sneaking

What happens when a game of football is proposed at Christmas among a party of young men assembled from different schools? Alas!† The Eton man is enamoured of his own rules, and turns up his nose at Rugbyas not sufficiently aristocratic; while the Rugbeian retorts that 'bullying'and 'sneaking'are not to his taste, and he is not afraid of his shins, or of a 'maul'or 'scrimmage'.On hearing this the Harrovian pricks up his ears, and though he might previously have sided with Rugby, the insinuation against the courage of those who do not allow 'shinning'arouses his ire, and causes him to refuse to lay with one who has offered it. Thus it is found impossible to get up a game.

—Anonymous

I am heartily glad you continued to like Waverley to the endöthe hero is a sneaking piece of imbecilityand if he had married Flora she would have set him up upon the chimney-pieceas Count Boralaski'swifeusedto dowith him.

—Scott, Sir Walter