frolic

frolic
\ \ [16] Like its source, Dutch vrolijk, and the related German fröhlich, frolic was originally an adjective meaning ‘happy’. This usage had died out by the end of the 18th century, but in the meantime the adjective had been converted into a verb, and thence into a noun, both of which are still with us. (Dutch vrolijk was formed from the adjective vrohappy’, which probably goes back ultimately to a prehistoric Indo-European source which meant primarily ‘spring upwards, move swiftly’.)

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Frolic — may refer to: * Frolic (law), a concept in tort law * Frolic (Anneli Dreker album), a 2005 solo album by Anneli Drecker of Bel Canto * HMS Frolic , one of several ships of the British Royal Navy * USS Frolic , one of several ships of the United… …   Wikipedia

  • frolic — I noun amusement, antic, caper, carousal, drollery, entertainment, escapade, fun, gaiety, gambol, jocoseness, jollity, joviality, lark, merriment, merrymaking, mirth, play, pleasantry, recreation, rollick, romp, vagary associated concepts: detour …   Law dictionary

  • Frolic — Frol ic (fr[o^]l [i^]k), a. [D. vroolijk; akin to G. fr[ o]lich, fr. froh, OHG. fr[=o], Dan. fro, OS. fr[=a]h, cf. Icel. fr[=a]r swift; all perh. akin to Skr. pru to spring up.] Full of levity; dancing, playing, or frisking about; full of pranks; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Frolic — Frol ic, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Frolicked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Frolicking}.] To play wild pranks; to play tricks of levity, mirth, and gayety; to indulge in frolicsome play; to sport. [1913 Webster] Hither, come hither, and frolic and play. Tennyson …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Frolic — Frol ic, n. 1. A wild prank; a flight of levity, or of gayety and mirth. [1913 Webster] He would be at his frolic once again. Roscommon. [1913 Webster] 2. A scene of gayety and mirth, as in lively play, or in dancing; a merrymaking. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Frolic — bezeichnet eine Tierfuttermarke der Mars Incorporated ein Album der Sängerin Anneli Drecker als HMS Frolic mehrere Schiffe der britischen Royal Navy Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unters …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • frolic — n. m. (Acadie) Grande fête collective. Le frolic acadien de Moncton …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • frolic — vb *play, sport, disport, rollick, romp, gambol frolic n play, sport, disport, rollick, romp, gambol (see under PLAY vb) Analogous words: *fun, jest, game, play, sport: caper, *prank, antic, monkeyshine, dido: levity, tightness, frivolity …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • frolic — [n] amusement, revel antic, drollery, escapade, fun, fun and games*, gaiety, gambol, game, high jinks*, joke, joviality, lark, merriment, monkeyshines*, play, prank, romp, shenanigan*, skylarking*, sport, spree, tomfoolery*, trick; concepts… …   New thesaurus

  • frolic — 1530s, as an adj., joyous, merry, from M.Du. vrolyc (adj.) happy, from vro merry, glad, + lyc like. Cognate of Ger. fröhlich happy. The stem is cognate with O.N. frar swift, M.E. frow hasty, from PIE *preu (see FROG …   Etymology dictionary

  • frolic — verb has inflected forms frolicked, frolicking …   Modern English usage

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