Traditional
Still common
Definition
Not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Example Sentence
"He signed without reading it - not the full quid, that fella."
Where "Not the Full Quid" Comes From
A "quid" was old slang for a pound, Australia's currency before decimalisation in 1966, so being "not the full quid" meant coming up short, like a coin that's been clipped or worn down.
The currency changed but the phrase stuck around as a way of describing someone a bit lacking upstairs.
How Aussies Actually Use It
It's used, usually with some sympathy, to describe someone who's a bit slow or naive rather than genuinely unintelligent.
It sits in the same family as "a few roos loose in the top paddock" and "not playing with a full deck."
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