écu

¹

[ey-kyoo, ey-ky]

noun

plural

écus 

1. the shield carried by a mounted man-at-arms in the Middle Ages.

2. any of various gold and silver coins of France, issued from the 13th through the 18th centuries, bearing the figure of a shield.

ECU

²

[ey-koo, ee-see-yoo]

noun

1. a former money of account of the European Common Market that was used in international finance until the euro was adopted and was based on the combined prorated values of the currencies of member nations.

E.C.U.

³

abbreviation

1. English Church Union.

écu

¹

/ eɪˈkjuː, eky /

noun

1. any of various former French gold or silver coins

2. a small shield

ECU

²

/ ˈiːˈsiːˈjuː, ˈeɪkjuː /

acronym

1. European Currency Unit: a former unit of currency based on the composite value of several different currencies in the European Union and functioning as both the reserve asset and the accounting unit of the European Monetary System; replaced by the euro in 1999

Word History and Origins

Origin of écu¹

1695–1705; < French; Old French escu < Latin scūtum shield

Origin of écu²

E(uropean) C(urrency) U(nit), perhaps with play on écu ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of écu¹

C18: from Old French escu, from Latin scūtum shield

Example Sentences

The ECU said the band's performance broke harm and offence guidelines because of their chants against the IDF, their uses of the slogans "From the river to the sea" and "Free, free Palestine", and their references to a record company boss "in the most abusive terms", using offensive language referring to "Zionists".

Read more on BBC

The ECU did not decide that the performance breached guidelines likely to encourage or incite crime, however.

Read more on BBC

While it said the chant of "Death, death to the IDF" was "clearly more problematic... it is directed at an institution rather than individuals, and one which is not defined by ethnic or religious composition", the ECU ruled.

Read more on BBC

On the question of impartiality, the ECU took the view that coverage of a music festival does not have to meet the same standards as a news or current affairs programme.

Read more on BBC

"While recognising there is widespread disagreement with the political views expressed by Bob Vylan on this occasion, the ECU did not consider they represented a breach of the BBC's standards of impartiality in this context," it said.

Read more on BBC