Shrimp (noun)
/SrImp/
Definition: From the Cornell comedy improvisation group "Whistling Shrimp"- refers to the group as a whole (The Shrimp) or a single member (a shrimp.) This group is currently comprised of 10 members and is the blood rival of the Skits-o-Phrenics.
Example: "I wanted to know when the next Shrimp show was, so I e-mailed a shrimp to find out."
Attested: A shrimp lives on my floor, so we all make an effort to attend his shows.
- Joanna Jackson

Sketchy (adjective).
'scke-chee, rhymes with "Betsy"; /skE@tSi/
Definiton: to have a peculiar disposition; to behave in a certain manner which would have others question your character; a situation with which you are not comfortable and very hesitant.
Attested: I have always known this word but many people here have not. It is a term hard to articulate and so I hope I did it justice. I believe the first time I heard it was in sleepaway camp around four years ago when my counselor said the whole idea of a campout with our boy division sounded sketchy.
Example: "In a school filled with so many sketchy people, all the cool kids have to stick together."
Etymology: I am not exactly sure how the word "sketchy" derived but I can take a guess. Since a sketch is a rough drawing of the final, clarified picture, and since from some sketches it is hard to tell what the final product will be, maybe someone took this term and applied it to people or situations which are not easy to make out and so cause discomfort to be in or around.
- Lynne Nissen

Skits (pl. noun)
/skIts/
Definition: Short for the Skits-O-Phrenics. A comedy group that is not quite as funny as the Shrimp, the Skits perform pre-rehearsed sketch comedy. A single member of the Skits can also be called a skit.
Example: "I saw the Skits perform last week-end to a huge audience in Bailey Auditorium."
Attested: I first saw the Skits perform at Ithacaid, and heard them referred to as such.
- Joanna Jackson/

Sleep (noun)
/slip/
Definition: coffee
Attested: This word is often uttered when I am seen by my friends on the floor walking from my room to the kitchen with my empty coffee pot in hand for the purpose of filling it up.
Example: Brewing another pot of sleep, Jake? ... mphmmph ...
Etymology: It was soon realized by my floormates that I oft substitute 3 hours of sleep with a good pot of coffee (6 hours for two). The transition then becomes apparent, and sleep takes the place of coffee in conversation, and vice versa.
- Jake Schlachter

Slope Day (noun)
/slo@wpdey/
Definition: The last day of classes at Cornell University. All the students skip class and instead resort to partying on Libe Slope.
Attested: In a conversation with my roomatee this term was mentioned. He was explaing how stressed he was over Prelims and how he could not wait for Slope Day. I then asked what this meant and he explained.
Example: "I can't wait to party on Slope Day."
Etymology: This is a term heard only at Cornell University. Cornell has a very famous slope called Libe Slope which the West Campus residents must climb everyday in order to go to classes. The famous tower is also located at the top of this slope. The derivation of this term is fairly simple in that it is a day where all students gather at the slope hence the name.
- Brian Montenegro

Slope, The (noun)
/D¥slo@wp/
Definition: Formally known as Libe Slope. Extending from West Campus to Centra Camous. A large hill, very steep in nature and the baine of all those living on West.
Attested: I encountered this word on the day I moved in, as all vehicles had t park on the Slope.
Example: "Oh man, I just ate and now I have to walk up the Slope."
Etymology: The hills name, "The Slope" probably arose from the fact that it has quite a great slope. Many events center around the slope. See Slope Day.
- Ryan Rapp

Snee Hall
Snee - Sn-ee; rhymes with 'knee, flee, wee'; /snihAl/
Definition: Building located in Ithaca. NY, center of Cornell University's Geological Sciences
Attested: I first encountered this word 8/29/98, when I asked for assistance on locating buildings for my classes. I found the word in the Roster and I asked the lady, what is this? She said Snee Hall. I thought it was a spelling error at first.
Example: Snee Hall did not seem to be a place of interest. but [sic] immensely surprised to find it was actually a geological sciences department.
Etymology: Snee Hall was a present of the late William E. Snee and Joseph N. Pew, Jr. It was constructed by a Cornell professor of architecture, Marioi Schack. Snee Hall is located across from the Cascadilla Gorge. It is a four-story building. The building is mainly used for research and some labs, and classrooms. The windows are designed to block direct sun in the summer and allow direct sunlight in the winter and fall.
- Andrea Sakyi

