Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Slang A British sailor.
- n. Slang An English person.
Wiktionary
- adj. Resembling limes (the fruit), lime-like.
- adj. Of, or pertaining to, limes (the fruit).
- n. US, slang An Englishman or other Briton, or a person of British descent.
Etymologies
- From 18th and 19th century British sailors drinking lime juice to ward off scurvy (Wiktionary)
- Short for lime juicer (from the use of lime juice on British warships in order to prevent scurvy). (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“It seems to me that "limey" is more affectionate than pejorative.”
“Why: The leaves as well as the lime rind impart a sharp, unmistakable lime scent and taste that is more "limey" than regular limes.”
“This use is probably responsible for the slang term "limey" which developed and was/is used to describe those having an English background.”
“As a result of this discovery, British sailors planted lime trees at their ports of call and ate the fruit regularly; it's how the term "limey" got applied to them, and later by association to British people in general”
“Frankie Gambino was quick to point out that we saved the 'limey's homeland in WWII.”
“I am not sure that "limey" is really to Anglo-Saxon what "kike" is to Jewish, or suchlike.”
“Is that some kind of limey ... rics: Who ever has paid attention to the fucking Guardian?”
“All of that spicy, brothy, limey goodness is just what the doctor ordered for a stuffed head and scratchy sore throat.”
“In the bar's back room this morning, Graeme is busy trouncing Patrick at a last game of pool, although Patrick insists that once they get to Alice, where he'll be able to play without bumping his cue into the wall,he'll kick Graeme's limey ass.”
“Then you have the limey jolt of the caryopteris 'leaves.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘limey’.
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EN - xenophobic terms
Alle Menschen werden Brüder - sooner or later? Derogatory terms for anybody different.
abe, anchor baby, ann, ape, apple, asian nigger, aunt jemima , aunt jane, aunt mary, aunt sally, banana, beaner and 315 more...
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Lyeneia's Field Journal
footnotes and add-ons from the gap-lands.
limey, apostate, conflagrate, kindle, dispossess, provenience, reckless malice, honking didactica..., consequential exi..., morainal, morae, compass and 28 more...
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Scriptie: The Shakespearean Language ...
It isn't all about fucking cocksuckers. There aren't too many shows on TV that use Wordie words. (So of course it was cancelled.)
Best viewed in cloud format.sweggen, hooplehead, cocksucker, dope, yankton, camp, pussy, bonanza, laudanum, chinaman, hoecake, free gratis and 210 more...
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chromatic phrases
blue movie, brown study, purple prose, rosy scenario, golden mean, eminence grise, white nights, bronze age, silver bullet, orange juice, black death, technicolor yawn and 188 more...
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The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray
Words and phrases from Chris Wooding's book, The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray.
griddle, overhead, circumscribe, mawkish, lour, coccyx, stetson, barrister, glut, heath, swill, grog and 47 more...
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Others
yeoman, beefeater, amiable, obedient, meek, shrew, pliant, malleable, fiery, furnace, tribulation, sermon and 32 more...
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ethnic slurs
Different ways people insult people of other ethnic origins.
kike, nigger, nig, mick, polack, wetback, honky, jap, paki, towelhead, chink, coon and 24 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for limey.
yarb Only jokingly in the context or presence of America / Americans. Oct 4, 2008
bilby Do the English themselves use this term? Oct 4, 2008