King's shilling

noun

A shilling accepted by new recruits when agreeing to or tricked into enlisting into the British army or navy during the 18th and 19th centuries.

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Meanings

nounKing's shilling (plural King's shillings)

plural King's shillings · alternative Queen's shilling

  1. UKhistoricalgovernmentA shilling accepted by new recruits when agreeing to or tricked into enlisting into the British army or navy during the 18th and 19th centuries.

    I have taken the King's shilling, but perhaps if you came for me they would let me go back with you. I was a fool when I did it. I don't want to be in the army.

    1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “Strife in Love”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC, part II, page 182
  2. figurativelygovernmentThe benefits and rewards of military service.
Cite this entry
APA

King's shilling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/King's%20shilling

MLA

“King's shilling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/King's%20shilling. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “King's shilling,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/King's%20shilling.

Source: King's shilling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.