| 释义 |
ˈhorse-play
†1. Play in which a horse is used or takes part; theatrical horsemanship. Also transf. Obs.
1599Massinger, etc. Old Law iii. ii, Horse-play at four⁓score is not so ready. a1627Middleton Mayor of Queenborough v. i, Second Play. We have a play wherein we use a horse. Sim. Fellows, you use no horse-play in my house. 1668Dryden Evening's Love i. ii, Bel. They get upon their jennets, and prance before their ladies' windows... Wild. And this horseplay they call making love.
2. Rough, coarse, or boisterous play, passing the bounds of propriety.
1589R. Harvey Pl. Perc. (1590) 9, I am a stranger, and cannot tel what your horse play meanes. 1700Dryden Fables Pref. Wks. (Globe) 506 He [Collier] is too much given to horse-play in his raillery. 1749Chesterfield Lett. (1792) II. clxxix. 166 No aukward overturns of glasses, plates, and salt-cellars; no horse-play. 1856Masson Ess. iv. 121 Dryden's best comic attempts were but heavy horse-play. 1871L. Stephen Playgr. Europe vi. (1894) 149 Explosions of animal spirits, bordering at times upon horse-play.
Hence horse-playish a., given to horse-play.
1882Daily News 22 Sept. 2/1 The younger men were somewhat horse-playish in their behaviour. |