Mad, adj. (Winchester).—Angry; vexed. [Old English, now dial. in England, but universal in America. “Originally severely injured” (Skeat). “Enraged, furious” (Johnson).]
1369. Chaucer, Troilus [Skeat, 1894], line 479. Ne made him thus in armes for to MADDE.
1593. Shakspeare, Titus And., iii. 1. 104. Had I but seen thy picture in this plight, It would have MADDED me. Ibid., iii. 1. 223. If the winds rage doth not the sea wax MAD.
1596. Jonson, Every Man in His Humour, iv. 1. You’d MAD the patient’st body in the world.
1607. Middleton, Your Five Gallants [De Vere]. They are MAD; she graced me with one private minute above their fortunes.
1611. Acts xxvi. 11 [Authorised Version].—And being exceeding MAD against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
1667. Pepys, Diary, iv. 482 [Bickers, 1875]. The king is MAD at her entertaining Jermin, and she is MAD at Jermin’s going to marry from her, so they are all MAD; and so the kingdom is governed.
1816. Pickering, Collection of Words, &c., s.v. Mad, in the sense of “angry,” is considered as a low word in this country, and at the present day is never used except in very familiar conversation.
1824. R. B. Peake, Americans Abroad, i. 1. I guess—I’m MADDED, but I’ll bite in my breath a bit—not that I’m sitch a tarnation fool as to believe all you tell me.
1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 167. That nation is MAD.
1871. New Era, April [De Vere]. The Squire’s MAD riz.
1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 189. My eye! won’t he be just MAD.
Made-beer, subs. (Winchester).—College swipes bottled with rice, a few raisins, sugar, and nutmeg to make it “up.”
Magistrand, subs. (Aberdeen).—A student in arts of the last (the fourth) year. Cf. Bejan.
Make, verb (Winchester).—1. To appropriate.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life, 46. In the matter of certain articles ... supplied by the College, we used to put a liberal interpretation on the eighth commandment, ... and it was considered fair to MAKE them if you could.
2. To appoint Præfect.
Man, subs. (general).—A student: almost universal in School phraseology instead of “boy.”
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Man (Cambridge). Any undergraduate from fifteen to thirty. As, a MAN of Emanuel—a young member of Emanuel.
1853. Bradley, Verdant Green, iii. The thought that he was going to be an Oxford MAN fortunately assisted him in the preservation of that tranquil dignity and careless ease which he considered to be the necessary adjuncts of the manly character ... and Mr. Verdant Green was enabled to say “Good-bye” with a firm voice and undimmed spectacles.
See Wise Men of the East.
Marker, subs. (Cambridge).—A person employed to walk up and down chapel during a part of the service, pricking off the names of the students present.
1849. Blackwood’s Mag., May. His name pricked off upon the MARKER’S roll, No twinge of conscience racks his easy soul.
Master, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—A title: of rustics, bargees, &c.
Match, subs. (Stonyhurst).—A division in which the boys play: e.g. “I’m in the third MATCH.” “This is the second MATCH ground.” “He’s a first MATCH bowler.”
Math. Ex., subs. (Charterhouse).—A mathematical exercise.
Mathemat, subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—See quots.
1895. Gleanings from The Blue, 1870-95, 77. It is true that the MATHEMAT does take the labours of his hands to the Queen, and is proud to do so; but it is a pity that the reputation of the school should depend upon such ceremonies as these. [See Appendix.]
1900. Pall Mall Gaz., 20th Mar., 3. 2. One of the things that strike a stranger is the metal plate upon some shoulders, so it may be as well to say here that it merely marks the members of the Mathematical School, which trains boys for the sea, and interested Mr. Samuel Pepys.
Mathy, subs. (Manchester Grammar).—Mathematics.
Matron’s-gift, subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—See quot.
c. 1844. Reminiscences of Christ’s Hospital [Blue, Aug. 1874]. Once annually the boys were served at supper with what was called the “MATRON’S GIFT,”—cream cheese; but they never could appreciate this luxury. It was in vain that the good old matron, with a sister the very counterpart of herself, walked round the different tables, expatiating in glowing terms upon the merits of this “beautiful cheese,” as she called it, and wondering how any one could fail to have a liking for this luxurious gift.
May, subs. (Cambridge).—Easter Term examinations, &c.
1852. Bristed, Five Years, &c., 70. As the MAY approached I began to feel nervous.
1891. Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 104. I suppose you know the Mater and the girls are coming up here for the MAY week. It’s called the MAY week, but we always have it early in June now. I believe, some years ago, it really used to be in May.
1896. Felstedian, June, 95, “Cambridge Letter.” The MAYS were rowed under very favourable conditions, and produced some grand struggles.
Meads, subs. (Winchester).—The College cricket ground. Water-meads = the valley of the Itchen.
Medes and Persians, subs. phr. (Winchester).—Jumping on a MAN (q.v.) when in bed.
