Bookwork,subs.(University).—Mathematics that can be learnedverbatimfrom books—anything not a problem.
Boots-and-Leathers,intj.(Winchester).—SeePeal.
Bostruchyzer,subs.(Oxford: obsolete).—A small comb for curling the whiskers.—Hotten.
Botany-bay,subs.(University).—(1) Worcester College, Oxford; and (2) part of Trinity College, Dublin. [On account of their remote situations.]
1841.Lever,Charles O’Malley, xx. note.Botany Baywas the slang name given by college men to a new square rather remotely situated from the remainder of the college [i.e.Trinity, Dublin].
1853. Rev.E. Bradley(“Cuthbert Bede”),Adventures of Verdant Green, i. p. 63.Botany-bay, a name given to Worcester College, from its being the most distant college.
1886.Graves,Way about Oxfordshire, 19. At the end is Worcester College (1714), from its remote position dubbed ...BOTANY-BAY, but called by those who wish to speak endearingly of it “Wuggins.”
1900.Athenæum, 17th Feb., 208.Botany-bayis often found as strangely misapplied as the “Paradise” of so many rows. For instance, the “Quad” of Trinity College, Dublin, which has been so called for generations, can hardly have ever been remarkable for its flora. The probable explanation is that its buildings were old and uncomfortable, and it was the favourite abode of the youngest and noisiest members of the University.
Botolph’s,subs.(The Leys).—A “Run” to St. Botolph’s Church.
Bottle,verb(Durham: obsolete).—To make hot:e.g.I got regularlyBOTTLEDin that room; specifically, “to roast” a boy before a fire.SeeAppendix.
Bottled.To be bottled,verb. phr.(Sherborne).—To be turned in work.
Bottom-side,subs.(Harrow).—A wing: at football. The lower wing (if one be lower than the other); as a rule the one farthest from the hill.
Boule,subs.(Charterhouse).—A general confab or conversation.SeePrivee.
1900.Tod,Charterhouse, 82. There was aBOULE(βουλή) once in the Sixth Form of 1872 as to what a monitor should do if he were thus insulted [by a visit of a master to Banco].
Bounce.First Bounce,subs.(Stonyhurst).—A goal (which is never allowed) taken by a “drop-kick” at football.
Second bounce,subs.(Stonyhurst: obsolete).—A kind ofHANDBALL(q.v.) once very popular.
1887.Stonyhurst Mag., July, p. 18, “Stonyhurst in the Fifties.”Second bounce, a variety of handball played with small balls most artistically made of strips of indiarubber, and covered with the best kid-leather. These balls had to be taken to pieces and remade after every match, and they had to be quite freshly made when used. Their seams required to be frequently rubbed over with wax, some of which was always smeared on the handball wall for the purpose. For a game ofSECOND BOUNCEa whole side of one of the big handballs was required, and it was played by eight players, four a side. The “over-all” of ordinary handball was the “over line,” and the bulk of the players stood out yards beyond it. He whose “hand” it was bounced the ball, and with a long strong swing of his arm hit it up against the wall, whence with a sharp smack it rebounded high in the air and far out into the ground. As it descended one of the opposite party stopped it with his hand and let itBOUNCEtwice on the ground, theFIRST BOUNCEbeing, as a rule, too high to let him strike it, and then with a similar swing hit it up again. The rules, except as to permitting the ball to be taken up at theSECOND BOUNCE, were similar to those of handball. Balls perished quickly in such a game, nearly a dozen being required for one.Second bounceused chiefly to be played on Sunday afternoon, after Vespers, and almost all not engaged in the game would range themselves on the flanks to watch.
Bounder,subs.(University).—A dog-cart.
Bounds,subs.(general).—The limit or the boundaries beyond which it is not permissible to go.
On bounds(Stonyhurst).—A punishment to which a boy who has been flagrantly “out of bounds” (the term as in other Public Schools) is subjected. He is confined during ordinary recreations to a very limited portion of the playground. Such a boy is said to be “putON BOUNDS.”
Bowing-round Sunday,subs. phr.(Christ’s Hospital).—SeePublic-supping.
