de la rue
C1Formal, Business, Historical
Definition
Meaning
A British banknote and security printing company, historically renowned for producing banknotes, passports, and stamps. Used as a proper noun referring to the company.
May be used metonymically to refer to high-quality security printing, official documents, or currency production. In historical contexts, can refer to the family or the firm's products.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always capitalized as it is a proper noun (a company name). While 'de la' suggests French origin, it is firmly established as a British company name. Not to be confused with the French prepositional phrase 'de la rue' meaning 'of the street'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'de la Rue' is a recognized brand name associated with British currency production. In the US, it is known primarily in financial, security, and philatelic circles but is less a household name.
Connotations
UK: Connotes national identity, security, and tradition in currency. US: Connotes a specialist, international security printing firm.
Frequency
Far more frequent in UK English due to the company's historical role in producing Bank of England notes.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Company] + verb (produces, prints, secured)[Subject] + contracted + De La Rue + to-infinitiveVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. It is a proper noun.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
De La Rue's profit warning sent its shares tumbling.
Academic
The evolution of security features, as pioneered by firms like De La Rue, is a key topic in economic history.
Everyday
I heard on the news that De La Rue might lose the passport contract.
Technical
The substrate and intaglio printing process used by De La Rue meets ISO 14298 specifications.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The government decided to de-la-Rue the new currency series.
- They outsourced the printing, effectively de-la-Rueing the process.
adjective
British English
- A de-la-Rue-quality watermark
- The document had a genuine de-la-Rue feel.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- De La Rue is a famous British company.
- My new passport was made by De La Rue.
- The contract for printing the new banknotes was awarded to De La Rue.
- De La Rue has introduced new anti-counterfeiting technology.
- De La Rue's future was thrown into doubt after it lost the tender for the new blue passports.
- Analysts are concerned about De La Rue's ability to remain profitable in a digitising economy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'The Rue (street) where money is made (de la).' A street of secure printing.
Conceptual Metaphor
SECURITY PRINTING IS A FORTRESS; De La Rue is a guardian of that fortress.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'с улицы'. It is an untranslated name.
- Avoid confusing it with the common noun 'rue' (sorrow/regret).
Common Mistakes
- Writing it in lowercase ('de la rue').
- Omitting the definite article 'la'.
- Mispronouncing 'Rue' as /ruː/ like 'roo' instead of /ruː/.
Practice
Quiz
What is De La Rue primarily known for?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a proper noun, the name of a British company of French origin. It is not used as a common English phrase.
It is pronounced /ruː/, rhyming with 'blue' and 'shoe'.
Literally 'of the street'. However, for the company, this is a surname and does not carry its literal French meaning.
No. In English, this sequence of words only refers to the company. To express those ideas, use phrases like 'street style' or 'from the street'.