subs. (common).—Originally tricks in the rigging of H. M. Navy; hence any rough-and-tumble horseplay. As verb. = to frolic, to play the fool; SKYLARKING = boisterous merriment or fooling; and SKYLARKER = a practical joker.
1829. MARRYAT, Frank Mildmay, iv. I had become … so fond of displaying my newly-acquired gymnastics, called by the sailors ‘SKY-LARKING,’ that my speedy exit was often prognosticated. Ibid. (1833), Peter Simple, I. xi. There was such bawling and threatening, laughing and crying … all squabbling or SKYLARKING, and many of them very drunk.
1835. R. H. DANA, Jr., Two Years Before the Mast, xvii. We … ran her chock up to the yard. ‘Vast there! vast!’ said the mate; ‘none of your SKYLARKING!’
1836. M. SCOTT, The Cruise of the Midge, 188. Come on deck, man—come on deck—this is no time for SKYLARKING. Ibid. (1852), Tom Cringle’s Log, iii. ‘It’s that SKY-LARKING son of a gun, Jem Sparkle’s monkey, sir.’
1855. C. KINGSLEY, Westward Ho! xviii. Lucky for them … they were not SKYLARKING.
1858. New York Courier. ‘Election.’ There was a considerable amount of SKYLARKING carried on from sunset until midnight in the halls and passages of the building, hats were smashed, and members tumbled on the floor.
1863. H. KINGSLEY, Austin Elliot, iv. When his father wouldn’t stand him any longer, he used to go out and SKYLARK with the clerks.
1871. Morning Advertizer, 2 Feb. Give warning of what is going on to “all husbands who SKYLARK around.” The precise nature of the diversion, indicated by SKYLARKING AROUND, is a little foggy; but, taken in conjunction with the context, it is clearly not inconsistent with staying from home until the small hours.
1888. BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, xxiv. Talking and SKYLARKING, like a lot of boys.
1893. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 7, ‘On the ’Oliday Season.’ And if yer don’t find it a ’Oliday SKYLARK, wy, never trust ’ARRY.
