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.
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.
Meanings
(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:
(dated, derogatory, slang) An English or British ship.