Tachs, subs. (Tonbridge).—A fad; a mental eccentricity. See Hobbs.
c. 1327. Chester Plays, ii. 27. For south this harde I hym saye, That he woulde rise the thirde daye; Nowe suerlye and he so maye, He hath a wounderous TACHE.
c. 1400. Occleve MS. [Soc. Ant.], 134, f. 279. And to his fadris maneris enclyne, And wikkid TACCHIS and vices eschewe.
[..?..] MS. Cantab, Ff. i. 6, f. 157. It is a TACCHE of a devouryng hounde To resseyve superfluyté and do excesse.
d. 1565. Chaloner, Moriæ Euc., p. 3, b. It is a common TATCHE, naturally gevin to all men, as well as priests, to watche well for theyr owne lucre.
1612. Warner, Albion’s England, Bk. xiii. p. 318. First Jupiter that did usurp his father’s throne, Of whom even his adorers write evil TACHES many an one.
1822. Nares, Glossary, s.v. Tache or Tatch. A blot, spot, stain, or vice; tache, French.
1847. Halliwell, Archaic Words, s.v. Tache.... A quality, or disposition; a trick; enterprise; boldness of design. (A.-N.)
Verb (Tonbridge).—To stare at: mostly confined to one House.
Tack, subs. (Sherborne).—A feast in one’s study.
Tag, subs. (Winchester).—An off-side kick: at football. Also as verb.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester (1866), 237. Tag.... When a player has kicked the ball well forward, and has followed it, if it was then kicked back again behind him by the other side, he was then obliged to return to his original position with his own side. If the ball had, in the meantime, been again kicked in front of him, before he regained his position, and he was to kick it, it would be considered unfair, and he would be said TO TAG.
Tails, subs. (Harrow).—The swallow-tailed coats worn by all in the Upper School, and (as “charity-tails”) by all in the Lower School who are considered by the Head of the School to be tall enough to require them.
Tank, verb (King Edward’s, Birm.).—To cane: a rarer word than COSH (q.v.). [Tank (Warwicks.) = a blow.]
Tap (Eton).—See Appendix.
Taps. See Tolly (sense 2).
Tardy, adv. (Winchester).—Late: as “I was TARDY TASK” (q.v.).
1881. Felstedian, Nov., p. 75, “A Day’s Fagging at Winchester.” That done I return to chambers, fling on my gown, which I am obliged to keep off till the last moment as a sign of servitude to shew that I am only a junior, and then scramble in to chapel somehow, very likely late, with an impot in store from my form master, and a licking from the præfect in my chamber for being TARDY, though as likely as not he was himself the cause of it.
Task, subs. (Winchester).—All kinds of composition other than an Essay or Vulgus.
Tatol, subs. (Winchester).—A tutor in Commoners. These came into course in alternate weeks, their duties being to preside at meals, Toys (q.v.) and names-calling, and to go round galleries at 9.15.
Tavern (The), subs. (Oxford).—New Inn Hall. [From its title, “New Inn,” and also because the buttery is open all day, and the members of the Hall can call for what they please at any hour, the same as in a tavern.]
Tawse, subs. (Scots: general).—A leather strap used in Scotland instead of the cane. [Tawse (North) = a piece of tanned leather.]
Team, subs. (University).—The pupils of a private tutor or coach.
Teddy-hall, subs. (Oxford).—St. Edmund’s Hall.
Teejay (or Tege), subs. (Winchester).—A new-comer under the charge of an older scholar, who also instructs him in NOTIONS (q.v.). Also as verb. [That is, Protégé.]
Teek, subs. (Harrow).—Mathematics. See Tique.
Temple, subs. (Winchester).—A niche in Mead’s Wall.
1881. Pascoe, Everyday Life in our Public Schools.... On the last night of term there is a bonfire in Ball Court, and all the TEMPLES or miniature architectural excavations in Mead’s Wall are lighted up with candle-ends.
