The Green Man
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The late gamekeeper of the lord of the manor turned publican. At one time these servants were dressed in 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 “The Green Man” mean?
The late gamekeeper of the lord of the manor turned publican. At one time these servants were dressed in green.
Is “The Green Man” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.