frolic

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   play boisterously

   The children frolicked in the garden

2. 2
   adj

   Merry, joyous, full of mirth; later especially, frolicsome, sportive, full of playful mischief.

   The frolick wind that breathes the Spring, Zephyr with Aurora playing, As he met her once a Maying There on Beds of Violets blew,

3. 3
   verb

   To make merry; to have fun; to romp; to behave playfully and uninhibitedly.

   We saw the lambs frolicking in the meadow.

4. 4
   noun

   Gaiety; merriment.

   the annual jubilee […] filled the souls of old and young with visions of splendour, frolic and fun.

5. 5
   noun

   A playful antic.

   He would be at his frolic once again.

6. 6
   noun

   A social gathering.

   He came clattering up to the school door with an invitation to Ichabod to attend a merry-making or “quilting frolic,” to be held that evening at Mynheer Van Tassel’s

7. 7
   noun

   gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement

8. 8
   adj

   Free; liberal; bountiful; generous.

Etymology

From Dutch vrolijk (“cheerful”), from Middle Dutch vrolijc, from Old Dutch frōlīk, from Proto-Germanic *frawalīkaz. Compare German fröhlich (“blitheful, gaily, happy, merry”). The first element, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *frawaz, is cognate with Middle English frow (“hasty”); the latter element, ultimately from *-līkaz, is cognate with -ly, -like.