[grab off]{v.}, {informal} To take quickly; take or grab before anybody else can; choose for yourself. •/The people who got to the show first grabbed off the best seats./ •/The women hurried to the store to grab off the things on sale./ •/The prettiest girls at the dance were grabbed off for partners first./ Compare: SNAP UP.
[grabs] See: UP FOR GRABS.
[grace] See: FALL FROM GRACE, IN ONE’S BAD GRACES, IN ONE’S GOOD GRACES, WITH BAD GRACE, WITH GOOD GRACE.
[grace period] or [period of grace] {n.} The time or extra time allowed in which to do something. •/Most insurance companies have a grace period of one month for payments./ •/The teacher gave the class a week’s period of grace to finish workbooks./
[grade] See: MAKE THE GRADE.
[grain] See: AGAINST THE GRAIN, TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
[grand slam]{n.} A home run hit when there are three men on the bases. •/Tony’s grand slam won the game for the Yankees, 4-0./
[grandstand]{v.}, {slang}, {informal} To show off, to perform histrionics needlessly. •/Stop grandstanding and get down to honest work!/
[grandstander]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A showoff, a person who likes to engage in histrionics. •/Many people think that Evel Knievel is a grandstander./
[granted] See: TAKE FOR GRANTED.
[grasp at straws] or [clutch at straws] {v. phr.} To depend on something that is useless or unable to help in a time of trouble or danger; try something with little hope of succeeding. •/To depend on your memory without studying for a test is to grasp at straws./ •/The robber clutched at straws to make excuses. He said he wasn’t in the country when the robbery happened./
[grass] See: LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE’S FEET, SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
[grasshopper] See: KNEE-HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER
[grass is always greener on the other side of the fence] or [grass is always greener on the other side of the hill] We are often not satisfied and want to be somewhere else; a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are. •/John is always changing his job because the grass always looks greener to him on the other side of the fence./
[grave] See: ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, TURN IN ONE’S GRAVE or TURN OVER IN ONE’S GRAVE.
[graveyard shift]{n. phr.} The work period lasting from sundown to sunup, when one has to work in the dark or by artificial light. •/"Why are you always so sleepy in class?" Professor Brown asked Sam. "Because I have to work the graveyard shift beside going to school," Sam answered./
[gravy] See: PAN GRAVY.
[gravy train]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} The kind of job that brings in a much higher income than the services rendered would warrant. •/Jack’s job at the Athletic Club as Social Director is a regular gravy train./
[gray] See: GET GRAY HAIR or GET GRAY, GIVE GRAY HAIR.
[grease-ball]{n.}, {slang}, {derogatory} (avoid) An immigrant from a southern country, such as Mexico, Italy, or Spain; a person with oily looking black hair. •/Mr. White is a racist; he calls Mr. Lopez from Tijuana a grease-ball because he has dark hair./
[grease monkey]{n.}, {slang} 1. A person who greases or works on machinery; a mechanic or worker in a garage or gasoline station. •/Hey, grease monkey, fill up my gas tank!/ •/The grease monkey was all dirty when he came out from under the car./ 2. Airplane mechanic. •/Jack was a grease monkey in the Air Force./
[grease one’s palm] or [grease the palm] {slang} 1. To pay a person for something done or given, especially dishonestly; bribe. •/Some politicians will help you if you grease their palms./ 2. To give a tip; pay for a special favor or extra help. •/We had to grease the palm of the waiter to get a table in the crowded restaurant./
[grease the wheels]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do something or act to make something go smoothly or happen in the way that is wanted. •/Mr. Davis asked a friend to grease the wheels so he could borrow money from the bank./ •/William’s father tried to grease the wheels for him to get a new job./
[greasy spoon]{n.}, {informal} Any small, inexpensive restaurant patronized by workers or people in a hurry; a place not noted for its excellence of cuisine or its decor. •/I won’t have time to eat lunch at the club today; I’ll just grab a sandwich at the local greasy spoon./
[great] See: THINK A GREAT DEAL OF.
[great deal] See: GOOD DEAL.
[great Godfrey] or [great guns] or [great Scott] {interj.}, {informal} A saying usually used to show surprise or anger. •/Great Godfrey! Uncle Willie is sitting on top of the flagpole!/ •/Great guns! The lion is out of his cage./ •/Great Scott! Who stole my watch?/
[great guns]{adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very fast or very hard. — Usually used in the phrases "blow great guns", "go great guns". •/The wind was blowing great guns, and big waves beat the shore./ •/The men were going great guns to finish the job./ Compare: FAST AND FURIOUS. 2. Very well; successfully. •/Smith’s new store opened last week and it’s going great guns./
[great many] See: GOOD MANY.
[great oaks from little acorns grow] As great oak trees grow from tiny acorns, so many great people or things grew from a small and unimportant beginning, so be patient. — A proverb. •/Many great men were once poor, unimportant boys. Great oaks from little acorns grow./
[Great Scott] See: GREAT GODFREY.
[green] See: GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL.
[green around the gills] or [pale around the gills] {adj. phr.}, {slang} Pale-faced from fear or sickness; sickly; nauseated. •/Bill’s father took him for a ride in his boat while the waves were rough, and when he came back he was green around the gills./ •/The car almost hit Mary crossing the street, and she was pale around the gills because it came so close./ — Also used with other prepositions besides "around", as "about", "at", "under", and with other colors, as "blue", "pink", "yellow", "white".
