shilling

shilling — noun

1. A piece of currency used in Britain and Ireland before 1971. Each shilling held

1.名詞B2
釋義

A piece of currency used in Britain and Ireland before 1971. Each shilling held the buying power of twelve pence, and twenty shillings added up to one pound.

例句

Grandfather kept a single shilling from his 1950s coin collection.

The bus fare in 1960s London was just one shilling per ride.

historical pricing: shilling as unit of old fare system

文法句型

number + shilling(s)

用法筆記

No longer in official use — the UK decimalised its currency in 1971, replacing the shilling with the five-pence coin. Modern learners will most often encounter this sense in historical novels, old price markings, and British period films.

常見錯誤

I paid five shillings for my coffee this morning in London.
I paid five pounds for my coffee this morning in London.
💡Shillings have not been used as everyday currency in the UK since 1971.
He found a shilling and said it was worth one penny.
He found a shilling and said it was worth twelve old pence.
💡One shilling equaled twelve old pence, not one.

2. The main currency of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Somalia. Each shilling can be

2.名詞B1
釋義

The main currency of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Somalia. Each shilling can be divided into one hundred cents.

例句

The Kenyan shilling has been fairly stable against the US dollar this year.

collocation: Kenyan shilling + exchange rate movement

Jiwoo exchanged her dollars for Tanzanian shillings at the airport.

currency exchange pattern: [currency] for shillings

同義詞

文法句型

[country name] + shilling

number + shillings

用法筆記

The word looks the same as the historical British coin but refers to an entirely separate, modern currency system. Always specify the country (Kenyan shilling, Tanzanian shilling, etc.) in formal contexts.

常見錯誤

I exchanged my dollars for British shillings at the Nairobi bank.
I exchanged my dollars for Kenyan shillings at the Nairobi bank.
💡The East African shilling is a different currency from the old British coin.