GREAZY and GREASY

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 11:31:31 EST, RonButters at AOL.COM wrote:

>I have known about the greasy/greazy distinction, but this is the first time
>that I have even heard GREASY defined this way. I have always heard it
framed
>as, in essence, GREASY is unpleasantly covered with grease or oil, and
GREAZY
>is much much worse.
>
>I can't imagine going into a restaurant anywhere in the country and asking,
>"Is your food greasy?" and getting a positive response.
>
>"If you want greasy food, come to our restaurant?" No.

Ah, then you never had the pleasure of eating at the sub shop known as
"Greasy Tony's" in New Brunswick, NJ.  Their motto was: "No charge for
extra grease."  (I even had the T-shirt.)  Covert prestige, that.

Checking online, I see that "Greasy Tony's" was transplanted to Tucscon,
AZ after the New Brunswick establishment was torn down in 1994.  But do
Arizonans appreciate the joys of grease as intensely as New Jerseyans?


--Ben Zimmer