[green-eyed monster]{n. phr.} Jealousy; envy. •/When John’s brother got the new bicycle, the green-eyed monster made John fight with him./
[green power]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} The social prestige or power money can buy one. •/In American political elections the candidates that win are usually the ones who have green power backing them./
[green thumb]{n.}, {informal} A talent for gardening; ability to make things grow. — Considered trite by many. •/Mr. Wilson’s neighbors say his flowers grow because he has a green thumb./
[green with envy]{adj. phr.} Very jealous; full of envy. •/Alice’s girlfriends were green with envy when they saw her new dress./ •/The other boys were green with envy when Joe bought a second-hand car./ Compare: GREEN-EYED MONSTER.
[grief] See: COME TO GRIEF, GOOD GRIEF, GOOD NIGHT(2) or GOOD GRIEF.
[grin and bear it]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be as cheerful as possible in pain or trouble; do something without complaining. •/The doctor told Mrs. Howard that she had to stop eating sweets if she wanted to lose weight, and she tried to grin and bear it./ •/If you must have a tooth drilled, all you can do is grin and bear it./ Compare: MAKE THE BEST OF, PUT UP WITH.
[grind] See: AX TO GRIND.
[grindstone] See: KEEP ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
[grind to a halt]{v. phr.}, {informal} To slow down and stop like a machine does when turned off. •/The old car ground to a halt in front of the house./ •/The Cardinals' offense ground to a halt before the stubborn Steeler defense./
[grip] See: COME TO GRIPS WITH, LOSE ONE’S GRIP.
[groove] See: IN THE GROOVE.
[gross out]{v.}, {slang} To commit a vulgar act; to repel someone by saying a disgusting or vulgar thing. •/You are going to gross out people if you continue talking like that./
[gross-out session]{n.}, {slang}, {avoidable} A verbal contest between teen-agers in which the object of the game is to see who can be more disgusting or vulgar than anybody else. •/When Jim got home he found his two teen-age sons engaged in a gross-out session; he bawled them out and cut their weekly allowance./
[ground] See: BREAK GROUND, COMMON GROUND, COVER GROUND or COVER THE GROUND, CUT THE GROUND FROM UNDER, EAR TO THE GROUND, FEET ON THE GROUND, GAIN GROUND, GET OFF THE GROUND, GIVE GROUND, HAPPY HUNTING GROUND, HOLD ONE’S GROUND, LOSE GROUND, MIDDLE GROUND, RUN INTO THE GROUND, STAMPING GROUND, STAND ONE’S GROUND, FROM THE GROUND UP.
[ground ball]{n.} A ball batted onto the ground in baseball; a grounder. •/Taylor hit a ground ball to the short-stop./
[ground floor]{n.} 1. First floor of a house or building. •/Mrs. Turner has an apartment on the ground floor./ 2. {informal} The first or best chance, especially in a business. •/That man got rich because he got in on the ground floor of the television business./
[ground rule]{n.} 1. A rule in sports that is made especially for the grounds or place where a game is played. — Usually used in the plural. •/There was such a big crowd at the baseball game, that the ground rules of the field were changed in case a ball went into the crowd./ 2. A rule, usually not written, of what to do or how to act in case certain things happen. — Usually used in the plural. •/When you go to a new school, you don’t know tire ground rules of how you are supposed to behave./
[grow] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW, LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE’S FEET.
[growing pains]{n.} 1. Pains in children’s legs supposed to be caused by changes in their bodies and feelings as they grow. •/The little girl’s legs hurt, and her mother told her she had growing pains./ 2. {informal} Troubles when something new is beginning or growing. •/The factory has growing pains./
[grow on] or [grow upon] {v.} 1. To become stronger in; increase as a habit of. •/The habit of eating before going to bed grew upon John./ 2. To become more interesting to or liked by. •/The more Jack saw Mary, the more she grew on him./ •/Football grew on Billy as he grew older./
[grow out of]{v. phr.} 1. To outgrow; become too mature for. •/As a child he had a habit of scratching his chin all the time, but he grew out of it./ 2. To result from; arise. •/Tom’s illness grew out of his tendency to overwork and neglect his health./
[grow up]{v.} 1. To increase in size or height; become taller or older; reach full height. •/Johnny is growing up; his shoes are too small for him./ •/I grew up on a farm./ •/The city has grown up since I was young./ 2. To become adult in mind or judgment; become old enough to think or decide in important matters. •/Tom wants to he a coach when he grows up./ •/Grow up, you’re not a baby any more!/
[grudge] See: NURSE A GRUDGE.
[guard] See: COLOR GUARD, OFF GUARD, ON GUARD.
[guest] See: BF. MY GUEST.
[gum up]{v.}, {slang} To cause not to work or ruin; spoil; make something go wrong. — Often used in the phrase "gum up the works". •/Jimmy has gummed up the typewriter./ Syn.: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.
[gun] See: BIG CHEESE or BIG GUN, GIVE IT THE GUN or GIVE HER THE GUN, GREAT GODFREY or GREAT GUNS, JUMP THE GUN, SON OF A GUN, STICK TO ONE’S GUNS or STAND BY ONE’S GUNS, TILL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED or UNTIL THE LAST GUN IS FIRED.
[gun for]{v.}, {informal} 1. To hunt for with a gun; look hard for a chance to harm or defeat. •/The cowboy is gunning for the man who stole his horse./ •/Bob is gunning for me because I got a higher mark than he did./ 2. To try very hard to get. •/The man is gunning for first prize in the golf tournament./
