Why is 500 called a monkey?

The term was coined by British soldiers returning from India where the 500 rupee note of that era had a picture of a monkey on it. They used the term monkey for 500 rupees and on returning to England the saying was converted to sterling to mean £500.
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Why is a pony 25 quid?

Old Indian rupee banknotes had animals on them and it is said that the 500 rupee note had a monkey on it and the 25 rupee featured a pony.
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Why do Cockneys call 25 a pony?

Also, a "pony" could be a small amount of liquor or a small bottle of liquor. Also, a "pony" could be a cheat sheet or other material used in a test by students. In Cockney slang "pony" means 25 £ which is "25 pounds sterling" or just "25 pounds" in common British usage. Hope this helps.
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Why is 300 called a carpet?

The term has since the early 1900s been used by bookmakers and horse-racing, where carpet refers to odds of three-to-one, and in car dealing, where it refers to an amount of £300.
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What is 500 in Cockney rhyming slang?

Cockney Money Slang

Then you gotta know the key money values: £20 is a Score, £25 is a Pony, £100 is a Ton, £500 is a Monkey, and £1000 is a Grand. Here's our list of terms from the dictionary that are money-related.
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Why is 500 called a monkey?



Why is money called Lolly?

Meaning: London slang for £500. Derived from the 500 Rupee banknote, which featured a monkey. … Referring to £500, this term is derived from the Indian 500 Rupee note of that era, which featured a monkey on one side.
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Why is a pound called a nicker?

Not pluralised for a number of pounds, eg., 'It cost me twenty nicker..' From the early 1900s, London slang, precise origin unknown. Possibly connected to the use of nickel in the minting of coins, and to the American slang use of nickel to mean a $5 dollar note, which at the late 1800s was valued not far from a pound.
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Why do Cockneys call a watch a kettle?

The term means watch, which stemmed from a 'fob' watch which was a pocket watch attached to the body with a small chain. The kettle used to boil on the hob of a stove… hence the rhyme.
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Why do Cockneys call a house a drum?

Drum and Bass is Cockney slang for Place.

The word drum was originally used to describe a room or prison cell or even a road. It then became confined to only mean the home. Finally this was rhymed with Drum and Bass giving its modern interpretation.
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Why do they call a house a drum?

The use of the word Drum for a house comes from the Romany word Drom meaning Road.
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What is a gorilla in money terms?

Gorilla: A thousand dollars.
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What is a cockle in Cockney slang?

Cockle is Cockney slang for 10 pounds (tenner).
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What does custard mean in Cockney?

"No one's watching the custard" means "no one's watching the TV." "Custard and jelly" rhymes with "telly."
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Why is a piano called a Joanna?

Keep in mind that some cockney rhyming slang can only be understood if you're familiar with the cockney accent. For instance, “Aunt Joanna” means “piano.” That's because in cockney English, “piano” is pronounced “pianna,” which rhymes with “Joanna.”
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What is a dry lunch?

dry lunch (plural dry lunches) A lunch that is not accompanied by alcohol. (England, slang) A contemptible or uncool person quotations ▼
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How much is a kite in slang?

Kite: originally meant a worthless bill or cheque. Hence you would say "I am going to fly a kite" means you are going to pass a bad cheque. The word seems to now mean any cheque (bad or not).
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Why is a cell called a Peter?

Cell (1800s). Originated from the old slang 'peter', for portmanteau (a trunk or a box), the term was applied to the box-like qualities of a cell) A black peter was a punishment cell, usually a very dark one. Associated peters were cells with at least two prisoners in them.
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Why is the toilet called the khazi?

Khazi. Another slightly dated alternative word to the toilet, 'khazi' (also spelt karzy, kharsie or carzey) is derived from the low Cockney word 'carsey', meaning a privy. It has its roots in the nineteenth century, but gained popular usage during the twentieth century.
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Why does taters meaning cold?

slang Cold. The phrase comes from rhyming slang in which "taters (potatoes) in the mould" rhymes with "cold." Primarily heard in UK.
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What is a cup of Rosie?

For those who aren't familiar with cockney rhyming slang, 'Rosie' or 'Rosie Lee' translates to 'cup of tea'. When we say 'does anyone fancy a cup of Rosie? ' what we actually mean is 'Would anyone like a cup of tea?
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Why does rabbit mean talk?

In British English, "to rabbit (on about something)" is "to talk", and it appears that it comes from rhyming slang ("rabbit & pork" = "talk", shortened to "rabbit").
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What's the lemon Cockney?

Lemon and Lime is Cockney slang for Crime.
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What is squid in money?

A cryptocurrency inspired by 'Squid Game' crashes. The industry has questions. The digital money, called Squid, began trading last week for a penny. It soared spectacularly, before the money vanished.
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What is a Jimmy in Cockney slang?

Source: Brewer's Dictionary of London Phrase & Fable Author(s): Russ Willey. 'Piddle' in cockney rhyming slang, meaning to urinate.
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What does D stand for in old money?

Pennies were, confusingly, abbreviated to 'd'. This is because the Latin word for this coin was 'denarius'. ob.
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