Limey

Limey

Limey is an old American and Canadian slang nickname for the British, originally referring to British sailors. The term is believed to derive from lime juicer, referring to the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy practice of supplying lime juice to British sailors to prevent scurvy. The benefits of citrus juice were well known at the time thanks to the acute observations of surgeon James Lind who noticed that the cabbage-eating Dutch had fewer problems with scurvy. Limes were used over lemons due to limes being more readily available from Britain's own Caribbean colonies. The term is thought to have originated in the Caribbean in the 1880s. A false etymology is that it is a derivative of "Corr-blimey" ("God blind me!").

ee also

*Alternative words for British


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  • limey — limey, limy Limey is the adjective corresponding to the fruit called lime, whereas limy relates to the caustic alkaline substance. Limey (with a capital initial letter) is an AmE slang term for a person from Britain, and arose from the enforced… …   Modern English usage

  • limey — (n.) 1888, Australian, New Zealand, and South African slang for English immigrant; U.S. use is attested from 1918, originally British sailor, British warship, short for lime juicer (1857), in derisive reference to the British Navy s policy (begun …   Etymology dictionary

  • Limey — ► NOUN (pl. Limeys) N. Amer. & Austral. informal, chiefly derogatory ▪ a British person. ORIGIN from the former enforced consumption of lime juice in the British navy …   English terms dictionary

  • limey — ☆ limey [līm′ē ] n. [from the LIME2 juice formerly served to the crew on British ships to prevent scurvy] Slang 1. an English sailor or, sometimes, soldier 2. an Englishman adj. Slang British …   English World dictionary

  • limey — UK [ˈlaɪmɪ] / US noun [countable] Word forms limey : singular limey plural limeys American old fashioned a British person. This word is sometimes used as an insult. • Etymology: From the fact that, in the past, British sailors drank lime juice,… …   English dictionary

  • limey — 1. adjective a) Resembling limes (the fruit), lime like. Full of limey goodness. b) Of, or pertaining to, limes (the fruit). 2. noun An …   Wiktionary

  • Limey — Der Spitzname Limey bezeichnet einen britischen Seemann, im weitergefassten Sinn wird er oft auch auf alle Briten angewendet. Der Begriff begründet sich in einer alten Vorschrift, dass Schiffe unter britischer Flagge einen bestimmten Vorrat an… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Limey — An Australian hundred dollar bill The first time in my life I get a bloody limey and it turns out to be counterfeit …   Dictionary of american slang

  • Limey — An Australian hundred dollar bill The first time in my life I get a bloody limey and it turns out to be counterfeit …   Dictionary of american slang

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