green handshake

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green handshake

Where it comes from

Because 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 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. ended the long local tradition of green handshakes for building inspectors

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MLA

"green handshake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/green%20handshake. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

green handshake. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/green%20handshake

Chicago

"green handshake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/green%20handshake.

BibTeX

@misc{green_handshake_2026,
  title = {green handshake},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/green%20handshake},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}