Meanings
- Irelandarchaicpluralplural onlyA fight; a brawl.
1 more example
“I am sorry to perceive, sir, as you say; but you have been in some hot work, sir! I'll engage you have seen some wigs on the green?” “Wigs on the green!” exclaimed the elegant stranger, with a very cold, aristocratical stare. “Beg pardon, sir!” said Mr. Brown, when he became conscious of his vulgarity. “'Tis our Irish mode of expression, sir, when we speak of a row, or a skrimmage! I dare say you have been in many a skrimmage, Sir John![”]
1853 October 22, Captain Michael Rafter, “Done Brown”, in The London Journal, vol.XVIII no.452 p.119 - Irelanddatedpluralplural onlyBig trouble.
She says, If ye don't fix yeer brother's shoes an' I have to get out of this bed there will be wigs on the green.
1998 Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes Ch.XII (Simon and Schuster) p.272
Origin
In reference to the wigs that gentlemen used to wear, which might fall to the ground during a fight.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
wigs on the green. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wigs%20on%20the%20green
“wigs on the green.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wigs%20on%20the%20green. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wigs on the green,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wigs%20on%20the%20green.
Source: wigs on the green on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.