*Jib*, _subs._ (Dublin).—A first-year’s man.
1841. LEVER, _Charles O’Malley_, xiv. There [referring to Trinity
College Freshmen] ... are JIBS, whose names are neither known to the
proctor nor the police-office.
TO BE JIBBED, _verb. phr._ (Christ’s Hospital).—To be called
over the coals; to get into trouble. A Hertford word, the
London equivalent being TWIGGED. Obsolete.
*Jiffs, The* (Christ’s Hospital). _See_ Appendix.
_c._ 1890. _More Gleanings from_ THE BLUE, 92. North is the “Hall
playground” (I use the terrene names); south, the “Library”; east, the
“Ditch”; and west, the “JIFFS.”
*Jig*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A clever man: fifty years ago it
meant a swindler. The word has now the meanings (1) a low
joke, (2) a swindle, (3) an object of sport.
1600. HEYWOOD, 2 _Edward IV._, i. 1. There domineering with his
drunken crew Makes JIGS of us.
1620. COTGRAVE, _Dictionarie_, s.v. FARCE ... the JYG at the end of an
enterlude, wherein some pretie knaverie is acted.
1652. STAPYLTON, _Herodion_ (quoted in _Notions_). Devising with his
mates to find a JIGG, That he thereby might make himself a king.
*Jimmy.* ALL JIMMY, _adv. phr._ (Cambridge).—All nonsense.
[_Cf._ JEMMY-BURTY (Cambridge) = an _ignis fatuus_.]
*Jink*, _subs._ (Durham).—A dodge: at football.
*Jockey*, _subs._ (Winchester).—(1) To supplant; (2) to
appropriate; (3) to engage: _e.g._ “He JOCKEYED me UP to
books”; “Who has JOCKEYED my baker”; “This court is
JOCKEYED.” Probably an extended use of the word borrowed
from turf slang. JOCKEY NOT = the Commoner cry claiming
exemption, answering to “feign” at other schools: of which
the College “finge” seems a translation. The opposite of
JOCKEY UP = to LOSE DOWN.—_Notions._
1881. _Felstedian_, Nov. p. 75, “A Day’s Fagging at Winchester.” Here
let me observe that only the præfects have separate basins to wash in;
the juniors use the two stone conduits. As there are seven who are not
præfects, there is rather a rush for them, so I JOCKEY (_i.e._ secure)
one for the “candlekeeper” by turning on some water and putting his
sponge into it.
*John* (Westminster).—_See_ COLLEGE JOHN.
*Johnian*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—A student of St. John’s College:
also JOHNIAN PIG or HOG—_see_ HOG. Also as _adj._: _e.g._
JOHNIAN blazer, JOHNIAN melody, &c.
1785. GROSE, _Vulg. Tongue_, s.v. HOG ... JOHNIAN HOGS, an appellation
given to the members of St. John’s College, Cambridge.
1829. PRAED, _Poems_, “The Vicar.” Sit in the Vicar’s seat: you’ll
hear The doctrine of a gentle JOHNIAN.
1841. _Westminster Review_, xxxv. 236. The JOHNIANS are always known
as pigs. They put up a new organ the other day which was immediately
christened “Baconi Novum Organum.”
*Joram*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A tin beer-can, used in
Commoners; a quart pot. [Var. dial. = a large dish or jug.]
In College a BOB (_q.v._) was used.
*Jordan* (Eton).—_See_ PLAYING-FIELDS.
*Jossop*, _subs._ (general).—Syrup; juice; gravy; sauce.
*Jubilee*, _subs._ (Winchester: obsolete).—A pleasant time:
_e.g._ The town was all in a JUBILEE of feasts.—_Dryden._
1772. G. A. STEVENS, _Songs Comic and Satyrical_, p. 192. Day by day,
and night by night, Joyful JUBILEES we keep.
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1866), 216.
_Jubilee_—Any time when there was nothing to do, either in the way of
lessons or fagging.
*June* (Eton).—_See_ FOURTH OF JUNE.
*Jungle*, The (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—The Seminary wood.
1889. _Stonyhurst Mag._, iii. 347. The welcome shade of what was
facetiously called THE JUNGLE.
*Junior*, _subs._ (Winchester).—All Inferiors except the seven
CANDLEKEEPERS (_q.v._) and Senior Inferior.
_Adj._ (Winchester).—Applied to all comparable objects. Of
two neighbouring trees, the bigger is the “senior”: there
are a “senior” and a “JUNIOR” end to a table, a room, &c.
TIGHT JUNIOR = lowest of all.
1891. WRENCH, _Winchester Word-Book_, s.v. JUNIOR.... At about the end
of the fifteenth century _senior_ and JUNIOR superseded _major_ and
_minor_, before which the two sets of words seem to have been used
concurrently.
*Junior Hall* (Shrewsbury).—_See_ SENIOR HALL.
*Junior Soph.* _See_ SOPH.
