CUE, KUE, Q. A small portion of bread or beer; a term formerly current in both the English universities, the letter q being the mark in the buttery books to denote such a piece. Q would seem to stand for _quadrans_, a farthing; but Minsheu says it was only half that sum, and thus particularly explains it: "Because they set down in the battling or butterie bookes in Oxford and Cambridge, the letter q for half a farthing; and in Oxford when they make that cue or q a farthing, they say, _cap my q_, and make it a farthing, thus, [Symbol: small q with a line over]. But in Cambridge they use this letter, a little f; thus, f, or thus, s, for a farthing." He translates it in Latin _calculus panis_. Coles has, "A _cue_ [half a farthing] minutum."--_Nares's Glossary_. "A cue of bread," says Halliwell, "is the fourth part of a half-penny crust. A cue of beer, one draught." J. Woods, under-butler of Christ Church, Oxon, said he would never sitt capping of _cues_.--_Urry's MS._ add. to Ray. You are still at Cambridge with size _kue_.--_Orig. of Dr._, III. p. 271. He never drank above size _q_ of Helicon.--_Eachard, Contempt of Cl._, p. 26. "_Cues_ and _cees_," says Nares, "are generally mentioned together, the _cee_ meaning a small measure of beer; but why, is not equally explained." From certain passages in which they are used interchangeably, the terms do not seem to have been well defined. Hee [the college butler] domineers over freshmen, when they first come to the hatch, and puzzles them with strange language of _cues_ and _cees_, and some broken Latin, which he has learnt at his bin.--_Earle's Micro-cosmographie_, (1628,) Char. 17. The word _cue_ was formerly used at Harvard College. Dr. Holyoke, who graduated in 1746, says, the "breakfast was two sizings of bread and a _cue_ of beer." Judge Wingate, who graduated thirteen years after, says: "We were allowed at dinner a _cue_ of beer, which was a half-pint." It is amusing to see, term after term, and year after year, the formal votes, passed by this venerable body of seven ruling and teaching elders, regulating the price at which a _cue_ (a half-pint) of cider, or a _sizing_ (ration) of bread, or beef, might be sold to the student by the butler.--_Eliot's Sketch of Hist. Harv. Coll._, p. 70. CUP. Among the English Cantabs, "an odious mixture ... compounded of spice and cider."--_Westminster Rev._, Am. ed., Vol. XXXV. p. 239. CURL. In the University of Virginia, to make a perfect recitation; to overwhelm a Professor with student learning. CUT. To be absent from; to neglect. Thus, a person is said to "_cut_ prayers," to "_cut_ lecture," &c. Also, to "_cut_ Greek" or "Latin"; i.e. to be absent from the Greek or Latin recitation. Another use of the word is, when one says, "I _cut_ Dr. B----, or Prof. C----, this morning," meaning that he was absent from their exercises.