Rabbiter,subs.(Winchester).—A blow, delivered by the side of the hand, on the back of the neck: as in killing a rabbit.
Rabbit-Skin,subs.(University).—The academical hood. HenceTO GET ONE’S RABBIT-SKIN= to obtain the B.A. degree. [Because trimmed with rabbit fur. AlsoCAT’S-SKIN.]
Rack,subs.(Winchester).—ADISPAR(q.v.), or portion consisting of a joint (or chop) from a neck or loin of mutton. [Rack(Halliwell) = the neck of mutton or pork; also (Johnson) = a neck of mutton cut for the table.]
1594.Lyly,Mother Bombie, iii. 4.Lu.And me thought there came in a leg of mutton.Dro.What, all grosse meat? aRACKEhad beene dainty.
1706.Coles,Eng. Dict., s.v.Rack.... Probably fromhracca, Saxon, the back of the head.
...May,Accomplished Cook, 57. Then again, put in the crag end of theRACK OF MUTTONto make the broth good.Ibid., p. 25. Take two joynts of mutton,RACKand loin.
Rag,subs.(University).—1. An undergraduate’s gown.
1899.Answers, 14th Jan., 1. 1. This matter of theRAGis hedged about with many unwritten laws. One who has mastered these will never go to breakfast in another man’s rooms in cap and gown.... Nor will he wear theRAGin the theatre, which is strictly barred.
2. A jollification.
1900.Daily Mail, 10th Mar., 2. 4. There was keen excitement at Cambridge yesterday when the magistrates proceeded to deal with the last two prosecutions of students arising out of the notoriousRAGin celebration of the relief of Ladysmith.
Ragged-soph.SeeSoph.
Ramrod(orRaymonder),subs.(Winchester).—A ball bowled all along the ground.—Mansfield(c.1840).
Range,verb(The Leys).—To play football in the small walled playground.
Rattle,subs.(Stonyhurst).—The hour of rising:e.g.“I got up at theRATTLE.” [From the instrument by which the boys are called.]
Rawcliffe’s,subs.(Stonyhurst).—An old tuck-shop: recently obsolete.
Rawk.SeeRorke.
Reader,subs.(Winchester).—Seequot.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester(1886), 228.Reader—An office in the gift of every Præfect in SeniorFardel(q.v.), which excused the recipient from watching out at Cricket. His business was to read out aloud the translation of any book his Master was cramming for Election examination.
Reading-shelf,subs.(Winchester).—A shelf with a drawer fixed inside the head of a boy’s bed, on which to place a candle for nocturnal studies.—Mansfield(c.1840).
Recker, The(Harrow).—The town recreation-ground: here are held the school sports.
Rector.1.SeeRegent.
2. (Stonyhurst).—The Head-master.SeeDay.
Regent,subs.(Royal High School, Edin.: obsolete).—An assistant master: the Head-master was called “Maister” or “Principal Maister”; now “Rector.”
Remedy,subs.(Winchester).—A holiday.SeeWork, quot. 1891.
1484.Chapter Register of Southwell Minster.Nota generaliter. Ministri Ecclesiæ non vacant scolæ grammaticali. Magister grammaticalis non attendit debitis horis doctrinæ suorum scolarium in scola; et quam pluries indiscrete datREMEDIUMsuis scolaribus diebus ferialibus, quod quasi ad tempus nichil addiscunt, expendendo bona suorum parentum frustra et inaniter; et non locuntur latinum in scola sed anglicum.
d.1519.Dean Colet,Statutes of St. Paul’s School. I will also that they shall have noREMEDYES. Yf the Maister granteth anyREMEDYEShe shall forfeit 40s., totiens quotiens, excepte the Kyng, or an Archbishopp, or a Bishop present in his own person in the Scole desire it.
1530.Thomas Magnus,Endowment Deed, Newark Grammar School. Thomas Magnus ordeyneth ... that the said maisters shall not be myche inclyned nor gyven to grauntREMEDYfor Recreacyon or Dispoorte to their scolers unless it be ones in a wooke upon the Thuysday or Thursday, or that furtherREMEDYbe requyred by any honorable or worshipfull Person or Personage, &c. &c.
