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

Crick, The (Rugby). See quot.

1890. Great Public Schools, 182. The crick is the most celebrated of all school runs. Everybody, I fancy, in the running world has heard of it. On a day at the end of the Christmas term—generally on the first Thursday in December—you may see all the School assembled at the “Quad gates.”... The crick is only run once a year. Its course is along roads and footpaths to Crick village, and then back by Hillmorton, the finish being a length of about a third of a mile along the Hillmorton Road. It is a race pure and simple; and is in this respect a race against time.... The length of the race is supposed to be about eleven or twelve miles, and the time in which it is run is generally between an hour and twenty minutes and an hour and a half.

Cricket-bill, subs. (Harrow).—A “call-over” on the cricket-ground. All fall into line, down which a master goes noting the number of those absent as stated by the Shepherds (q.v.).

Cricket-Quarter, subs. (Charterhouse).—See Long Quarter.

Croc, subs. (Cheltenham).—A ladies’ school when walking out.

Crocketts, subs. (Winchester).—A kind of bastard cricket, sometimes called “small CROCKETTS.” A stump was used and a fives ball, with a bat of plain deal about two inches broad, or a broomstick. To get crocketts = to fail to score; to get a “duck’s egg.” Cf. Books.

c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester College, p. 122. The more noisily disposed would indulge in ... playing Hicockolorum, or CROCKETTS.

Cropple, verb (Winchester).—To pluck; to plough—UP TO Books. [Wykehamicé for cripple.]

Cross. To be crossed, verb. phr.—For not paying term bills to the bursar (treasurer), or for cutting chapels, or lectures, or other offences, an undergrad. can be CROSSED at the buttery, or kitchen, or both, i.e. a CROSS is put against his name by the Don, who wishes to see him, or to punish him.

1853. Bradley (“Cuthbert Bede”), Verdant Green, pt. II. ch. x. Sir!—You will translate all your lectures; have your name CROSSED on the buttery and kitchen books; and be confined to chapel, hall, and college.