Ten-o’clock Recreation, subs. phr. (Stonyhurst).—Still keeps its name, though now for some years it comes nearly an hour later.
Tepe, verb (Durham: obsolete).—To smoke: a lane near School was called Tepe Lane.
Terrace, The (Harrow).—The terrace below the chapel, towards the Footer-fields.
Tertian, subs. (Aberdeen).—A student in the third class.
Tetra, subs. (Felsted: obsolete).—A “record”: TO GO BEYOND THE TETRA = to beat the record. [A stuttering pronunciation of, some say, “tremendous,” others, “extraordinary.”] See Appendix.
Thick, subs. (Winchester and Rugby).—A stupid fellow. Also as adj.
1856. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School-days, I. vii. What a THICK I was to come! Here we are, dead beat, and yet I know we’re close to the run in, if we knew the country.
Thicker, subs. (Harrow).—Thucydides: translated in the Upper School.
Third Elevens (or Thirders), subs. (Harrow).—A house Second Eleven (q.v.) playing another house Second Eleven at football.
Third-guarder, subs. (Stonyhurst).—See Guarder.
Thoke, subs. (Winchester).—Rest; lying in bed. Hence as verb = to lie in bed late. [Prov. Eng. thoky = sluggish.] Whence TO THOKE UPON = to anticipate with pleasure; THOKESTER = an idler.
1847. Halliwell, Archaic Words, s.v. Thokish. Slothful; sluggish. East. In Lincolnshire it is usually THOKY.
1891. Wrench, Winchester Word-Book, s.v. Thoke. I’m THOKING ON next week: what a THOKE it will be, with a Leave-out-day, a Hatch-THOKE, and a half remedy.
1899. Public School Mag., Dec., p. 465. He attributed his success—or, at any rate, his long survival—to the art of “THOKING”—in the vulgar tongue, “slacking”—which he had laboriously acquired during his first years of office.
Thoker, subs. (Winchester).—A thick slice of bread soaked in water and then baked.
Thos’s-hole, subs. (Rugby). See quot.
1856. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School-days, vii. And so Tom and the Tadpole, in night-shirts and trousers, started off downstairs, and through “THOS’S-HOLE,” as the little buttery, where candles and beer and bread and cheese were served out at night, was called, across the School-house court.
1867. Collins, The Public Schools, 367. “Thos” [Thomas Woobridge] the well-remembered old school-house servitor, being mounted on the leading horse.
Three. Come back at three, phr. (Royal High School, Edin.).—The formula to signify detention after school hours.
Threepenny, subs. (general).—A tuck-shop cake of that value.
Throw, verb (University).—To master; to succeed: as in a paper, lesson, examination, examiner, &c.
1891. Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 98. These blessed exams. are getting awfully close now, but I think I shall floor mine, and Dick’s sure to THROW his examiners down.
Tight, adj. (Winchester).—Fast; hard.
1891. Wrench, Winchester Word-Book, s.v. Tight.... A TIGHT bowler, &c. As superlative adverb now only used in TIGHT junior. Tight-snob, TIGHT-rot, and other such uses are obsolete.
Tin-gloves, subs. (Winchester).—See quot.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester (1866), 54. But there were other ordeals that were not quite so harmless. Green was liable to be asked whether he possessed a pair of TIN-GLOVES. As this article does not generally form part of a boy’s outfit, Bully would proceed to furnish him with a pair in the following manner:—Taking a half consumed stick from the fire, he would draw the “red-hot end” down the back of Green’s hand between each of the knuckles to the wrist, and having produced three satisfactory lines of blisters would then make two or three transverse lines across. A scientifically fitted pair of gloves of this description was generally, if not pleasant wear, of great durability.
Tin-tab, subs. (Dulwich).—The carpenter’s shop.
Tip, subs. (Felsted).—1. A false report.
1890. Felstedian, Feb., p. 3. Some one ventured to suggest that it was all a beastly TIP.... Many would just like to get hold of the fellow that started the TIP.
