释义 |
▪ I. skylark, n.|ˈskaɪlɑːk| [sky n.1] 1. The common lark of Europe, Alauda arvensis, so called from its habit of soaring towards the sky while singing.
1686R. Blome Gentlem. Recreat. ii. Fowling xxxi. 168 The Sky-Lark is more hardy than the Wood-Lark, and less troublesom to keep. 1754Gray Pleasure 13 The Sky-lark warbles high His trembling thrilling ecstacy. 1802Montagu Ornith. s.v., It has been asserted that the Sky Lark never perches. 1833Tennyson Miller's Dau. 40 Some wild skylark's matin song. 1876Smiles Sc. Natur. vii. (ed. 4) 128 After the Skylark and Blackbird have heralded the coming day. 2. U.S. The Missouri pipit, Anthus or Neocorys spraguei; the prairie lark or sky pipit.
1872Coues Birds N.W. 42 The Missouri Skylark..is one of the most abundant and characteristic birds of all the region along the forty-ninth parallel of latitude. 3. With initial capital in catch-phr. any more for the Skylark? (from a boatman's cry at seaside resorts), used to offer an open invitation, usu. for a ride or lift.
1931M. Allingham Look to Lady x. 107 What a good job there's no more for the Skylark... I love riding in other people's motor-cars. 1977E. Dewhurst Curtain Fall v. 46 You hoping for a lift, Miss Rhoda?.. Come along, then, ducky. Any more for the Skylark? ▪ II. skylark, v.|ˈskaɪlɑːk| [f. prec.: see the vbl. n., quots. 1815–19.] 1. intr. a. To frolic or play; to play tricks; to indulge in rough sport or horse-play. In early use chiefly Naut.
1809Naval Chron. XXI. 84 By kicking R. Nelson.., when ‘skylarking’. 1835Marryat J. Faithful xxxviii, Every evening the hands were turned up to skylark, that is, to play and amuse themselves. 1857S. Osborn Quedah iv. 51 My Malays skylarked, joked, and played about. 1872W. Black Adv. Phaeton xxii, The chief administrator of justice..was up here skylarking in a phaeton. b. With it: (See quot.)
1822W. Irving Braceb. Hall v. 46 Listening to a lady amateur skylark it up and down through the finest bravura of Rossini or Mozart. 2. trans. a. To trick, cheat.
1824Scott St. Ronan's v, ‘I'll fly a cheque on Meiklewham.’ ‘See it be better than your last,’ said Sir Bingo, ‘for I won't be skylarked again’. b. To leap in a frolicsome manner.
1825Hone Every-day Bk. I. 292, I begin skylarking the gates and setting into wind to follow the foxhounds. Hence ˈskylarking vbl. n. and ppl. a.; also ˈskylarker, (a) one who skylarks; † (b) Cricket = skyer (Obs.).
1809Naval Chron. XXI. 84 An admonition against ‘skylarking’. 1815Burney Falconer's Dict. Marine 484 Skylarking, a term used by seamen, to denote wanton play about the rigging, and tops, or in any part of the ship, particularly by the youngsters. 1819Metropolis II. 204, I heard [him] say to a friend, ‘I say Baronet, let us have a lark’. I asked our Scapegrace..what this meant? He told me that it was a term in low life, for kicking up a row,..at break of day; it being the short term for sky-larking. 1829Marryat F. Mildmay iv, Fond of displaying my newly-acquired gymnastics, called by the sailors ‘sky larking’. 1839Bell's Life 30 June 4/1 Wells..soon retired, giving a ‘skylarker’, which Button caught. 1889Gretton Memory's Harkback 76 Sundry fast sky⁓larkers amused themselves with horse-racing. Ibid. 221 To the wonderment of the citizens, the skylarking barrister drops down upon them as the Simeonite Vicar of St. Peter's. |