23 Words That Have A Completely Different Meaning At Oxford University

    From matriculation right through to trashing, none of it makes sense.

    Sophie Hines
    by Sophie Hines

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    1. "Bod"

    Warner Bros / Via Warner bros/ hogwartsliveschool.blogspot.co.uk

    What it normally means: Body.

    What it means at Oxford: The Bodleian Library, which is a bit like Gringotts but for books. And it's not manned by goblins.

    2. "A penny"

    Flickr: gin_soak / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: A coin with which you buy something.

    What it means at Oxford: A coin with which you get people hammered.

    3. "The union"

    Dreamworks Studioes / Via animatedmeme.blogspot.co.uk

    What it normally means: A university building that's home to cheesy music, drunken dancing, and cheap Bacardi Breezers.

    What it means at Oxford: A university building that's home to weekly debates, random celebs, and megalomaniacs.

    4. "Nerds"

    Via iruntheinternet.com

    What it normally means: The geeky people at school.

    What it means at Oxford: Everyone.

    5. "Clever"

    Flickr: zendragon / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: The smartest people at school.

    What it means at Oxfords: Everyone, which means “clever” must be redefined to mean ABSOLUTE FREAKIN’ GENIUS.

    6. "Bumps"

    Flickr: edbrambley / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: Light blows; a fun/terrifying thing that happens during childhood birthday parties.

    What it means at Oxford: A whole bunch of crazy rowers chasing each other down the river in the hope of "bumping" the boat in front – this continues for four days.

    7. "New"

    The Jim Henson Company / Via weheartit.com

    What it normally means: Something very recent.

    What it means at Oxford: A college that is very old.

    8. "Mods"

    Flickr: malcolm-smith / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: People with '60s haircuts and scooters.

    What it means at Oxford: First year exams.

    9. "Principal"

    Channel 4 / Via buswankers.tumblr.com

    What it normally means: A school head teacher

    What it means at Oxford: A college version of a head teacher, with a CV so impressive it makes your (already tired) brain hurt.

    10. "Rustication"

    BBC / Via replygif.net

    What it normally means: An architectural term used to describe features with contrasting textures.

    What it means at Oxford: A temporary expulsion, guaranteed to earn you a place in college folklore. For example, Richard Francis Burton was rusticated from Trinity College in 1842 for challenging someone to a duel after they mocked the shape of his moustache.

    11. "Jesus"

    Flickr: krymzon / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: The Son of God.

    What it means at Oxford: A college founded by Elizabeth I.

    12. "Blue"

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    What it normally means: A colour.

    What it means at Oxford: A sportsperson competing at university level. Someone you either want to have sex with or punch.

    13. "Formal hall"

    Flickr: 55919472@N00 / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: A fancy hall.

    What it means at Oxford: A hall that is full of begowned students stuffing their faces and throwing pennies into each other’s drinks.

    14. "Library"

    ccclibrary.tumblr.com / Via giphy.com

    What it normally means: A building you visit to borrow books.

    What it means at Oxford: A building where you turn up, realise some dick from your course has already taken all the books, struggle to understand one chapter on literary theory for about three hours, and then leave so you can phone your friend at a normal university and cry about not having joined them.

    15. "The market"

    Flickr: manicstreetpreacher / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: A place where stuff is cheap, and excellent bargains can be found.

    What it means in Oxford: A place where stuff is fancy and expensive, and excellent cookies can be found.

    16. "Bop"

    Paramount Pictures / Via giphy.com

    What it normally means: A kind of awkward dad dance.

    What it means at Oxford: A regular, themed fancy dress party held in college, resulting in epic hangovers and a lot of Facebook de-tagging.

    17. "Gown"

    Flickr: kitschbitch / Via Creative Commons

    What it normally means: An item of clothing you hire to graduate in.

    What it means at Oxford: An item of clothing you have casually hanging on the back of your door, ready for eating, exams, and whichever mad Latin ceremony you are required to take part in next.

    18. "Dean"

    Netflix / Via themortonreport.com

    What it normally means: A man’s name.

    What it means at Oxford: The college’s in-house fun police.

    19. "Don"

    George Hirliman / Via wifflegif.com

    What it normally means: A man’s name.

    What it means at Oxford: An academic. Probably be the wisest person you’ll ever meet.

    20. "Michaelmas"

    Electus / Via thefrisky.com

    What it normally means: A Christian feast.

    What it means at Oxford: The first term of the academic year – a time of Freshers’ Week boozing, embarrassing hook-ups, and silent prayers that no one else managed the summer reading list either.

    21. "Hilary"

    MTV / Via whatgiftoday.tumblr.com

    What it normally means: A girl's name.

    What it means at Oxford: The second term of the year – a time of “Oh God I should probably have caught up on my reading list by now” and “It’s so cold, we’ll definitely need to buy all the food at Hassan’s if we’re ever gonna make it home alive.”

    22. "Trinity"

    ITV / Via gifsoup.com

    What it normally means: A trio.

    What it means at Oxford: The final term of year – a time when second years feel smug while first years discover the joys of Mods, and everyone facing finals disappears into the library for six weeks.

    23. "Finals"

    Bravo / Via friendlydish.com

    What it normally means: The end of a competition.

    What it means at Oxford: THE END OF DAYS.