Melon, subs. (Royal Military Academy).—A new cadet.
Men. See Wise Men of the East.
Mesopotamia, subs. 1. (Oxford).—See quot.
1886. Pall Mall Gazette, 23rd June, p. 13. Every Oxford man has known and loved the beauties of the walk called MESOPOTAMIA.
2. (Eton).—See Playing-fields.
Mess, subs. (Winchester).—See quot.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester (1866), 219. Mess—The Præfects’ tables in Hall were called “Tub, Middle, and Junior MESS” respectively. The boys who dined at each were also so named. Any number of boys who habitually breakfasted together were so called with some distinguishing prefix, such as “Deputy’s MESS.” In Chambers tea was called MESS; as was also the remains of a joint of meat. Lest the reader should make a “MESS” of all these different meanings, I will give a sentence in which they shall all figure: “Look there, Junior MESS has sat down at Tub MESS, but as they will find nothing left but a MESS, they had better go down to Chambers, as MESS is ready.”
Middle-briars, subs. (Charterhouse).—A recess in the middle of cloisters where Eleven meetings used to be held; now a place in cloisters where names are carved: becoming obsolete.
Middle-cut, subs. (Winchester).—See quot., and Dispar.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life, p. 84. There were ... eight [portions] to a leg of mutton; ... the thick slice out of the centre of the leg was called a MIDDLE CUT.
Middle Fire (Westminster).—See Upper Fire.
Middle-green (Charterhouse).—The new cricket-ground used by “The Maniacs.”
Middle-mess, subs. (Winchester).—See Mess.
Middle Part the Fifth, subs. phr. (Winchester).—Generally called MIDDLE PART. See Books.
Middle-week, subs. (Rugby).—A half-holiday on every third Monday. [Modern Rugs (q.v.) say “because it was never the middle of anything.”]
Milk-hole, subs. (Winchester).—The hole formed by the ROUSH (q.v.) under POT (q.v.).
Miller (Harrow).—“The Milling Ground”: between the school-yard and Squash (q.v.) courts. Here all fights had to be conducted in public. The practice is extinct, and the ground is now used as a Morris-tube range.
Minister, subs. (Stonyhurst).—The superior responsible for the matériel: as food, servants, &c.
Minor, subs. (Eton).—A younger brother. Also Mi.
1864. Eton School-days, vii. “Let my MINOR pass, you fellows!” exclaimed Horsham.
1890. Felstedian, Feb., p. 2. I was born in the month of Tompkins MI.
Mitre, subs. (University).—A hat. See Tufts.
Moab, subs. 1. (University: obsolete).—A hat; specifically, the turban-shaped hat fashionable among ladies 1858-9. [From the Scripture phrase, “Moab is my wash-pot” (Ps. lx. 8).]
1864. Reader, Oct. 22. Moab, a ... hat.... University it is all over. We feel sure we know the undergraduate who coined the expression; he is now a solemn don delivering lectures in Cambridge.
1884. Graphic, 20th Sept., p. 307-2. The third, with his varnished boots, his stiff brown MOAB of the newest fashion, his well-displayed shirt-cuffs.
2. (Winchester).—See quot.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life, 190. On the west side of school court, a spacious room, nicknamed MOAB, has been erected, with numerous marble basins, and an unlimited supply of fresh water.
1865. Etoniana, 21. Like Wykeham’s scholars, the Eton boys rose [temp. Eliz.] at five, said their Latin prayers antiphonally while dressing, then made their own beds and swept out their chambers. Two by two they then “went down” to wash, probably at some outdoor conduit or fountain like the old Winchester MOAB.
1867. Collins, The Public Schools, p. 45. Independent of very early hours and somewhat coarse fare, it was not pleasant to have to wash at the old MOAB, as it was called—an open conduit in the quadrangle, where it was necessary, on a severe winter morning, for a junior to melt the ice on the stop-cock with a lighted faggot before any water could be got to flow at all.
Mob. To mob up, verb. phr. (Charterhouse).—To hustle; TO BARGE (q.v.); TO BRICK (q.v.).
Mods, subs. (Oxford).—The first public examination for degrees. [An abbreviation of “Moderations.”]
1887. Chambers’s Journal, 14th May, 310. Mods cannot be attempted until the end of one year from matriculation, and need not be tackled until the expiration of two.
Monarch, subs. (Eton).—The ten-oared boat.
Money and Direction Rolls, intj. (Winchester).—See Peals.
Monitor, subs. 1. (Stonyhurst).—One of the chief members of the Higher Line Sodality (q.v.), responsible for the behaviour of the other boys in Church and Chapel.
2. (general).—A senior scholar entrusted with the supervision of school work and pastimes. See Præfect.
Monkey. See Fresh-herring, and Appendix.
