Do you know your ‘slab’ from your ‘spree’? A guide to Winchester College Notions

Notions are distinctive words and customs unique to Winchester College pupils and our community.

This unusual language has developed over many centuries, reaching its peak in the nineteenth century.

While notions have naturally evolved, with new words replacing others that have fallen out of use, some of the oldest words still spoken at Winchester preserve direct links to Anglo-Saxon England.

This book is a guide to some of the most common words still in regular use today, and including a few older and less familiar terms.

Winchester pupils are very proud of their notions, yet few can claim to know them all. With a little study of what follows, you may find yourself better-versed than many already in the school!