limey

Etymology

In adjectival senses, equivalent to lime + -y. In the sense of “Englishman”, reduced from the 19th century term lime-juicer (“British ship”), from the lime juice British ships carried to ward off scurvy.

adj

1. Resembling limes (the fruit); lime-like.
2. Of, or pertaining to, limes (the fruit).
   This drink is full of limey goodness.

noun

1. (dated, slang, derogatory) An English or British ship.
2. (US, Australia, New Zealand, slang, derogatory) 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