I. ˈshiliŋ, -lēŋ noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scilling; akin to Old High German skilling, a gold coin, Old Norse skillingr, Gothic skillings; all from a prehistoric Germanic compound whose first constituent is represented by English shield (I) and whose second is represented by English -ling
1.
a. : a British monetary unit since the Norman conquest equal to twelve pence or 1/20 pound — see money table
b. : a coin representing one shilling first issued under Henry VII and coined in silver until 1946 when it was changed to cupronickel
2.
a. : a unit of value and corresponding coin of Scotland before 1707 that by the 17th century had depreciated to the value of one English penny
b.
(1) : a unit of value equal to 1/20 pound in any of several countries in or formerly in the British Commonwealth (as Australia, New Zealand, Union of South Africa, Ireland) — see money table
(2) : a coin representing this unit
3.
a. : any of several early American coins or tokens (as of Maryland or Massachusetts)
b. : any of numerous fluctuating units of value used in the United States in colonial times and later after the use of shilling coins had ceased
New York shilling
Connecticut shilling
c. : any of several units or coins (as the schilling or the skilling) of the Continent related to the English shilling
4.
a. : the basic monetary unit of British East Africa
b. : a coin representing this unit
5. : a measure of weight for arrows equal to 87 1/4 grains
II.
variant of shealing