[F., earlier soul, sol SOL sb.3 For earlier examples of the pl. sous, see SOUSE sb.4] A French coin, formerly the twentieth part of a livre, now used to designate the five-centime piece.
1814. Sporting Mag., XLIV. 60. We gave the postillions ten sous per post extra, to stimulate them to speed.
1823. Byron, Juan, XI. lxxv. They are young, but know not youth,… rich without a sou.
1866. Cornh. Mag., Nov., 532. Imagine … that I have been paying thirty-eight sous a pound.
1867. ‘Ouida,’ Under Two Flags, II. 116. He had scarcely a sou in his pocket.
