Chapter Green Gown to Gregorian Telescope of G by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Green Gown to Gregorian Telescope

Green Gown (A). A tousel in the new-mown hay. To "give one a green gown" sometimes means to go beyond the bounds of innocent playfulness.

"Had any dared to give her [Narcissa] a green gown,
The fair had petrified him with a frown ...
Pure as the snow was she, and cold as ice."
Peter Pindar: Old Simon.

Green Hands (a nautical phrase). Inferior sailors, also called boys. A crew is divided into (1) Able seamen; (2) Ordinary seamen; and (3) Green hands or boys. The term "boys" has no reference to age, but merely skill and knowledge in seamanship. Here "green" means not ripe, not mature.

Green Horse (The). The 5th Dragoon Guards; so called because they are a horse regiment, and have green for their regimental facings. Now called "The Princess Charlotte of Wales's Dragoon Guards."
   Tarleton's green horse. That is, the horse of General Tarleton covered with green ribbons and housings, the electioneering colours of the member for Liverpool, which he represented in 1790, 1796, 1802, 1807. His Christian name was Banastre.

Green Howards (The). The 19th Foot, named from the Hon. Charles Howard, colonel from 1738 to 1748. Green was the colour of their regimental facings, now white, and the regiment is called "The Princess of Wales's Own."

Green Isle or The Emerald Isle. Ireland; so called from the brilliant green hue of its grass.

Green Knight (The). A Pagan, who demanded Fezon in marriage; but, overcome by Orson, resigned his claim. (Valentine and Orson.)

Green Labour The lowest-paid labour in the tailoring trade. Such garments are sold to African gold- diggers and agricultural labourers. Soap and shoddy do more for these garments than cotton or cloth. (See Greener.)

Green Linnets The 39th Foot, so called from the colour of their facings. Now the Dorsetshire, and the facings are white.

Green Man This public-house sign represents the gamekeeper, who used at one time to be dressed in green.

"But the `Green Man' shall I pass by unsung,
Which mine own James upon his sign-post hung?
His sign, his image - for he once was seen
A squire's attendant, clad in keeper's green."
Crabbe: Borough.

   The men who let off fireworks were called Green-men in the reign of James I.

"Have you any squibs, any green-man in your shows?" - The Seven Champions of Christendom.

Green Room (The). The common waiting-room in a theatre for the performers; so called because at one time the walls were coloured green to relieve the eyes affected by the glare of the stage lights.

Green Sea The Persian Gulf; so called from a remarkable strip of water of a green colour along the Arabian coast.
    Between 1690 and 1742 the 2nd Life Guards were facetiously called "The Green Sea" from their sea-green facings, in compliment to Queen Catharine, whose favourite colour it was. The facings of this regiment are now blue.

Green Thursday Maundy Thursday, the great day of absolution in the Lutheran Church. (German, Grün- donnerstag; in Latin, dies viridium, Luke xxiii. 31.)

Green Tree If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? (Luke xxiii. 31.) If the righteous can find no justice in man, what must not the unrighteous expect? If innocent men are condemned to death, what hope can the guilty have? If green wood burns so readily, dry wood would burn more freely still.