Spondoolicks

Spondoolicks (noun / old-school British slang)

(Also heard as: Spondoolies, Bit of spondoolicks, Clean out of spondoolicks)

Definition: Cash. Plain and simple. Notes in your wallet, wages in your hand, or savings tucked away.

Pronunciation: /spɒnˈduː.lɪks/

Where It Comes From: Nobody can say for dead certain, but folks reckon it comes from spondylos, an ancient Greek word for shells used as trade tokens. It popped up in Victorian print during the 1850s, crossed the Atlantic, and dug itself deep into British market stalls, racecourses, and East End pubs. Over time, Londoners softened it into spondoolies.

How People Actually Use It: Nobody says it with a straight face anymore—it’s always said with a bit of a grin. You’ll hear your grandad ask if you’ve got enough fuel money, a builder ask for notes on a Friday afternoon, or a mate joke about how much cash someone dropped on a new motor.

Examples in the Wild:

• “Need to grab some spondoolicks from the cashpoint before the barber’s.”

  Translation: I need to withdraw cash to pay for a haircut.

• “Fair play to him, that holiday must’ve cost a tidy bit of spondoolicks.”

  Translation: Good on him, but that trip definitely cost a lot of money.

• “I’m completely fresh out of spondoolicks till my wages hit tomorrow.”

  Translation: I have zero cash left until payday.

Similar Slang: Dosh, Wedge, Readies, Quid, Wonga, Brass, Clams, Shrapnel