grand poobah
A person who holds an important or influential position
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grand scheme
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
grand total
the total amount after all parts are added together
Grandison Cromwell
The nickname given by Mirabeau to Lafayette (1757-1834), implying that he had all the ambition of a Cromwell, but wanted to appear before men as a Sir Charles Grandison.
grandstand play
An action done to impress others
Granite Redoubt
The grenadiers of the Consular Guard were so called at the battle of Marengo in 1800, because when the French had given way they formed into a square, stood like stone against the Austrians, and stopped all further advance.
grannum's gold
Hoarded money: supposed to have belonged to the grandmother of the possessor.
granny
An abbreviation of grandmother; also the name of an idiot, famous for licking, her eye, who died Nov. 14, 1719. Go teach your granny to suck eggs; said to such as would instruct any one in a matter he knows better than themselves.
granny
A knot which will not hold, from its being wrongly and clumsily tied.—Sea.
granny dumping
Abandoning an elderly relative, usually at a hospital or public place
grape shot
A form of projectile at one time much used with smooth-bore guns. It con- sisted of a large number of cast-iron bullets packed in layers between thin iron plates and then arranged m tiers (usually three), the whole being held together by an iron bolt passing through the centre of the plates. When fired the shot broke up and distributed the bullets in showers.
grapes of wrath
Great anger or resentment
grapevine telegraph
The intangible and un- traceable means whereby rumours — as often as not false — are conveyed around by whisperings, etc.
grapple the rails
A cant name used in Ireland for whiskey.
Grasp all, lose all. (Strauss, 1994 p. 884)
If you try to do too many things, you will fail to do any of them.
grasp at straws
Make a desperate attempt to find a solution
grass
"gone to GRASS," dead,—a coarse allusion to burial; absconded, or disappeared suddenly; also, gone to waste; it is said of wasted limbs that they have "gone to GRASS;" "oh, go to GRASS," a common answer to a troublesome or inquisitive person,—possibly a corruption of "go to GRACE," meaning, of course, a directly opposite fate.
grass tops
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
grass widow
An unmarried mother; a deserted mistress. In the United States, during the gold fever in California, it was common for an adventurer to put both his wife (termed in his absence a GRASS-WIDOW) and his children to school during his absence. Also a married woman, resident in England, whose husband is in India or the colonies.
grass widow
Formerly, an unmarried woman who has had a child; but now, a wife temporarily parted from her husband; also, by extension, a divorced woman. The word has nothing to do with grace widow (a widow by courtesy). The phrase grass widower is used in the same sense.
grass-comber
A country fellow, a haymaker.
grasshopper
A waiter at a tea-garden.
grave digger
Like a grave digger; up to the a-se in business, and don't know which way to turn.
gravel
To confound, to bother; "I’m GRAVELLED," i.e., perplexed or confused.—Old. Also, to prostrate, to beat to the ground.
gravel-rash
A scratched face,—telling its tale of a drunken fall. A person subject to this is called a GRAVEL-GRINDER.
gravesend sweetmeats
Shrimps. GRAVESEND TWINS are solid particles of sewage.
gravity's pull
an irresistible or overwhelming force
gravy train
A situation that provides easy and profitable work
gravy-eyed
Blear-eyed, one whose eyes have a running humour.
gray
A halfpenny, with either two "heads" or two "tails"—both sides alike. They are used for cheating the unwary at "Tommy Dodd," or pitch and toss. They are often "rung in" with a victim’s own money, so that the caller of "heads" or "tails" cannot lose. Thus if A has to call, he or a confederate manages to mix the selected GRAYS with B’s tossing halfpence. There are various and almost obvious uses for them.
gray hat
A person who acts between good and evil
gray mare
A wife who "wears the breeches." From an old story in which the point is to show that the "GRAY MARE," the wife’s choice, "is the better horse," and by parity of reasoning that the wife is superior to the husband.
gray-coat parson
A lay impropriator, or lessee of great tithes.
grays
Or SCOTCH GRAYS, lice. These pretty little things are called by many names, among others by those of GRAY-BACKS, and GOLD-BACKED UNS, which are popular among those who have most interest in the matter.
grease monkey
a person who enjoys working with machines, especially cars
grease payment
A bribe, especially to speed up a process
grease someone's palm
Bribe someone to get special treatment
grease spot
A minute remnant, humorously the only distinguishable remains of an antagonist after a terrific contest.
grease the skids
to make a process easier or smoother
grease the wheels
to make a process or situation easier or more efficient
greaser
A mechanic.
greasing
Bribing. Sometimes called "GREASING the palm" of a man’s hand.
greasy spoon
a small, cheap restaurant serving basic food
great balls of fire
An expression of great excitement or shock
great beyond
exceptionally good or excellent
Great Britain
The members were distin- guished by wearing a piece of narrow blue ribbon in the buttonhole of the coat. From this symbol the phrase Blue Ribbon Army came in time to be applied to the body of teetotallers generally, whether connected with the original society or not. In 1883 the society took the name of Gospel Temperance Union.
great cry and little wool
A proverbial saying expressive of contempt or derision for one who promises great things but never fulfils the promises.
great events cast their shadows before them
Important events often have noticeable signs or warnings before they happen
Great Exhibition
When the exhibition closed the building was moved (1354) to Sydenham where it was re-erected with some alterations and the addition of two towers which for many years were visible for many miles around. Exhibitions, concerts, and other events took place in the Palace, which became national property in 1911. The whole building was entirely destroyed by fire in November, 1936.
great fleas have lesser fleas
No matter what our station in life, we all have some "hangers on.
Great Go
At the universities, a familiar term for the final examinations for the B.A. degree; at Oxford usually shortened to Greats. Cp. LITTLE Go.
Great Harry
The name popularly given to the Henry Grace de Dieu, the first double- decked warship m the English navy. Built in 1512, and named after Henry VIII, she was a three-master of about 1,000 tons, carried 72 guns and sailed with a crew of 700 men. She was burned accidentally at Woolwich, in 1533.
great intimate
As great as shirt and shitten a-se.
great job
Excellent work or achievement
Great Lakes
The five American inland seas — Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior.
Great minds agree. (Strauss, 1994 p. 882)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
Great Peter
A bell in York Minster, weigh- ing lOf tons, and hung in 1845.
great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds
Innovative thinkers often face strong criticism from less talented individuals
Great St
Bernard Pass with 30,000 men. A military feat as the road did not then «xist, the only track being a bridle-path.
Great Tom of Oxford
A bell in Tom Gate Tower (see TOM GATE) at Oxford, tolled every night.
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