or super, subs. (theatrical).—1. A supernumerary: whence SUPER-MASTER = the director of the supernumeraries: also as verb. 2. (Australian) = the superintendent of a station.
1870. A. L. GORDON, Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes, 23, ‘From the Wreck.’
| ‘Turn out, boys’—‘What’s up with our SUPER to-night? | |
| The man’s mad—Two hours to daybreak I’d swear— | |
| Stark mad—why, there isn’t a glimmer of light.’ |
1884. YATES, Fifty Years of London Life, I. ii. Preternaturally stupid people as … the ‘SUPERS’ are found to be.
1890. BOLDREWOOD, A Colonial Reformer, ix. That SUPER’S a growlin’ ignorant beggar as runs a feller from daylight to dark for nothing at all.
1890. Argus, 10 June, 4. 1. He … bragged of how he had bested the SUPER who tried to ‘wing him’ in the scrub.
3. (old).—A watch: SUPE AND SLANG = watch and chain; SUPER-SCREWING = stealing watches.
c. 1866. VANCE, The Chickaleary Cove. How to do a cross-fam, for a SUPER, or a slang.
4. (American university).—A toady: spec. one who BUM-SUCKS (q.v.) the professors.
