Nail,subs.(Winchester).—Seequot., andBibling.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester(1866), 221. To stand up under theNAIL—the punishment inflicted on a boy detected in a lie; he was ordered to stand up on Junior Row, just under the centre sconce, during the whole of school time. At the close of it he received a Bibler.
Verb.To impress for any kind of fagging; to detect.
Name.To order one’s name,verb. phr.(Winchester: obsolete).—Seequots.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester, 223.Order your name. An order given to a delinquent by the Head or Second Master, which was carried out by the boy requesting the Ostiarius to do so, the consequence of which was, that at the end of school that officer presented to the Master the victim’s name on a Roll, who forthwith received a Scrubbing. When the words to the Bible-clerk were added, the business was confided to that officer, who, with the Ostiarius, officiated at the subsequent ceremony, which in this case was called a Bibler.
1878.Adams,Wykehamica, xxiii. 429.Order your name, the direction given to an offender by any of the authorities. The boy so directed, if he was in College, or if the order was given in school, had to go to the Ostiarius—or to the Præfect in course, if the offence was committed in Commoners—and give information of the order, and the reason why it had been given. The Ostiarius, or the Præfect in course, wrote down the culprit’s name, together with that of the Master, and the offence, and carried it up to the Head or Second Master, when due execution was done.
Native(pron.nahtive),subs.(The Leys).—Originally a “crib”: now of varied signification.To native a football= to be tricky with it; asadj.= clever: alsoNativey.
Nescio.To sport a nescio(old University).—Seequot.
1823.Grose,Vulg. Tongue[Egan], s.v.Nescio.He sports a nescio; he pretends not to understand anything. After the senate-house examination for degrees, the students proceed to the schools to be questioned by the proctor. According to custom immemorial the answers must beNESCIO. The following is a translated specimen:Q.What is your name?A.I do not know.Q.What is the name of this University?A.I do not know.Q.Who was your father?A.I do not know.
Nestor,subs.(Winchester).—An undersized boy.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester(1866), 221.Nestor—Any boy who was past eighteen, or was old for his position in the school, or who was known to be much older than he looked.
New-bug,subs.(general).—A new boy.
New Guinea,subs.(Oxford: obsolete).—Seequot.
1823.Grose,Vulg. Tongue[Egan], s.v.New Guinea.First possession of income.
News,subs.(The Leys).—One division of the “School House,” with three dormitories—“Upper News,” “Under News,” “Further News.”SeeOlds.
New Settlements,subs.(Oxford: obsolete).—Seequot.
1823.Grose,Vulg. Tongue[Egan], s.v.New Settlements.Final reckonings.
Newy,subs.(Winchester).—TheCAD(q.v.) paid to look after the canvas tent inCommoner(q.v.) field.
Nezzar,subs.(Durham: obsolete).—A young lady.
Nick,verb(Durham).—To pray.
Nicks,intj.(Manchester Grammar).—Cave! Look out! [Said also to be common in Manchester as a warning of the approach of the police.]SeeAppendix.
Niff,verb(Derby).—To smell.
Nig,subs.(Christ’s Hospital).—A dodge. Obsolete.
Nigshious,adj.(Christ’s Hospital).—Ingenious:e.g.“aNIGSHIOUSdodge.” Obsolete.
Nihil-ad-rem,adj.(Winchester).—Vague; unconscious.Ex.“He sportedNIHIL-AD-REMducks.”
Nine Steps.SeeKittle-nine-steps.
Nipper,subs.(Loretto).—Originally a boy of the lowest Form: since there has been a preparatory House the term is applied to all the boys there.
Nipperkin,subs.(Winchester: obsolete).—A stone jug used for serving beer in College between meals. Tea has long been substituted for beer.
c.1696. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Nipperkin.Half a pint of Wine, and but half a Quartern of Brandy, strong waters, &c.
1698-1700.Ward,Lond. Spy,II. (1706), i. 31. By that time we had sipp’d off ourNipperkinof my GrannumsAqua Mirabilis.
1719.Durfey,Pills to Purge.... Song, Quart-pot, pint-pot,NIPPERKEN, &c.
1785.GROSE,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1832.Noctes Ambrosianæ, Sept. William III., who only snoozed over aNIPPERKINof Schiedam with a few Dutch favourites.
1882.J. Ashton,Social Life in Reign of Q. Anne, i. 197. [Beer] was of different qualities, from the “pennyNIPPERKINof Molassas Ale” to “a pint of Ale cost me five-pence.”
1883.Trollope,What I Remember. It was the duty of the bedmakers to carry every evening into each chamber a hugeNIPPERKINof beer.
Nob, subs. (Oxford: obsolete).—The Fellow of a College. [Probably the original application of the colloquial usage = a person of rank or position; from “nobility.”Cf.Mob, frommobile vulgus.]
1825.English Spy, i. 136. “We must find you some more tractable personage; some good-humouredNOB.”
Noggs,subs.(Harrow).—A hereditary name for Custos’ assistant. [From Dickens: the first owner’s name was Newman—henceNoggs.]
Nomenclature(Harrow).—SeeUpper School.
Non-attached(orNon-collegiate),adj.(Oxford).—Most of the students belong to a college or hall, but in 1868 what was at first known as the “NON-ATTACHED,” and is now designated the “NON-COLLEGIATE” system, was established. The system, a revival of one that prevailed in ancient times, is under the control of a body termed the Delegacy, the chief officer being named the Censor. Efficient provision is made for tuition, but its members live in their own lodgings in the city, and are thus able to suit their own pockets. Supervision is retained over the lodging-houses in a sanitary and other points of view, from the fact that they have to be licensed by the University authorities.
Non-licet,adj.andadv.(Winchester).—Illegal; unbefitting a Wykehamist.Ex.“Don’t sportNON-LICETnotions.”
Nonsense,subs.(Eton).—A small division of the Third Form. Now abolished.
Northwick(The),subs.(Harrow).—The Northwick rifle: given by Lord Northwick for the best aggregate of seven shoots during the season.
Noter,subs.(Harrow).—A note-book.
Notion,subs.(Winchester).—A word, phrase, or usage peculiar to Winchester College.
Novi,subs.(Tonbridge).—A new boy.
Nurse,subs.(Christ’s Hospital).—A matron.
c.1800. “Christ’s Hospital Seventy-five Years Ago” (Blue, Nov., 1875). TheNURSESwere permitted to flog and punish the boys as they thought proper, and some of theNURSESwere cruel women. One poor fellow in my ward was labouring under a bodily infirmity. The brute of a nurse used constantly to flog him with nettles, fresh-gathered from time to time for the purpose, declaring they had the virtue of strengthening his bodily frame, &c.! [SeeAppendix.]
Nursery(The),subs.(King Edward’s, Birm.).—A gallery at one end of Big School, in which the lowest two classes are taught.