Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 3.pdf/218

 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.