Green Man
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
This common public-house sign probably represents either a Jack-in-the-Greerr (#.v.), or a game-keeper, who used at one time- to be dressed m green.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Green Man” mean?
This common public-house sign probably represents either a Jack-in-the-Greerr (#.v.), or a game-keeper, who used at one time- to be dressed m green.
Is “Green Man” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.