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play hooky

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play hooky

to fail to attend school or some other event. Why aren't you in school? Are you playing hooky? I don't have time for the sales meeting today, so I think I'll just play hooky.

See also: play

play hooky

to stay away from school without permission Any kid who's not in school at this time of day must be playing hooky.

Usage notes: sometimes refers to staying away from a job or avoiding a duty: I decided to play hooky from work so I could go to the ballgame.

See also: play

play hooky

  (American & Australian informal)

to stay away from school without permission Any kid who's not in school at this time of day must be playing hooky.

See also: play

play hooky

Be absent from school or some other obligation without permission, as in It was such a beautiful day that Herb played hooky from work. In this term, the noun hooky may have come from the phrase hook it, meaning "escape." [Mid-1800s]

See also: play

play hooky

(...ˈhʊki)

tv. to not go to school; to not keep an appointment. I played hooky today and did not go to work.

See also: play