subs. phr. (colloquial).—A card (or billiard) table.
1771. P. PARSONS, Newmarket: or, An Essay on the Turf, II. 24. That BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH, the billiard-table.
1850. F. E. SMEDLEY, Frank Fairlegh, 23. ‘I am going down to F—— Street.’ ‘As usual, the BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH, eh? you will go there once too often, if you don’t mind, old fellow.’ ‘That’s my look out,’ replied Cumberland.
1853. WHYTE-MELVILLE, Digby Grand, vi. Often have I seen him rise from the BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH, and turning his chair thrice, from right to left, reseat himself at the play-table, confident that success would follow the mystical manœuvre.
1886. M. E. BRADDON, Mohawks, viii. The soft seductive sound of the dice sliding gently on to the BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH.
