Size

[subs. and verb. and sizar], subs. (Cambridge University and Trinity College, Dublin).—1.  See quots.: the grade no longer exists; practically speaking, it has ceased to exist for a century.

  1592.  NASHE, Pierce Penilesse, His Supplication to the Divell, 45. [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 11. A Cambridge butler sets up a size (allowance of bread); hence come SIZARS].

  1594.  R. GREENE, Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay. Friar Bacon’s SUB-SIZER is the greatest blakhead in all Oxford.

  1605.  SHAKESPEARE, King Lear, ii. 4, 178. ’Tis not in thee to grudge my pleasures … to scant my SIZES.

  1606.  The Return from Parnassus, iv., 2 [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, ix. 188]. Ingenioso. So ho, Master Recorder. You that are one of the devel’s fellow-commoners; one that SIZETH the devil’s butteries.

  1617.  MINSHEU, Guide into the Tongues, s.v. A SIZE is a portion of bread or drinke, i. is a farthing, which Schollers in Cambridge haue at the butterie; it is noted with the letter S., as in Oxeford with the letter Q. for halfe a farthing and q/u. for a farthing; and whereas they say in Oxford to Battle in the butterie booke, i. to set downe on their names what they take in Bread, Drinke, Butter, Cheese, &c., so in Cambridge they say to SIZE, i. to set downe their quantum, i. how much they take on their names in the Butterie booke.

  1626.  FLETCHER and ROWLEY, Wit at Several Weapons, ii.

  1630.  RANDOLPH, Aristippus [HAZLITT, Works (1875), i. 14]. Drinking college tap-lash, that will let them have no more learning than they SIZE.

  1633.  SHIRLEY, The Witty Fair One, iv. 2. I know what belongs to SIZING, and have answered to my cue in my days; I am free of the whole university.

  1635.  CORBET, Answer to a Certain Poem.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. SIZE. To sup at one’s own expense. If a man asks you to sup, he treats you: if to SIZE, you pay for what you eat, liquor only being provided by the inviter. Ibid. SIZING-PARTY’S. A number of students who contribute each his part towards a supper.

  1787.  The Gentleman’s Magazine, 1147. The term SUB-SIZAR became forgotten, and the SIZAR was supposed to be the same as the servitor. Ibid. (1795), 21. In general, a SIZE is a small plateful of any eatable: and, at dinner, TO SIZE is to order for yourself any little luxury that may chance to tempt you, in addition to the general fare, for which you are expected to pay the cook at the end of the term.

  1798.  Laws of Harvard College [B. H. HALL, A Collection of College Words and Customs, 428]. When they come into town after commons, they may be allowed TO SIZE a meal at the kitchen.

  1772.  HAWKINS, The Origin of the English Drama, iii. 271. note. You are at Cambridge still with SIZE cue, &c.

  1803.  Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, s.v. SIZAR. The distinction between Pensioners and SIZERS is by no means considerable…. Nothing is more common, than to see Pensioners and SIZERS taking sweet counsel together, and walking arm in arm to St. Mary’s, as friends.

  1811.  Laws of Yale College [B. H. HALL, A Collection of College Words and Customs, 428]. At the close of each quarter, the Butler shall make up his bill against each student, in which every article SIZED or taken up by him at the Buttery shall be particularly charged.

  1848.  THACKERAY, The Book of Snobs, xiii. The unlucky boys who have no tassels to their caps, are called SIZARS—servitors [sic] at Oxford—(a very pretty and gentlemanlike title). A distinction is made in their clothes because they are poor; for which reason they wear a badge of poverty, and are not allowed to take their meals with their fellow-students.

  1857.  MACAULAY, Oliver Goldsmith. The SIZARS paid nothing for food and tuition, and very little for lodging; but they had to perform some menial services, from which they have long been relieved. They swept the court; they carved up the dinner to the fellows’ table, and changed the plates and poured out the ale of the rulers of the society.

  1851.  BRISTED, Five Years in an English University, 20. ‘Go through a regular second course instead of the SIZINGS.’ Ibid., 19. Soup, pastry and cheese can be SIZED for.

  1833.  Peirce, A History of Harvard University, 219. We were allowed at dinner a cue of beer, which was a half-pint, and a SIZING of bread, which I cannot describe to you. It was quite sufficient for one dinner.

  1861.  E. O’CURRY, Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, I. iv. Public schools, where the sons of the lower classes waited on the sons of the upper classes, and received certain benefits (in food, clothes, and instruction) from them in return. In fact the ‘SIZARSHIPS’ in our modern colleges appear to be a modified continuation of this ancient system.

  1864.  HOTTEN, The Slang Dictionary, s.v. SIZER. Poor scholars at Cambridge, annually elected, who got their dinners (including SIZINGS) from what was left at the upper, or Fellows’ table, free, or nearly so. They paid rent of rooms, and some other fees, on a lower scale than the “Pensioners” or ordinary students, and were equal with the “battlers” and “servitors” at Oxford.

  1870.  The Cambridge University Calendar, 5. SIZARS are generally Students of limited means. They usually have their commons free, and receive various employments.

  2.  (old).—Half-a-pint (GROSE).

  3.  (colloquial).—Result; state; fact.

  1861.  M. E. BRADDON, The Trail of the Serpent, IV. vii. “Dead?” said Richard…. “That’s about THE SIZE OF IT, sir,” replied Mr. Peters.

  1889.  Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 8 Feb. They don’t like to see a man’s figure-head battered, that’s about THE SIZE OF IT.

  1891.  N. GOULD, The Double Event, 295. ‘That’s about THE SIZE OF IT,’ said Jack, ‘and I don’t think you could do better.’

  1893.  MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 22, ‘On Woman’s Rights.’ That’s THE SIZE OF IT, Charlie.

  1900.  F. E. GRAINGER (‘Headon Hill’), Caged! xviii. That’s about THE SIZE OF IT.… I could have got away.

  Verb. (colloquial).—To measure; to gauge; to reckon up: also TO SIZE UP.

  1380.  MIRK, Instructions for Parish Priests [E.E.T.S.], 39. [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 106. The old noun SYSE is used for measure; hence our to SIZE MEN on parade.]

  1843.  W. T. PORTER, ed., The Big Bear of Arkansas, etc., 94. You see, Mr. Porter, I thot I’d SIZE her pile.

  1889.  Puck’s Library, 25 April. If you want to know just how thoroughly the community has SIZED YOU UP, and to get the exact dimensions, ask for the best part in the amateur theatricals.

  1891.  H. B. MARRIOTT-WATSON, The Web of the Spider, xi. I haven’t seen your little girl’s face vet. It was dark when I seized her, and I hadn’t time to ‘SIZE’ her.

  1900.  R. H. SAVAGE, Brought to Bay, i. The two falcons had already ‘SIZED UP’ all the other guests as ‘not worth Idalian powder.’