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.
*Hog Tower*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—A coaching room off Rhetoric
school-room. [So called (1) because part of a tower, and (2)
because the RHETORICIANS (_q.v._) originally wished to use
it for other “more profitable” purposes than for study.]
*Hoi Polloi*, _subs. phr._ (University).—The candidates for
ordinary degrees. [From the Greek.] _Cf._ GULF.
*Hol*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A holiday. Whence HOL-TAG = holiday
task.
*Holiday*, _subs._ (Sherborne: obsolete).—A Saint’s day:
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
*Hollis*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A small pebble. [Said to be
derived from a boy of that name.—WRENCH.]
*Holy Club* (The), _subs._ (Oxford: obsolete).—A band of kindred
spirits who gathered round John Wesley while at Lincoln
College: in ridicule.
*Home-bill*, _subs._ (Charterhouse).—Food supplied by the butler
at breakfast or tea, to supplement the bread-and-butter
supplied by the house master. It consists of eggs, eggs and
bacon, ham, or sausages at breakfast; of poached eggs,
mince, sausages and potatoes, tongue, ham, brawn, beef,
or pork-pie at tea. The price is usually 4d. for each
HOME-BILL; in some houses 6d. is the charge for the Upper
School.
*Home-bug*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A home boarder; a day boy.
*Honour* (*Legion of*). _See_ LEGION.
*Honours*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—Classes in which extra classics
are read in the three highest Forms.
*Hook*, _intj._ (Oxford).—An expression implying doubt. [Query
from the note of interrogation (?) or connected with “Hookey
Walker.”]
1823. BEE, _Dict. of the Turf_, s.v. HOOKEY WALKER—and WITH A HOOK,
usually accompanied by a significant upliftment of the hand and
crooking of the forefinger, implying that what is said is a lie, or is
to be taken contrariwise.
1843. MONCRIEFF, _Scamps of London_, i. 1. _Bob._ Will you have some
gin? _Fogg._ Gin—yes! _Bob_ (turning away). Ha—ha!—WITH A HOOK ... I
wish you may get it.
1870. TRAILL, _Saturday Songs_, p. 22. It’s go and go over the left,
It’s go WITH A HOOK AT THE END.
*Horse-box*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A cubicle or recess in
dormitory: about 5 or 6 feet high. Whence TO DO TEN
HORSE-BOXES = to perform “Sinking-and-rising exercise” on
the same.
*Hot*, _subs._ (Winchester).—1. A mellay at football. 2. A
crowd. Hence to HOT UP (or DOWN) = to crowd; to mob.
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_, 215. In Twenty-two
and Twenty-two (_q.v._) when the ball went out of bounds, it was
brought in and placed between the two sides, who all clustered up
close round, with their heads down, each party, by weight and kicking,
trying to force the ball through the other.
1878. ADAMS, _Wykehamica_, p. 367. It would be replaced and a fresh
HOT formed.
*Hot-end*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A half-burned faggot stick with
one end red-hot.
*Hots*, _subs._ 1. (Felsted: obsolete).—Tarts; pastry, &c.