Part 11
1856. HUGHES, _Tom Brown’s School-days_, pt. II. ch. v. “Come along, boys,” cries East, always ready to leave the GRIND, as he called it. _Ibid._, ch. vii. “The thing to find out,” said Tom meditatively, “is how long one ought to GRIND at a sentence without looking at the crib.”
1872. _Chambers’s Jour._, April. Joe Rullock, the mighty gymnasiarch, the hero of a hundred GRINDS, the unwearied haunter of the palæstra, could never give the lie to his whole past life, and deny his own gymnastics.
1887. _Chambers’s Jour._, 14th May, p. 310. Smalls made just such a goal as was required, and the GRIND it entailed was frequently of no slight profit to him.
THE GRIND, _subs._ (Cambridge).—The ferry-boat at Chesterton. (Oxford) A diversion popular among the less athletic tutors and undergraduates, which consists in walking by the Banbury Road to the 2-1/2 mile stone, crossing to the Woodstock Road, which is here only a quarter of a mile distant, and so returning to Oxford, occasionally varying the proceeding by reversing the order of the walk. It is, however, probable that the introduction of golf has dealt a severe blow at the popularity of this innocent amusement. Also THE FIVE MILES GRIND.
’VARSITY GRIND (Oxford).—A steeplechase held at Stratton Audley.
*Grind-days*, _subs._ (Loretto).—The GRIND-DAYS occur twice a year: in October and March. Privileged boys, school officers, Sixth and Fifth, and probably Upper Fifth, go by train to various places, such as Peebles, Pomathorn, &c., and walk, perhaps about twenty miles, to some other place, where they dine, returning by train. Some of the rest cross the Pentlands, and the Juniors go up the highest Pentland.
*Grinder*, _subs._ (general).—A private tutor; a COACH (_q.v._).
1812. Miss EDGEWORTH, _Patronage_, ch. iii. Put him into the hands of a clever GRINDER or crammer, and they would soon cram the necessary portion of Latin and Greek into him.
1841. _Punch_, vol. i. p. 201. Then contriving to accumulate five guineas to pay a GRINDER, he routs out his old note-books from the bottom of his box and commences to read.
1841. A. SMITH, “The London Medical Student” in _Punch_, i. p. 229. G was a GRINDER, who sharpen’d the fools.
1849. THACKERAY, _Pendennis_, ch. v. She sent me down here with a GRINDER. She wants me to cultivate my neglected genius.
*Grinding-mill*, _subs._ (general).—The house of a tutor or COACH (_q.v._), where students are prepared for an examination.
*Groats.* TO SAVE ONE’S GROATS, _verb. phr._ (old University).—To come off handsomely. [At the Universities nine groats are deposited in the hands of an academic officer by every person standing for a degree, which, if the depositor obtains, with honour, are returned to him.—GROSE.]
*Grotius-time*, _subs._ (Winchester).—From 7 P.M. to 7.45 P.M. on Sundays, in CLOISTER-TIME (_q.v._) when SIXTH BOOK (_q.v._) and SENIOR PART (_q.v._) went into school to translate the work of that author.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840). Now obsolete.
*Groute*, _verb_ (Marlborough and Cheltenham).—To work or study hard; to SWOT (_q.v._).
*Grovel*, _subs._ (Sherborne).—A scrummage at football.
*Grubber*, _subs._ (general).—A tuck-shop. _See_ LAMB’S-TAILS, ROUND OTHELLOS, KILL-ME-QUICKS, and PICANINNIES.
1899. _Public School Mag._, Dec., p. 441. The shop is privately managed by Mr. Kimmins, of High Street, Tonbridge [and] is known as “GRUBBER.”
*Grubby*, _subs._ (Royal High School, Edin.).—The luncheon room.
*Gruff*, _adj._ (Christ’s Hospital).—Low-pitched: of the voice. _See_ quot., and SQUEAKY.