spank (verb).
/spQNk/
Definition: to put something or someone into it's place.
Attested: I first heard spanked following the first round of prelims (see prelim) during the fall semester of 1998.
Example: "Dude, I spanked my bio prelim but chem spanked me. I did O.K. in calc, it was a mutual spanking."
Etymology: The term spank probably arose out of it's true definition, to hit or beat. This semantic shift has made the word very popular in everyday life, as it can be heard all over the Cornell campus. Interestingly enough, when the word is applied to people, the construction follows the construction for the original definition, "I'm gonna spank you (or your ass')".
- Ryan Rapp

Sperry2
/spErituw/
Definition: the second floor of the Sperry hall on West Campus at Cornell
Attested: I hear sperry2 all the time whenever residents of my floor are describing themselves, each other, their activities, whatever.
Example: "Sperry2 swarms Jansens." Translation: All of the residents in Sperry Two are going to Jansens at the same time.
Etymology: the residents of sperry2 are a close-knit bunch, and the concepts surrounding this word reflect that. What once started as two separate words has become one in order to reflect the independence and clannishness of the group. It now conveys a sense of identity that the residents of the floor share in together. It is often referred to as the nation of Sperry2 for just this reason.
- Jake Schlachter

Spirits (noun)
'speer-itz; rhymes with "hear its"; /sp"@rIts/
Definition: people who "supervise" fraternity parties to make sure no one drinks who is under age.
Attested: I first encountered this word at a party when someone told me it was being catered by spirits.
Example: "The spirits were checking ID at the door for any person who wanted to drink."
Etymology: I'm not sure where this word was derived from but it might have something to do with the fact that the word "spirit" means to encourage. From this, we can deduce that spirits came to mean those who encourage fun, safe, legal behavior.
- Lynne Nissen

Straight, The (Noun)
`tha `strate; /D¥stre@yt/
Definition: Willard Straight Hall, Cornell University's student union.
Attestation: I first heard from my father when he talked about his time at Cornell University.
Example: "I am going to the Straight tonight to catch a movie and some ice cream."
Etymology: The phrase is exclusive to Cornell since it refers to a building on campus. It first came into use when Willard Straight hall was constructed in the twenties. This shortening is well accepted throughout the community, and is universally known by Cornelians. The shortened version is used much more than the longer Willard Straight Hall, however, both forms are commonly used.
- Ed Cabic

Suicide Bridge (noun)
Sounds like "insecticide ridge"; /su@wisaydbrI$dZ/
Definition: The suspension bridge overlooking the gorge near North campus where distressed students leap off and put an end to their misery
Attested: I've heard bout the suicide bridge even before I came here. Many of my high school friends have often jokingly warned me to avoid contributing to the increase of this notorious statistic
Example: "Were gonna chuck fruit off the suicide bridge and watch 'em explode, wanna come along?"
Etymology: Cornell U is also know as suicide U. It has often been rumored to have one of the highest suicide rates of universities in North America. With its demanding academic workload, it is not surprising that many students at one point or another will become extremely upset and feel helpless and hopeless. As they walk over that high suspension bridge, (or whichever other one for that matter; there are many to choose from and theyre all lethal) they I might lose control of themselves and jump, even though they don't want to die. Irrational as this thought is, it is still troubling. Existential angst also has a special edge at Cornell. Difficulty answering the question "Why am I alive?" has additional meaning when death lies over every bridge.
- Mandy Ma

SWE (noun)
Pronounced as "swieeeeee"
Definition: acronym that stands for the Society of women Engineers.
Attested: I got one of SWEs flyers along with a whole bunch of other similar information on Cornells organizations before I came to Cornell. I was really interested in joining so the first week I got here I was asking everyone to direct me to the S-W-E office but no one knew what that was because they didnt read SWE letter by letter but instead as a word - "swie".
Example: "SWE is having their 5K run this weekend. You going?"
Etymology: The Society of Women Engineers is a national non-profit organization. Its goal is to stimulate women to achieve their full potential in their careers as engineers and leaders, to expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and to demonstrate the value of diversity or so says their purpose. The Cornell section was charted in 1976.
- Mandy Ma