hooky

¹ American  

[hook-ee] / ˈhʊk i /

Or hookey

noun

1. unjustifiable absence from school, work, etc. (usually used in the phraseplay hooky ).

   On the first warm spring day the boys played hooky to go fishing.

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hooky ² American  

[hook-ee] / ˈhʊk i /

adjective

hookier, hookiest

1. full of hooks. hook.

2. hook-shaped.

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hooky British  

/ ˈhʊkɪ /

noun

1. informal truancy, usually from school (esp in the phrase play hooky )

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hooky Idioms  

1. see play hooky.

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Etymology

Origin of hooky¹

1840–50, perhaps alteration of phrase hook it escape, make off

Origin of hooky¹

First recorded in 1545–55; hook ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

And because it is common for a few employees to walk in together, with only one swiping a badge to open the door, HR departments were reluctant to accuse anyone of playing hooky.

From The Wall Street Journal

Onlookers are invited to be mesmerized by the fuchsia flames of Gwi-Ma’s realm as the movie’s hooky synth pop bounces in the foreground.

From Salon

This, it’s a riff, and then it’s a hooky riff with a cool melody over it.

From Los Angeles Times

Angular riffs, clever-clever lyrics and big, hooky choruses were the order of the day.

From BBC

And don’t we all need a big healing sing-along moment with “The Middle” with the hooky reassurance that everything will be all right, all right?

From Los Angeles Times