Verb (old).—1. To bribe; to corrupt by presents; to tip (q.v.). Also
more fully to grease in the fist, hand, or palm. Fr., coquer la
boucanade. For synonyms, see Square.
1557. Tusser, Husbandrie, ch. 68, pt. 2, p. 159 (E.D.S.). How
husbandrie easeth, to huswiferie pleaseth, And manie purse greaseth
With silver and gold.
1578. Whetstone, Promoss and Cassandra, ii., 3. Grease them well in
their hands.
1592. Greene, Quip, in wks., xi., 261. That did you not grease the
sealers of Leaden Hall throughly in the fist, they should never be
sealed, but turned away and made forfiet by the statute.
1619. Fletcher, Wild Goose Chase. Am I greased once again?
1649. F. Quarles, Virgin Widow, IV., i., p. 40. Greaze my fist with
a Tester or two, and ye shall find it in your penny-worths.
1678. C. Cotton, Scarronides, Bk. IV., p. 70 (ed. 1725). Him she
conjures, intreats, and prays, With all the Cunning that she has,
greases his Fist; nay more, engages Thenceforth to mend his
Quarters-wages.
1693. Dryden, Persius, iii., 139. And after, envy not the store Of
the greas’d advocate, that grinds the poor.
1698–1700. Ward, London Spy, pt. xv., p. 364. But the Gay Curteyan
who trades for gold, That can but grease a palm when she’s in hold,
No Justice need she dread.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1878. Jas. Payn, By Proxy, ch. x. His Excellency, your master, has
given orders, I presume, that after I have made my compliments—as
delicate a phrase as he could think of for greasing the hands of
justice—I shall be at liberty to visit my friend.
1879. Horsley, in Macmillan’s Magazine, Oct. When I went to the
fence he bested (cheated) me because I was drunk, and only gave me
£8 10s. for the lot. So the next day I went to him and asked him if
he was not going to grease my duke (put money into my hand).
1891. Pall Mall Gaz., 2 Sept., p. 7, c. 2. Did other people having
business with the printing bureau tell you that it would be
necessary to grease Sénécal?