When Aussies call brits 'limies' what does it mean?

Answer 1

because when the brits used to sail around discovering worlds, etc., they used to take limes(the fruit) with them to eat to prevent scurvy.

Answer 2

An English doctor was the one who found out that Vitamin C prevented scurvy, which was a common disease among sailors. So the British navy started supplying its ships with citrus fruits, mainly limes. British sailors then became known as "Limies," and eventually the nickname spread to include all Englishmen.

Answer 3

the aussies dont call brits limies they call them pommies or pommy bastards! Limies was the term used by the yanks because in days of old on long sea voyages, british sailors suffered from scurvy which is a lack of vitamin c, so they were given citrus fruit, including limes to prevent it (and cure it).

Answer 4

In the olden days when people from Britain sailed to Australia it took absolutely ages. There was no refrigeration in those days. Fresh food was a real problem. The sailors used to get scurvy through lack of vitamin C. They discovered that limes were good at preventing scurvy, so they carried limes on board to ensure a steady supply of Vit C. I have no idea how well limes kept.

Answer 5

When England was building it's empire by having the largest, best Navy and shipping, the sailors would eat limes to ward off scurvey, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C in their diet. That is where "limies" came from.

Answer 6

IT's a term from sailing days. If you didn't get any Vitamin C, you'd get scurvy. Sooo, the Brits found out that by eating limes they could stave off the scurvy. Hence, Limeys.

BTW, the the Brits call Aussies COB's (Convict On Bail) Australia was where the Brits sent their prisoners.

Answer 7

It's a reference to supplying Brit sailors with lime juice to prevent scurvy from lack of Vitamin C when they were on ships for a long time.

Answer 8

The term you refer to in it's more familiar form is "Limeys",the origin of the term relates to the incidence of "scurvy",a medical diagnosis which was determined symptomatically as being a condition most obviated by the loss of teeth,or the relating -bleeding of gums prior to actually losing the teeth.This affliction was due to the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables on long sea voyages,where there was reasonable provision of Meat,fresh water,and Rum,but until "scurvy" -became a noticeable problem,very little provision of diet relating to the absolute neccessity of the vital missing "vitamin C".The introduction of citrus fruits particularly,being in essence oranges,lemons,limes,etc",massively reduced the occurence of " scurvy",essentially a deprivation of the key active compound
which is so massively marketed today,the teeth saving Vitamin C,Limes tend to have a tougher pectin(skin),and where issued to each member on board on a regular basis,to "cure"the affliction,(limes tended to have a longer"shelf life).
Perhap's that is why we now have,Gin and Tonic(with a slice of lemon),Tequila,(with a slice of lemon) etc,with the introduction of regular suggested vitamin C -intakes,most of the problems have been removed except for Government inadequacies regarding the deployment of available Dentists,we all would have more teeth-Limeys = Limes! OK?

Answer 9

Brits used to take loads of limes to eat when they went for long voyages in ships. This was to prevent scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C.

Answer 10

Limey is an old American and Canadian slang nickname for the British, originally referring to British sailors. The term is believed to derive from lime-juicer, referring to the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy practice of supplying lime juice to British sailors to prevent scurvy in the 19th century. The term is thought to have originated in the Caribbean in the 1880s. A false etymology is that it is a derivative of "Gor-blimey" ("god blind me!").

The term Limey evolved into a verb "to lime" which means to hang out. The British sailors "Limeys" would hang out in the urban areas when off-duty and patronize the local prostitutes. This has been immortalized in the old calypso "Jean and Dinah" by the Mighty Sparrow in 1956.

Answer 11

When the british first arrived in australia,the sailors had such a long journey they used to eat limes on board to prevent scurvy ,and thats where the name came from!