hooky

¹

Or hook·ey

[hook-ee]

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.

hooky

²

[hook-ee]

adjective

hookier, hookiest 

1. full of hooks. hook.

2. hook-shaped.

hooky

/ ˈhʊkɪ /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hooky¹

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

Origin of hooky²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hooky¹

C20: perhaps from hook it to escape

Idioms and Phrases

see play hooky.

Example Sentences

Annie and I told our parents we were going to school today, but we played hooky instead.

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

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

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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?

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Balancing hooky dance-rock with more experimental forays into electronica and even ambient music, they pepper their lyrics with references to online relationships, chemical dependency and wry, self-aware humour.

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