A writer defines poling, "wasting the midnight oil in company with a wine-bottle, box of cigars, a 'deck of eucre,' and three kindred spirits," thus leaving its real meaning to be deduced from its opposite.—Sophomore Independent, Union College, Nov., 1854.
POLL. Abbreviated from POLLOI.
Several declared that they would go out in "the Poll" (among the
[Greek: polloi], those not candidates for honors).—Bristed's
Five Years in an Eng. Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 62.
At Cambridge, those candidates for a degree who do not aspire to honors are said to go out in the poll; this being the abbreviated term to denote those who were classically designated [Greek: hoi polloi].—The English Universities and their Reforms, in Blackwood's Magazine, Feb. 1849.
POLLOI. [Greek: Hoi Polloi], the many. In the University of Cambridge, Eng., those who take their degree without any honor. After residing something more than three years at this University, at the conclusion of the tenth term comes off the final examination in the Senate-House. He who passes this examination in the best manner is called Senior Wrangler. "Then follow about twenty, all called Wranglers, arranged in the order of merit. Two other ranks of honors are there,—Senior Optimes and Junior Optimes, each containing about twenty. The last Junior Optime is termed the Wooden Spoon. Then comes the list of the large majority, called the Hoy Polloi, the first of whom is named the Captain of the Poll, and the twelve last, the Apostles."—Alma Mater, Vol. I. p. 3.
2. Used by students to denote the rabble.
On Learning's sea, his hopes of safety buoy,
He sinks for ever lost among the [Greek: hoi polloi].
The Crayon, Yale Coll., 1823, p. 21.
PONS ASINORUM. Vide ASSES' BRIDGE.
PONY. A translation. So called, it may be, from the fleetness and ease with which a skilful rider is enabled to pass over places which to a common plodder present many obstacles.
One writer jocosely defines this literary nag as "the animal that ambulates so delightfully through all the pleasant paths of knowledge, from whose back the student may look down on the weary pedestrian, and 'thank his stars' that 'he who runs may read.'"—Sophomore Independent, Union College, Nov. 1854