The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-05
sLANG or rHE MrDDrEs.
Specimens OF the Lingo spoken at the
Naval Academy.
From Armu and Nnru LNe.

W NN@eDFSe
From ArTD and Nary Lite.
The Naval Academy was established In
isis. In the very first year OF its existence
a new word. synonymous with midshtpmen.
appeared. IL was REFERS. It's appropriate
ness to the men who reefed sails was notice
able. This historic word Is found In a letter
that the late Commodore LETTERS. U. y. N,
wrote when he was a member OF the nrst
class of midshipmen sent to the Naval Acad-
envy. The next birth was twins. When the
new midshipmen came 10 the Naval Academy
it became a necessity to have a designation
for the two sets. The midshIpmen promptly
coined them. The older midshipmen were
Oldsters, and the new ones youngsters. This
term remained as q distinction to the last
arrivals down to a score OF years ago. In
the meantime the word plebe had been in
troduced as an appeilatIon OF contempt for
the fourth class men. This word came to
use when the Naval Academy was at New
port. between the years isel-lsoo. Plebe
and youngster commended long for the mas
terry, when g natural selection closed the con-
test. youngster becoming the special title OF
third class men. those who dated the fourth
class men one year. and plebe being In the
vernacular the name OF the latest arrivals.
Al is Admiral superintendent, and anchor
q midshipmsn who has dropped to the bot
tom OF his class. Ann In the feminine name
Of the abbreviation for the annual m
ton. Femmes IL the word constantly used
for the ladies in common conversation. and
peaches designates the fairest Of the fair sex.
and q gold brick liz q girl who can neither
talk. dance nor look pretty. Bat means that
the thing to which the verb or adjective il
applied has been well done: bazoo In a literary
production OF a plebe or fourth class nan at
the order Of an upper class man. IL also
means a ludicrous message sent by an upper
class man to another upper class man through
means Of a fourth class man. Bin Ii to do q
thing well. Bilge In to be dropped, dismissed.
or be obliged to resign. bigger Ia q dismissed
cadet. or one who has been required 10 re-
sign. Bone means TO study. Bones IN the
nickname OF physiology and hygiene; math
for msthematics. and skinny for physics.
Boy is a term applied to servants. and never
TO midshipmen. Bust Is to fail at a recitation
or an examination. A buzzard IL the insignia
Of rank OF a cadet petty oficer-an eagle
perched on an anchor. Boojam is q four In
studies-a perfect mark.
Dewberry IL one who encroaches upon
another persons dates. 10 also means
to obtain unlawful information in a reci-
tation or an examination. Doggy is in
terpreted 20 mean well. Drag means to
drag a femme to a hop" or escort her
there. 1t also means to make much from
nothing, also to receive an inhalation from
a cigarette. and. as a noun, rs defined. as a
pull. A certain kind Of bread pudding is
designated dun. and a fend is "one who bifs
anything exceeding we'll" Fume IL to
smoke: gobbled is being caught in a scrape:
graft is a blum. and grease means a bootliok.
and an upper class man may get a grease: that
is, become popular by reporting a ratey mid
shipmah. so II was stated by Midshipman
Meriwether in his trial. Greaser was long
gineer Corps of the navy by the midshiDmen
OF the line, and in the remote period Of the
origin Of the new tongue gy,Tene stood for
soldier. The bugle has been changed in the
midshipmen's vocabulary TO the gugag; and
a handopt is described as grub from, the
officers hop" Hit means 70 do something
wei; and Is synonymous with BIZ AND trap
emy's scrub team in football. Insides has
been assigned to mean the tobacco that
goes to make up g cigarette. Jimmy Legs
who on shipboard answers to the chief OF
police on shore. and that marine Official Is
shipmen,, such as generally make up the
spertive youth jump means that the mid
manded by an officer or instructor IN a
rough or severe manner; June bug is the
TO knock a thing is to do Il well. A May
plebe is one, who enters the Naval. Academy
in May. and a moke is a coloEed servant:
mystery il hash, and a navy girl is a young
lady friendly TO and popular with the mid
shipmen. Pap is the daily conduct report:
lhAhNC 10 ~ WOOhEh uibbG NlHI' u, Ont low
IN his studies. given to writing verses.
Push means to smoke: rag Is to report one.
and. also, to rag an Instructors marks" (of
the midshipman in his Tecitations) is to view
them sure ptttiousiy rate means to exceed
in rank. OF to be entitled to a privilege: rRtev
il to refuse 10 abide by the rates; rats ia an
expression Of disapprobation a rhino is a
chronic grumbier; savez is bright, and wooden
duh; slush is an excessive form Of hattery or
obsequiousness; snag il to catch one break
ing the regulations; a soiree is a party of piebes
upper class man who is a friend of a fourth
class man spooning means to associate with
the fair sex: and to stab is TO make a wild
guess at anything; q star Is a midshipman
who gets above 3. 20 in his final examinations
for the year; spuds are potatoes. Sux has
several meauin gs -not difficult: swell, very
STYLISH: also applied to the cloth blouse.
Striper Is a midshipman who wears stripes
the insignia OF Official cadet rank. Tobs
signifies tobacco; two-f1ve the passing marx
in examinations; uDsat unsatisfactory in
total failure.
Boing for stripes. trying to stand high in
hopes Of receiving stripes; chippy crew,
the second racing boats crew: Christmas
tree a list posted in December Containing
the names OF midshiDmen that are in danger
of being dropped: choke a Iuf, to cause a
blush: first class benches. the benches at
the northwestern intersection of the main
and middle walks. Naval Academy. used
exclusively by the first class men: filming
ont, the act Of. putting ones little fingers on
the seam of his trousers and holding the
hands and fingers. out: fussinH with the
girls. waiting on the ladies; hit the grit, to
hurry up.