1854. “Our Rebellion” [The Blue(1871) July]. Next day wasBOWING-ROUND SUNDAY. “Hand down, don’t bow,” was the signal that passed down our ranks as we stood in the Hall Cloisters, and many were the black looks, but few the nods of reverence, our Treasurer and his two attendant governors got that morning.
Bowl,verb.1. (general).—To master; to succeed: as in a paper, a lesson, an examination, &c.; to overcome: as a difficulty, an examiner, &c.SeeFloorandThrow.
1891.Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 55. My Coach says he thinks I shallBOWLover the Examiners next term in the General.
2. (Winchester).—To “pluck” or “plough” up to books;TO CROPPLE(q.v.).
Box,verb.1. (Westminster).—To take possession of; “to bag.”
2. (Stonyhurst).—To strike a ball with the closed hand when in the air.SeeStonyhurst-football.
3. (Charterhouse).—Of books: if a member of a House Library Committee finds a library book lying about, he calls out the name of the book three times at the top of his voice, and adds, “BOXED!” The boy who has taken out the book thusBOXEDis fined sixpence, saving the fine if he shouts “Mine!” before the word of confiscation is uttered.
Box-buildings,subs.(Sherborne: obsolete).—The Sanatorium: in the seventeenth century calledSick-house(q.v.), and subsequentlyBOX-BUILDINGS. These buildings were pulled down in 1850 and the name disappeared.
Boy,subs.(Harrow).—A grade of fag. The Lower School are putON BOY, in turns, to go messages, &c., for the Sixth Form.SeeAppendix.
Brasenose(orB. N. C.),subs.(Oxford).—Brasenose College. [Founded in 1509 on the site of four ancient Halls—Little University Hall was one, another being Brasenose Hall (thirteenth century). Authorities differ as to the origin of the curious name.Seequots.]
1512.Charter of Henry VIII.The King’s Hall and College ofBrasenose.
1800.Churton,Life of Bishop Smith, 227. Brazen Nose Hall, as the Oxford antiquary has shown, may be traced as far back as the time of Henry III., about the middle of the thirteenth century; and early in the succeeding reign, 6 Edward I., 1278, it was known by the name of Brasen Nose Hall, which peculiar name was undoubtedly owing, as the same author observes, to the circumstance of a nose of brass affixed to the gate. It is presumed, however, that this conspicuous appendage of the portal was not formed of the mixed metal which the word now denotes, but the genuine produce of the mine; as is the nose, or rather face, of a lion or leopard still remaining at Stamford, which also gave name to the edifice it adorned. And hence, when Henry VIII. debased the coin by an alloy ofcopper, it was a common remark or proverb, that “Testons were gone to Oxford, to study inBrasenNose.”
1837.Ingram,Memorials of Oxford.Brasenose.... This curious appellation, which, whatever was the origin of it, has been perpetuated by the symbol of a brazen nose here and at Stamford, occurs with the modern orthography, but in one undivided word, so early as 1278, in an inquisition now printed inThe Hundred Rolls, though quoted by Wood from the manuscript record.
1837.British Critic, xxiv. 139. There is a spot in the centre of the city where Alfred is said to have lived.Brasenoseclaims his palace, Oriel his church, and University his school or academy. Of theseBrasenoseis still called “the King’s Hall,” which is the name by which Alfred himself, in his laws, calls his palace; and it has its present singular name from a corruption ofbrasinium, orbrasin-huse, as having been originally located in that part of the royal mansion which was devoted to the then important accommodation of a brew-house.
1898.Alden,Oxford Guide, 52. Brasenose Hall (thirteenth century) is said to have derived the name from its occupying the site of abrasen-husor brewhouse. Over the old entrance-gate is the representation of abrazen nose, probably added at a much later date, when punning rebuses of this kind were in fashion.
Brasser,subs.(Christ’s Hospital: obsolete).—A bully.
Bread-and-beer,subs. phr.(Stonyhurst).—The name given to the snack which boys may take at five o’clock.
Bread-boy,subs.(Christ’s Hospital).—Seequot.
