Ava Monroe
'Cash on the nail' is an expression that means immediate payment without delay. The phrase is thought to have originated from the Anglo-Norman saying 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'. The earliest recorded use of the phrase in English was in Thomas Nashe's *Haue with you to Saffron-Walden* in 1596.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Immediate payment |
| Synonyms | Pay on the nail |
| Origin | Anglo-Norman saying 'payer sur le ungle' |
| Origin meaning | Pay on the nail |
| Origin derivation | 'Ungle' comes from the Latin 'ungula', meaning claw or nail |
| Origin interpretation 1 | Paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers |
| Origin interpretation 2 | Relates to the beautiful bronze pillars in Bristol where men would sit and do business |
| Earliest use | Thomas Nashe's Haue with you to Saffron-Walden, 1596 |
| Other early uses | Phillip Massinger's The City-Madame, 1632 |
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What You'll Learn
- The phrase 'cash on the nail' means immediate payment without delay
- The phrase is an extension of the earlier saying 'on the nail'
- The saying comes from the Anglo-Norman phrase 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'
- Some say the phrase refers to fingernails, so paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers
- Others say the phrase relates to the bronze pillars in Bristol where men would sit and do business
The phrase 'cash on the nail' means immediate payment without delay
Some say that the phrase refers to fingernails, so paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers. Others have stated that the phrase relates to the beautiful bronze pillars found in Bristol, where men would sit and do business in the streets. Nails have also been recorded in the Stock Exchanges in Liverpool and Limerick.
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The phrase is an extension of the earlier saying 'on the nail'
The phrase 'cash on the nail' is an extension of the earlier saying 'on the nail', which means immediate payment without delay. The earliest use of the phrase was recorded in English in Thomas Nashe's *Haue with you to Saffron-Walden* in 1596. The phrase is also found in Philip Massinger's 1632 comic play *The City-Madame*.
The UK version of the phrase comes from the Anglo-Norman saying 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'. The word ungle' derives from the Latin 'ungula', meaning claw or nail. The earliest version of the phrase clearly means 'payment with the hand'. Some say this refers to fingernails, so paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers. Others have stated that the phrase relates to the beautiful bronze pillars found in Bristol, where men would sit and do business in the streets. Nails have also been recorded in the Stock Exchanges in Liverpool and Limerick.
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The saying comes from the Anglo-Norman phrase 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'
The saying 'cash on the nail' comes from the Anglo-Norman phrase 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'. The word 'ungle' derives from the Latin 'ungula', meaning claw or nail. The earliest version of the phrase clearly means 'payment with the hand'.
Some say that the phrase refers to fingernails, so paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers. Others have stated that the phrase relates to the beautiful bronze pillars found in Bristol, where men would sit and do business in the streets. Nails have also been recorded in the Stock Exchanges in Liverpool and Limerick.
The phrase 'cash on the nail' means immediate payment without delay. An early use of the phrase can be found in Thomas Nashe's *Haue with you to Saffron-Walden*, 1596: "Tell me, haue you a minde to anie thing in the Doctors Booke! speake the word, and I will help you to it vpon the naile."
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Some say the phrase refers to fingernails, so paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers
The phrase 'cash on the nail' means immediate payment without delay. The UK version of the phrase comes from the Anglo-Norman saying 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'. The word 'ungle' derives from the Latin 'ungula', which means claw or nail.
Some say that the phrase refers to fingernails, so paying upfront would mean having the cash at the tips of your fingers. Others have stated that the phrase relates to the beautiful bronze pillars found in Bristol, where men would sit and do business in the streets. Nails have also been recorded in the Stock Exchanges in Liverpool and Limerick.
The phrase was first recorded in English in Thomas Nashe's *Haue with you to Saffron-Walden* in 1596. An early use of the phrase in print can be found in Philip Massinger's comic play *The City-Madame* in 1632.
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Others say the phrase relates to the bronze pillars in Bristol where men would sit and do business
'Cash on the nail' means immediate payment without delay. The phrase is thought to have originated from the Anglo-Norman saying 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to pay on the nail.
Some say that the phrase refers to the beautiful bronze pillars in Bristol, where men would sit and do business in the streets. The pillars were originally erected in front of the Council House in 1552 for the convenience of merchants exchanging money. Business was discussed and money was laid down and counted on the nail. The same brass nails can still be seen today outside the Exchange in Bristol. Nails have also been recorded in the Stock Exchanges in Liverpool and Limerick.
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Frequently asked questions
'Cash on the nail' means immediate payment without delay.
The phrase comes from the Anglo-Norman saying 'payer sur le ungle', which translates to 'pay on the nail'.
'Ungle' derives from the Latin 'ungula', which means claw or nail. The sense of the earliest version of the phrase is payment with the hand.
