 “shice” mean?

Nothing; "to do anything for SHICE," to get no payment. The term was first used by the Jews in the last century. Grose gives the phrase CHICE-AM-A-TRICE, which has a synonymous meaning. Spanish, CHICO, little; Anglo-Saxon, CHICHE, niggardly; or perhaps connected with the German, SCHEISSEN.

Is “shice” formal or informal?

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