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Dosh

Posted by TheFallen on March 21, 2002

In Reply to: Dosh posted by James Briggs on March 21, 2002

: : I am interested in the derivation of the word 'dosh ' meaning money.

: : Can anyone help?

: My 1994 Collin's Dictionary says: 'British and Australian slang for money. 20th century. Origin unknown.'
: Hopefully, others can do a bit better! It's not recorded in my copy of the Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

I also am totally unable to track down any origins for dosh, but perhaps the following observation will soften the blow. We British have a huge number of slang terms for money or cash - to the extent that it's almost improbable. Wih no more than a moment's thought, I offer you the obvious "readies" and "wad", the more bizarre "wonga" and my personal utterly surreal favourite "spondoolicks" (sp?). There'll be plenty more - and this is before we even get into the slang for amounts of cash - monkeys and ponies, bottles, carpets and ladies to start with. But that's for another time.

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