1893. Felstedian, Dec., p. 143. Nor is it credible that he stands in need of those useful and entertaining scraps of general information to which we apply the term “TIPS” in our ordinary conversation.
1895. Felstedian, April, p. 45. Tip.—“Tip” and “tip-spreading,” expressing with that brevity which is the soul of wit, our horror of scandal and scandal-mongering, again defy analysis.
2. (Felsted).—A foolish mistake in translating, &c.
Tipping, adj. (general).—First-rate; jolly.
Tique, subs. (Harrow).—(1) Arithmetic; and (2) mathematics. [From a French master’s peculiar English pronunciation.]
Tish, subs. (Royal Military College).—A partition; a cubicle.
Tit. See ’Varsity-tit.
Titch, subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—A flogging. Also as verb [Onomatopœia]. See Appendix.
Tizzy-poole, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—A fives ball [costing 6d., and sold by a head porter named Poole.]
Toad, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—In College a piece of hot toast put into beer.
Toe-fit-tie, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—See quot.
1881. Felstedian, Nov., p. 84, “A Day’s Fagging at Winchester.” I remember now; it was that brute A—— who “to FITTI”-ed me last night.... For the benefit of the uninitiated let me explain the modus operandi and its etymology: it is nothing more or less than the commencement of a line in the old familiar “As in præsenti perfectum, format in avi,” which we used to learn, “to fit-ti,” in reference to verbs of the third conjugation, transferred from the similarity of sound to the school-boy’s toe; it consisted in tying a running noose on a piece of string, cunningly turning up the bed-clothes at the foot, putting it round the big toe of an unconscious sleeper, running the noose up tight, and pulling till the victim followed the direction of string from the pain, getting farther and farther out of bed and nearer and nearer the floor, till mercifully released.
Togger, subs. (Oxford).—A Torpid (q.v.) boat-race.
1894. Felstedian, Dec., p. 181. Wiltshire will probably row in one of the University TOGGERS next term.
1896. Tonbridgian, No. 339, 1124. Rowland rowed in the TOGGER, fifth on the river.
Toke, verb (The Leys).—To be lazy; to “loaf.”
Told. To be told, verb. phr. (Tonbridge).—To obtain one’s colours in a school team.
Tolly, subs. 1. (general).—A candle. [From tallow.] Cf. Brolly, Yolly, &c.
2. (Stonyhurst).—The flat instrument for administering punishment on the hand: the maximum is “twice nine.” Sometimes called TAPS (q.v.): e.g. “I’ve to get TAPS to-night.”
To tolly up, verb. phr. (Harrow).—To surreptitiously light candles after gas is out.
Tom, subs. (Oxford).—The great bell of Christ Church. [It tolls 101 times each evening at ten minutes past nine o’clock (there being 101 students on the foundation), and marks the time for the closing of the College gates. “Tom” is one of the lions of Oxford. It formerly belonged to Oseney Abbey, and weighs about 17,000 pounds, being more than double the weight of the great bell of St. Paul’s.]
Tommy, subs. (Dublin).—A sham shirt-front. [From the Greek τομή, a section.]
Tonkabout, subs. (Charterhouse).—The hitting up of catches at cricket: said to be a Bodeite (q.v.) term.
Toot (or Tout), verb (Royal High School, Edin.).—To treat to lunch. [Recently introduced by a boy from New Zealand. Originally shout, then tout, whence TOOT. “Shout” = to stand treat.]
To-pan, subs. (Winchester).—See quot., and Boiler.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester (1866), 240. Toe-pan.—A large basin of red earthenware placed in each chamber for washing the feet in.
Top-side, subs. (Harrow).—A wing at football: the opposite one to Bottom-side (q.v.).
Torch-race, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—Formerly, part of the breaking-up ceremony of the winter half-year. On the last morning the boys, after early chapel, rushed out of gates, each bearing a burning birch-broom, up College Street and along the wall of the Close up to the old White Hart Inn, where breakfast was prepared before the chaises started for their various destinations. This curious TORCH-RACE subsequently gave way to a race of the seniors in sedan chairs.
