tenpence to the shilling
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Mentally deficient.
Register: dated, slang
Examples
I knew that chap; but he never was more nor tenpence to the shilling. He was one of the men, we say, who fell out of his cradle and knocked his head.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
a vulgar phrase denoting a deficiency in intellect.
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 “tenpence to the shilling” mean?
Mentally deficient.
Is “tenpence to the shilling” formal or informal?
tenpence to the shilling is generally dated, slang.