high five

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>... and the more sensational ''gimme five,'' ....

IMHO the "five" refers to the five fingers. "Give me five" = "give me your
hand", MAYBE formed to imitate another sense "Give me five" = "Give me five
minutes". "Slip me five" = the same, "Give me your hand", probably formed
to imitate another sense "Slip me five" = "Slip me five dollars". "Slap me
five" would appear to be a (late?) alteration of "Slip me five".

What is ignored by some books (including the Cassell dictionary, at a
glance) is that "Slip me five" and "Give me five" are (or were) sometimes
just 'stylish' ways of saying "Shake my hand"; they do not necessarily call
for slapping, stroking, etc. I would guess that these expressions meant
"Shake my hand" in the old-fashioned sedate manner before they meant
"Slap/stroke my palm" or any other variant.

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_Reno Evening Gazette_, 16 Aug. 1953: p. 27:

[Comic strip "The Gumps"]

<<TORCHY BURNS, MEET OUR EX-SERVICE MAN, SAM SAGE. / GOOD TO MEET YOU,
PALLY.. SLIP ME FIVE. /  [traditional hand-clasp is shown]>>

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_Valley Independent_ [Monessen PA], 7 July 1961: p. 8(?):

<<When he [Stan Musial after 10,000 at-bats] came to the plate again later
in the Milwaukee game, umpire Al Barlick extended his hand and said, "Give
me five." / .... / "I think that's the first time an umpire has shaken
hands with me during a game," Musial laughed ....>>

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-- Doug Wilson