limey
nounEtymology In adjectival senses, by surface analysis, lime + -y. In the sense of Englishman, reduced from the 19th century term lime-juicer (“a British ship”), from the lime juice British ships carried to ward off scurvy.
1
Australia, New Zealand, US, Ethnic, Slang, Slur An Englishman or other Briton, or a person of British descent; an English or British immigrant.
- Ya look like anything ’cept a tourist who’s come to lose his wad and they get a bad case of nose trouble. Take yaself. Anyone can see ya’re a Limey even before ya start talking.1956, Ian Fleming, chapter 15, in Diamonds Are Forever:
2
Dated, Derogatory, Slang An English or British ship.
- Derived terms
- Limeyland