1680. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Not a grig did he tip me, not a
farthing would he give me.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1839. Harrison Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard [1889], p. 15. ‘He shall go
through the whole course,’ replied Blueskin, with a ferocious grin,
‘unless he comes down to the last grig.’
Verb. (American).—To vex; to worry.
1855. Haliburton [S. Slick], Human Nature, p. 83. That word
‘superiors’ grigged me. Thinks I, ‘My boy, I’ll just take that
expression, roll it up in a ball, and shy it back at you.’
Grim, subs. (American thieves’).—A skeleton. Also Grin.
Old Mr. Grim, subs. phr. (common).—Death. For synonyms, see Old
Floorer.
Grin, verb. (American University, Virginia).—See quot.
1887. Lippincott, July, p. 99. If there are many ‘old men’ in the
room they immediately begin to grin him; that is, they strike on
their plates with their knives and forks, beat with their feet, and
shout at the top of their voices, in the effort to make their
victim grin. Woe to him if they succeed; for in that event the same
thing will be repeated three times a day, until he ceases to notice
it.
To grin in a Glass Case. verb. phr. (old).—To be shown as an anatomical
preparation. [The bodies and skeletons of criminals were once preserved
in glass cases at Surgeon’s Hall.—Grose.]
To flash the Upright Grin, verb. phr. (venery).—To expose the person
(of women).
Grinagog, the Cat’s Uncle, subs. phr. (old).—A grinning
simpleton.—Grose.
Grincums, subs. (old).—Syphilis. For synonyms, see Ladies’ Fever.
1608. Middleton, Family of Love, B. 1. I had a receipt for the
grincomes in his own hand.
1635. Jones, Adrasta or the Woman’s Spleen, c. 2. You must know,
sir, in a nobleman ’tis abusive; no, in him the serpigo, in a
knight the grincomes, in a gentleman the Neapolitan scabb, and in a
serving man or artificer the plaine pox.
1637. Massinger, Guardian, iv. The comfort is, I am now secure from
the grincomes, I can lose nothing that way.
Grind, subs. (common).—1. A walk; a constitutional: e.g., ‘to take a
grind’ or (University) ‘to go on the Grandchester (or Gog Magog Hills)
grind.’