Chiefly Austral. Also larikin. [Of uncertain origin; possibly f. Larry (a nickname for Lawrence, common in Ireland) + -KIN.
The word seems to have originated in Melbourne not long before 1870; but the current story that it was evolved by a reporter from an Irish policeman’s pronunciation of larking, heard in a Melbourne police-court in 1869, appears to be a figment, no trace of the incident being found in the local papers of the time. (See Morris, Austral Eng., s.v.) A guess that has been proposed is that it is short for Eng. slang leary kinchen.]
A (usually juvenile) street rowdy; the Australian equivalent of the ‘Hoodlum’ or ‘Hooligan.’
1870. Melbourne Herald, 4 April, 3/2. Three larikins … had behaved in a very disorderly manner in Little Latrobe-street.
1886–7. Burton, Arab. Nts., I. 4. Story of the Larrikin and the Cook.
1890. Melbourne Argus, 26 May, 6/7. He was set upon by a gang of larrikins, who tried to rescue his prisoner.
1898. G. W. Steevens, With Kitchener to Khartum, 142. Lord and larrikin, Balliol and the Board School, the Sirdar’s brain and the camel’s back—all welded into one.
b. attrib. passing into adj.
1870. M. Clarke, Goody Two Shoes, 26. He’s a lively little Larrikin Lad, and his name is Little Boy Blue.
1884. Lit. Era, II. 165. Such a larrikin phrase as ‘O crimini’ is to be found … in his writings.
1891. E. Kinglake, Australian at H., 108. The larrikin hordes of the cities of Australia.
Hence Larrikiness, a female larrikin; Larrikinism, the habits and practices of larrikins.
1870. Australian (Richmond, Vict.), 10 Sept., 3/3 (Morris). A slight attempt at ‘larrikinism’ was manifested.
1871. Collingwood Advertiser (Austral.), 22 June, 3/5 (ibid.). Evidence was tendered as to the manner of life led by these larikinesses.
1891. E. Kinglake, Australian at H., 106. Larrikinism confines itself to no particular class.
1892. G. Parker, Round Compass Austral., xii. 224. Nor does the young larrikiness … exist as a class.
