Dead presidents
Meaning: Paper money, referring to the portraits of deceased presidents on US bills.
'Dead presidents' is a vivid slang term for paper currency, referencing the portraits of former US presidents (Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, etc.) on the bills. It sounds dramatic and is popular in hip-hop and crime fiction.
Examples
- I need some dead presidents in my wallet before we go out. 出门之前我得在钱包里装点现金。Necesito unos cuantos billetes en la cartera antes de salir.出かける前に財布に紙幣を入れておかないと。나가기 전에 지갑에 현금 좀 넣어야 해.
- He's all about chasing dead presidents. 他满脑子都是赚钱。Solo piensa en perseguir el dinero.あいつは金を稼ぐことしか考えてない。그는 돈 버는 것밖에 관심이 없어.
- The deal was done in dead presidents — no wire transfers. 交易全用现金——没有电汇。El trato se cerró en efectivo: nada de transferencias.取引は全額現金——銀行振込なし。거래는 전액 현금으로 — 계좌 이체 없이.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: hip-hop, casual conversation, street culture
Tone: dramatic, street-smart
✓ Do Say
- Chasing dead presidents.追逐金钱。Persiguiendo billetes (chasing dead presidents).デッド・プレジデンツを追いかけてるよ。돈을 쫓고 있어(Chasing dead presidents).
- Pay me in dead presidents.给我现金。Págame en billetes.現金で払ってくれ。현금으로 줘(Pay me in dead presidents).
✗ Don't Say
- Note: not all faces on US bills are presidents — Benjamin Franklin ($100) and Alexander Hamilton ($10) were never president注意:并非美国纸币上的所有人物都是总统——本杰明·富兰克林(100美元)和亚历山大·汉密尔顿(10美元)都不曾当过总统。Nota: no todos los rostros en los billetes americanos son de presidentes. Benjamin Franklin (100 $) y Alexander Hamilton (10 $) nunca fueron presidentes.注意:アメリカの紙幣に描かれた人物が全員大統領とは限らない——ベンジャミン・フランクリン(100ドル)とアレクサンダー・ハミルトン(10ドル)は大統領ではなかった참고: 미국 지폐에 그려진 인물이 모두 대통령은 아님 — 벤저민 프랭클린(100달러)과 알렉산더 해밀턴(10달러)은 대통령이 아니었음
Origin & History
References the portraits of deceased US presidents on paper currency. Used in African American slang since at least the 1970s, popularized further by the 1995 film 'Dead Presidents' and hip-hop music.
Cultural Context
Era: 1970s onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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