sterling

Noun

sterling (countable and uncountable, plural sterlings)

1. (countable, obsolete except historical) An English silver penny first introduced by the Normans.
   • Nummus […] is taken for braſſe pens, or els pieces of ſiluer of the valu of a dandiprat or i. d. ob. a pece or there about, ſo that yͤ thouſand peces wer moche about the ſomme of twentie nobles sterlynges [i.e., nobles of sterlings].1564 February, Erasmus, “The Saiynges of Augustus Caeser”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., Apophthegmes, that is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentẽcious Saiynges, […]...
   • "I do not fear your curses," said Philippe [Philip II of France]. "You have no right to pronounce them on the realm of France. Your words smell of English sterlings."1868, Charlotte M[ary] Yonge, “Cameo XXIII. The Rebellious Eaglets.”, in Cameos from English History: From Rollo to Edward II […], London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 103
2. (broadly, countable) A penny issued in other countries, such as Scotland.
3. (broadly, uncountable) The currency of the United Kingdom, also called the pound sterling
   • Ophe[lia]. He hath my Lord of late made many tenders / Of his affection to me. / […] / Pol[onius]. Marry I vvill teach you, thinke your ſelfe a babie / That you haue tane [taken] theſe tenders for true pay / VVhich are not ſterling, tender your ſelfe more dearely […]c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604...
   • [D]rop the ten ſhillings into this Baſon; […] So, iſt right Iacke? iſt ſterling?1601 (first performance), Thomas Dekker, Satiro-mastix. Or The Untrussing of the Humorous Poet. […], London: […] [Edward Allde] for Edward White, […], published 1602, →OCLC, signature D2, recto
4. (broadly, historical, uncountable) Former British gold or silver coinage of a standard fineness (0.91666 for gold and 0.925 for silver).
   • […] Sterling vvas the knovvn and approved Standard in England, in all Probability, from the Beginning of King Henry the Second's Reign. But King John vvas undoubtedly the firſt vvho introduced Sterling Money in Ireland.1745, Stephen Martin Leake, “John, A.D. 1199”, in An Historical Account of English Money, from the Conquest, to the Present Time; […], 2nd edition, London: […] W. Meadows, […], →OCLC, page 62
5. (broadly, countable, obsolete) Synonym of pennyweight (“a unit of mass equal to 24 grains, or ¹⁄₂₀ of a troy ounce”)
   • [E]ight of them [carats] make but one Sterlin, and a Sterlin is the 24 part of an ounce.1611, Randle Cotgrave, compiler, “Carat”, in A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, signature O ij, verso, column 1

   Synonyms:

   pennyweight

6. (broadly, obsolete, uncountable) Money generally.
7. (broadly, obsolete, uncountable) The standard degree of fineness.
   • [T]he Lavv hath not left it in the Povver of the Prerogative to compel the Subject to take any Money, beſide Gold and Silver of the Right Sterling and Standard.1724 August 15 (Gregorian calendar), M. B. [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], A Letter to Mr. Harding the Printer, upon the Occasion of a Paragraph in his News-paper of Aug. 1st. Relating to Mr. Wood’s...

Adjective

sterling (not generally comparable, comparative more sterling, superlative most sterling)

1. (not comparable, usually) Of or relating to the currency of the United Kingdom, or former types of English or British coinage.
   • […] King William [the Lion] vvas to pay 100000. l. [pound] Striueling for his ranſome, the one half in preſent coin, the other 50000 l. vpon time.1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Henrie the Second, Duke of Normandy, Guyen and Aquitaine, […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans....
   • The Salaries of all the great Officers of this State, are very ſmall: I have already mentioned that of a Burgomaſter's of Amſterdam to be about fifty pounds ſterling a year: […]1673, William Temple, “Of Their Government”, in Observations upon the United Provinces of the Netherlands, London: […] A[nne] Maxwell for Sa[muel] Gellibrand […], →OCLC, page 108
2. (not comparable, usually) Of silver: being of standard quality.
3. (not comparable, usually) Of a thing: of or relating to, or made from, sterling silver.
   • The ſterling mark upon plate, and the ſtamps upon linen and vvoollen cloth, give the purchaſer much greater ſecurity than any ſtatute of apprenticeſhip.1776 March 9, Adam Smith, “Of Wages and Profit in the Different Employments of Labour and Stock”, in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. […], volume I, London: […]...
   • [W]hat is baſe / No poliſh can make ſterling, […]1785, William Cowper, “Book VI. The Winter Walk at Noon.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, pages 281–282
4. (archaic, not comparable, usually) Of English (or (obsolete) Scottish) currency: genuine, of legal tender.
   • Pray thee peace, pay her the debt you ovve her, and vnpay the villany you haue done vvith her, the one you may doe vvith ſterling mony, and the other vvith currant repentance.c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600...
   • [I]s this base annunciation a mere swindle on the incautious, to beguile them of their time, their patience, and three shillings of sterling money of this realm?1816, [Walter Scott], chapter I, in The Antiquary. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 14
5. (comparable, figuratively, not comparable, usually) Of acknowledged influence; authoritative; also, of high or excellent quality; of proven worth.
   • […] I knovv your Opinion is current and ſterling: […]1655, James Howell, “XLIV. To Sir L. D. in Paris.”, in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ. Familiar Letters Domestic and Forren. […], 3rd edition, volume IV, London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], →OCLC, section VI...
   • This love, ſuppoſing it ſterling, I (ſtultus ego [I am foolish]!) return'd in kind: But I do not repent it.1755, [Edward Young], “Letter V. Life’s Review.”, in The Centaur Not Fabulous. […], London: […] A[ndrew] Millar […]; [a]nd R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley […], →OCLC, page 238
6. (comparable, figuratively, not comparable, obsolete, usually) Having currency (“general acceptance, recognition, or use”).
   • This waie of exerciſe was […] made ſterling agayne by M. Quintilian: […]a. 1569 (date written), Roger Ascham, “[The Second Booke Teachyng the Ready Way to the Latin Tong]”, in Margaret Ascham, editor, The Scholemaster: Or Plaine and Perfite Way of Teaching Children, to...
   • And if my vvord be Sterling yet in England, / Let it command a Mirror hither ſtraight, / That it may ſhevv me vvhat a Face I haue, / Since it is Bankrupt of his Maieſtie.1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to...

Proper noun capitalized: Sterling

UK/ˈstɜː.lɪŋ/US/ˈstɝ.lɪŋ/

Sterling

1. A Scottish surname, variant of Stirling.
2. An English surname, thought to be a variant of Starling.
3. A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
4. A census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska.
5. A city, the county seat of Logan County, Colorado.
6. A town in Windham County, Connecticut.
7. A census-designated place in Glynn County, Georgia.
8. An unincorporated community in Bingham County, Idaho.
9. A city in Whiteside County, Illinois.
10. A ghost town in Jackson County, Iowa.
11. A city in Rice County, Kansas, named after Sterling Rosan.
12. A town in Worcester County, Massachusetts.