quid
/kwɪd/ noun, verb
Forms quids quidding quidded
- noun The inherent nature of something.
- noun (US, historical) A member of a section of the Democratic-Republican Party between 1805 and 1811, following John Randolph of Roanoke. (From tertium quid.)
- noun Paired with quo, in reference to the phrase quid pro quo (“this for that”): something offered in exchange for something else.
- noun (UK, colloquial) Pound (currency). (usually used with a whole number of pounds) “Seven quid for a toastie? Are you taking the mick?!”
- noun (historical) A sovereign or guinea, that is, a certain coin or amount of money.
- noun (Ireland, Commonwealth, colloquial, historical) Various national currencies typically known by the name "pound".
- noun (Ireland, colloquial, by extension) Euro.
- noun (Commonwealth, colloquial, by extension, rare) Dollar, dollars.
- noun A piece of material for chewing, especially chewing tobacco.
- noun (US, colloquial) The act of chewing such tobacco.
- verb To chew tobacco.
- verb (of a horse) To let food drop from the mouth whilst chewing.
Synonyms
Quiddist pound nicker sov British pound British pound sterling pound sterling quid pro quo chew chaw cud plug wad
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin quid (“what, something”), neuter singular of quis (“who”).
Likely derives from the phrase quid pro quo (“this for that”), referring to the exchange of goods/services for money.
From Middle English quide, quede, from Old English cwidu, cwudu (“that which is chewed, cud”). Doublet of cud.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A portion suitable to be chewed; a cud; as, a quid of tobacco.
- verb To drop from the mouth, as food when partially chewed; --said of horses. Youatt.
Etymology [See Cud.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “quid”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details