Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

green handshake

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.35 in modern English

Syllables
green hand-shake
IPA
26
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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.

Example Sentences

Etymology

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.

Inflected Forms

green handshakes (plural)

Phrases

golden handshake pay-to-play quid pro quo scratch someone's back you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

Frequently Paired Words

golden handshake backscratcher backscratching pay-to-play quid pro quo scratch someone's back you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours kickback

Questions

What does green handshake mean?
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.
Where does green handshake come 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.

How to pronounce green handshake

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “green handshake”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “green handshake”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “green handshake” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.