Brewer's: Grass

Gone to grass. Dead. The allusion is to the grass which grows over the dead. Also, “Gone to rusticate,” the allusion being to a horse which is sent to grass when unfit for work.

“Captain Cuttle held on at a great pace, and allowed no grass to grow under his feet.” —Dickens: Dombey and Son.

To give grass. To confess yourself vanquished.

To be knocked down in a pugilistic encounter is to “go to grass;” to have the sack is also to go to grass, as a cow which is no longer fit for milking is sent to pasture.

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