Abe Lincoln

English

Etymology

From the portrait of Abraham Lincoln featured on them.

Noun

Abe Lincoln (plural Abe Lincolns)

1. (slang) A United States five-dollar bill.

   Synonyms: Abe, Lincoln

   • 1958, Langston Hughes, Tambourines to Glory, New York, N.Y.: Harlem Moon, Broadway Books, published 2006, →ISBN, pages 91–92:

     I could do with a little change myself tonight—a few Abe Lincolns and some tens.

   • 1989, Chris Crutcher, Chinese Handcuffs, New York, N.Y.: Greenwillow Books, →ISBN, page 52:

     He knew he’d probably drop a couple of Abe Lincolns or maybe even an Andrew Jackson on bets, as Preston fanned down a row of cans and bottles while his bullets strayed harmlessly into tree trunks and Mother Earth, but any connection was worth it.

   • 2002, Robyn Flipse with Marisa Bradanini and Marchelle Bradanini, Fighting the Freshman Fifteen: A College Woman’s Guide to Getting Real About Food and Keeping the Pounds Off, New York, N.Y.: Three Rivers Press, →ISBN, page 133:

     Whether flush with funds or down to your last few Abe Lincolns, there is something below to help make your day without overextending your caloric account.

   • 2009, Lynn Brunelle, Jim Brunelle, Delia Greve, Sandra Will, Scholastic 2010 Almanac for Kids: Facts, Figures, & Stats, New York, N.Y.: Scholastic Inc., →ISBN, page 213:

     If you had four Ulysses S. Grants, two Andrew Jacksons, a William McKinley, and five Abe Lincolns in your pocket, how much money would you have?

   • 2013, Kirby Larson, Hattie Ever After, New York, N.Y.: Ember, Random House Children’s Books, →ISBN, page 210:

     “You must see what I’ve found.” She snatched up the books and held them out. “You and Chester and your books. He couldn’t bear to part with these. Me, I have no such sentiments about the things. Words, words, words. Who needs them? Give me a stack of Abe Lincolns any day. That’s knowledge enough for me.” She held the books out. “I want you to have them.”

   • 2015, Treasure Hernandez, Blake Karrington, T.C. Littles, Girls From da Hood 10, Wyandanch, N.Y.: Urban Books, →ISBN:

     Handing her the stack of twenty-dollar bills, he regretted even promising her more than the few Abe Lincolns to his name.

   • 2020, RAMA, Teach Me Something, Mister, Conneaut Lake, Pa.: Page Publishing, Inc., →ISBN:

     I assumed that $20 or so, maybe even $50, might be buried somewhere in the bulky and well-worn schoolbag. Certainly, the bag needed a thorough cleaning. This kid kept house much the same as a Seventh Grade kid might. Well, there was not just a few Abe Lincolns but […]

Further reading

• United States five-dollar bill on Wikipedia.Wikipedia