little-go

plural little-gos · plural little-goes

1. historicalA private lottery, especially when illegal.
2. UKalternativehistoricalAlternative form of little go (“university exam”).

   […] the interrogators were able to recognize this as, “There was a question just like that on my little-go.”

   2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage, published 2007, page 801

   3 more examples

   "Oh," said Mr. Charles Larkyns, "they give you no end of trouble at these places; and they require the vaccination certificate before you go in for your responsions, - the Little-go, you know. You need not mention my name in your letter as having told you this. It will be quite enough to say that you understand such a thing is required."

   1853, Edward Bradley, chapter 7, in The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green

   At school they never flogg'd him, / At college, though not fast, / Yet his little-go and great-go / He creditably pass'd, / And made his year's allowance / For eighteen months to last.

   1856, William Makepeace Thackeray, The King of Brentford's Testament

   Let's see, this is only his third term? I'll give him, perhaps, two more to make the place too hot to hold him. Take my word for it, he'll never get to his little-go.

   1861, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, London: Macmillan and Co., published 1883, page 128