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

Blue, subs. (Christ’s Hospital).—See ante; concerning the dress, I learn that the cap was given up many years ago. There used to be a yellow petticoat under the blue skirt. The boys also wear white “bands.”

Bluebottle, subs. (Christ’s Hospital: Hertford).—A BLUE (q.v.): used by girls at Hertford. See Grasshopper (Appendix) and Hedgehog (ante).

Bottle, verb (Durham).—See ante. Also TO BE BOTTLED = to be in a fix.

Bouncer, subs. (Stonyhurst).—A ball kicked from the hand before it reaches the ground: Stonyhurst-football (q.v.).

Boy, subs. (Harrow).—Specifically, a fag a grade above the lowest form. See ante. As a verb, TO BOY = to call for a fag: all fags are summoned by a long drawn-out shout.

Brick (and Clat), subs. (Stonyhurst).—The names given to the two rival camps in a certain notorious quasi-insurrection in the College some fifty years ago. A full account appears in Fitzgerald’s Stonyhurst Memories.

Bug and Snail, subs. phr. (Winchester).—The Natural History Society.

Bug-shooter, subs. (Harrow).—A member of the School Corps.

Bumf. To buy a bumf, verb. phr. (general).—To purchase a newspaper. Math-bumf = mathematical paper. See ante.

Bunker, subs. (Stonyhurst).—(1) A native; (2) a low fellow.