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.).