Anyone know what a "supergrass" is?

[QuettaKid]

Any British DUer's in the house?

""A supergrass with al-Qaeda connections has told a UK trial he decided to fight the US despite his mother nearly being killed in the 11 September attacks.""

[htuttle]

1. A "grass" is an informant

A 'supergrass' is a highly important informant.

[supernova]

2. Tattle tale

To tell on somebody is to "grass" on them, so a "supergrass" is an extra, extra big league tattle tale.

[Kolesar]

3. IRA lingo for "snake in the grass"

Used to describe informers during the 1970s or 1980s. Or so I recall from a documentary or public radio segment

[bottomofthehill]

8. Gippo Nolan

[Dunedain]

4. police informer n/t

[mac56]

5. Not a Brit.. but..

Wikipedia says this:

The term supergrass is used in Northern Ireland to refer to arrested paramilitaries who divulged the identities of their compatriots to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in exchange for immunity from prosecution, essentially, an informer. In many cases, the supergrasses were granted immunity from prosecution, as well as substantial sums of money. Many convictions based on supergrass testimony were later overturned, and the supergrass system was discontinued in 1985.

Add on edit:

The term originated in the UK where informers were often referred to as 'coppers'. The cockney slang for 'copper' is 'grasshopper'. This was eventually shortened to 'grass'. The word 'super' was added to suggest a large scale informer.

[queenbdem87]

6. Not unless supergrass

is the stuff you smoke...otherwise i can't help you.

[Sammy Pepys]

7. Rock band....n/t

...

[movie_girl99]

9. it's a band. my hubbie loves them..n/t

[DesertRat]

10. I think we smoked it in the 70's

:smoke:

[Oceansaway]

11. LoL...n/t

[thatgemguy]

13. Yeah... the icky sticky!!!

[long_green]

12. A snitch

I first heard the term when reading John Mortimer's Rumpole novels.

[SpiralHawk]

14. Supergrass: A Superhero who uses dandelion puffs to snuff evil doers?

Bringing about lawn and order ?

[TransitJohn]

15. It's what

my daughter thought she had hidden from me...found it in her closet next to the steamroller she swiped from the garage.

[Rocknrule]

16. It's an alternative rock band