north country compliment
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To give or offer anything that is not wanted by either giver or receiver is to pass a NORTH COUNTRY COMPLIMENT.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “north country compliment” mean?
To give or offer anything that is not wanted by either giver or receiver is to pass a NORTH COUNTRY COMPLIMENT.
Is “north country compliment” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.