spur money
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A small fine formerly imposed on those who entered a church wearing spurs, because of the interruption caused to divine service by their ringing. It was collected by the Choir-boys or the beadles.
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 “spur money” mean?
A small fine formerly imposed on those who entered a church wearing spurs, because of the interruption caused to divine service by their ringing. It was collected by the Choir-boys or the beadles.
Is “spur money” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.