or morrice, verb. (old).—To decamp. See quot. 1785.

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  1773.  GOLDSMITH, She Stoops to Conquer, iii., 1. Tony. I don’t value her resentment the bounce of a cracker. Zounds! here they are. MORRICE. Prance. (Exit Hastings).

2

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. MORRIS. Come, MORRIS OFF; dance off or get you gone; allusion to morris, i.e., morisco, or Moorish dancing.

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  1811.  GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

4

  1835.  The Comic Almanack, 34. Being naturally desirous of recovering his footing, a messenger was MORRISSED OFF for a supply.

5

  1838.  DICKENS, Oliver Twist, p. 37 (ed. 1850). Up with you on your pins. There! Now then! MORRICE.

6

  1859.  G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

7

  1883.  GRENVILLE MURRAY, People I Have Met, p. 69. The fellows dine with them, flirt with them, and MORRIS OFF to town in spring for better amusement.

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