TO PLAY HOOKEY, verb. phr. (American).—To play truant; to do CHARLEY-WAG (q.v.).
1876. S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, x. 100. Took his flogging … for PLAYING HOOKY the day before.
TO DO (or PLAY) HOOKEY (or HOOKY), verb. phr. (common).—To apply the thumb and fingers to the nose; TO TAKE A SIGHT (q.v.); TO COFFEE-MILL (q.v.).
