Is this a metaphor??

Question

Little bit confused with this phrase "he must have a bob or two", is this a metaphor? Bob being a slang word for money.Used as a monetary unit many years ago I believe.

Where as "He must be short of a bob or two" would be an idiom, correct??

Thanks.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Little bit confused with this phrase "he must have a bob or two", is this a metaphor? I wouldn't call it a metaphor. It means 'He must have a little money'. It would normally be used as an ironic understatement.

eg Did you see Bob's new Cadillac? He must have a bob or two.

Bob being a slang word for money.Used as a monetary unit many years ago I believe. Yes. It was a 'shilling'.

Where as "He must be short of a bob or two" would be an idiom, correct??

It would be more common to say 'he must not be short of a bob or two'. This means the same as the version above. It's idiomatic, in that it is not an unusual thing to say.

lt's British English, of course, since a bob/shilling was a unit of British money.

Clive

Is this a metaphor??

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