1798. Narrative “Christ’s Hospital, Three quarters of a Century ago” [Chelmsford Chronicle(1875), Ap. 16]. The breakfast-bell rang about seven, when we all went into the hall, the nurses following, with boys from each ward (calledBREAD-BOYS) carrying large baskets on their shoulders containing bread, which were taken to the head of each table, where stood the nurse, who, after “grace,” went down the table, serving out to each boy half of a twopenny loaf of bread. “Well,” you’ll say, “but where’s the butter?” None was allowed—nothing but bare bread. Those who had been sparing over night to save a portion of the small piece of cheese they had for their supper, pulled it out of their pockets. Sometimes a great fellow would make a little boy always supply him with cheese of mornings, out of the piece the poor fellow had had for his supper the night previous. Beer we had certainly, served out in wooden vessels of an extraordinary shape, called “piggins”; about six of them for four boys to drink out of, but such beer! The piggins were seldom replenished, for we could not drink it. We used to call it “the washings of the brewers’ aprons.”
1900.Pall Mall Gazette, 20th March, 3. 2. “A Lenten Supper.” Last of all theBREAD-BOYhoists the tall bread-basket shoulder high and bows round with it, never failing to raise a laugh as well as a basket.
Bread-picker,subs.(Winchester: obsolete).—A Junior appointed by the four senior Præfects in Commoners: at one time to put candles in outhouses; but formerly the word is supposed to relate to the duty of securing bread when served out. The office exempted from fagging at meal times.
Brekker,subs.(Harrow).—Breakfast.
1898.Stonyhurst Mag., Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” Each undergraduate has two rooms, a bedroom and a sitting-room. In these he lives, studies, and, with the exception of evening dinner in the Hall, has his meals. He is thus able to entertain. The fashionable meal to which to invite a friend is breakfast, or vernacularlyBREKKER.
Brew,verb.1. (Marlborough).—To make afternoon tea.
2. (Harrow).—To knock about; to damage.
3. (Harrow).—To cook. Hence, assubs.= a mess, or self-cooked meal.
Brick,verb(Charterhouse).—To hustle;TO MOB UP(q.v.);TO BARGE(q.v.).
Bricks,subs.(Wellington).—A kind of pudding. [Also (var. dial.) = a kind of loaf.]
Bridge of Grunts(Cambridge).—SeeIsthmus of Suez.
Bring-on,subs.(The Leys).—ASIZING(q.v.), or extra in the way of food (as jam, tinned meat, &c.). [That is, what a boy “BRINGS ON” to his table, chiefly at tea.]
Broad(The),subs.(Oxford).—Broad Street.
Broad-sheet,subs.(Harrow).—The printed school list: issued after theTRIALS(q.v.).
Brock,subs.(Winchester).—To bully; to tease; to badger. [Brock, provincial in North and Hants = a badger, and baiting these animals was a school sport till 1870.] HenceBROCKSTER= a bully.
Brogues,subs.(Christ’s Hospital).—Breeches. [An old English survival: still dial. in Suffolk.]
Broker,subs.(Oxford).—A member of Pembroke College.
Brooke Hall(Charterhouse).—At Old Charterhouse the officers’ common room; at New Charterhouse the masters’ common room: it is the place to which impositions must be taken.
1900.Tod,Charterhouse, p. 94. In the seventeenth century schoolmasters had to be careful of their politics. Thus Master Robert Brooke, the fourth of the “schoolmasters,” is said to have refused to sign the Solemn League and Covenant, and to have flogged some of his boys for Parliamentary proclivities. He was ejected from his office in 1643. At the Restoration, though not fully restored, he was given “two chambers in cloisters and a pension of £30 a year.” After his death these two chambers were knocked into one and it becameBrooke hall.
Brook-jumping,subs.(Rugby).—SeeHouse-washing.
Brosier(orBrozier).To brozier my dame,verb. phr.(Eton).—To “eat out of house and home.” When aDAME(q.v.) keeps an unusually bad table, the boys agree on a certain day to eat him literally “out of house and home.” HenceBROZIERED= cleaned out. [Brozier(Cheshire) = bankrupt.]
