[f. FROLIC v. or a.]
1. An outburst of fun, gaiety, or mirth; a prank. Also, † a flourish (on the drum). On the frolic: on the ‘spree.’
a. 1635. Corbet, To Ld. Mordaunt, 110. Whiles the bold Drum Strikes up his Frolick, through the Hall they come.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 311. Thou and I will enjoy our selves in uncontrouled Frolicks, and Discourse.
1681. Dryden, Sp. Friar, III. iii. I was upon the frolic this evening, and came to visit thee in masquerade.
1700. Cibber, Love makes Man, V. iii. What, is my deary in her frolics already?
1784. Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 101. I spent no time in taverns, games, or frolics of any kind.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxx. But mark you, it shall be the last of my frolics.
1873. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. II. 176. He … often filled whole pages … with the gay frolics of his pencil.
b. Fun, merriment, sportive mirth.
1676. D’Urfey, Madam Fickle, III. i. There’s mirth and frolick in ’t.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), I. 282. To such a madness of frolick and intemperance.
1774. Goldsm., Retal., 52. Alas, that such frolic should now be so quiet!
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1864), I. 276, ‘Stanzas Written in the First Leaf of Lillian.’
| But those who meet, as we have met, | |
| In frolic and in laughter,— | |
| O dream not they can e’er forget | |
| The thoughts that linger after. |
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 39, Laws, Introduction. All young creatures are full of motion and frolic and utterance of the delight which is in them; but man only is capable of taking pleasure in rhythmical and harmonious movements.
c. = WHIM.
1711. Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 5 April. If the frolic should take you of going to Bath, I here send you a note on Parvisol.
2. A scene or occasion of gaiety or mirth; a merry-making; a party. In U.S. = BEE 4. Also preceded by some modifying word, as reaping-, water-frolic.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., VI. 37. I intend to wait on you, and give you a frolik.
1663. Cowley, Cutter of Coleman St., V. x. We hit upon this Frolick, Colonel, only for a kind o’ Mask (d’ye conceive me, Colonel?) to celebrate your Nuptials.
1770. Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary, 20 April. I told him of my frolick for Friday.
1817. J. Bradbury, Trav. Amer., 292. The other mode is by cutting down the trees, dragging them into heaps, and burning them. This operation is almost always the subject of what they term a frolic, or in some places, a bee.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Briery Creek, i. 18 He was interrupted by assurances that nobody wanted to be paid; that they would have a bridging frolic, as they had before had a raising frolic to build the surgeon’s tavern, and a rolling frolic to clear Brawn’s patch of ground, and as they meant to have a reaping frolic when the corn should be ripe. It should be a pic-nic.
1895. E. Anglia Gloss., Frolic, water-frolic, a gala, regatta, or water-picnic.
† 3. ? Humorous verses circulated at a feast. Obs.
1616. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, II. viii. To see him … drinke vnto ’hem; And then talke baudy: and send frolicks! O!
1631. R. H., Arraignm. Whole Creature, xiv. § 2. 244. Moveable as Shittlecockes … or as Frolicks at Feasts, sent from man to man, returning againe at last, to the first man.
† 4. A plaything; toy. Obs.
1650. Fuller, A Pisgah-sight of Palestine, IV. vii. 136. Apples were dedicated unto her [Venus], and her image commonly made with such fruit, as a frolick in her hand.
Hence Frolicful a.; † Frolicky a. Obs., full of frolic, frolicsome.
1848. Craig, Frolicful.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa, V. xxiv. 209. A little too frolicky that air—Yet have I prepared my Beloved to expect … great vivacity and quality-freedom. Ibid. (1751), (ed. 4), V. x. 68. Yet may we … make a good frolicky half-day with them.
