What is a 'limey'?

Answer 1

it's US slang for brit. It comes from the british ships crossing the atlantic had problems with scurvy and it was found that barrels of fruit could stave off the condition. Brits were notorious for carrying barrels of limes on their ships and hence the term "limey" came from that.

Answer 2

A Limey is a slang term for the English, more accurately for English sailors, who in the days of Nelson used to be issued with citrus fruit to ward off scurvy, brought on whilst on long voyages through a lack of fresh fruit and veg, specifically vitamin C, as their diet consisted mainly of salt meat and biscuits. Limes and other citrus fruits were found to be effective at keeping "Scurvy" at bay.

Answer 3

The East India Co. gave its sailors lemons to prevent scurvy during the passage to and from India. The Royal Navy having the same problem copied the theory but used Limes as these were grown in British Carribean colonies.

Through history the benefit of plant food for the survival of sieges and long sea voyages was recommended by enlightened authorities. John Woodall, the first appointed surgeon to the British East India Company, recommended the use of lemon juice as a preventive and cure in his book "The Surgeon's Mate" of 1617. The Dutch writer, Johann Bachstrom of Leyden, in 1734, gave the firm opinion that "scurvy is solely owing to a total abstinence from fresh vegetable food, and greens; which is alone the primary cause of the disease."

The first attempt to give scientific basis for the cause of scurvy was by a ship's surgeon in the British Royal Navy, James Lind. While at sea in May 1747, Lind provided some crew members with two oranges and one lemon per day, in addition to normal rations, while others continued on cider, vinegar or sea water, along with their normal rations. In the history of science this is considered to be the first example of a controlled experiment comparing results on two populations of a factor applied to one group only with all other factors the same. The results conclusively showed that citrus fruits prevented the disease. Lind wrote up his work and published it in 1753, in Treatise on the Scurvy.

The Royal Navy began issuing Limes in 1795, 178 years after Woodall's discovery.

Answer 4

I am

how do u do.

limeys were called thus because in the English navy hundreds of years ago they used to give the men limes/lemons for vitamin C which counters scurvy. a nasty disease

hence the term :-

You scurvy dogs !

good day, have a nice one

I would also hasten to add that we no longer use limes in this fashion because our diets are so super and we do not spend lengthy periods at sea. Thus the term is a bit of a nonsense really.

I would not be saying ouch or feel like slapping anyone who called me that. i would think they were a bit silly.

PERHAPS U SHOULD HAVE ASKED A POLICEMAN, A FIREMAN OR A PARAMEDIC

you naughty girl u !!

Those questions certainly catch up on u !!!!????

Answer 5

English sailors ate lime to ward off scurvy on long sea voyages back during sail powered ships. thus they were called limeys. xx

Answer 6

I am THE limey. Us Brits are called that because we discovered that eating limes prevented scurvy and the rest of the world laughed at us for doing so for some reason with their festering faces.

Answer 7

From wickepedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_words_for_British

Limey

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 derogatory in the sense that the British would be allegedly more preoccupied with the savings of limes over lemons which were traditionally used to prevent scurvy. 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!").

Answer 8

It's an old slang term for British seamen. To avoid scurvy they would carry limes and other citrus fruits on board the ship. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C.

Answer 9

A British person. Comes from the days that sailors from Britain carried limes with them on ships to prevent scurvy. A smart thing to do.

Answer 10

That us, English! It came from when we'd be sailing all around the world and the lack of Vitamin C, found in oranges, lemons and limes, gave the poor old sailors scurvy. I think that's how we got the name, we were always after some limes.