Anglo-Ind. colloq. An abbreviation of chickeen, CHEQUEEN, the Venetian gold coin, long current on the shores of India, and there valued at four rupees.

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1866.  Trevelyan, Dawk Bungalow, in Fraser’s Mag., LXXIII. 217 (Y.).

        Whenever master spends a chick,
  I keep back two rupees, sir!
And though the money goes so quick,
    The reason ne’er he sees, sir.

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1875.  [Sir G. Chesney], in The Dilemma, x. in Blackw. Mag., CXVII. 702/2. (Y.). ‘Can’t do much harm by losing twenty chicks,’ observed the colonel, in Anglo-Indian argot.

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1886.  Yule & Burnell, Anglo-Ind. Gloss., ‘I’ll bet you a chick.’

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