not so green as...

[Michael Quinion]

> On one of the Inspector Lewis episodes in the BBC/PBS Masterpiece
> Mystery series, Lewis tells Det. Sgt. Hathaway (who has just
> acknowledging copying a key notebook before returning it), "You're not
> so green as you're cabbage looking".  A new one on me (I had to rewind
> to make sure that's what he said), but upon Google I've learned that
> it's "an old Yorkshire saying" that seems not to have made it across the
> pond. I'm sure Michael Q. can trace its genealogy for us... 

Aha! A challenge. I shall begin work at once ...

--
Michael Quinion
World Wide Words
Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org

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