1593.Rites Durham Cathedral Monastic Church[Surtees Society]. There was ... a garding and a bowling allie ... for the Novices sumetymes to recreate themselves when they hadREMEDYof there master.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester(1866), 49. In the short half we had at least one “REMEDY,” and a half day every week, and in summer two always; they were on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These “REMEDIES” were a kind of mitigated whole holidays. We were supposed to go into school for an hour or two in the morning and afternoon; but as no Master was present, it didn’t come to much. This was called “Books Chambers.”Remedieswere not a matter of right, but were always specially applied for by Præfect of Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The custom was for him to waylay the Doctor on his way to morning chapel, and make the request, when, if granted, a gold ring was handed to the applicant, on which was engraved, “commendant rarior usus.” This ring was worn by the Præfect of Hall for the rest of the day, and returned by him to the Doctor at the beginning of middle school on the day following.
1891.Wrench,Winchester Word-Book, s.v.Remedy. A holiday in the half, with Books-chambers or Toy-time. Originally there was always one, and generally twoREMEDIESin the week. Later every Tuesday in Easter-time and Cloister-time was aREMEDY, the Thursday’sREMEDYbeing often granted. Now Thursdays in Cloister-time only areREMEDIESproper in middle-school hours; there are on these days Morning-lines, and the afternoon is a half-holiday. Ascension-Day and the Queen’s Accession areholidays: all red-letter Saints’-days are Leave-out-days.Remediumseems to have been the original word for holiday: translatedREMEDY.... The tradition ofREMEDIESbeing granted bygreat personssurvives in the custom of the Judges on Circuit demanding a Half-REMEDY.
Remi,subs.1. (Westminster).—A holiday.Cf.Remedy.
2. (Winchester).—Remission(q.v.).
Remission(orRemi),subs.(Winchester).—Seequot.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester(1866), 229.Remission—When owing to a Saint’s day having fallen on the day previous to that on which a Verse or Prose Task, or Vulgus, was due, the boys were excused from doing it, there was said to beREMISSIONfrom it.
Rep,subs.1. (Harrow and King Edward’s, Birm.).—A repetition.
1892.Anstey,Voces Populi, 65. It’s not in Selections from British Poetry which we have to get up forREP.
2. (King Edward’s, Birm.).—TheREPRESENTATIVEelected by the Class to serve on the Committee of the School Club.
Repeal Garden,subs.(Stonyhurst).—One of the Higher Line Gardens. [Used for Irish declamation at the beginning of the century.] Obsolete.
Responsions.SeeSmalls.
Resurrection,subs.(Stonyhurst).—A sort of eat-all feast, consisting of a meeting to discuss the remnants of an AcademyDo(q.v.) held on the previous day.
Rhetoric,subs.(Stonyhurst).—The Sixth Form. [From the chief work once studied in the form.Cf.Regulæ Professoris Rhetoricæin theRatio Studiorum Societatis Jesu.]
Rhetoric Good-day,subs. phr.(Stonyhurst).—SeeGood-day.
Rhetorician,subs.(Stonyhurst).—SeeRhetoric.
Rigger,subs.(Durham).—A racing-boat.
Rinder,subs.(The Leys and Queen’s).—An outsider.
Riot Act,subs.(King Edward’s, Birm.).—A body of school rules, read over and commented upon by the Head Master on the first Wednesday afternoon in term before the whole school.
Ripping,subs.(Eton).—A ceremony incidental to the departure of a Senior Colleger for King’s College, Cambridge: when he has gotKing’s(q.v.) his gown has to be stitched up that it may beRIPPEDafterwards by the Provost or his deputy.
Robinites(Charterhouse).—SeeOut-houses.
Rock,subs.1. (Derby).—The school bread.SeeWash.
2. (Winchester).—A medium-sized stone.
Rod-maker,subs.(Winchester).—The man who made the rods used inBibling(q.v.).
Rogging,subs.(Stonyhurst).—Brook-fishing.
