the shield carried by a mounted man-at-arms in the Middle Ages.
any of various gold and silver coins of France, issued from the 13th through the 18th centuries, bearing the figure of a shield.
any of various former French gold or silver coins
a small shield
1695–1705; < French; Old French escu < Latin scūtum shield
E(uropean) C(urrency) U(nit), perhaps with play on écu ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The marcandiers had to pay an écu; they were tramps clothed in a tolerably good doublet, who passed themselves off as merchants ruined by war, by fire, or by having been robbed on the highway.
From Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages and During the Renaissance Period by Jacob, P. L.
In which sport she was so taken up with her hands, that she forgot to cheat, and Denys won "écu au soleil" of her.
From The Cloister and the Hearth A Tale of the Middle Ages by Reade, Charles
A pistole now represents 10 francs, and an écu 3 francs.
From Wanderings by southern waters, eastern Aquitaine by Barker, Edward Harrison
The days when the diligences of Europe drew up before an old-time inn, with the sign of a pewter plate, an écu d'or, a holly branch, or a prancing white horse, have long since disappeared.
From The Automobilist Abroad by Mansfield, M. F. (Milburg Francisco)
Then taking a little leathern purse from his breast, he slipped an écu into the mountaineer's hand.
From A Night on the Borders of the Black Forest by Edwards, Amelia Ann Blanford
The ECU said leaving the coverage on iPlayer until the Monday morning was also a "serious mistake" and breached guidelines.
From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026
“Our guys are swinging and missing it by, like, three feet,” ECU coach Cliff Godwin said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
ECU criminology researchers Dr Suz Rock and Associate Professor Natalie Gately have published the first Australian study to evaluate the impact of introducing a justice facility dog to a Children's Court.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2024
ECU: The Pirates refused to say who would start at quarterback and they may not know who will take the first snap next week because both struggled.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 2, 2023
It is not the currency of choice for international transactions, and as of the Maastricht negotiations, which affirmed the need for a Community currency, the ECU was not adopted for this purpose.
From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai
As a holder of two degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and as an assistant professor at E.C.U.,
From Time Magazine Archive
Eleven years later Dr. Pusey wrote: "As to his being President of the E.C.U., he is the sense and moderation of it."
From Prime Ministers and Some Others A Book of Reminiscences by Russell, George William Erskine
E.C.U., for "The Esoteric Christian Union," founded by E.M. in 1891.
From The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation by Maitland, Edward
It would be ridiculous for an outsider, like myself, to discuss the interior working of the E.C.U., so I avail myself of the testimony which has reached me from within.
From Prime Ministers and Some Others A Book of Reminiscences by Russell, George William Erskine
Statement, E.C.U., for "The New Gospel of Interpretation; being an Abstract of the Doctrine and Statement of the Objects of the Esoteric Christian Union," by E.M.; revised and enlarged edition, 1892.
From The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation by Maitland, Edward
This, one reads in the court chronicle, and further that: "The royal family usually lost a hundred thousand écus at play at each visit."
From Royal Palaces and Parks of France by McManus, Blanche
The Prince de Condé having been discharged from prison on October 20th, 1619, the king forwarded to him his commission of viceroy, and the Company of Rouen granted him a thousand écus.
From The Makers of Canada: Champlain by Dionne, N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope)
It cost a hundred thousand écus to merely lead the water up to it.
From Royal Palaces and Parks of France by McManus, Blanche
There is every reason to believe that, in days when the national currency consisted chiefly of lumbering silver écus, the Bourbon government also appreciated to the full the value of a private gold reserve.
From The Light of Scarthey by Castle, Egerton
I received it in Louis d'ors and écus.
From Travels through the South of France and the Interior of Provinces of Provence and Languedoc in the Years 1807 and 1808 by Pinkney, Lt-Col.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
