▪ I. ‖ sou Now Hist.
(su)
[F., earlier soul, sol sol n.3 For earlier examples of the pl. sous, see souse n.4]
A French coin, formerly the twentieth part of a livre, subsequently used to designate the five-centime piece.
| 1814 Sporting Mag. XLIV. 60 We gave the postillions ten sous per post extra, to stimulate them to speed. 1823 Byron Juan xi. lxxv, They are young, but know not youth,..rich without a sou. 1866 Cornh. Mag. Nov. 532 Imagine..that I have been paying thirty-eight sous a pound. 1882 ‘Ouida’ Under Two Flags (1890) 272 He had scarcely a sou in his pocket. |
▪ II. sou
obs. form of sew v., show v., sow n.1