A lively “spree.”
1767. Stolen, a Pigg about 90 wt., supposed for such a Frolick as detected at New-york.—Boston Post-boy, Dec. 28.
1772. Since the above instance, the ingenuity of some of those nocturnal Sley-frolickers has added the Drum and Conk-shell, or Pope-horn, to their own natural, noisy, abilities.—Boston-Gazette, Feb. 3. (N.E.D.)
1789. They were both staggering home from a frolic on a thanksgiving eve—staggering, did I say—they were not drunk, nor were they sober—they were at that happy medium, when the bondsman feels himself as happy as the monarch.—American Museum, v. 452/2.
1817. This operation is almost always the subject of what they term a frolic, or in some places, a bee.—J. Bradbury, ‘Travels,’ pp. 292–3. (N.E.D.)
1824. [He was] charged with the murder of a young man, while on a sleighing frolic.—Franklin Herald, March 16 (Greenfield, Mass.).
1825. He happened to get both eyes gouged out yesterday in a frolic.—J. K. Paulding, ‘John Bull in America,’ p. 150 (N.Y.).
1833. 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.—H. Martineau, ‘Briery Creek,’ p. 18. (N.E.D.)
1834. “But how? and when? and who was your antagonist in this frolic?” “Frolic!” exclaimed Damon; “well, now, it’s what I would call a regular row; I never saw a prettier knock down and drag out in all the days of my life, even in old Kentuck.”—Caruthers, ‘The Kentuckian in New-York,’ i. 61 (N.Y.).
1854. We had no say in the matter, but we were amazed, and stood back, as common people say, like poor folks at a frolic.—Mr. Clayton of Delaware, U.S. Senate, June 15: Cong. Globe, p. 1000, App.