*Junket!* _intj._ (Winchester).—An exclamation of
self-congratulation: _e.g._ “JUNKET” I’ve got a “remi.”
Hence to JUNKET OVER = to exult over. [JUNKETING = a
merry-making.]
1630. WADSWORTH [WRENCH]. They made him oft-times go on foot, whilst
they rode about JUNKETTING in his coach.
_d._ 1745. SWIFT, _Works_. Whatever good bits you can pilfer in the
day, save them to JUNKET with your fellow-servants at night.
*Keelie*, _subs._ (Royal High School, Edin.: obsolete).—A town
boy. Now = “cad.”
*Keep.* To KEEP CHAPEL, _verb. phr._ (University).—_See_ quot.
1852.
1850. _Household Words_, ii. p. 161. “As you have failed to make up
your number of chapels the last two weeks,” such were the very words
of the Dean, “you will, if you please, KEEP every CHAPEL till the end
of the term.”
1852. BRISTED, _Five Years_, _&c._, 32. The undergraduate is expected
to go to chapel eight times, or, in academic parlance, to KEEP eight
CHAPELS a week.
TO KEEP CAVE, _verb. phr._ (Eton).—To watch and give warning
on a tutor’s approach.
1883. BRINSLEY RICHARDS, _Seven Years at Eton_, ch. iv. Another had to
mount guard in the passage, or on the staircase, TO KEEP _cave_.
*Kick.* TO KICK OVER, _verb. phr._ (Winchester).—To kick a ball
up in the air, when it is rolling along, or lying on the
ground: considered very bad play.—MANSFIELD (_c._ 1840).
_Ibid._, 217. KICK-IN.—In a game at football the bounds on
each side were kept by a line of Juniors, whose duty it was
to KICK the ball IN again whenever it passed outside the
line. _See_ KICKING-IN.
*Kicking-in*, _subs._ (Winchester).—_See_ quot., and KICK.
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester College_, p. 138. But
football wasn’t all beer and skittles to the Fags. There was an
institution called KICKING-IN, which, while it lasted, was much worse
than “watching out” at cricket, although it had the very great merit
of not continuing so long; for, even on a whole holiday, we seldom had
more than two hours of it.
*Kick-off*, _subs._ (Winchester).—Taking the football in hand
and kicking it into the air: this was done after each SCHITT
(_q.v._), GOWNER (_q.v._), or GOAL (_q.v._) by the losing
side, and whenever a ball that had been kicked up in the air
had been caught by one of the other side.—MANSFIELD (_c._
1840).
*Kid*, _subs._ 1. (Winchester).—Cheese.
2. (The Leys).—A boy under fifteen. Hence KID-SIXES =
football for KIDS—six a side.
*Kill*, _verb_ (Winchester).—To hurt badly.
1800. EDGEWORTH, _Castle Rackrent_, “Glossary.” This word [KILL] ...
means not killed, but much hurt. In Ireland, not only cowards but the
brave “die many times before their death.” There “killing is no
murder.”
1836. MARRYAT, _Japhet_, iii. Sure enough it cured me, but wasn’t I
quite KILT before I was cured.
*Kill-me-quick*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A tuck-shop cake.
*King Edward’s, Birm.*—A curious custom exists here of inherited
nicknames: _e.g._ Years ago a boy named Pearson was
nicknamed “Jelly”; every Pearson, though unrelated to the
other, for many years afterwards was nicknamed “Jelly.” A
trio of brothers have been successively named “Tiddley,”
others “Topsy,” and “Bowie.” An elder brother was called
“Pussy,” and his younger brother “Kitten.”
*Kings*, TO GET KINGS, _verb. phr._ (Eton).—To obtain a
scholarship at King’s Coll., Cambridge. _See_ RIPPING.
*Kingsman*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—A member of King’s College.
1852. BRISTED, _Five Years_, 127. He came out the winner, with the
KINGSMAN, and one of our three.
*Kip*, _verb_ (Royal High School, Edin.).—To play truant. Common
throughout Scotland. [Possibly from “skip.”]
*Kish*, _subs._ (Marlborough).—A cushion: in ordinary use
doubled up under the arm for carrying school books, as well
as for sitting on in Form or Hall. As _verb_ = to use a
cushion as a weapon of offence. _See_ COMPOUND-KISH.
*Kittle-nine-steps*, _subs. phr._ (Royal High School, Edin.:
obsolete).—A pass on the very brink of the Castle rock, to
the north, by which it is just possible for a goat or a High
School boy to turn the corner of the building where it rises
from the edge of the precipice. _See_ HELL-AND-NECK-BOY.
*Klondyke*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A cross-country run to St.
Botolph’s.
*Knave*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—A dunce: at Hertford, a
KNACK.
*Knock.* TO KNOCK IN, _verb. phr._ (Oxford).—1. To return to
College after GATE is closed.
1825. _English Spy_, i. 155. “Close the oak, Jem,” said Horace
Eglantine, “and take care no one KNOCKS IN before we have knocked down
the contents of your master’s musical _mélange_.”
