apple grease

apple grease (uncountable)

1. (archaic, slang) (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:) Nonsense; rubbish.
   • 1927 May 22, Albert J. Bromley, “Hot Pages frum My Diary”, in Chicago Sunday Tribune, volume 86, number 21, page 3:

     The ‘welcome’ remark on our door-mat is apple-grease as far as yew are concerned frum now on.

     Eye spellings in the original, pseudonymously authored as “Snowshoe Al”.

   • 1928, American Miller‎^[1], volume 56, National Miller Publications., page 281:

     It will have no more effect than a groan in a cyclone if you try to deluge your prospective customers with apple grease instead of facts, and I have always tried to make all our letters sound broad and honest with a willingness to refund their money without a battle.

apple grease

1. (informal, colloquial, dated) Used to reject an assertion, to suggest that an utterance is nonsense, or express displeasure with another's speech.
   • 1927, Albert J. Bromley, “Men Wot Histery Have Overlooked”, in Tha Return Uv Snowshoe Al‎^[2], Minton, Balch, page 97:

     “Wot's tha matter? Aint that bath tub alrite?” sez Rameses. “Sertainly, yuh dam fool!” snorted Pharaoah; “that's why I'm reciprocating.” “Aw, apple-grease!” howled Rameses; “I know yer daughter pritty well, an' I klaim yew are retaliating!”

   • 1929 March, Albert J. Bromley, “My Wife Went Back to Work”, in The New McClure’s, page 27:

     “You ain't my mama,” explains the brat to me, “you’re my papa.”
     “APPLE-GREASE!” says I. “Don't take my little brother seriously, girls—he makes some rash remarks at times.”

     Bromely once again wrote under the pseudonym “Snowshoe Al”.

• For more quotations using this term, see Citations:apple grease.