Roke,verb(Winchester).—To stir: as a fire, a liquid, &c.
1375.Percival[Halliwell]. Were they wighte, were they woke, Alle that he tille stroke He made their bodies toROKE.
1383.Chaucer,Canterbury Tales. Yet in our ashen cold is fyr i-REKE.
1847.Halliwell,Arch. Words, s.v.Roke.... To shake; to roll ... to stir liquids.
Roker,subs.(Winchester).—A ruler; a stick; a poker.SeeRoke.Flat-roker= a flat ruler.
Roll,subs.(Winchester).—A list of names.
c.1840.Mansfield,School-Life at Winchester(1866), 230. TheROLLpar excellenceis the list of the boys who have passed their examination for New College, and of those who are to come in to Winchester. There is also aROLLprinted every November, which contains the name of every one connected with the School, from the Warden to the Choristers. The lists from which the Præfects of Hall and Chapel called names; the papers on which the names of the absentees on such occasions were written; the papers on which were written the “Standing up”; the lists of the boys who had leave out on a Saints’ day; the papers put on the Master’s desk when boys wished to go out of school; those handed to the Master at the close of School by the Bible-Clerk or Ostiarius with the names of the delinquents, and many other similar papers, were all calledROLLS.
To have a roll on,verb. phr.(Shrewsbury).—Seequot.
1877.Pascoe,Every-day Life, &c.Anything approaching swagger is severely rebuked; there is no more objectionable quality than that understood by the expression “He’s got such a horridROLL ON.”
To roll in,verb. phr.(Harrow: obs.).—Seequot.
1867.Collins,The Public Schools, 316. Another ancient barbarism survived even long after Butler’s accession. There were in the head-master’s house two public rooms for the use of his boarders—the hall and the play-room. The latter was open to all, but the hall was regarded as a sort of club-room, which no boy was allowed to enter, except at dinner and supper time, until he had become a member by beingROLLED-IN. Any one who desired the privilege of admission (and none below the upper fifth were eligible), gave in his name to the head-boy some days beforehand, in order that due preparations might be made for the inauguration. Immediately a certain number of rolls (findsthey were called—etymology unknown) were ordered at the baker’s, and rebaked every morning until they were pretty nearly as hard as pebbles. At nine o’clock on the morning fixed for theROLLING-IN, the members of the hall ranged themselves on the long table which ran along one side of the room, each with his pile of these rolls before him, and a fag to pick them up. The candidate knelt, facing them, on a form close against the opposite wall, with his head resting on his hands, so as to guard the face, while they held, as well as they could, a plate on the top of the head by way of helmet. Thus protected, the head itself formed a mark for the very peculiar missiles which were ready to be aimed. When all was ready, a time-keeper, watch in hand, gave the word—“Now!” when fast and furiously—and very spitefully, if the boy was unpopular—the rolls were showered upon the devoted head for the space of one minute, neither more nor less. Such protection as the plate gave was soon lost by its being broken to pieces. It was, as may be imagined, a very severe ordeal, the bruises being very painful for weeks afterwards.
Roller,subs.(Oxford).—A roll-call.
Room,subs.(Stonyhurst).—In Stonyhurst nomenclature,ROOMas a place-name is modern.SeeDuchess’ Rooms,Duke’s Room,Place, &c.
Roosh,verb(Harrow).—To rush about.
Roost,verb(Derby).—To kick hard: at football. [? Root.]
Root-about,subs.(The Leys).—Promiscuous football practice. Also asverb.
Ropes,subs.(general).—A half-back at football.
Rorke(orRawk),subs.(Tonbridge).—A navvy. [? Latinraucus.Cf.Rorker.]
Rorker,subs.(Derby).—A street boy; a cad. [? Latinraucus.Cf.Rorke.]
Rosh(orRoush),verb(Royal Military Academy).—To bustle; to horseplay. HenceSTOP ROUSHING! = an injunction to silence.
Rotten.SeeAppendix.
Rotter,subs.(Tonbridge).—A boy who shirks his fair share: at games, &c.; afainéant.
