sterling

Pluralsterlings

1. 1
   British poundsnouncountable or uncountable

   The money used in the United Kingdom, counted in pounds.

   The hotel asked us to pay in sterling, not dollars.

   Sterling fell against the euro after the news.

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   Silver that meets an official standard, or things made from it.

   Grandma kept her best sterling in a box lined with velvet.

   She sells earrings made of sterling at the craft fair.

   Similarsilver, silverware

3. 3
   adjective

   Very good and widely respected, so people trust it.

   Her sterling reputation as a judge made people listen to her.

   The old dictionary is a sterling guide that teachers still trust.

   Similarimpeccable, excellent, outstanding, exemplary, distinguished

   Oppositepoor, mediocre

   Note
4. 4
   genuinely goodadjective

   Real and pure, and very good or valuable.

   She is a woman of sterling character who never tells a lie.

   Our volunteers did sterling work cleaning up the park after the storm.

   Similaradmirable, excellent, splendid, fine, genuine

   Oppositepoor, shoddy

   Note
5. 5
   adjective

   Made of, or having to do with, silver of an official standard.

   He gave her a sterling bracelet for her birthday.

   The shop cleans and polishes sterling spoons and forks.

6. 6
   adjective

   Having to do with British money, now or in the past.

   The sterling price of the shirt was lower than the dollar price.

   The museum has a drawer full of old sterling coins from past kings.

   Note
7. 7
   nouncountable or uncountable

   Old British gold or silver coins made with a fixed amount of pure metal.

   The merchant would only take payment in sterling because he trusted its silver.

   The old chest was full of sterling from the king's mint.

   Note
8. 8
   silver pennynounhistoricalcountable or uncountable

   An old silver coin worth one penny.

   The farmer paid the miller three sterlings for grinding his grain.

   In England sterlings and nobles were struck, both of them often counterfeited.

   1911, Charles G. Herbermann et al., editorsHere, sterlings means old silver coins worth one penny.

   Note
9. 9
   bridge guardnouncountable

   A group of strong posts that protects the supports of a bridge.

   The boat bumped against the sterling under the old bridge.

   Ducks rested on the sterling where the river slowed down.

   Note

Showing meanings only. Show all 9