Monos, subs. (Westminster).—A junior detailed for duty during regular school hours, who remains on guard at the door of the college, as a sentinel, to see that no suspicious characters find their way in. This functionary is known as MONOS [i.e. Monitor ostii].... An officer of the same kind ... at Winchester ... bore a similar name, Ostiarius (q.v.).—Collins.
Mons, subs. (Winchester).—A crowd. Also as verb: e.g. “Square round there, don’t MONS.”
Montem, subs. (Eton).—An Eton custom up to 1847, which consisted in the scholars going in procession on the Whit-Tuesday of every third year to a mound (Lat. ad montem) near the Bath Road, and exacting a gratuity from persons present or passing by. The collection was given to the captain or senior scholar, and helped to defray his expenses at the University. See Salt, and Sloane MS. 4839, f. 85.
1890. Brewer, Phrase and Fable, s.v. Salt-hill. The mound at Eton [near the Bath Road], where the Eton scholars used to collect money from the visitors on Montem day. The mound is still called Salt Hill, and the money given was called salt. The word salt is similar to the Latin sala’rium (salary), the pay given to Roman soldiers and civil officers. Ibid. Montem.... Sometimes as much as £1000 was thus collected.
Morning-hills, subs. (Winchester).—See quot.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life, 52. On holidays and Remedies we were turned out for a couple of hours on to St. Catherine’s Hill ... once before breakfast (MORNING HILLS), and again in the afternoon (MIDDLE HILLS).
Mortar-board (or Mortar), subs. (general).—The trencher-cap worn at certain Public Schools and at the Universities.
1600. Kemp, Nine Days’ Wonder, “Ded. Ep.” So that methinkes I could flye to Rome ... with a MORTER on my head.
d. 1635. Bishop Corbet to T. Coryate. No more shall man with MORTAR on his head Set forward towards Rome.
1647. Fletcher, Fair Maid of the Inn, v. 2. He ... may now travel to Rome with a MORTAR on’s head.
1857. Cuthbert Bede, Verdant Green, pt. II. ch. iii. “I don’t mind this ’ere MORTAR-BOARD, sir,” remarked the professor of the noble art of self-defence, as he pointed to the academical cap which surmounted his head.
1864. Fun, 21st May, p. 96. Anon I saw a gentle youth (no “sub fusc” undergrad.). “Toga virilis” he had none, no MORTAR-BOARD he had.
1881. Pascoe, Every-day Life, 147. On admission ... a boy provides himself with a MORTAR or college-cap.
1898. Stonyhurst Mag., Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” The wearing of a cap and gown is another novelty for freshmen. At first one is apt to feel very foolish under a “MORTAR-BOARD” and in the folds of the academic gown, particularly in the miserable garb assigned to commoners (i.e. undergraduates without scholarships).
Mouse-digger, subs. (Winchester).—See quot.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life, 150. Plying the MOUSE-DIGGER (a kind of diminutive pick-axe) in search of mice.
Mud-student, subs. (general).—A student at the Agricultural College, Cirencester.
1856. Notes and Queries, 2 S., ii. 198. A young friend of mine ... a MUD-STUDENT.
Muff, verb (Eton).—To fail in an examination; TO BE SPUN (q.v.) or PLUCKED (q.v.); TO SKIP A COG (q.v.).
1884. Julian Sturgis, in Longmans’ Mag., iii. 617. Freddy and Tommy and Dicky have all MUFFED for the army. It’s really dreadful!
To muff a catch, verb. phr. (Stonyhurst).—To catch a ball against the chest, or in any way not clean with both hands. In cricket, as played at Stonyhurst, such a catch did not put the batsman out: obsolete.
Mug, verb (Winchester and Sherborne).—(1) To study; to work hard: e.g. I MUGGED all the morning, and shall thoke (Winchester) this afternoon. (2) To take pains; to beautify: e.g. “He has MUGGED his study, and made it quite cud.” [Cf. mug = to paint the face or “make up.”] Hence MUGSTER = a hard-working student. See -STER and Bat-mugger.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life, 122. The præfects would ... set to work MUGGING.
1881. Felstedian, Nov., p. 74. I remember that the senior præfect is going to get up to MUG early before chapel.
1890. G. Allen, The Tents of Shem, xxiv. “Miss Knyvett,” and he paused with his brush upturned, “you’re a sight too clever for me to talk to.” “Not clever,” Iris corrected; “only well read. I’ve MUGGED it up out of books, that’s all.” Ibid., ii. Instead of reading her “Odyssey” and her “Lucretius,” and MUGGING up amusing works on conic sections.
Muse, subs. (Charterhouse).—The Museum.
Mustard-and-Pepper Keeper, subs. phr. (Winchester).—An appointment in the gift of Præfect of Hall, which exempted the holder from Watching-out (q.v.) at cricket, or Kicking-in (q.v.) at football.—Mansfield (c. 1840). Obsolete.
Muttoner, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—A blow on the knuckles from a cricket-ball while holding the bat.
Muzz, verb (Westminster).—To read.