Grass, to knock down. Also to throw in a wrestling-match. “He GRASSED his man with a heavy righthander,” or “He brought his man to GRASS by means of a swinging hipe.”
Grass-comber, a country fellow, a haymaker.
Grasshopper, a waiter at a tea-garden.
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.
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.
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-coat parson, a lay impropriator, or lessee of great tithes.
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.