Torpid, subs. (Harrow).—A boy who has not been two years in the school. There is a cup for the Cock-house (q.v.) at torpids in football.
Torpids, subs. (Oxford).—(1) The eight-oared spring races; (2) the boats; and (3) the crews. Also Togger.
1853. Bradley, Verdant Green, II. xii. The Misses Green had the satisfaction to see their brother pulling in one of the fifteen TORPIDS that followed immediately in the wake of the other boats.
1889. Felstedian, Feb., p. 11. After the TORPIDS will come the Clinker Forms—an institution hitherto unknown in Oxford.
1900. Westminster Gazette, 21st Feb., 8. 3. Oxford University TORPIDS. These races were concluded to-day.
Tosh, subs. (general).—A foot-tub; a bath. Also, as verb = to throw water over a person: e.g. “He TOSHED his house beak by mistake, and got three hundred.” Hence Tosh-pond (Royal Military Academy) = the bathing-pond. [That is, “toe-wash.”]
Tosher, subs. (Oxford).—An unattached student.
Tosh-soap, subs. (Charterhouse).—Cheese.
T’other-school, subs. (Winchester).—(1) One’s former school; and (2) any school not a Public School. Also as adj. = NON-LICET (q.v.), or unbecoming: because more or less alien to Winchester.
T’other-un, subs. (Charterhouse).—A private school.
Touch. To touch in, verb. phr. (Stonyhurst).—To reach one’s block: of a batsman when running. See Stonyhurst-cricket. [According to the Rules, “The TOUCHING-IN line is within a bat’s length of the CRICKET-STONE” (q.v.).]
Touchy, adv. (Christ’s Hospital).—Rather: e.g. TOUCHY a lux = rather a good thing.
Tow, subs. (Shrewsbury).—A run in: at hare and hounds.
1881. Pascoe, Everyday Life at our Public Schools.... After that last “all up,” there is a TOW or continuous run of from one to three miles.
Town and Gown, sub. phr. (University).—The townsmen v. the members of the University. [In her young days the position of the University was one of perpetual conflict—with the town, the Jews, the Friars, and the Papal Court.]
1853. Bradley, Verdant Green, II. iii. Town and gown disturbances are of considerable antiquity. Fuller and Matthew Paris give accounts of some which occurred as early as the year 1238. These disputes not unfrequently terminated fatally to some of the combatants. One of the most serious TOWN AND GOWN rows on record took place on the day of St. Scholastica the Virgin, February 10, 1345, when several lives were lost on either side. The University was at that time in the Lincoln diocese; and Grostête, the bishop, placed the townspeople under an interdict, from which they were not released till 1357, and then only on condition that the mayor and sixty of the chief burgesses should on every anniversary of the day of St. Scholastica, attend St. Mary’s Church and offer up mass for the soul of the slain scholars, and should also individually present an offering of one penny at the high altar. They, moreover, paid a yearly fine of 100 marks to the University, with the penalty of an additional fine of the same sum for every omission in attending at St. Mary’s. This continued up to the time of the Reformation, when it gradually fell into abeyance. In the fifteenth year of Elizabeth, however, the University asserted their claim to all arrears. The matter being brought to trial, it was decided that the town should continue the annual fine and penance, though the arrears were forgiven. The fine was yearly paid on the 10th of February up to our own time; the mayor and chief burgesses attended at St. Mary’s and made the offering at the conclusion of the litany, which, on that occasion, was read from the altar. This was at length put an end to by Convocation in the year 1825.
1899. Heywood, Guide to Oxford. The TOWN AND GOWN rows, as occasions for displays of physical force, lasted until quite recent times, as readers of Verdant Green and Tom Brown at Oxford will know. Nowadays, however, they are happily unknown.
Townee (or Towner), subs. (general).—See Cad.