_c._ 1844. _Reminis. of Christ’s Hospital_ [_The Blue_, Aug. 1874]. The voices, in our own peculiar phraseology, being divided into two classes—those who sang “squeaky,” and those who sang GRUFF.
*Guarder*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—A goal-keeper: at football. Whence SECOND-GUARDER = the “full-back” of Association Football; and THIRD-GUARDER = the “halfback” of Association Football.
*Gulf*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—The bottom of a list of “passes,” with the names of those who only just succeed in getting their degree. At Oxford a man who, going in for honours, only gets a pass. Hence as _verb_ (Cambridge) = to place in the GULF; TO BE GULFED = to be on such a list. [Men so placed were not eligible for the Classical Tripos.]
1852. BRISTED, _Five Tears in an English University_, p. 205. Some ten or fifteen men just on the line, not bad enough to be plucked, or good enough to be placed, are put into the GULF, as it is popularly called (the examiners’ phrase is “degrees allowed”), and have their degrees given them, but are not printed in the calendar. _Ibid._, 297. I discovered that my name was nowhere to be found—that I was GULFED.
1853. BRADLEY, _Verdant Green_, pt. III. p. 89. I am not going to let them GULPH me a second time.
1863. H. KINGSLEY, AUSTIN ELLIOT, p. 123. The good Professor scolded, predicted that they would all be either GULFED or ploughed.
1865. _Sporting Gaz._, April 1. A man who was _GULFED_ for mathematical honours was certainly, in olden time, unable to enter for the classical examination; but though the arrangement is altered, the term is _not_ obsolete. A man who is GULFED is considered to know enough mathematics for an ordinary degree, but not enough to be allowed his degree in mathematics only; he is consequently obliged to pass in all the ordinary subjects (except mathematics) for the “poll,” before taking his degree.
1876. TREVELYAN, LIFE OF MACAULAY (1884), ch. ii. p. 61. When the Tripos of 1822 made its appearance, his name did not grace the list. In short ... Macaulay was GULFED.
1896. _Tonbridgian_, No. 339, 1124. Poole hopes to get a Third in Honour Mods., and Law hopes to escape a GULF next year in the same.
*Gull*, _subs._ (Oxford: obsolete).—A swindler; a trickster. _Cf._ “GULL-CATCHER,” of which it is probably an abbreviation.
1825. _The English Spy_, v. i. p. 161. “You’ll excuse me, sir, but as you are _fresh_, take care to avoid the GULLS.” “I never understood that GULLS were birds of prey,” said I. “Only in Oxford, sir, and here, I assure you, they bite like hawks.”
*Gutter*, _subs._ (Tonbridge).—A scrummage at Rugby football: now nearly obsolete. [Properly the space between the teams in the scrummage.]
_Verb_ (Winchester).—To fall in the water flat on the stomach.
*Gymmy*, _subs._ (Manchester Grammar).—The gymnasium.
*Gyp* (or *Gip*), _subs._ (Cambridge).—A college servant. At Oxford, a scout; at Dublin, a skip. [Etymology doubtful: according to _Sat. Rev._ an abbreviation of Gipsy Joe: according to Cambridge undergraduates, from the Greek γυψ (GUPS) = a vulture; from the creature’s rapacity.]
1794. _Gent. Mag._, p. 1085. [A Cambridge college servant is called a JIP.]
1803. _Gradus ad Cantab._, 128. To avoid gate-bills he will be out at night as late as he pleases, ... climb over the college wall, and fee his GYP well.
1842. _Tait’s Mag._, Oct., “Reminiscences of Coll. Life.” There is attached to colleges and halls a person more useful than ornamental, and better known than paid, whom Oxonians name GYP, from his supposed moral affinity to a vulture (γυψ). The same is in Dublin denominated a _Skip_, because of the activity which is an indispensable item in his qualifications.
1849. C. KINGSLEY, _Alton Locke_, ch. xii. I’ll send you in luncheon as I go through the butteries; then, perhaps, you’d like to come down and see the race. Ask the GYP to tell you the way.