1837. BARHAM, _Ingoldsby Legends_, p. 464 [ed. 1862]. That same
afternoon Father Dick, who as soon Would KNOCK IN or “cut chapel,” as
jump o’er the moon, Was missing at vespers—at complines—all night! And
his monks were of course in a deuce of a fright.
1853. CUTHBERT BEDE, _Verdant Green_, I. xi. At first, too, he was on
such occasions greatly alarmed at finding the gates of Brazenface
closed, obliging him thereby to KNOCK IN.
1861. HUGHES, _Tom Brown at Oxford_, p. 458 [ed. 1864]. There’s twelve
striking. I must KNOCK IN. Good night. You’ll be round to breakfast at
nine?
2. TO KNOCK OUT, _verb. phr._ (Oxford).—To leave college
after hours: of out of college men only. _See_ KNOCK IN.
1861. H. KINGSLEY, _Ravenshoe_, vii. Five out-college men had KNOCKED
OUT at a quarter to three, refusing to give any name but the dean’s.
1861. HUGHES, _Tom Brown at Oxford_, xlv. p. 503 [ed. 1864]. “Hullo!”
he said, getting up; “time for me to KNOCK OUT, or old Copas will be
in bed.”
3. TO KNOCK UP, _verb. phr._ (Christ’s Hospital).—To gain a
place in class: _e.g._ I KNOCKED UP, and “I KNOCKED Jones
UP.” The Hertford equivalent is OX UP (_q.v._). Both forms
are now obsolete.
*Knuckle.* TO KNUCKLE DOWN, _verb. phr._ (Winchester).—To kneel.
1748. DYCHE, _Dict._ (5th ed.). KNUCKLE-DOWN (_verb_) to stoop, bend,
yield, comply with, or submit to.
*Labyrinth* (The), _subs._ (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—A part of the
Garden.
*Lag*, _subs._ (Harrow).—The last. The “lag of the school,” the
last boy in BILL-order (_q.v._) in the school.
1881. PASCOE, _Every-day Life in our Public Schools_. Every morning
the LAG junior prepares and brings to hall the list.
*Lage*, _subs._ (University: obsolete).—To wash. [_Cf._ the old
cant term _lagge_ = a bundle of clothes for washing.]
*Lamb’s-tails*, _subs._ (The Leys).—A cake sold at the
tuck-shop.
*Landies*, _subs._ (Winchester: obsolete).—Gaiters. [From
tradespeople—Landy and Currell—who supplied them.]
*Land of Promises*, _subs. phr._ (University).—_See_ quot.
1823. GROSE, _Vulg. Tongue_, s.v. LAND OF PROMISES. The fair
expectation cherished by a steady novice at Oxford.
*Land of Sheepishness*, _subs. phr._ (old University).—_See_
quot.
1823. GROSE, _Vulg. Tongue_, s.v. LAND OF SHEEPISHNESS. Schoolboy’s
bondage.
*Largitate*, _subs._ (The Leys).—Apple-pie. [From the College
grace.]
*Lash*, _verb_ (Christ’s Hospital).—To envy. Generally in
imperative as a taunt.
1890. _The Blue_, Oct., “The Queen in the City.” Our lips LASH on
learning that the “general bill of fare” contained 200 tureens of
turtle, 200 bottles of sherbot (what is this?), 50 boiled turkeys, and
oysters.
*Late-play*, _subs._ (Westminster).—A half-holiday or holiday
beginning at noon. _See_ EARLY PLAY.
*Launch*, _verb_ (general).—_See_ quots.
_c._ 1840. MANSFIELD, _School-Life at Winchester_ (1866), 218.
LAUNCH—To drag a boy out of bed, mattress, bed-clothes, and all.
1865. G. J. BERKELEY, _My Life_, &c., i. 129. I had [at Sandhurst
about 1815] to undergo the usual torments of being LAUNCHED, that is,
having my bed reversed while I was asleep; of being thrown on the
floor on my face, with the mattress on my back, and all my friends or
foes dancing on my prostrate body.
*Lawful Time*, _subs._ (Winchester).—Recess; playtime.
*Leave*, _subs._ (general).—Leave of absence from school; a
holiday.
*Leaving-money*, _subs._ (Eton). _See_ quot.
1865. _Etoniana_, p. 70. The restrictions [_temp._ Eliz.] by which the
masters were forbidden to take any fees (even from oppidans) was
probably evaded, almost from the first, by the system then universal
in all transactions of giving presents, under which heading the sons
of wealthy parents soon began to pay pretty highly for their
education. Traces of this arrangement remain in the custom still
prevailing—not at all to the credit of the school—of presenting a sum
as LEAVING-MONEY to the head-master and the private tutor. At what
time assistant-masters were first appointed does not appear; but they
were no doubt paid, up to a comparatively late date, entirely from
such fees as the parents of those under their tuition chose to give
them.
*Lecker*, _subs._ 1. (Oxford).—A lecture.