subs. (old).—1. An old game variously played. [Most frequently dice were thrown by the company, and those upon whom the lot fell were obliged to assume and maintain for a time a certain fictitious character, or to repeat a certain number of fescennine verses in a particular order. If they departed from the characters assigned … they incurred forfeits, which were compounded for by swallowing an additional bumper.—Guy Mannering, 1836. Note to ch. xxxii.]
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. HIGHJINKS, a Play at Dice who Drinks.
1728. RAMSAY, Elegy on Maggy Johnston, i., 25, note. The quaff or cup is filled to the brim, then one of the company takes a pair of dice, and after crying HY-JINKS, he throws them out; the number he casts up points out the person must drink; he who threw, beginning at himself number one, and so round till the number of the person agree with that of the dice (which may fall upon himself if the number be within twelve); then he sets the dice to him, or bids him take them; he on whom they fall is obliged to drink, or pay a small forfeiture in money, then throws, and so on. But if he forgets to cry Hy-jinks he pays a forfeiture into the bank. Now he on whom it falls to drink (if there be anything in the bank worth drawing) gets it all if he drinks; then with a great deal of caution he empties his cup, sweeps up the money, and orders the cup to be filled again, and then throws; for if he err in the articles, he loses the privilege of drawing the money. The articles are—(1) Drink, (2) Draw, (3) Fill, (4) Cry Hy-jinks, (5) Count just, (6) Chuse your doublet, man—viz., when two equal numbers of the dice is thrown, the person whom you chuse must pay a double of the common forfeiture, and so must you when the dice is in his hand.
1815. SCOTT, Guy Mannering, ch. xxxvi. The frolicsome company had begun to practise the ancient and now forgotten pastime of HIGH JINKS.
1861. H. KINGSLEY, Ravenshoe, lv. He had made an engagement to drive Lord Saltire, the next morning, up to Wargrave in a pony-chaise, to look at Barrymore House, and the place where the theatre stood, and where the game of HIGH JINKS had been played so bravely fifty years before.
2. See quot., and cf. sense 1.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. HIGH JINKS. A gambler at dice, who, having a strong head, drinks to intoxicate his adversary, or pigeon. Under this head are also classed those fellows who keep little goes, take in insurances; also, attendants at the races, and at the E O tables; chaps always on the look out to rob unwary countrymen at cards, etc.
3. (common).—A frolic; a row. [From sense 1.]
1861. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown at Oxford, i. All sorts of HIGH JINKS go on on the grass plot.
1872. Daily Telegraph, 13 Sept. ‘Filey the Retired.’ Frisky Filey cannot assuredly be called. There are no HIGH JINKS on her jetty; and, besides, she hasn’t got a jetty, only a ‘Brigg.’
1890. Pall Mall Gazette, 24 July, 4, 2. Yesterday and to-day there have been HIGH JINKS in Petworth Park, rich and poor for miles round being invited, and right royally feasted on the coming of age of Lord and Lady Leconfield’s eldest son.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 3 April. While Bank Holiday was being celebrated with such éclat at Kempton, they were carrying on HIGH JINKS over hurdles and fences at Manchester.
1892. Sala’s Journal, 2 July, p. 223. HIGH JINKS with the telephone have been the order of the day at Warwick Castle; taps and wires have been turned on and off, and floods of melody of various kinds have delighted listening ears.
1893. National Observer, 25 Feb., ix., 357. Time was when there were HIGH JINKS in that vast quadrangle.
TO BE AT HIS HIGH JINKS, phr. (common).—To be stilted and arrogant in manner; to RIDE THE HIGH HORSE (q.v.). Fr., faire sa merde or sa poire.