Rouge,subs.(Eton).—A point in the Eton game of football: 3ROUGES= 1 goal.Cf.Scrouge.
Verb(Felsted).—To “rag”; to “scrag.” Seesubs.
1895.Felstedian, April, pp. 43-4. “Vic” ... entirely baffles me, and so does the expressionTO ROUGE; but the fact that it occurs in the early numbers of theFelstedian—“we won the game by one goal, threeROUGES”—points to its origin.
Round-Othello,subs.(The Leys). A Leysian tuck-shop delicacy.
Roush,subs.(Winchester).—1. A rush, or charge: as by a man, a beast, or by water.
Rowing-man,subs.(University).—A spreester; a loose fish. [“Row” as in “bough.”]
Rows,subs.(Winchester).—The fixed benches at each end of School: called respectively Senior, Middle, and JuniorROW.
Rowsterer,subs.(Derby).—A cad.
Ruck.To ruck along,verb. phr.(Oxford).—To walk quickly.
Rudiments,subs.(Stonyhurst).—The Third Form.
Rug,subs.(Rugby).—A Rugbeian.
1892.Evening Standard, 25th Nov. 4, 5. The controversy was started by the death of one who succumbed to his exertions. “An Old MedicalRug” describes the sufferings he endured.
Rugger,subs.(general).—Football: the Rugby game.
1896.Tonbridgian, No. 339, 1124. At St. John’s, Sells has developed into a goodRUGGERhalf, Pinching is one of the best forwards, and also plays Socker for the College at times.
1897.Felstedian, Nov., p. 194. As regardsRUGGERthe ’Varsity team have been somewhat under-rated.
Run.To run Cloisters,verb. phr.(Winchester).—A boy was saidto run Cloisterswhen he obtained his remove from Junior Part to Senior Part at the end ofCloister-time(a period of ten or twelve weeks at the end of Long Half).
Run.SeeRace.
Runabout,subs.(Charterhouse).—An irregular form of football: formerly calledCompulsory.
Running-stone,subs.(Stonyhurst).—A stone set at a distance from theCRICKET-STONE(q.v.), to and from which a batsman ran when making a score.SeeStonyhurst-cricket.
1885.Stonyhurst Mag., ii. 85. The distance from the Cricket-stone to theRUNNING-STONEto be twenty-seven yards.
Rusticate,verb(common).—To send away a student for a time from a College or University by way of punishment; toSHIP(q.v.). HenceRUSTICATION.
1714.Spectator, No. 596. After this I was deeply in love with a milliner, and at last with my bedmaker, upon which I was sent away, or, in the university phrase,RUSTICATEDfor ever.
1779.Johnson,Life of Milton, par. 12. It seems plain from his own verses toDiodati, that he had incurredRUSTICATION; a temporary dismission into the country, with perhaps the loss of a term.
1794.Gent. Mag., p. 1085. And was very nearRUSTICATION[at Cambridge], merely for kicking up a row after a beakering party.
1841.Lever,Charles O’Malley, lxxix. You have totally forgotten me, and the Dean informs me that you have never condescended a single line to him, which latter enquiry on my part nearly cost me aRUSTICATION.... Dear Cecil Cavendish, our gifted friend, slight of limb and soft of voice, has beenRUSTICATEDfor immersing four bricklayers in that green receptacle of stagnant water and duckweed, yclept the “Haha.”
1841.H. Kingsley,Ravenshoe, ch. viii. Non-university men sneer atRUSTICATION; they can’t see any particular punishment in having to absent yourself from your studies for a term or two.
1850.F. E. Smedley,Frank Fairlegh, ch. xxx. Who, the landlord tells me, has just beenRUSTICATEDfor insulting Dr. Doublechin.
1853.Bradley,Verdant Green, iv. “The Master ... said as how Mr. Bouncer had better go down into the country for a year, for change of hair, and to visit his friends.” “Very kind indeed of Dr. Portman,” said our hero, who missed the moral of the story, and took theRUSTICATIONfor a kind forgiveness of injuries.
1885.Daily Telegraph, Oct. 29. Students who are liable at any moment to beRUSTICATED.