1850. SMEDLEY, _Frank Fairleigh_, p. 254. Fellow you call the GYP wanted to make me believe you were out—thought I looked too like a governor to be let in, I suppose.
1882. F. ANSTEY, _Vice Versâ_, ch. v. Who should we see coming straight down on us but a Proctor with his bull-dogs (not dogs, you know, but the strongest GYPS in the college).
*Gyte*, _subs._ (Royal High School, Edin.).—A first year’s student.
*Habit*, _subs._ (old University).—See quot.
1803. _Gradus ad Cantabrigiam._ HABIT. College HABIT, College dress, called of old, livery: the dress of the Master, Fellows, and Scholars.
*Hades*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A W.C. _Cf._ STYX.
*Haggory*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—One of the gardens in the _Higher Line_ (_q.v._) playground, which the Irish boys in the early years of the century turned into a debating-place, to promote the views of O’Connell and his party. [A corruption of ἁγορά.]
*Hairy*, _adj._ (Oxford).—Difficult.
_d._ 1861. ARTHUR CLOUGH, _Long Vacation Pastoral_. Three weeks hence we return to the shop and the wash-hand-stand-bason, Three weeks hence unbury Thicksides and HAIRY Aldrich.
1864. _The Press_, Nov. 12. HAIRY for difficult is a characteristic epithet.
*Half-faggot*, _subs._ (Winchester).—_See_ quot.
1881. _Felstedian_, Nov., p. 75, “A Day’s Fagging at Winchester.” At 6.15, when the first bell for chapel rings, I go round and wake up everybody; as the præfects like hot water for washing, I make up a fire, and put on the boilers; in other words, throw a bundle of sticks called a “HALF-FAGGOT” on the old-fashioned “dogs,” or uprights, which form the only fireplaces in chambers, coal not being in use.
*Hall*, _subs._ 1. (Oxford).—Dinner. Also as _verb_ = to dine. [Taken in College Hall.]
1891. _Harry Fludyer at Cambridge_, 55. A lot of Freshmen got together after HALL (it was a Saint’s day, and they’d been drinking audit) and went and made hay in Marling’s rooms.
2. (Sherborne).—Evening preparation.
3. (Shrewsbury).—_See_ SENIOR HALL.
TO GO ON HALL, _verb. phr._ (Winchester).—To fag: as a breakfast waiter.
1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 48. However, as boys came to school better scholars, and were consequently higher placed, fourth form fags grew scarce, and the junior fifth were ordered, as the phrase was, TO GO ON HALL. One champion stood upon his rights, and refused; the indignant prefect proposed to thrash him publicly; the juniors rose in a body and pinioned the prefects. Fond mammas, and other declaimers against school tyranny, will regret to hear that this spirited resistance was not appreciated by Dr. Williams; after a patient hearing of the pleas on both sides, he supported the prefect’s authority (it may be concluded that they had not really exceeded it), and six of the ringleaders were expelled.
*Hall-crier*, _subs._ (Shrewsbury).—_See_ quot.
1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 249. And two HALL-CRIERS (or latterly one), whose chief business was to read out at breakfast time lists of the fags on duty for cricket or football, descriptions of lost articles, &c. &c. This office in former days had commonly to be performed under a fire of such missiles as came handiest—amongst them often the regulation iron spoons supplied for the bread-and-milk breakfast which was the fare in the rougher days of Shrewsbury. Each proclamation began in due form with “Oh yes! oh yes! (Oyez! oyez!)” and ended with “God save the King (or Queen)! and d—— the Radicals!”
*Hall-fagging*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—A duty imposed on sixteen of the lowest boys in each House. They have to attend in Hall, usually four at a time, and carry out orders, while the monitors have breakfast and tea. There was no need for this duty at Old Charterhouse, fags being always at hand. At New Charterhouse this was not always the case; they were often playing at football or cricket, or sitting in the library. Monitors, therefore, arranged the system of HALL-FAGGING. Latterly it has become usual to send into Hall fags who have offended against monitorial discipline, have been talkative in BANCO, or noisy in the cubicles. Where such culprits are available the regular fags are exempt.—TOD.
