Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(a) (US) a banknote.

[1846		D. Corcoran Picking from N.O. Picayune 98: The petty pedler in pumpkins, who issued his individual shinplasters].
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 296: Money itself has in the United States, as in England, probably more designations than any other object – liquor alone excepted [...] shinplasters, or simply plasters.
1903		Bluefield Daily Tel. (WV) 8 Jan. 2/1: Money has more synonyms than any word in the English language [...] There is in use coin, plunks, plasters, soap, rocks, dust, dough, ducats, dingbats, pewter, needful, stuff, collat, rags, shekels, wad, roll, tin, long green, grease, bones, balsam, chicken feet [sic], rhino, brass, gold and on and on.
1914		Bulletin (Sydney) 26 Nov. 44/2: I was scared. Honest, I was fair rattled. Why, if I showed my plaster in that den, I’d never got out alive. [...] Me! With enuff sugar on me ter buy a pub.
1939		Howsley Argot: Dict. of Und. Sl.
1943		R.L. Bellem ‘Feature Snatch!’ Dan Turner - Hollywood Detective Feb. 🌐 Kinzer is [...] selling out to me for a mere ten thousand plasters.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 159/1: Plaster. A dollar bill.
1970		L. Sanders Anderson Tapes 33: Listen, kid, is it really bad? I mean, if you need a couple of plasters until Ed gets out, tell me.

(b) (US) a fine.

1914

R. Lardner ‘Horseshoes’ in Coll. Short Stories (1941) 254: I went back alone and hank caught me comin’ in and put a fifty-dollar plaster on me.

(c) (Can.) a mortgage.

1916

J. Lait ‘It Wasn’t Honest, But It Was Sweet’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 227: She said he would have sold the stove long ago but for a chattel mortgage. Her husband had put a fifteen-dollar plaster on it.

(d) (US Und.) the paper on which an injunction or court order is printed.

1929

Hostetter & Beesley It’s a Racket! 234: plaster—An injunction or court order, closing a building or place of business.

(e) (Aus.) a profit.

1932

(con. WWI) L. Mann Flesh in Armour 248: ‘J—, the books must have got a plaster.’ ‘They might have been in on it’ ’.

(f) (Aus.) a bill, an account.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 894/2: Aus. since ca. 1930.

(a) (US) a follower, a tail n. (12a)

1922

T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 122: That guy stays with me everywhere I see him — I can’t shake him. Yes, he’s an awful plaster — I always give him the go-by.

(b) (Irish) an encumbrance, a burden.

1997

Share Slanguage.

(c) (Irish, also sticking-plaster) one’s wife.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks n.p.: Sticking plaster, a wife.
1997		Share Slanguage.

(d) (US tramp) butter.

1930

‘Dean Stiff’ Milk and Honey Route 199: Axle grease – Butter. Sometimes called plaster.

(e) (Irish) an unpleasant person or creature.

1938		S. MacManus Rocky Road to Dublin n.p.: ‘To do that,’ said Long John’s Nelly, ‘we’d have to build up both the doors and the windows.’ ‘Well,’ replied her indignant adviser, ‘if I was in your place, and afflicted with that plaster, I would build them up’ [BS].
1966		P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 161: Don’t be trying to get round me, you old plaster.