Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US, also come to grass) to be knocked down; to collapse [lit. idea of falling to the grass during open-air prizefights].

1807		Balance 17 Feb. 51: Now he will have to go to grass, as the saying is.
1842		Flash (N.Y.) 10 July 2/3: In the twenty-eighth Bob had utterly lost the use of his right mawler, and went to grass.
1845		Era (London) 26 Jan. 10/3: Weston was in a ticklish position at the ropes, from which he released himself by going to grass.
1855		(con. 1821) Fights for the Championship 65: He received one heavily upon the mouth which again ‘brought him to grass’ and drew lots of gravy.
1857		Bell’s Life in Victoria (Melbourne) 23 May 4/1: [A]fter some sharp fibbing, both went to grass.
1860		Cheshire Obs. 18 Aug. 8/3: Panfish smacking Grasshopper’s kissing trap, which nearly made Grassey go to grass.
1860		Bell’s Life in Sydney 7 Apr. 4/1: He was unable to get a hold, and both went to grass.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Jan. 14/1: In the Steeplechase on New Year’s Day he cut out the work at so warm a pace that each of his four opponents came to grass, leaving the plucky son of Horatio to waltz in by himself.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Mar. 14/3: Finally, both men went to grass in the fire-place, the editor demanding 30-minutes’ time to allow him to search for some of his lost brains, the auctioneer bitterly declaring that he never had any brains to lose.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 28 Apr. 4/6: A shell carries half his stomach into the next district and [...] he goes to grass with his head on his boots.
1899		H.E. Hamblen Yarns of Bucko Mate 52: Being now an old-timer myself, I shoved a Norwegian through the door, and as he went to grass, I sprang lightly out.
1908		Bulletin (Sydney) 16 July 14/2: He back-stepped sudden fer repairs, an’ tangles round Snorter’s right leg, an’ both goes to grass.
1914		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 5 Aug. 5/3: Down he goes, and then the other / Gets to grass without a cry.

2. to vanish suddenly, to disappear, to be dismissed (cf. go to grass! excl.).

1833		S. Smith Major Downing (1834) 180: As for going to South Carolina to fight such chaps as these, I’d sooner let nullification go to grass and eat mullein.
1846		Durivage & Burnham Stray Subjects (1848) 95: A gentleman who was swimming about, upon being refused, declared that he might go to grass with his old canoe, for he didn’t think it would be much of a shower, anyhow [F&H].
1848		Satirist & Blade (Boston, MA) 19 Feb. n.p.: We even saw several [i.e. ‘nymphs of the pave] whom we had supposed had gone to grass, attempting to revive their faded beauties.
1851		G. Thompson Jack Harold 64: Let the old vagabond go to grass.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1884		(con. c.1840) ‘Mark Twain’ Huckleberry Finn 255: I thought we was on the right track of a slution [sic], but it’s gone to grass.
1905		‘Central Connecticut Word-List’ in DN III:i 10: go to grass, v. phr. To be off, to get out.

3. of a limb, to waste away.

1873

Sl. Dict. 181: [...] it is said of wasted limbs that they have ‘gone to grass’.

4. (US) to die, to be ruined, to retire.

1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn).
1873		Sl. Dict.
1929		M. Levin Reporter 123: Tell him to go to grass.
1936		L. Pound ‘American Euphemisms for Dying’ in AS XI:3 198: Gone to grass.
1975		(con. 1900s) G. Swarthout Shootist 121: A man like me keeps you frisky. When I pull out, you’ll go to grass.

5. to lose (a competition).

1821		R. Waln Hermit in America on Visit to Phila. 2nd ser. 25: My attention was soon attracted to the voices of the players. [...] ‘Now you may go to grass’.
1889		World (N.Y.) 24 July 3/1: The cow-eyed daisies [...] in centre field held up their ruffled heads and saw the champions go to grass again.
1897		(con. 1860s) W.E. Barton Hero in Homespun 24: The mountings is fur the Union [...] they’re goin’ to raise troops, an’ let the Gov’nor go to grass.