to go to grass
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To succumb, give in. From the putting out of race-horses or hunters to grass when they are too old for racing or hunting.
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 “to go to grass” mean?
To succumb, give in. From the putting out of race-horses or hunters to grass when they are too old for racing or hunting.
Is “to go to grass” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.