1838. Dickens, Nich. Nickleby, ch. xxxiv., p. 268. Meantime the fools bring grist to my mill.
Gristle, subs. (venery).—The
penis. For synonyms, see Cream-*stick
and Prick.
Grit, subs. (originally American:
now colloquial).—1. Character;
pluck; spirit; sand (q.v.). Also
clear grit. No grit =
lacking in stamina; wanting in
courage.
1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, bk. II., ch. xiv. A chap who was clear grit for a tussle, any time.
1848. Burton, Waggeries, etc., p. 13. The old folks . . . began to think that she warn't the clear grit.
1849. C. Kingsley, Alton Locke, ch. vi. A real lady—l'air noble—the rael genuine grit, as Sam Slick says.
1852. H. B. Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin, ch. vii You're a right brave old girl. I like grit, wherever I see it.
1860. Thackeray, Philip, ch. xxxi. If you were a chip of the old block you would be just what he called the grit.
1889. Referee, 6 Jan. They never did think there was any real grit about him.
1890. Scribner, Feb., 242. 'Looks like he got grit, don't it?' Lige muttered.
1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 249. I am as full of grit and work as ever, and just tower above our troubles.
2. (Canadian political).—A member of the Liberal party.
Gritty, adj. (American).—Plucky;
courageous; resolute; full of
character.
1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 106. There never was a grittyer crowd congregated on that stream.
Grizzle, verb. (colloquial).—To
fret. Also To grizzle one's
guts.
1872. Miss Braddon, To the Bitter End, ch. xvi. 'If the locket's lost, it's lost,' she said philosophically; 'and there's no use in grizzling about it.'
Grizzle-guts (or Grizzle- or
Glum-pot). subs. (common).—A
melancholy or ill-tempered
person; a sulkington (q.v.).
Groaner, subs. (old).—A thief
plying his trade at funerals or
religious gatherings.
1848. Duncombe, Sinks of London, s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Groaning, subs. (old).—The act
of parturition. Also, adj., parturient;
or appertaining to parturition:
as in groaning-malt
(Scots') = drink for a lying-in;
groaning-pains = the pangs of
delivery; groaning-wife = a
woman ready to lie-in.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav. (Chiswick Press, 1892), p. 92. As smoothe as a groaning-wive's bellie.
1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, iii., 2. It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge.
1786. Burns, The Rantin' Dog the Daddie O't. Wha will bring the groaning-malt?
Groats, subs. (nautical).—The
chaplain's monthly allowance.
To save one's groats. verb. phr. (old University).—To come off handsomely. [At the Universities nine groats are deposited in the hands of an academic officer by every person standing for a degree, which, if the depositor obtains, with honour, are returned to him.—Grose.]
Grocery, subs. (common).—1.
Small change.
1728. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v.
2. (American).—A drinking bar. Also Confectionery and Groggery.
1847. Porter, Quarter Race, etc. 104. He went into his favourite grocery.
