sterling

noun

1. (countable)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].”

   “"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."”

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

2. (broadly, countable)A penny issued in other countries, such as Scotland.
3. (broadly, uncountable)The currency of the United Kingdom, based on the pound sterling; hence, genuine English or British currency, as contrasted with foreign currency.

   “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 […]”

   “[D]rop the ten ſhillings into this Baſon; […] So, iſt right Iacke? iſt ſterling?”

   “By uſeful Obſervations he can tell / The ſacred Charms that in true Sterling dvvell.”

   “[T]he Tenants are obliged by their Leaſes to pay Sterling vvhich is Lavvful Current Money of England, […]”

   “[A]mong the objects stolen was the famous parure of Black Diamonds, for which a bid of half a million sterling had just been made and accepted.”

4. (abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, uncountable)Short for sterling silver (“an alloy containing not less than 92.5 percent silver, the remainder usually being copper; articles made from this alloy collectively”).

   “Many of the women cleaned house for other women, soaping fine china and polishing heavy sterling, […]”

5. (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.”

6. (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.”

7. (broadly, obsolete, uncountable)Money generally.
8. (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.”

9. (alt-of, obsolete)Obsolete form of starling (“a family, Sturnidae, of passerine birds; specifically, the common starling, Sturnus vulgaris, which has dark, iridescent plumage”).
10. (alt-of, obsolete)Obsolete form of starling (“an enclosure like a coffer-dam, formed of piles driven closely together before any structure or work, as a protection against the wash of waves, commonly used to protect the piers of a bridge”).

    “Near the bridge the bubbles rose large as oak-apples; he was kicking four webs together, having sighted the fish. The bubbles ended in another swirl by a weed-fringed sterling, and a delicate swift water-arrow shot away between the two piers of the middle arch—the peal, or sea-trout, had gone down, passing three inches off the snapt jaws.”

adj

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.”

   “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: […]”

   “Sir Arthur only stipulated, that a little ragged boy, for the guerdon of one penny sterling, should run to meet his coachman, and turn his equipage back to Knockwinnock.”

   “The doctrine of the Old Testament is the religion of England. […] It believes in a Providence which does not treat with levity a pound sterling.”

   “In the first place, schemes of partial international co-ordination can be arranged between such governments as can agree upon them. This has already been done in the case of the Sterling Bloc, which is composed of countries whose rulers have decided that it is worth while to co-ordinate their separate national plans so that they shall not interfere with each other.”

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.”

   “[W]hat is baſe / No poliſh can make ſterling, […]”

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.”

   “[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?”

   “Sumptuosity and sordidness; revenge, life-weariness, ambition, darkness, putrescence; and, say, in sterling money, three hundred thousand a year,—were this poor Prince once to burst loose from his Court-moorings, to what regions, with what phenomena, might he not sail and drift!”

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: […]”

   “This love, ſuppoſing it ſterling, I (ſtultus ego [I am foolish]!) return'd in kind: But I do not repent it.”

   “Then decent pleaſantry and ſterling ſenſe / That never gave nor vvould endure offence, / VVhipp'd out of ſight vvith ſatyr juſt and keen, / The puppy pack that had defil'd the ſcene.”

   “The nephew, Manuel Molina, is a young man of sterling worth and Spanish gravity.”

   “I have said that Mr. Crawley was a stern, unpleasant man; and it certainly was so. The man must be made of very sterling stuff, whom continued and undeserved misfortune does not make unpleasant.”

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: […]”

   “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.”

name

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 number of places in the United States:
5. A number of places in the United States:
6. A number of places in the United States:
7. A number of places in the United States:
8. A number of places in the United States:
9. A number of places in the United States:
10. A number of places in the United States:
11. A number of places in the United States:
12. A number of places in the United States:
13. A number of places in the United States:
14. A number of places in the United States:
15. A number of places in the United States:
16. A number of places in the United States:
17. A number of places in the United States:
18. A number of places in the United States:
19. A number of places in the United States:
20. A number of places in the United States:
21. A number of places in the United States:
22. A number of places in the United States:
23. A number of places in the United States:
24. A number of places in the United States:
25. A number of places in the United States:
26. A number of places in the United States:
27. A number of places in the United States:
28. A number of places in the United States: