*Whiter*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A white waistcoat: this may be worn
by those who have been three years in the school.
*Whole*, _subs._ (Harrow).—A whole holiday, or whole schoolday.
*Wicker*, _subs._ (Felsted: obsolete).—A hamper: as of
provisions.
*Wicket-cricket*, _subs._ (Stonyhurst).—Cricket played with a
stick or “wicket.”
*Wilderness* (The), _subs._ (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—The Dark
Walk; a part of the garden. _Cf._ GERARD, _Stonyhurst_, p.
179.
*Wilderness* (Charterhouse).—A playing ground at Old
Charterhouse before Thomas Sutton bought the estate: now a
belt of trees to the south of UNDER-GREEN (_q.v._).
*Wine*, _subs._ (University).—A wine-party. Also as _verb_.
1853. BRADLEY, _Verdant Green_, vii. Now I’m going to WINE with Smalls
to-night.
*Wise Men of the East*, _subs. phr._ (Cambridge).—The last
twelve in the Mathematical TRIPOS (_q.v._).
1785. GROSE, _Vulg. Tongue_, s.v. PLUCK.... These unfortunate
individuals were designated by many opprobrious appellations, such as
the Twelve Apostles, the Legion of Honour, WISE MEN OF THE EAST, &c.
*Wooston*, _adv._ (Christ’s Hospital).—Very: _e.g._ WOOSTON a
jolly fellow; a WOOSTON jolly fellow; I am WOOSTON, chaffy.
[That is, “whore son.”—GUILLEMARD.]
*Work*, _subs._ (Winchester).—Pain. Also as _verb_ = to hurt.
14[?]. _Townley Mysteries_, “Processus Noe.” My bonys are so stark No
wonder if they WARK For I am full old.
14[?]. _Alexander_ [ASHMOL.], line 531. So sare WERKIS hire the wame.
_Ibid._, line 539. Of *WERKE* well ne I wede (am mad).
1469. MALORY, _Morte d’Arthur_. But I may not stonde, myn hede WERCHES
soo.
1750. COLLIER, _Works_. I gran an I thrutcht, till my arms WARTCHD
agen.
1860. R. BRIERLY, _Ab. in London_. I shaked his hond till my arm
WARTCHT, then he shaked mine till his arm WARTCHT.
1891. WRENCH, _Winchester Word-Book_, s.v. WORK. The use of REMEDY
(_q.v._) for a holiday seems to imply that WORK is a painful disease.
*Worms*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A trenched line on the turf: used
as goal at football. _See_ quot.
1881. PASCOE, _Life in Our Public Schools_. Across the two ends of the
ground a small trench is dug, about four inches wide and two deep, and
a goal is obtained when the ball is fairly kicked across the trench
(Wiccamicé WORMS).
*Wrangler*, _subs._ (Cambridge).—The name given to those who are
placed in the first class in the first or elementary portion
of the public examination for honours in pure and mixed
mathematics, commonly called the Mathematical Tripos, those
placed in the second class being known as Senior Optimes,
and those in the third class as Junior Optimes. Up to and
including the year 1882, the student who took absolutely the
first place in the Mathematical Tripos used to be termed
Senior Wrangler; those who came next to him being second,
third, fourth, &c., wranglers. Since then the title has been
given to the student who takes the first place in Part I. of
the Mathematical Tripos. The name is derived from the public
disputations, in which candidates for degrees were formerly
required to exhibit their powers.
1870. _The Blue_, March. We were rejoiced to hear of the University
success of a late Grecian—G. A. Greenhill, who was announced as Second
WRANGLER in the late Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge. Further on in
the month we heard of his being bracketed with Mr. Pendlebury (the
Senior WRANGLER) as Smith’s Prizeman, a thing seldom heard of at
Cambridge, and never before has any Blue attained that high honour.
*Wratislaw’s.* _See_ PLANKS.
*Writer*, _subs._ (Winchester).—A Junior acting as secretary to
a College officer.
*Wuggins*, _subs._ (Oxford).—Worcester College; BOTANY-BAY
(_q.v._).
*Yarder*, _subs._ (Harrow).—Cricket played in the school yard:
in the summer term.
TO GET YARDS, _verb. phr._ (Harrow).—To get a catch at
football and be allowed a free kick, not running more than
can be covered in three running strides. Hence TO GIVE YARDS
= to give such a catch; TO STEP YARDS = to cover the
distance in “kicking off yards” in three strides; TO KNOCK
DOWN YARDS = to prevent another from “taking yards.”
[Originally three yards.]
*Yards* (The), _subs._ 1. (Durham).—The list of members,
originally of the First Game, but now of the Second Game—at
football or cricket. [Formerly in the cricket season only a
patch of ground thirty yards square was mowed. Those who had
the privilege of playing on this were said to be “on the
YARDS.”]
2. (Royal High School, Edin.).—The gravel-covered
playground.
*Yark*, _verb_ (Durham).—To cane. _See_ TWANK and LAM. [_Yark_
(North) = to strike, to beat.]
*Yellow-hammer*, _subs._ (Christ’s Hospital).—A BLUE (_q.v._) in
disgrace for gross misconduct and under discipline. _See_
quot.
1844. _Reminis. of Christ’s Hospital_ [The Blue, August 1874]. In the
case of a hardened offender, or of gross misdemeanour, a system of
degradation was adopted, by causing the culprit to wear his coat
turned inside out, and as the body of the coat had a yellow lining,
the metamorphosis was remarkably striking, and (unkindest cut of all!)
the subjects of this hideous transformation—these involuntary
turn-coats—were by their schoolfellows nicknamed YELLOW-HAMMERS.
*Yolly*, _subs._ (Winchester: obsolete).—A post-chaise. [That
is, “Yellow,” that having been generally a favourite colour
for these vehicles.]
*-y*, _inseparable suffix_ (Manchester Grammar).—_See_ MATHY,
CHEMMY, GYMMY, &c.
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