Varsity, subs. and adj. (collegiate).—University; and spec. University College, Oxford: the reduction is also affected by American students.
1864. Tennyson, Northern Farmer, New Style. 'E coom'd to the parish wi lots o' Varsity debt.
1886. D. Tel., 8 May. The parson—possibly an old 'Varsity man.
Varsity-tit, subs. phr. (University).—A student of Durham University: in contempt.
Varying, subs. (Winchester).—A vulgus (q.v.) when done 'up to BOOKS' (q.v.).
Vaseline, subs. (Royal Military Academy).—Butter, cart-GREASE (q.V.).
Vaughan (The), subs. phr. (Harrow).—The school library: named after Dr. Vaughan.
Vaulting-house (or -school), subs. phr. (venery).—A brothel: see Nanny-shop. Hence vault, verb=to copulate, leap (q.v.); and VAULTER=a PERFORMER (q.v.): see Greens and Ride (B. E. and Grose).
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, p. 97, s.v.
[1599. Shakspeare, Henry V., v. 2. 145. If I could win a lady . . . by vaulting into my saddle . . . I should quickly leap into a wife.] Ibid. (1605), Cymbeline, i. 6. 133. Should he make me Live, like Diana's priests, betwixt cold sheets, Whiles he is vaulting variable ramps.
1607. Dekker, Westward Hoe, iii. 2. Now were I in an excellent humour to go to a vaulting-house, I would break down all their glass windows, . . . tear their silk petticoats. . . . O the Gods, what I could do. Ibid., v. 3. She has tricks to keep a vaulting house under the law's nose. Ibid. (1607), Northward Hoe, iii. 1. How many vaulters have I entertained.
1639. Massinger, Un. Combat, iv. 2. A . . . vaulting house . . . Where I used to spend my afternoons, among suburb she-gamesters . . . I have cracked a ring or two there.
Veal, subs. (old colloquial).—A calf: cf. Mutton, Beef: in English these terms are now restricted to the dead carcase and not applied to the living animal, as in French and other languages.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Veël, A calfe or veale.
Phrases. 'Veal will be cheap, calves fall' (a jeer at those with spindly legs); 'In a shoulder of veal, there are twenty and two good bits' (Ray: a piece of country wit—there are twenty [others say forty] bits in a shoulder of veal, and but two good ones).
Vealy, adj. (colloquial).—Immature, calfish, green (q.v.).
1864. Lowell, Fireside Travels, 248. Their vealy faces mezzotinted with soot.
Veck, subs. (old).—An old woman.
1360. [Chaucer], Romaunt of the Rose, 4495. A rympled vekke, ferre ronne in age.
Vegetable-breakfast, subs. phr. (common).—A hanging, execution: i.e. an artichoke (hearty choke) and caper sauce: see Ladder.
Vein-OPENERS, subs. phr. (military).—The first battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, late the 29th Foot.
Velvet, subs. (Old Cant).—The tongue (B. E. and Grose): 'especially the tongue of a magsman' (Hotten).
