subs. (old).—1. Slang, or FLASH (q.v.); usually ST. GILES’ GREEK (q.v.). Cf., CANT, GIBBERISH, etc.
2. (colloquial).—A card-sharper; a cheat.
1528. ROY and BARLOW, Rede me and be nott wrothe, p. 117 [ed. ARBER, 1871].
| In carde playinge he is a goode GREKE | |
| And can skyll of post and glyeke, | |
| Also a payre of dyce to trolle. |
1568. Satirical Poems of the Time of the Reformation [S.T.S.], 1889–90, i., 76, ‘The Double Dealings of the Rebels in Scotland.’
| A cowle, a cowle for such a GREEK | |
| Were fitter for to wear. |
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Grecheggiare … to play the GREEK.
1602. SHAKESPEARE, Troilus and Cressida, v. 6. Come, both you cogging GREEKS; have at you both.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, xxviii. Most of the Cant phrases in HEAD’S English Rogue, which was published, I believe, in 1666, would be intelligible to a GREEK of the present day.
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, ii., 5. Come lads, bustle about; play will begin—some of the pigeons are here already, the GREEKS will not be long following.
1831. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, bk. IV., ch. i. Jerry was a GREEK by nature, and could land a flat as well as the best of them.
1855. THACKERAY, The Newcomes, ch. xxxvi. He was an adventurer, a pauper, a blackleg, a regular GREEK.
1861. Once a Week, 25 May, p. 97. As the GREEK places the packet [of cards] on the top of the other, he allows it to project the least bit in the world.
1884. The Saturday Review, 16 Feb., 202. 1. Without a confederate the now fashionable game of baccarat does not seem to offer many chances for the GREEK.
3. (old).—An Irishman.
1823. BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Dictionary of the Turf, etc., s.v. GREEK. Irishmen call themselves GREEKS.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. i., p. 240. We had the GREEKS (the lately arrived Irish) down upon us more than once.
1872. Standard, 3 Sept. ‘Melbourne Correspondence.’ The most noticeable point of comparison between the two Administrations is the presence or the absence of the GREEK element from the Cabinet. GREEK, as some of your readers are aware, is colonial slang for ‘Irish.’
4. (thieves’).—A gambler. Also a highwayman.
MERRY GREEK, subs. phr. (old).—A roysterer; a drunkard. COTGRAVE. [In Latin, Graecare = to play the Greek—high-living and hard drinking.]
1602. SHAKESPEARE, Troilus and Cressida, iv. 4. A woful Cressid ’mongst the MERRY GREEKS.
