Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) a large amount of money .

1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] All the customers were people making a big quid out of London real estate.
2018		C. Hammer Scrublands [ebook] ‘There’s a lot of them out there in the scrub. Have a big muster, make a fair old quid’.

(UK Und.) first-class, expert thieving.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

(N.Z.) for anything in the world, e.g. I wouldn’t miss your birthday for quids.

1941		K. Tennant Battlers 271: I wouldn’t travel wiv you, Phippsy, no, not for quids. So you clear, see? Hoppit.
1953		I. Hamilton Till Human Voices Wake Us 54: [He] wouldn’t give a cobber away for quids.
1959		G. Slatter Gun in My Hand 51: He was dead keen on the trots [...] and he wouldn’t miss a meeting for quids.
1965		W. Dick Bunch of Ratbags 242: I wouldn’ve went into that for quids, mate.
1986		R. Beckett Dinkum Aussie Dict. 59: You wouldn’t be dead for quids: Something amazing and amusing (normally involving another’s misfortune) has just occurred thus making thoughts of suicide, for the time being at least, unnecessary.
2000		Penguin Book of All-New Aus. Jokes 208: Man playing by himself on a gorgeous clear morning, thinking he wouldn’t be dead for quids.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 166: [...] for quids is something desired above dollars, eg, ‘I wouldn’t miss that new production of Carmen for quids.’ ANZ 1920s.

half a guinea; then ten shillings; latterly 50p.

1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 245: half a bean, half a quid half-a-guinea.
1821		‘An Amateur’ Real Life in London I 634: Shell out the nonsense; half a quid ¶ / Will speak more truth than all your whid. [¶ Half a quid—Half a guinea].
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 152/2: So saying, Joe threw a half ‘quid’ on the table.
1877		Five Years’ Penal Servitude 238: First they went to the bar and had a drain, tendering a half-sovereign. ‘Half a quid,’ he called it.
1888		J. Runciman Chequers 129: Tell him to put me on half-a-quid Sunshine, and half-a-quid Dartmoor a shop – s.p. both.
1894		H. Lawson ‘Across the Straits’ in Roderick (1972) 199: Seven-and-six of that half-quid should have gone to the landlord of the hotel where we stayed last.
1896		M. Williams Round London 24: Seeing it’s you, you shall have him for half a quid.
1905		Sporting Times 25 Mar. 12/4: He asked me whether he could have half a ‘quid’ each way on something, so we had a bet on the nod.
1912		‘R. Andom’ Neighbours of Mine 216: I’m going to buy some cricket things with my half-quid.
1914		E. Pugh Cockney At Home 183: A old gent took us into his house and give us [...] some filthy German drink, and half a quid each.
1926		‘Sapper’ Final Count 801: ’E promised me ’arf a quid if I did wot ’e told me.
1937		J. Curtis You’re in the Racket, Too 29: He had managed to ponce a whole packet of twenty, besides the half-quid that he had had on account.
1938		G. Kersh Night and the City 27: If you could do with half a quid —.
1941		A. Gurney Bluey & Curley 26 Apr. [synd. cartoon strip] You’ll cough that half quid....You cow.
1959		F. Durbridge A Time of Day (1989) 157: Ah well, no business of mine and half a quid’s half a quid ...
1963		N. Dunn Up the Junction 31: Half a bleedin’ quid – that’s not money!

(Aus./N.Z.) money that is earned quickly and, poss., illicitly.

1984		Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 949/2: Aus. [...] since ca. 1925.
1998		Hansard (Aus.) 25 Aug. 1231: Mr Kaine: To make a quick quid? Ms Carnell: Well, that could be right. A quick quid indicates, Mr Kaine, that there must be buyers out there, does it not?
2002		World Today 24 May [ABC-radio] Sydney has always had the reputation for being Australia’s favourite location for making a quick quid.

doing well, financially or otherwise.

1921		N&Q 12 Ser. IX 347: Quids In. Said when everything appears to be to one’s advantage.
1954		J. Phelan Tramp at Anchor 33: The tin-shop was quids.
1963		B. Crump ‘One of Us’ in Best of Barry Crump (1974) 142: He didn’t even tell them he was a detective, he just let them tell each other and we were quids in.
1964		P. Terson Night to Make the Angels Weep (1967) II xiv: Turkeys for Christmas and hens for laying and you’ll be quids up within a year.
1970		A. Sillitoe Start in Life (1979) 297: If it crashed, his wife would be quids in.
1980		T. Lewis GBH 65: ‘The cottage is an investment. When I decide to sell it I’ll be quids in’.
1986		C. Bowles G’DAY 76: You arsey bastard. Yer gunna be quids in.
1995		I. Rankin Let It Bleed 211: You think you’re quids-in with the DCC, don’t you?
1999		Indep. Rev. 3 Nov. 4: If I were to live for another 60 years, I’d be laughing, wouldn’t I? I’d be quids in.
2000		Sun (London) 23 Mar. 42: Shareholders quids in as gas giant splits up.
2002		D. Flusfeder Gift 111: Quids in. Everyone’s a winner.
2012		D. O’Donnell Locked Ward (2013) 199: Oh well, you’re quids in, son.

a certain bet; esp. in phr. it’s a quid to a bloater.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

(UK Und.) to spend money hedonistically.

1865

Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 18/1: She was a very generous hearted creature and cared very little about ‘smoking a quid’ or two with those who liked her well.