What does this word mean?

'wanker'.  I've just read through a long thread here and someone said, 'not all men are wankers'.

I thought wanking meant masturbation.  Am I wrong?  Is there something repulsive about men masturbating, so that men who do not wank are better than those who do? 

If anyone has a definition for 'grass', I'd appreciate that, too!  I read on the EastEnder site, 'Paul tries to decide whether to grass on Andy'.  Grass?

TIA.

As I understand it:

Technically, wanking does mean beating off.  However, it is also used generally as a derogatory term akin to calling somebody a jerk.

To grass on somebody is to tell on them, i.e. the US equivalent to "knarking" on somebody...

Hope that helps.

You could probably equate wanker with the American term 'jerk-off'.  It can be masturbation, but you can also say: he's such a jerk-off.  They both mean something along the lines of: prat, ass, jerk, waste of space, etc.

To grass means to snitch or turn into the authorities (whether that be the police, teachers, etc).

You can also use 'shop' in place of 'grass'.  As in, 'I shopped XYZ to the coppers . . . '  Or, 'Luke shopped Alice'.

Tosser can also be used in place of wanker (the verbal equivalent being 'to toss off').

Here's an example of a person who's as wanky as they come:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050102/325/f9ivy.html

Thank you both!  I wonder what the origin of 'grass on' came from?  I will search around.

So, as I understand it, wank does mean to masturbate but there is a cultural derogatory term for one who masturbates:  a wanker.  

It is sad to me that something as normal as masturbation has such a negative association via this word.  No wonder some people have shameful or embarrassed feelings regarding self pleasure.  It's such a normal thing, hate to see it used this way.  

Edited to add: one dictionary of slang say the term 'grass' came from 'rhyming slang grass in the park - 'nark', meaning informer.'  Interesting!

"Wanker" can also be used as an endearing term amongst friends, the same way "c*nt" is used casually for "guy".  (Eg, "that c*nt over there.") The British are much more liberal with foul language...

I think the c word is more used in Scotland. I barely hear it in the South.

Lol, you're probably right.

In terms of 'wanker', I think it may have derived from "too much of a good thing" or "be careful what you wish for". While doing something for self pleasure might be good, a 'wanker' is seen as doing things ONLY for self good, and not what benefits anyone else.

Someone who only masterbates is really not pleasuring anyone else, especially a partner. So, a person can be sexual, and enjoy a well-rounded sexual life, including pleasing others, but a wanker is ONLY in it for him (or her) self.

Someone who only masterbates is really not pleasuring anyone else, especially a partner. So, a person can be sexual, and enjoy a well-rounded sexual life, including pleasing others, but a wanker is ONLY in it for him (or her) self.

...Unless the partner gets pleasure out of watching him/her masturbate!
Hey... different strokes, eh?! 

Someone who wanks is not necessarily a wanker!

Simple definition...look "wanker" up in the dictionary and see a full page photo of my ex husbeast!

I found this reference the term to 'grass' on someone.

GRASS - to squeal or inform. "This word is derived from Cockney rhyming slang 'grasshopper,' meaning 'copper,' i.e., 'policeman.' 'Grass' sometimes appears as a noun, meaning both 'informer' or 'stool pigeon' and the 'act of informing' itself. It has shown up in the new form 'supergrass,' describing an I.R.A. member who turns 'queen's evidence' and names his former comrades

Pauline