green handshake
English
editEtymology
editBecause U.S. dollar bills are green; the term reflects euphemistic irony, as it implies that a handshake that hands them off is more than a mere handshake.
Noun
editgreen handshake (plural green handshakes)
- (idiomatic) A bribe, or a transfer of money that the interested parties represent as a tip but that disinterested third parties are likely to view as a bribe.
- Coordinate terms: kickback; see also Thesaurus:bribe
- ended the long local tradition of green handshakes for building inspectors