verse = compete vs. (1984)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

We've discussed the backformation "verse" from "versus" before, but I had
only turned up examples (from Usenet) back to the mid-'90s:

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0412C&L=ADS-L&P=24837

Here it is from 1984:

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New York Times, Feb. 20, 1984, B3/4
"Latest Word: New Yorkese Of '84 Is Here"
To verse: High school slang meaning to compete against another school's
team, as in "We're going to be versing the Brown Bombers next week." From
the preposition "versus."
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--Ben Zimmer