Towney (Christ’s Hospital).—See Housey.
1887. The Blue, Nov. Thus, a little farther on, mention is made of the time when a boy leaves the School. The consequent change of dress might be vulgarly expressed by “exchanging HOUSEYS FOR TOWNEYS,” but our author is before all things refined. “The boy is at liberty to exchange the garb of the house for one more congenial to modern taste.”
Town-lout, subs. (Rugby).—A scholar residing in the town with his parents.
Toys, subs. (Winchester).—A bureau—desk and book-case combined. Whence TOY-TIME (or TOYS) = evening preparation (in College) and (in Commoners) all time so spent.
1440. Prompt. Parv. Teye, of a cofyr or forcer.
1881. Pascoe, Everyday Life in our Public Schools. The clock striking seven each junior retires to his TOYS or bureau for an hour and a half, during what is known as TOYTIME, when the work of the next morning and the week’s composition have to be prepared.
1891. Wrench, Winchester Word-Book, s.v. Toys.... The expression TOY-TIME suggests that the “s” has been added. If TOYS has not descended from this word [teye], it must have been transferred from the contents of the toys, and mean simply one’s belongings.
Trades, subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—See quot. and Public-supping.
1900. Daily Telegraph, 16th March, “London Day by Day.” After the boys had concluded their simple repast of tea and bread-and-butter, they formed up two-and-two, and bowed to the Lord Mayor, the different wards being headed by the TRADES, as the boys who carry the candlesticks, the bread-basket, table-cloth, and cutlery are termed.
Travelling-scholarship (or Fellowship), subs. (University).—Rustication (q.v.).
Treacle-bolly, subs. (Marlborough). A walk by the Kennett close to the College. [So called from the cottage of a miller so nick-named.]
Tree of Knowledge, The (Charterhouse).—The tree under which books, &c., are piled in the interval between second school and dinner (say 12.30 to 1.15), while run-about in winter and cricket-nets or position drill in summer is engaged in.
Treer, subs. (Durham: obsolete).—A boy who avoids organised games, but plays a private game with one or two friends. [Presumably because played by the trees at the side of the ground.]
Trek, verb (Durham).—To run.
Trencher, subs. 1. (Winchester).—A square wooden platter: in use in College.
2. (general).—A college cap; a Mortar-board (q.v.).
Trial, subs. (Harrow).—An examination. Whence Trials = the examinations at the end of the summer and winter terms.
Tribune, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—A large pew in ante-chapel: reserved for ladies.
Tripos, subs. (Cambridge).—A word dating from the sixteenth century, and used successively in a number of different senses. At first it was applied to the stool on which the champion of the University sat at the disputations held at the admission of Bachelors of Arts to their degree; then it was transferred to the Bachelor himself; still later to the humorous, or, in some cases, scurrilous, speech with which “Mr. Tripos” opened the proceedings, and to the verses of the Bachelors at the Acts. The honours-lists were printed (about 1847-8) on the backs of these verses, and so tripos came to mean an honour-list, and, last of all, the examination itself. Until the year 1824 there was only one tripos, the Mathematical; and up to 1850 only those who had obtained honours in mathematics were admitted to the Classical examination. The degree was not given for that examination till a few years later.
1877. Wordsworth, Scholæ Academicæ, 20. Such interest as is now attached to them belongs rather to the verses than to the list of the several TRIPOSES (for the name has now at last come to signify degree examinations) which have been circulated already severally.
1891. Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 9. I’m seriously thinking of chucking my TRIPOS and taking up the History Special.
Trotter, subs. (University).—A tailor’s assistant who goes on round for orders.
Truck-house, subs. (Stonyhurst: obsolete).—The Recreation rooms.
1882. Stonyhurst Mag., i. 12, “Rummagings amongst our Records.” Grammar and Great Figures on their Declamation day ... were exempted from studies and allowed something of a collation in the TRUCK-HOUSE.