*Halve*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—A half-holiday: on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
*Halves* (pron. _Hāves_), _subs._ (Winchester: obsolete).—Half-Wellington boots, which were strictly _Non licet_ (_q.v._).
*Hand.* To HAND UP, _verb. phr._ (Winchester).—To give information against; to betray.
*Handball*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—(1) The Stonyhurst form of Fives. Also (2) the ball used in playing; (3) the wall against which the game is played; and (4) the courts into which the wall and ground are divided.
1887. _Stonyhurst Mag._, iii. 18, “Stonyhurst in the Fifties.” On Whit-Saturday HANDBALL came in. We had on that morning 2-1/2 hours’ school ... and having gone up to the study-place to put away our books were let out by schools to run for places. In the old playground there stood one of the present HANDBALLS, one side of it belonging to the Higher Line, and one to the Lower. Of the Higher Line HANDBALLS [on each side of this HANDBALL—the wall—were two HANDBALLS or courts] one belonged to Rhetoric and one to Poetry. Of the Lower Line HANDBALLS one to Grammar and one to Rudiments. There were besides in both Higher and Lower Lines, other inferior HANDBALLS in the wall which separated the playground from the garden, where the rails now stand. They were called “The Pavilions,” and each contained three courts. Those in the Higher Line were common property, the Lower Line ones belonged to Rudiments, Figures, and Elements. Syntax had thus no HANDBALL and Rudiments had two. In the Higher Line possession of the HANDBALL always went to the first comers, those who first “touched-in” having it. In the Lower Line during after-dinner recreation (at least in the large HANDBALLS) it went by order of Compositions.
*Handing-up*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A form of Lynch law inflicted [up to the second quarter of the century] by monitors on a boy known to have been guilty of any highly disgraceful conduct reflecting on the character of the school—stealing, for example. The monitors satisfied themselves, after careful inquiry, of the guilt of the accused, and called him before an assembly of the Upper School in Butler’s Hall, where he received from each monitor a certain number of blows with a study toasting-fork. The punishment was severe, but merciful to the delinquent as an alternative in some cases to expulsion if the charge had been brought before the head-master.—THORNTON.
*Harder*, _subs._ (Harrow).—Racquets: as opposed to SQUASH (_q.v._); also a racquet ball. Whence HARDER-COURT = the racquet court.
*Hard-up*, _adv._ (Winchester).—Abashed or out of countenance; exhausted (as in swimming).
*Harlequin*, _subs._ (Winchester).—The wooden centre of a red indiarubber ball.
*Harry-soph*, _subs._ (Cambridge: obsolete).—See SOPH.
1795. _Gent. Mag._, p. 20. A HARRY, or ERRANT SOPH, I understand to be either a person, four-and-twenty years of age, and of an infirm state of health, who is permitted to dine with the Fellows, and to wear a plain, black, full-sleeved gown; or else he is one who, having kept all the terms, by statute required previous to his law-act, is _hoc ipsa facto_ entitled to wear the same garment, and thenceforth ranks as bachelor, by courtesy.
1803. _Gradus ad Cantabrigiam_. HARRY SOPH, or HENRY SOPHISTER; students who have kept all the terms required for a law act, and hence are ranked as Bachelors of Law by courtesy. They wear a plain, black, full-sleeved gown.
*Hash*, _verb_ (general).—To study hard; TO SWAT (_q.v._).
*Hasher*, _subs._ 1. (Charterhouse).—A “made” dish.
2. (Charterhouse).—A football sweater—tight-fitting, with the colours running round in horizontal lines. In 1863 football shirts were introduced in place of HASHERS.
*Hat*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—A gentleman commoner. [Who is permitted to wear a hat instead of the regulation mortar-board.] Also GOLD HATBAND.
