Ready Money (i.e. Available Cash) has for centuries been referred to in the United Kingdom as "Rhino"; Brewer equates this term with "paying through the nose", Rhino - being a Greek prefix referring to the nose, that is, paying in cash. The related term "cash on the nail" is said to refer to 17th century trading stands in Bristol and elsewhere, over which deals were done and cash changed hands.

Quid (singular and plural) is used for pound sterling or £, in British slang. It is thought to derive from the Latin phrase "quid pro quo". A pound (£1) may also be referred to as a "nicker" or "nugget" (rarer).