gallivantv.
/ɡalɪˈvant//ˈɡalɪvant/ intransitive. To gad about in a showy fashion, esp. with persons of the other sex. Also merely = flirt v.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > flirtation or coquetry > flirt, philander, or dally [verb (intransitive)]
flicker?c1225
dallyc1440
mird?c1625
pickeer1646
to dally away1685
niggle1696
coquet1700
gallant1744
philander1778
flirt1781
fike1804
gallivant1823
butterfly1893
vamp1904
romance1907
to fool up1933
floss1938
cop1940
horse1953
society > travel > aspects of travel > travel from place to place > [verb (intransitive)] > with no fixed aim or wander > idly
roil?c1335
gada1500
stavera1500
vaguea1525
scoterlope1574
idle1599
haika1605
saunter1671
stravaig1801
palmer1805
streel1805
taver1808
traik1818
gander1822
gallivant1823
gilravage1825
project1828
daud1831
meander1831
to knock about1833
to kick about1839
to knock round1848
piroot1858
sashay1865
june1869
tootle1902
slop1907
beetle1919
stooge1941
swan1942
1823 W. H. Pyne Wine & Walnuts (1824) II. xxi. 300 Sitting at his ease, galavanting with a publican's daughter.
1835 Countess Granville Let. 12 Feb. (1894) II. 184 I foresee she will be always galivanting with Lady Wharncliffe.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xxxviii. 367 Else I shall have my maid gallivanting with somebody who may rob the house.
1851 T. De Quincey Ld. Carlisle on Pope in Tait's Edinb. Mag. Apr. 236/2 If she chose to go galavanting amongst the clouds, Pope, for his part, was the last person to follow her.
1875 W. S. Hayward Love against World 32 I did not consider it right or proper that a lady..should be gallivanting about the country with those three fellows.
1894 Q. Rev. Oct. 503 The language came natural to him [Lope de Vega] when gallivanting with Filis.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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