1628. EARLE, _Microcosmographie_, “Young Gentleman of the Universitie” (ed. ARBER, 1868). His companion is ordinarily some stale fellow that has beene notorious for an ingle to GOLD HATBANDS, whom hee admires at first, afterwards scornes.
1803. _Gradus ad Cantabrigiam._ Hat Commoner; the son of a nobleman, who wears the gown of a Fellow Commoner with a HAT.
1830. LYTTON, _Paul Clifford_, ch. xxxii. I knew intimately all the HATS in the University.
1841. LYTTON, _Night and Morning_, Bk. I. ch. i. He had certainly nourished the belief that some one of the HATS or tinsel gowns, _i.e._ young lords or fellow.
*Hatch*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A flood-gate. [Hatch = a flood-gate (BAILEY); also var. dial. = a garden-gate, wicket-gate, or half-door.]
*Hatch-thoke*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A Founder’s Commemoration-day. [THOKE = to lie late in bed; an old custom being to lie in bed till breakfast on such occasions, names being called at HATCH in Commoners.]
*Haul*, _verb_ (University).—To summon before the Proctor for misdemeanour. Whence HAULABLE, _adj._, used of those whose society authorities deem undesirable for the men: _e.g._ they’re HAULABLE = those caught with them will be proctorised.
1891. _Harry Fludyer at Cambridge_, 89. At last they were caught trying to drive in through the big gate of John’s. Next day they were HAULED and sent down.
TO HAUL UP, _verb. phr._ (Harrow).—To have a boy up to House out of school-hours, to say “turned” repetitions.
*Haves.* _See_ HALVES.
*He*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—A cake. YOUNG HE = a small cake; a FISH-HE = fish-cake. _See_ SHE.
*Head*, _subs._ (Tonbridge).—The chief cricket-ground.
*Health Walk*, subs. (Stonyhurst).—When the weather has been bad for some time, the boys are freed on the first fine day for “HEALTH WALKS.” The name seems still to be surviving, through more often the boys have football than walks on such occasions.
*Heder*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A plunge, feet foremost. Fr. _une chandelle_.
*Hedgehog*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—A London nickname for a Hertford BLUE (_q.v._). _See_ Appendix.
_c._ 1800-29. _The Blue-Coat Boy_ [_More Gleanings from_ THE BLUE], 203. Another isolated statement of interest (unknown, perhaps, to some), is that “Hertford boys called the London boys, ‘Jackdaws,’ and those in London called those at Hertford ‘HEDGEHOGS’;” hedgehog boys and pigtailed masters!
*Heifer*, _subs._ (Charterhouse: obsolete).—A charwoman.
*Hell*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A shady nook near Third Pot, famous for a profusion of violets. [Dial. (Hants) = a dark, wooded place: originally (SKEAT) a hidden place.]
*Hell-and-neck boy*, _subs. phr._ (Royal High School, Edin.: obsolete).—A venturesome boy who had frequently climbed the KITTLE-NINE-STEPS (q.v.).
*Hell Hole* and “*Hell’s Gates*,” _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—The name of some foundations of an old factory built on the Hodder.
*High* (The), _subs._ (Oxford).—High Street. _Cf._ The BROAD, the TURL, the CORN, &c.
*High*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—A fruit-pie. _See_ Low.
_c._ 1890. _More Gleanings from_ THE BLUE, 92. Those greedy gluttons who during life had lain in wait for monied comrades, assailing them with importunate entreaties or even with open violence. Now they outstretched bony hands in vain for juicy “HIGHS,” which mocked and eluded their grasp; bottles of ginger-beer and cherries hovered above their skinny lips, as erst in “cherry-bob,” but never were they granted taste or sip of cool beverage or dainty morsel.
*Higher Line*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—The three highest classes.
*High-master*, _subs._ (St. Paul’s and Manchester Grammar).—The Head-master: at Manchester the term was used in the earliest statutes of the school (1515). _See_ SUR-MASTER.
