The Public School Word-book / A conribution to to a historical glossary of words phrases and turns of expression obsolete and in current use peculiar to our great public schools together with some that have been or are modish at the universities

by John Stephen Farmer

Jiffs, The (Christ’s Hospital). See Appendix.

c. 1890. More Gleanings from The Blue, 92. North is the “Hall playground” (I use the terrene names); south, the “Library”; east, the “Ditch”; and west, the “JIFFS.”

Jig, subs. (Winchester).—A clever man: fifty years ago it meant a swindler. The word has now the meanings (1) a low joke, (2) a swindle, (3) an object of sport.

1600. Heywood, 2 Edward IV., i. 1. There domineering with his drunken crew Makes JIGS of us.

1620. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, s.v. Farce ... the JYG at the end of an enterlude, wherein some pretie knaverie is acted.

1652. Stapylton, Herodion (quoted in Notions). Devising with his mates to find a JIGG, That he thereby might make himself a king.

Jimmy. All jimmy, adv. phr. (Cambridge).—All nonsense. [Cf. Jemmy-burty (Cambridge) = an ignis fatuus.]

Jink, subs. (Durham).—A dodge: at football.

Jockey, subs. (Winchester).—(1) To supplant; (2) to appropriate; (3) to engage: e.g. “He JOCKEYED me UP to books”; “Who has JOCKEYED my baker”; “This court is JOCKEYED.” Probably an extended use of the word borrowed from turf slang. Jockey not = the Commoner cry claiming exemption, answering to “feign” at other schools: of which the College “finge” seems a translation. The opposite of JOCKEY UP = to LOSE DOWN.—Notions.

1881. Felstedian, Nov. p. 75, “A Day’s Fagging at Winchester.” Here let me observe that only the præfects have separate basins to wash in; the juniors use the two stone conduits. As there are seven who are not præfects, there is rather a rush for them, so I JOCKEY (i.e. secure) one for the “candlekeeper” by turning on some water and putting his sponge into it.