Green-rag.—See Greeny, sense 1.
Green-river. To send a man up green-river, verb. phr. (American).—To kill. [From a once famous factory on Green River, where a favourite hunting-knife was made.] For synonyms, see Cook One's Goose.
1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 175. A thrust from the keen scalp-knife by the nervous arm of a mountaineer was no baby blow, and seldom failed to strike home up to the green river [i.e., the mark] on the blade.
Green-sickness, subs. (old).—Chlorosis.
Green-turtle. To live up to
green-turtle, verb. phr.
(American).—To do, and give,
one's best. [From the high
esteem in which the green fat of
turtle is held.]
1888. Paton, Down the Islands. People who, as hosts, live up to their GREEN TURTLE.
Greenwich Barber, subs. (old).—A
retailer of sand from the
Greenwich pits. [A pun upon
'shaving' the banks.]
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Greenwich-Goose, subs. (old).—A
pensioner of Greenwich
Hospital.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Greeny, subs. (old theatrical).—1.
The curtain. [From the colour.]
Also Green-rag.
1821. Egan, Tom and Jerry, p. 110 [ed. 1890]. It is far more difficult to please the company behind Greeny; I beg pardon, sir, I should have said than the audience before the curtain.
2. (University).—A freshman. For synonyms, see Snooker.
1834. Southey, The Doctor, ch. i. He was entered among the greenies of this famous University.
3. (common).—A simpleton; a Greenhorn (q.v.). For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.
1852. Judson, Myst., etc., of New York, part III., ch. 9, p. 58. Anybody could know that these was took by a greeny.
1887. Congregationalist, 7 April. Jim said I was a greeny . . . [and] that he had a lot of houses.
Greetin' Fu', adv. phr. (Scots'),
Drunk: literally 'crying drunk.'
For synonyms, see Drinks and
Screwed.
Greeze, subs. (Westminster
School).—A crowd; a push
(q.v.).
Gregorian, subs. (old).—A kind
of wig worn in the 17th century.
[After the inventor, one Gregory,
a barber in the Strand.]
1658. Honest Ghost, p. 46. Pulling a little down his Gregorian.
Gregorian-tree, subs. (old).—The
gallows. [After a sequence
of three hangmen of the name.]
For synonyms, see Nubbing-cheat.
1641. Mercurius Pragmaticus. This trembles under the black rod, and he Doth fear his fate from the Gregorian tree.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Gregorine, subs. (common).—A
louse; specifically, head vermin.
[From the Italian.] For synonyms,
see Chates.
Greshamite, subs. (old).—A Fellow
of the Royal Society.—B.E.
[1690.]
Grey.—See Gray, passim.