1796.Merton,Way to get Married(Inchbald,British Theatre, vol. xxvi.). [The term is so used here.]
Browse,subs.(Marlborough).—A pleasant or easy time; a treat; anything enjoyable:e.g.MORNING BROWSE= leave off early school; French is aBROWSE. Hence,Captain’s browse= an expedition to which a master takes his House Captains. [Frombrowse= to eat lazily.]
Adj.Pleasant; enjoyable. Also (more frequently)BROWSY:e.g.aBROWSYmorning = a morning in which little work is done; an awfullyBROWSYday, or time = an enjoyable time.
Verb.To enjoy; to like: generally withon:e.g.“IBROWSE ONold Smith,” or, “ONScience hour.”
Brum,adj.(Winchester).—(1) Poor; (2) mean, stingy.Dead brum= penniless.
Brush,subs.1. (common).—A schoolmaster.
2. (Christ’s Hospital).—A flogging.
1844.Reminis. of Christ’s Hospital[The Blue, Aug. 1874]. The punishment ... next in severity was flogging with the birch (calledBRUSHING).
Verb(Christ’s Hospital).—To flog.
Brute,subs.(Cambridge).—Seequot. AlsoBeast.
1868.Brewer,Phrase and Fable, s.v.Brute, in Cambridge University slang, is a man who has not yet matriculated. The play is evident. A “man” in college phrase is a collegian; and as matriculation is the sign and seal of acceptance, a scholar before that ceremony is not a “man,” and therefore only a “BIPED BRUTE.”
Buck,adj.1. (Winchester: obsolete).—Handsome.
2. (Felsted).—Fine; jolly.
1897.Felstedian, July, p. 129. What’s the good of a Præfect? he never gets anybody up, and has never been known to be in time himself. He’s aBUCKlot of use.
To be bucked,verb. phr.(Uppingham).—To be tired.
To buck down,verb. phr.(Winchester).—To grieve; to be unhappy.
To buck up,verb. phr.1. (Winchester).—To cheer; to be pleased.
2. (Westminster).—To exert oneself.
3. (Harrow).—To play hard; to hurry.
Bucksome(orBuxom),adj.(Winchester).—Happy; cheerful.
Budder,subs.(Felsted: obsolete).—A hard worker; aSWOTTER. [From a proper name.]
Bug and Tick,subs. phr.(The Leys).—The Natural History Society.SeeBug and Snail(Appendix).
Buissonites,subs.(Charterhouse).—Now calledBodeites(q.v.).
Bulky,adj.(Winchester).—(1) Rich; (2) generous.
Bull-dog,subs.1. (University).—A proctor’s assistant or marshal.
1823.Lockhart,Reg. Dalton,I., x. (1842), 59. Long forgotten stories about proctors bit andBULL-DOGSbaffled.
1841.Lytton,Night and Morning, bk. iii. chap. iii. The proctor and hisBULL-DOGScame up ... and gave chase to the delinquents; ... the night was dark, and they reached the College in safety.
1847.Tennyson,Princess, Prologue. We unworthier told Of college; he had climb’d across the spikes, And he had squeezed himself betwixt the bars, And he had breath’d the Proctor’sDOGS.
1880.Brewer,Reader’s Handbook.Bull-dogs, the two servants of a university proctor, who follow him in his rounds, to assist him in apprehending students who are violating the university statutes, such as appearing in the streets after dinner without cap and gown, &c.
2. (Cambridge: obsolete).—A Fellow of Trinity College.
Bully,subs.(Eton).—A mellay at football: the equivalent of the RugbySCRUMMAGE(q.v.), and the WinchesterHOT(q.v.).
Bunker’s Hill(Stonyhurst).—A row of cottages outside Hodder grounds. Originally called Bankhurst, but after a battle here between the inhabitants and the new-comers a century ago, its present name was given to it. (SeeStonyhurst Mag., ii. 92.)
Bum-brusher,subs.(general).—A schoolmaster; also an usher.
