
Saturday 27th December 2014
Max 3°C | Min 1°C

Where does the phrase "grass up" come from?


I was watching The Long Good Friday this week and they talked about “grass” a lot, as in telling of something. Where does the term “grassing up” come from?
David, Godalming


** Definitive **
Name: Nick, Crayford
Qualification: Someone grassed it up to me
Answer: It comes from “snake in the grass”. Snakes are slippery, slimey and crawl about in the grass. So if you’re a grass, you’re a bit of a snake in the grass. They are present, but not noticed.