Tub, subs. 1. (University).—A boat broad in the beam, used by novices. Hence TUBBING = boating; to GET TUBBED = to be taught to row.
1853. Bradley, Verdant Green.... So to the river he next day went, and made his first essay in a TUB.
1889. Morning Advertiser. If “up” at the University, we will probably pass our time between “grinding hard” and TUBBING on the river.
1898. Stonyhurst Mag., Dec., p. 149, “Life at Oxford.” Rowing is naturally a great attraction to many freshmen, and every College is always on the look-out for new oarsmen. What one does is to get “TUBBED,” that is, one is taught to row by members of the College eight in boats that are too TUB-like to be easily capsized.
2. (Winchester).—A chest in Hall into which Dispars (q.v.) not taken by the boys were put.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester (1866), 79. In front of the screen stood “TUB,” from which the Præfect of that Ilk took his title; it was a strong painted oak chest, with a lid, about two feet high.... As will be seen, it was simply impossible for the Juniors to be up to time, the consequence of which was that more than half the dinners were not taken; these were thrown into “TUB” at the end of Hall, whence they were ultimately taken away by some poor women, and I always understood (though I am not certain that such was the case) that the “Præfect of TUB” got a certain sum for each “Dispar” not taken, and so had a direct interest in managing that as many as possible should go without their dinner. I will now explain the absence of the Juniors; immediately the Præfects were seated, the whole Hall resounded with shouts of “Junior—Junior—Junior,” rising in savageness of tone, as the supply became exhausted; in five minutes all the Juniors were darting wildly about in all directions, executing orders received from their lords and masters; some to Colson’s hatch for salt, or down in the cellar for beer, back to school for something forgotten, into chambers for a pint cup, down to the kitchen for gravy, &c. &c.
1867. Collins, The Public Schools, p. 23. Until the last few years the “præfect of TUB” (whose duty it was to examine the quality of the meat sent in by the college butcher, and after dinner to see to the proper collection and distribution of the remains) retained his title.
Tub-mess, subs. (Winchester).—The table at which the Senior Præfects sat in Hall.—Mansfield (c. 1840).
Tuck, subs. (general).—Edibles of all kinds, but particularly pastry. Hence TUCK-SHOP = a pastry-cook’s.
Tuck-parcel, subs. (Charterhouse).—A hamper from home: the word is now becoming obsolete.
1856. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School-days, I. vi. Come along down to Sally Harrowell’s; that’s our school-house TUCK-SHOP. She bakes such shining murphies. Ibid. The slogger looks rather sodden, as if he didn’t take much exercise and ate too much TUCK.
Tug, subs. (Eton).—A Colleger; a scholar on the foundation. Whence TUGGERY = College.
1881. Pascoe, Everyday Life in our Public Schools.... The long looked-for St. Andrew’s Day arrives, when the great match of collegers, or, as the small oppidan would term it, TUGS, and oppidans is to be played.
1883. Brinsley-Richards, Seven Years at Eton.... My interlocutor was a red-headed freckled little boy of eleven, who had come from Aberdeen “to try for TUGGERY,” that is, to try and pass in to the foundation as a King’s Scholar.
1890. Great Public Schools, 52. The Collegers did not always fare as bravely as they do now, either at board or bed. Terrible tales of their manner of life may be read.... Perhaps the recollections of that time caused the disrespect, almost bordering on contempt, with which the Oppidans used for many years to regard the Togati, or gown-wearing boys. [Note.—I suppose there is not much doubt that the nickname of TUG by which the Collegers used to go among the rest of the school, was derived from the toga they wore.]
Adj. (Winchester) = stale; ordinary; vapid; common. Whence TUGS = stale news; TUG-CLOTHES = everyday clothes; TUG-JAW = wearisome talk.
Tui, subs. (Winchester).—Tuition.
Tumbies, subs. (University).—Ablutions.
Tund, verb (Winchester).—To thrash. Whence TUNDING = a thrashing. [Lat. tundere.]