1704.T. Brown,Works(1760), ii. 86. [Dionysius] was forced to turnBUM-BRUSHER.
1788.New London Magazine, p. 137. A successor was immediately called from that great nursery ofBUM-BRUSHERS, Appleby School.
1832.Blackwood’s Mag., Oct., p. 426. To protract existence ... in the shape ofBUM-BRUSHERS, and so forth, after the fashion of the exalted emigrés of 1792.
1838.Comic Almanac, Dec. [Schoolmaster’s Letter signed] BarnabasBom-brush.
Bum-curtain,subs.(Cambridge).—An academical gown—scant and short; especially applied to the short black gown worn till 1835 by members of Caius College.
1835. (Quoted inWhibley’sThree Centuries of Cambridge Wit[1889].) ’Tis the College of Caius—’tis the land where the “BUM-CURTAIN” lately was sported by each jolly chum, But now black and blue are the gowns that they wear Like the eye of a drunkard returned from a fair.
Bumf,subs.(general).—Paper.SeeAppendix.
Bumf-hunt,subs.(Wellington).—A paper-chase.
Bumming,subs.(Wellington).—A thrashing.
Bump,subs.andverb(University).—SeeBumping-race.
Bumping-race,subs.(University).—Eight-oared inter-Collegiate races, rowed in two divisions of fifteen and sixteen boats respectively, including aSANDWICH BOAT(q.v.),i.e.the top boat of the second division, which rows bottom of the first. The boats in each division start at a distance apart of 175 feet from stern to stern in the order at which they left off at the last preceding race, and any boat which overtakes andBUMPSanother (i.e.touches it in any part) before the winning post is reached, changes places with it for the next race. HenceBUMP-SUPPER= a supper to commemorate the event.
1849.Thackeray,Pendennis, iii. He listened, and with respect too, to Mr. Foker’s accounts of what the men did at the University of which Mr. F. was an ornament, and encountered a long series of stories about boat-racing,BUMPING, College grass-plats, and milk-punch.
1853.Bradley,Verdant Green, x. ABUMP-SUPPER—that is, O ye uninitiated! a supper to commemorate the fact of the boat of one College having, in the annual races,BUMPED, or touched the boat of another College immediately in its front, thereby gaining a place towards the head of the river,—aBUMP-SUPPERwas a famous opportunity for discovering both the rowing and paying capabilities of Freshmen, who, in the enthusiasm of the moment, would put down their two or three guineas, and at once propose their names to be enrolled as members at the next meeting of the club.
1860.Macmillan’s Magazine, March, p. 331. The chances of St. Ambrose’s making aBUMPthe first night were weighed.
1865.Sketches from Cambridge, p. 7. I can still condescend to give our boat a stout when it makes aBUMP.
1886-7.Dickens,Dictionary of Cambridge, p. 11. Any boat which overtakes andBUMPSanother ... before the winning post is reached, changes place with it for the next race.
1891.Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 2. I’m rowing in our first Lent boat. We ought to make someBUMPS.Ibid., 51. We had a grandBUMP-SUPPER, with lots of speeches.
1900.Westminster Gaz., 21st Feb., 8. 3. In the Second Division, WorcesterBUMPEDChrist Church II. at the Ferry. Hertford left off at the head of the division.
Bunk,verb(Wellington and Sherborne).—To expel from school.
Bunky,adj.(Christ’s Hospital).—Awkward; ill-finished.
Bunny-grub,subs.(Cheltenham).—Green vegetables;GRASS(q.v.).
Burr,verb(Marlborough).—To tussle or fight in a noisy, but friendly manner. Also assubs.
Butcher.To butcher about,verb. phr.(Wellington).—To make a great noise; to humbug.
Buttery,subs.(University).—A college kitchen. [SeeTwelfth Night, i. 3;Taylor,Works, i. 113.]
1853.Bradley,Verdant Green, iv. He was bearing a jug ofBUTTERYale (they are renowned for their ale at Brazenface).
Buying,subs.(Stonyhurst).—An opportunity which is given for the purchase of pastry in the refectory at “Bread-and-beer” (q.v.) time.