Yards (The), subs. 1. (Durham).—The list of members, originally of the First Game, but now of the Second Game—at football or cricket. [Formerly in the cricket season only a patch of ground thirty yards square was mowed. Those who had the privilege of playing on this were said to be “on the YARDS.”]
2. (Royal High School, Edin.).—The gravel-covered playground.
Yark, verb (Durham).—To cane. See Twank and Lam. [Yark (North) = to strike, to beat.]
Yellow-hammer, subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—A Blue (q.v.) in disgrace for gross misconduct and under discipline. See quot.
1844. Reminis. of Christ’s Hospital [The Blue, August 1874]. In the case of a hardened offender, or of gross misdemeanour, a system of degradation was adopted, by causing the culprit to wear his coat turned inside out, and as the body of the coat had a yellow lining, the metamorphosis was remarkably striking, and (unkindest cut of all!) the subjects of this hideous transformation—these involuntary turn-coats—were by their schoolfellows nicknamed YELLOW-HAMMERS.
Yolly, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—A post-chaise. [That is, “Yellow,” that having been generally a favourite colour for these vehicles.]
-y, inseparable suffix (Manchester Grammar).—See Mathy, Chemmy, Gymmy, &c.
