English Reference
Idiom idiom

poor man's shilling


Honesty.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He always keeps his word, proving he has a poor man's shilling.

CONTEXTUAL

Even when it would have been easier to lie, she chose to tell the truth, showing she truly values a poor man's shilling.

COMPLEX

In a world where many prioritize profit over integrity, he remained a man of his word, holding fast to his poor man's shilling despite the personal cost.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be a man

    To put up with something or take responsibility for it; to deal with something, such as pain or misfortune, without complaining.

  2. 02

    be one's own man

    To behave independently without the influence of others.

  3. 03

    be the bigger man

    To walk away from a conflict to prevent it from escalating.

  4. 04

    boldly go where no man has gone before

    To break new ground.

  5. 05

    broken man

    A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unpleasant or traumatic event.

  6. 06

    every man has a price

    Everyone can be bribed or corrupted for a certain price.

  7. 07

    faceless man

    Someone who is not elected to political office, but exerts power over political affairs from behind the scenes.

  8. 08

    funny man

    Alternative form of funnyman.

Last updated August 10, 2026