Английский Этимологический словарь - limey

- 1888, Amer.Eng. (possibly from 1880s Australian Eng. slang for "English immigrant"), slang for British sailor, extended 1918 to any British person, short for lime-juicer (1857), in derisive reference to the British Navy's policy (begun 1795) of issuing lime juice on ships to prevent scurvy among sailors.