country, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

country n.

(US) a peasant, a countryman; a nickname for one categorised as such.

1851		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 28 June n.p.: ‘I got a silver watch and fifteen dollars from a country the other night’.
1974		H.L. Foster Playin’ the Dozens 48: [T]he expression ‘country’ is used to describe someone who is newly arrived in the city. It is not necessarily an insulting or threatening term. The term often is used as a kidding term.
1992		G.P. Pelecanos Firing Offense 32: Malone said, ‘Where you been, Country? I done closed two deals while you were gone’.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

give someone down the country (v.) [ety. unknown]

(US) to scold, to tell off, to reprimand.

1907		Logan Republican (UT) 24 Apr. 4/2: Elder Blair is not much in love with the Catholic ladies either as they often give him down the country.
1939		P.G. Brewster ‘Folk “Sayings” From Indiana’ in AS XIV:4 267: One sometimes finds it necessary to ‘give someone Hail Columbia,’ ‘preach someone’s funeral,’ or ‘give someone down the country,’ for, after all, a person can’t ‘stand for’ everything.

go country (v.)

(UK drugs) to sell drugs outside one’s own area.

2011

Observer 9 Oct. 🌐 Tthe best way to make a lot of money quickly is to ‘go country’. ‘Someone might come to you and say: “We’re making some money, you wanna make some?” You go on a train or a cab or you drive and you come to a house and there could be 10 people in that house or more. We’re there to sell food [i.e. drugs]’.

go in the country (v.)

(Aus. Und.) to be imprisoned.

1882

Sydney Sl. Dict. 9/2: Dick went pulling down sawney for grub last week, when a cop pinched him. He’s gone in the country for a rest. / Dick went stealing bacon from shop-doors for food last week, when a policeman arrested him. He’s gone to jail for one year.

go up-country (v.) [euph.] (Aus.)

1. to go to prison.

[1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 12 Sept. 52/1: To tell the truth ‘Enery’ had been ‘High and Dry’ for that enforced, period at the expense of an impartial goverment. [...] the Door of a neighboring house opened and a woman appeared. She beckoned Enery over. See yer back frum the country, she began discreetly out of respect for his feelings].
1941		K.S. Prichard ‘Marlene’ in Mann Coast to Coast 22: ‘He’s gone up-country’, George said. ‘You mean, he’s in jail. What’s he been up to now?’].

2. to die.

1920

(?) H. Lawson ‘The Passing of Elder Man’s Lane’ in Roderick (1972) 853: Perhaps the Old ’Uns have gone up-country.