1865. H. Kingsley, Hillyars and Burton, ch. lxxvii. It was blowing pretty high guns, sou’ eastern by east, off shore and when we came to the harbour’s mouth there was Tom Wyatt with his pilot just aboard. 1869. Arthur Sketchley, Mrs. Brown on Things in General. I never did see such weather, a-blowin great guns as the sayin’ is. 1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 340. It blew great guns from the seaward. Great-house. See Big-house. Great-Joseph, subs. (old).—An overcoat. Great Scott! intj. (American).—An exclamation of surprise; an apology for an oath. [Possibly a memory of the name of Gen. Winfield Scott, a presidential candidate whose dignity and style were such as to win him the nickname “Fuss-and-Feathers.”] Also Great Cæsar. 1888. New York Mercury. Great Scott! you don’t say so. 1891. Gunter, Miss Nobody of Nowhere, p. 98. Bob, what’s the matter with you? Great Scott! the mine hain’t give out. 1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 19 June, p. 396, c 2. Great Scotch!—no, we mean Scott—well, language worthy of the great Harry prevailed for awhile. 1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 305. ‘Great Scott! what the deuce is Wells up to?’ said the Squire. 1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 106. Great Cæsar! 1892. Tit Bits, 19 Mar., p. 416, c. 1. He. Great Cæsar! There you go again! She. James will you please remember that it is your wife to whom you are speaking, sir? He. No other woman could drive me raving, distracted, crazy, asking silly questions about—She. James! Great Shakes. See Shakes. Great Smoke, subs. (thieves’)—London. Great Sun, intj. (common).—An exclamation. 1876. Besant and Rice, Golden Butterfly. Great Sun! I think I see it now. Great-unwashed, subs. (colloquial).—The lower classes; the rabble. Also the unwashed. [First used by Burke; popularised by Scott.] 1892. Sydney Watson, Wops the Waif, ch. iii., p. 4. We begin to understand what is meant by the lowest classes, the great unwashed. Great Whipper-in, subs. phr. (common).—Death; old floorer (q.v.). Grecian, subs. (old).—1. A roysterer; a greek (q.v.). 2. (Christ’s Hospital).—A senior boy. 3. (popular).—An Irishman. Grecian Accent, subs. (popular).—A brogue. Grecian-bend, subs. (common).—A stoop in walking. [Affected by some women c. 1869–80.] Cf., Alexandra Limp, Roman Fall, Italian Wriggle, Kangaroo Droop. 1821. Etonian, ii., 57. In person he was of the common size, with something of the Grecian bend, contracted doubtless from sedentary habits. 1869. Daily Telegraph, 1 Sept. I do not, however, think the ‘stoop’ our girls now have arises from tight-lacing. Some affect what is called the Grecian bend.