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

1842. Tait’s Mag., Oct., “Rem. College Life.” The SKIP, or according to the Oxford etymology, the man-vulture, is not fit for his calling who cannot time his business so as to be present simultaneously at several places.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. xx. His wounded tutor, his many duns, the SKIP and bedmaker who waited upon him.

Skirmish. To skirmish on, verb. phr. (Winchester).—To run home from Hills (q.v.) when it commenced to rain.

Skug (or Scug), subs. (Eton).—See Appendix.

1889. Drage, Cyril, vii. Such a little SKUG, to use a word in use at my tutor’s.

Skull. See Scull.

Sky, verb (Harrow).—(1) To charge any one, or to knock down: at football. Also (2) = to hit or throw anything away.

Skyte, subs. (Shrewsbury).—A day boy. [Σχυθαι]

Slabs, subs. (Durham: obsolete).—A flat cake.

Slack, verb (Durham).—To sell: specifically, to dispose of property to a dealer in second-hand goods. [From the name of a second-hand bookseller in Durham.]