*Hills*, _subs._ 1. (Winchester).—St. Catharine’s Hill. Hence, TO SHIRK HILLS = _see_ quot.
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life_, p. 28. Some of his principal duties were to take the boys “on to HILLS,” call names there, &c.
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_, 214. HILLS—St. Catherine’s Hill, a green hill about one mile and a half from College, about five hundred feet high, and near the top surrounded by a deep trench, the remains of an old Roman camp. The boys had to ascend this twice a day on whole Holidays and Remedies, once before breakfast, and again at half-past two. In the summer they also went out in the evening, but did not ascend Hills, but disported themselves below. These sorties were called “going on to HILLS,” the evening expedition being called “Underhills.” _Ibid._, iii. Ordinary offences of a trifling character, such as being late for Chapel or “SHIRKING HILLS” [_i.e._ evading going Hills], were punished by the infliction of an imposition—generally thirty lines of Virgil, English and Latin.
1867. COLLINS, _The Public Schools_, p. 24. Tuesdays and Thursdays were partial holidays, on which the boys went out to the HILLS twice; once in the morning, returning at nine to breakfast, and again in the afternoon, coming off at three. There they played at quoits, football, and something which seems to have borne a resemblance to cricket.
2. (Cambridge).—The Gogmagog Hills; a common morning’s ride.—_Gradus ad Cantab._
*Hiss* (The), _subs._ (Winchester).—The signal given at the commencement of school hours when a Master was coming in.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840).
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ [1866], 104. Just before school-time a boy was always stationed to watch the arrival of the Master, of which he had to give notice by emitting a loud HISS, upon which there was a general rush up to books; the previous uproar dwindled to a calm, and work began.
*Hivite*, _subs._ (St. Bees’).—A student of St. Bees’ (Cumberland).
1865. _John Bull_, Nov. 11. To be a HIVITE has long been considered a little worse than a “literate.”... Of the value of some St. Bees’ testimonials we may form an estimate, &c.
*Hobbs*, _subs._ (Tonbridge).—A fad; a mental eccentricity. _See_ TACHS.
*Hobby*, _subs._ (common).—A translation. To RIDE HOBBIES = to use CRIBS (_q.v._).
*Hockey-sticks and Fourpennies*, _subs. phr._ (Charterhouse).—A kind of irregular cricket played at Old Charterhouse. The bats were huge bludgeons called hockey-sticks, but without any curve at the end; the balls were like large fives-balls, and a little smaller than a regulation cricket-ball; the wickets were usually coats or jackets; gownboy jackets were much the best, because they were stiff and easily stood upright; the pitch was either on the football ground, where there was no grass, or on a flagged pavement in cloisters.
*Hodgsonites* (Charterhouse).—_See_ OUT-HOUSES.
*Hodman* (Oxford).—A scholar from Westminster School admitted to Christ Church College.
1728. BAILEY, _Eng. Dict._, s.v. HODMAN.
1847. HALLIWELL, _Arch. Words_, s.v.... A nickname for a Canon of Christ Church.
*Hog*, _subs._ (Cambridge: obsolete).—A student of St. John’s. Also JOHNIAN HOG. _See_ CRACKLE, BRIDGE OF GRUNTS, and ISTHMUS OF SUEZ.
1690. _Diary of Abraham de la Pryme_ (Surtees Society, No. 54), quoted in _Notes and Queries_, 6 S., xi. 328. For us Jonians are called abusively HOGGS.
1795. _Gent. Mag._, lxv. 22. The JOHNIAN HOGS were originally remarkable on account of the squalid figures and low habits of the _students_, and especially of the _sizars_ of Saint _John’s_ College. [Another story of how name originated is given in detail in _Gent. Mag._ (1795), lxv. 107.]
1889. WHIBLEY, _In Cap and Gown_, p. 28. An obsolete name for members of St. John’s College, Cambridge.