Scarper, to run away; Spanish, ESCAPAR, to escape, make off; Italian, SCAPPARE. “Scarper with the feeley of the donna of the carzey,” to run away with the daughter of the landlady of the house; almost pure Italian, “SCAPPARE COLLA FIGLIA DELLA DONNA DELLA CASA.”—Seven Dials and Prison Cant, from the Lingua Franca.
Schism-shop, a Dissenters’ meeting-house.—University.
Schofel, bad money. See [SHOFUL].
School, a knot of men or boys; generally a body of idlers or street gamblers. Also, two or more “patterers” working together in the streets.
Schroff, a banker, treasurer, or confidential clerk.—Anglo-Indian.
Schwassle box, the street arrangement for Punch and Judy. See [SWATCHEL-COVE].
Sconce, the head; judgment, sense.—Dutch.
Sconce, to fine. Used by Dons as well as undergrads. The Dons fined or SCONCED for small offences; e.g., five shillings for wearing a coloured coat in hall at dinner-time. Among undergrads a pun, or an oath, or an indecent remark, was SCONCED by the head of the table. If the offender could, however, floor the tankard of beer which he was SCONCED, he could retort on his SCONCER to the extent of twice the amount he was SCONCED in.—Oxford University.
Score, a reckoning, “to run up a SCORE at a public-house,” to obtain credit there until pay-day, or a fixed time, when the debt must be “wiped off.” From the old practice of scoring a tippler’s indebtedness on the inside of a public-house door.
Scorf, to eat voraciously.