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

Skew, subs. (Harrow).—An entrance examination held on the last Thursday of term. See Dab, and Appendix.

Ski (or Sci), subs. (Westminster).—A plebeian; an outsider: specifically the outer rabble of invaders of the territory of Dean’s yard, belonging of right to the gens togata as Romans. [Said to be an abbreviation of Volsci.]

Skimmer, subs. (Winchester).—A method of entering the water when bathing: by just skimming beneath the surface, and rising again immediately.—Mansfield (c. 1840).

Skimmery, subs. (Oxford).—St. Mary’s Hall.

1853. Bradley, Verdant Green, viii. I swopped the beggar to a SKIMMERY man for regular slap-up sets of the ballet.

1860. G. and P. Wharton, Wits and Beaux of Society, p. 427. After leaving Westminster School he was sent to immortal SKIMMERY (St. Mary’s Hall), Oxford.

Skip, subs. (Dublin).—A College servant: valet, messenger, and waiter combined: the Oxford SCOUT (q.v.), and at Cambridge a GYP (q.v.). Formerly (in general use) = a footman.

1703. Ward, London Spy, Pt. VII. p. 151. As a Courtier’s Footman when he meets his Brother SKIP in the middle of Covent-garden.

1754. Martin, Eng. Dict., s.v. Skip.... A nickname for a footman.

1839. Lever, Harry Lorrequer, ch. xiii. For the uninitiated I have only to add that SKIP is the Trinity College [Dublin] appellation for servant.