Also chevey, chivey, chivvy. [See the sb.]
1. trans. To chase.
1830. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Chivy, to chace, to run and career gaily, like boys in their sports.
1840. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), V. 50. The other side are to blame, if they do not, as we should say in the dragoons ‘Chevy’ them back again.
1873. G. C. Davies, Mount. & Mere, xi. 85. We … had been chevied by a diminutive black bull of exceedingly fierce aspect.
1883. Daily News, 26 Feb., 2/1. Localities whence omnibuses and underground railways have, or seem to have, chivied romance.
2. intr. To race, scamper.
1830. Forby [see 1].
1863. J. C. Jeaffreson, Live it Down, II. 243 (Hoppe). I just caught sight of young Squire Turrett chiveying along as if the old ’un was behind him.
1865. Daily Tel., 4 March, 5/1. They [the hares] had … ‘chevied’ over the moonlit open so securely, that they had almost forgotten to sleep with one eye open and one ear cocked each way.
Hence Chevied, chivied ppl. a., -ing vbl. sb.
1877. Blackmore, Erema, II. 107 (Hoppe). The very least child of all, too young as yet for chivying.
1886. N. Tirard, in 19th Cent., Oct., 586. The poor chivied outcast Jo, who had recently had smallpox.
