hooky ((1))†

[< Brit. dial. hook make off; run away]

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

Spelling variants:
hookey

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play hooky, stay away from school without permission; play truant.

1909

. . . these days you can't play hookey like that. If you're away half a day there's a note from the teacher chasing you up.

1925

"Salt of the earth: a school teacher. I was one myself for about a month. Got fired for encouraging the kids to play hookey," he laughed.

1965

It was certainly interesting to read . . . that youngsters who play hooky are not really naughty but are merely afraid of their classrooms.