[grease the wheels]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do something or act tomake something go smoothly or happen in the way that is wanted. •/Mr. Davisasked a friend to grease the wheels so he could borrow money from the bank./•/William’s father tried to grease the wheels for him to get a new job./

[greasy spoon]{n.}, {informal} Any small, inexpensive restaurantpatronized by workers or people in a hurry; a place not noted for itsexcellence of cuisine or its decor. •/I won’t have time to eat lunch at theclub today; I’ll just grab a sandwich at the local greasy spoon./

[great] See: THINK A GREAT DEAL OF.

[great deal] See: GOOD DEAL.

[great Godfrey] or [great guns] or [great Scott] {interj.},{informal} A saying usually used to show surprise or anger. •/GreatGodfrey! Uncle Willie is sitting on top of the flagpole!/ •/Great guns! Thelion is out of his cage./ •/Great Scott! Who stole my watch?/

[great guns]{adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very fast or very hard. — Usually used in the phrases "blow great guns", "go great guns". •/The windwas blowing great guns, and big waves beat the shore./ •/The men were goinggreat guns to finish the job./ Compare: FAST AND FURIOUS. 2. Very well;successfully. •/Smith’s new store opened last week and it’s going greatguns./

[great many] See: GOOD MANY.

[great oaks from little acorns grow] As great oak trees grow from tinyacorns, so many great people or things grew from a small and unimportantbeginning, so be patient. — A proverb. •/Many great men were once poor,unimportant boys. Great oaks from little acorns grow./

[Great Scott] See: GREAT GODFREY.

[green] See: GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE orGRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL.

[green around the gills] or [pale around the gills] {adj. phr.},{slang} Pale-faced from fear or sickness; sickly; nauseated. •/Bill’sfather took him for a ride in his boat while the waves were rough, and when hecame back he was green around the gills./ •/The car almost hit Marycrossing the street, and she was pale around the gills because it came soclose./ — Also used with other prepositions besides "around", as "about","at", "under", and with other colors, as "blue", "pink", "yellow", "white".

[green-eyed monster]{n. phr.} Jealousy; envy. •/When John’s brothergot the new bicycle, the green-eyed monster made John fight with him./

[green power]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} The social prestige orpower money can buy one. •/In American political elections the candidatesthat win are usually the ones who have green power backing them./

[green thumb]{n.}, {informal} A talent for gardening; ability tomake things grow. — Considered trite by many. •/Mr. Wilson’s neighbors sayhis flowers grow because he has a green thumb./

[green with envy]{adj. phr.} Very jealous; full of envy. •/Alice’sgirlfriends were green with envy when they saw her new dress./ •/The otherboys were green with envy when Joe bought a second-hand car./ Compare:GREEN-EYED MONSTER.

[grief] See: COME TO GRIEF, GOOD GRIEF, GOOD NIGHT(2) or GOOD GRIEF.

[grin and bear it]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be as cheerful aspossible in pain or trouble; do something without complaining. •/The doctortold Mrs. Howard that she had to stop eating sweets if she wanted to loseweight, and she tried to grin and bear it./ •/If you must have a toothdrilled, all you can do is grin and bear it./ Compare: MAKE THE BEST OF, PUTUP WITH.

[grind] See: AX TO GRIND.

[grindstone] See: KEEP ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.

[grind to a halt]{v. phr.}, {informal} To slow down and stop likea machine does when turned off. •/The old car ground to a halt in front ofthe house./ •/The Cardinals' offense ground to a halt before the stubbornSteeler defense./

[grip] See: COME TO GRIPS WITH, LOSE ONE’S GRIP.

[groove] See: IN THE GROOVE.

[gross out]{v.}, {slang} To commit a vulgar act; to repel someoneby saying a disgusting or vulgar thing. •/You are going to gross out peopleif you continue talking like that./

[gross-out session]{n.}, {slang}, {avoidable} A verbal contestbetween teen-agers in which the object of the game is to see who can be moredisgusting or vulgar than anybody else. •/When Jim got home he found his twoteen-age sons engaged in a gross-out session; he bawled them out and cut theirweekly allowance./

[ground] See: BREAK GROUND, COMMON GROUND, COVER GROUND or COVER THEGROUND, CUT THE GROUND FROM UNDER, EAR TO THE GROUND, FEET ON THE GROUND, GAINGROUND, GET OFF THE GROUND, GIVE GROUND, HAPPY HUNTING GROUND, HOLD ONE’SGROUND, LOSE GROUND, MIDDLE GROUND, RUN INTO THE GROUND, STAMPING GROUND, STANDONE’S GROUND, FROM THE GROUND UP.

[ground ball]{n.} A ball batted onto the ground in baseball; agrounder. •/Taylor hit a ground ball to the short-stop./

[ground floor]{n.} 1. First floor of a house or building. •/Mrs.Turner has an apartment on the ground floor./ 2. {informal} The first orbest chance, especially in a business. •/That man got rich because he got inon the ground floor of the television business./

[ground rule]{n.} 1. A rule in sports that is made especially for thegrounds or place where a game is played. — Usually used in the plural.•/There was such a big crowd at the baseball game, that the ground rules ofthe field were changed in case a ball went into the crowd./ 2. A rule,usually not written, of what to do or how to act in case certain things happen. — Usually used in the plural. •/When you go to a new school, you don’t knowtire ground rules of how you are supposed to behave./

[grow] See: GREAT OAKS PROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW, LET GRASS GROW UNDER ONE’SFEET.

[growing pains]{n.} 1. Pains in children’s legs supposed to be causedby changes in their bodies and feelings as they grow. •/The little girl’slegs hurt, and her mother told her she had growing pains./ 2. {informal}Troubles when something new is beginning or growing. •/The factory hasgrowing pains./

[grow on] or [grow upon] {v.} 1. To become stronger in; increase asa habit of. •/The habit of eating before going to bed grew upon John./ 2.To become more interesting to or liked by. •/The more Jack saw Mary, the moreshe grew on him./ •/Football grew on Billy as he grew older./

[grow out of]{v. phr.} 1. To outgrow; become too mature for. •/As achild he had a habit of scratching his chin all the time, but he grew out ofit./ 2. To result from; arise. •/Tom’s illness grew out of his tendency tooverwork and neglect his health./

[grow up]{v.} 1. To increase in size or height; become taller orolder; reach full height. •/Johnny is growing up; his shoes are too small forhim./ •/I grew up on a farm./ •/The city has grown up since I wasyoung./ 2. To become adult in mind or judgment; become old enough to think ordecide in important matters. •/Tom wants to he a coach when he grows up./•/Grow up, you’re not a baby any more!/

[grudge] See: NURSE A GRUDGE.

[guard] See: COLOR GUARD, OFF GUARD, ON GUARD.

[guest] See: BF. MY GUEST.

[gum up]{v.}, {slang} To cause not to work or ruin; spoil; makesomething go wrong. — Often used in the phrase "gum up the works". •/Jimmyhas gummed up the typewriter./ Syn.: THROW A MONKEY WRENCH.