"a substantial amount of money" what does it mean?

[Z***@gmail.com]

About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.

...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...

Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

[Father Ignatius]

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

It means, "We don't know, or may not say, how much it is, but it was a big
amount -- big enough to take seriously." That is, a successful crime, and
not one of these laughable cases one reads of where the criminal only got
away with a trivial anount of money, or none.

[Stuart Chapman]

Post by Father Ignatius
It means, "We don't know, or may not say, how much it is, but it was a big
amount -- big enough to take seriously." That is, a successful crime, and
not one of these laughable cases one reads of where the criminal only got
away with a trivial anount of money, or none.

Given the context, maybe you should have said here something
like "...big enough to consider serious." On the other hand,
maybe we should worry more about the bank robbers with
earnest intent!

Stupot

[westprog]

Post by Father Ignatius

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

It means, "We don't know, or may not say, how much it is, but it was a big
amount -- big enough to take seriously." That is, a successful crime, and
not one of these laughable cases one reads of where the criminal only got
away with a trivial anount of money, or none.

In this case, the meaning encompasses both the value of the haul - which I
think was in this case £25M - and the amount of paper, which I heard
estimated at about 900 lbs, as it was in small denomination notes.

It would be possible to have a substantial cash value which is small in
size - like in the caseof the diamond raid on the Millenium Dome. Or
sacksfull of pennies, with small value but substantial weight.

J/

[Matthew Shepherd]

Post by westprog

Post by Father Ignatius

Post by Z***@gmail.com
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

It means, "We don't know, or may not say, how much it is, but it was a big
amount -- big enough to take seriously." That is, a successful crime, and
not one of these laughable cases one reads of where the criminal only got
away with a trivial anount of money, or none.

In this case, the meaning encompasses both the value of the haul - which I
think was in this case £25M - and the amount of paper, which I heard
estimated at about 900 lbs, as it was in small denomination notes.
It would be possible to have a substantial cash value which is small in
size - like in the caseof the diamond raid on the Millenium Dome. Or
sacksfull of pennies, with small value but substantial weight.

I don't think I'd ever think of the mass or weight of an amount of
money if somebody said "a substantial amount." It might work as the
punchline to a joke, or provide a convenient loophole for a genie that
specializes in ironic wish-granting, but if somebody said "this house
cost a substantial amount of money," I'd assume the person meant mucho
dollars regardless of how much the cash actually weighed.

Most of my substantial purchases these days don't have any mass at all,
beyond a few electrons flitting around, or the weight of cheque + ink.
I can't recall the last time I physically saw or handled a physically
substantial amount of money.

- Matt

[Stephen Calder]

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

It means a lot of money, plenty of money, an unknown but large amount.

[Steve Hayes]

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

A billion, give or take a milliard or two.

[the Omrud]

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

Between 25 and 40 million pounds Sterling, according to the radio
this morning.

[Ian Noble]

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

"Lots"

Cheers - Ian

[Don Phillipson]

Thieves "loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

This phrase was used throughout the 20th century as
a formal equivalent of "a lot of money," which is what
both Americans and Britons say casually (orally and
colloquially.) Thus a poor man might say a bicycle
cost him a lot of money, meaning (say) $200, a
rich man might say his Rolls Royce car cost a lot
of money meaning $400,000, and a businessman
would say buying the XYZ Bank cost a lot of monney
= $99 million. If any were speaking formally he would say
it was "a substantial amount of money."

[Mike Page]

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

It means whoever wrote the story didn't know how much. But, IME,
if you need a truck to take the money away, it is a substantial
amount, more than enough to see me through the weekend.


Mike Page

[Iskandar Baharuddin]

Post by Mike Page

Post by Z***@gmail.com
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, the manager was taken to the security depot. A
white truck also arrived there, and six men -- at least some of whom
were armed -- tied up the depot staff on duty "and then loaded a
substantial amount of money" into the truck, police said.
...."and then loaded a substantial amount of money" ...
Would anybody tell me that what "a substantial amount of money" means
here?

It means whoever wrote the story didn't know how much. But, IME,
if you need a truck to take the money away, it is a substantial
amount, more than enough to see me through the weekend.
Mike Page

"A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real
money"

Apparently Senator Dirksen did not actually say this, but wished he
had.

According to Dirksen Center"

'Update, May 25, 2004. A gentleman who called The Center with a
reference question relayed that he sat by Dirksen on a flight once and
asked him about the famous quote. Dirksen replied, "Oh, I never said
that. A newspaper fella misquoted me once, and I thought it sounded so
good that I never bothered to deny it."'