| 释义 |
take the King's (or Queen's) shillingBritish Enlist as a soldier: not everyone who graduates goes on to take the Queen’s shilling...- It was changed from New Inn in 1881 because of a feeling of patriotism at the time, and also because this was the place where people could take the King's shilling and join up for the army.
- The soldier was no longer an individual who simply took the King's shilling for lack of alternative, but a symbol of a national cause and thus, potentially, a hero.
- I know he took the Queen's shilling when he signed up and when I signed his papers I gave him my blessing and knew he would see active service, it's just very difficult not knowing.
With reference to the former practice of paying a shilling to a soldier who enlisted See parent entry: shilling |