Definition
A bribe, or a transfer of money that the interested parties represent as a tip but that disinterested third parties are likely to view as a bribe.
Origins
Because U.S. dollar bills are green; the term reflects euphemistic irony, as it implies that a handshake that hands them off is more than a mere handshake.
In Context
- "ended the long local tradition of green handshakes for building inspectors"