sov
Preserved but no longer current.
Contraction of sovereign; much used in sporting parlance to denote the amount of entrance money, forfeit, and added coin in connexion with a race. In the published conditions of a race the word SOVS is almost invariably used in preference to pounds, though in reckoning the net value of a big stake, after its decision, the common £ is used.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
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 “sov” mean?
Contraction of sovereign; much used in sporting parlance to denote the amount of entrance money, forfeit, and added coin in connexion with a race. In the published conditions of a race the word SOVS is almost invariably used in preference to pounds, though in reckoning the net value of a big stake, after its decision, the common £ is used.
Is “sov” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.