1881. Pascoe, Everyday Life in Our Public Schools.... I never heard of any case in Eton like the TUNDING which, some years ago, brought our mother-school into disagreeable notice.
1883. Trollope, What I Remember.... It was the prefect of hall who ordered the infliction of a public TUNDING.... The following simple and truthful statement of what a public TUNDING was may enable those who take an interest in the matter to form some reasonable opinion whether the infliction of such punishment were a good or a bad thing.... Some dozen or so of boys, who had the best capacities for the performance, were appointed by him for the purpose, and the whole assembly stood around the daïs, while the hymn Te de profundis was sung. When all were thus assembled, and before the singers commenced, the culprit who had been sentenced to a TUNDING stepped out, pulled off his gown, and received from the hands of one deputed by the “prefect of hall,” and armed with a tough, pliant, ground-ash stick, a severe beating.
c. 1890. Punch [Confession by a Wykehamist]. I like to be TUNDED twice a day, And swished three times a week.
Turf, subs. 1. (Winchester).—The pitch: at cricket. The field is “long grass.”
2. (Felsted).—The cricket-field.
1881. Felstedian, Nov., p. 75. There are (or were) six cricket pitches on TURF.
Verb. 1. (Derby).—To send to bed at bed-time: used of Præpostors.
2. (Marlborough).—To chastise.
Turl (The), subs. (Oxford).—Turl Street. [Formerly a narrow opening through the city wall into the High Street.]
Turn. To turn up, verb. phr. (Marlborough).—To chastise: with cane, stick, or fives-bat.
To be turned, verb. phr. (Harrow and Dulwich).—To be ploughed in a vive voce translation lesson.
Twank, verb (Durham).—To cane. See Lam and Yark. [Twank (East) = to give a smart slap with the flat of the hand.]
Tweaker, subs. (Felsted: obsolete).—A catapult.
Twelve. After Twelve, subs. phr. (Eton).—From noon till two P.M.
1861. Whyte-Melville, Good for Nothing, p. 39. I used to visit him regularly in the dear old college from the AFTER TWELVE.
1864. Eton School-days, vi. I tell you plainly, if you are not in Sixpenny AFTER TWELVE, I will do my best to give you a hiding wherever I meet you.
1883. Brinsley-Richards, Seven Years at Eton. Croppie, who abominated all laws and delighted in transgressions, resolved to go to the fair, and without difficulty he persuaded the Pug and me to join him. One day AFTER TWELVE the three of us passed over Windsor Bridge in the same condition as the “bold adventurers” alluded to in Gray’s Ode.
The Twelve, subs. (Harrow).—See quot., and Appendix.
1899. Public School Mag., Dec., p. 446. The working system of the school has lately been slightly altered. Above the two sixth forms there has been placed a Head-master’s “TWELVE,” with the object of training the first TWELVE on the classical side for ’Varsity life. They are only in school about three hours a day, but have to get through a tough amount of work at their leisure.
Twelve Apostles, subs. 1. (Cambridge).—The last twelve in the Mathematical Tripos.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Pluck.... These unfortunate fellows are designated by many opprobrious appellations, such as the TWELVE APOSTLES, the Legion of Honour, Wise Men of the East, &c.
2. (Stonyhurst).—The twelve first Stonyhurst boys.
1887. Stonyhurst Mag., iii. 90. Stonyhurst boys of all past times since the coming of the original “TWELVE APOSTLES” ... will have noticed once a year, about Eastertide, a curious notice ... giving warning of an approaching meeting of the Court Leet.
Twenty (The), subs. (Rugby).—The Sixth Form.
Twenty-two and Twenty-two, subs. phr. (Winchester: obsolete).—Football: twenty-two a side.
Twig (The), subs. (Marlborough: obsolete).—The Head-master. [In whose authority rested the use of the birch.]
Twilight, subs. (general).—Toilet.
Twist (or Twoster), subs. (Winchester).—A stick spirally marked by a creeper having grown round it.