This is the name given to Repton prefects. They command the younger students, called “fags,” to do their bidding, and they beat them when they misbehave. Dahl resents the way these individuals abuse their power, and he avoids this job when he becomes a senior.

Eton Fives is a handball-style game played in a three-sided court. The sport was developed at Eton College in the 19th century. It is a doubles game that requires great skill; the court has numerous slopes and angles, which the players use to increase the complexity of their shots.

Young boys in their first few years at the secondary school occupy the role of “fags.” This term refers to lowerclassmen who act as servants to senior boys, in particular to those who are known as Boazers, the prefects at Repton.